[TTDP/OTTD] Ameecher's Screenshots

[Ameecher]

I assume the one steel wagon there is for braking purposes? I remember seeing photos of a 2-car DMU from here being moved in Victoria on transfer bogies (as they have broad gauge to our standard which is the same as in The UK). Took a loco, five log wagons, the front unit of the DMU, five more log wagons, the second unit of the DMU and then six more log wagons...

Looked really funny .

Anyway, this captures the same coolness!

In the UK stock movements are usually undertaken with what is known as a barrier vehicle because multiple units tend to have a different coupling to that of freight trains (don't ask me which, I'm not that sad!) and can only be coupled in an emergency (for instance to clear the line). For planned movements, such as this one, normally a barrier wagon would be used which basically has a different coupling at each end. Most barrier wagons in the UK are former coaches but there are a number of wagons doing the rounds too. That's what I intended to simulate here although, in reality, I think that a Class 101 is ancient enough to be fitted with standard coach couplers meaning it could couple directly to a class 37. Nevermind, eh?

Get yourself some funding and replace those viaducts though

What!?!? And lose a piece of significantly important railway heritage!? Heathen! In reality, there's no need to change them as trains don't need to approach Silchester at blistering speed so an approach at 80mph is nice and civilised. Plus, the disruption of bridge replacement is an unnecessary inconvience or somesuch bull.
Thanks for the comments though

[Toni Babelony]

That last screenie is maybe one of the best I've seen so far! I've submitted my vote for it as well in the screenshot competition. Keep it coming!

[Raichase]

Ah, barrier wagons? We have special "transition couplers" which is a double ended coupler that goes between the two types. God knows what was wrong with a simple knuckle coupler on everything .

Anyway, nice work!

[Ameecher]

God knows what was wrong with a simple knuckle coupler on everything .

Apparently some couplers can't hack the weight of a freight train (eg Dellner couplers) but by that argument, why not fit all trains with freight couplings? I dunno. They seem to manage though!

[Toni Babelony]

God knows what was wrong with a simple knuckle coupler on everything .

Ever seen pictures of derailed trains with buck-eye couplers and compared that to derailed trains with classic European couplers?

[Ameecher]

Crikey, nearly slipped off the first page! These all date back a few games

Brisol was a small town when the railway was built to serve it in the early 1920s and had one platform and an ornate station building. However the service was somewhat more popular than anticipated and 10 years later a second platform was added to the north side, mainly to cater for the new branch line service which leaves the main route through the station to the north (the line which diverges right in the first screenshot). A very short line that terminates in a modest station and served by a meagre tank engine and a few ancient 2 axle coaches. (the journey is all of 15 squares).
In the mid 1930s the railway sought a faster intercity route avoiding the current infrastructure constraints of the current route through Bristol (much of it was single track with sharp turns which prohibited fast running). When the new line was built Bristol did not have a station on the mainline instead having to cope with a new vastly inferior train service at it's station. Here is the scene you see in the first shot. The train in the platform is a summer holiday train to the southern coast having just loaded up with holiday makers.

Provincial Railways, 19th May 1938.png (143.45 KiB) Viewed 2475 times

Fast forward a couple of years and the realisation that perhaps not building a station at Bristol on the mainline was perhaps a bit of a cock-up, the management built one. The old station became known as Bristol Town and the new station as Bristol Junction. Many expresses still passed through but the majority of expresses did now call at the Junction. The platforms at Town station became bi-directional to allow maximum operational flexibility, no matter how confusing it was to passengers. There can at times be a train on both platforms to Bristol Junction that leave at exactly the same time!

Provincial Railways, 17th Dec 1940.png (128.9 KiB) Viewed 2471 times

However the role of the Town station would be far less great in the coming years. The junction had so much more going for it, connections to more destinations, just as close to the town centre and more space for services. Therefore services were cut back extensively with the only service that calls there being the branch line train (now formed of a GWR "Flying Banana". The route itself stills remains important for freight though that avoids the mainline by following the old route to the capital. Provincial Railways Plc. in a cost cutting exercise decided to cut maintenance at the station ensuring that only the used sections of platform were maintained. The station building was saved because of it housing the subways to enter the station. This is the scene in 1941 with a mixed goods heading north through what remains of the Town station (complete with simplified track work). A semi-fast enters the junction station with a service from the capital while an A4 runs through the fast lines with an "up" express. The Branchline train can be seen sitting in the southern bay platform.

Provincial Railways, 6th Jul 1941.png (107.95 KiB) Viewed 2464 times

[beeb375]

Very slick as usual Gavin, has MPH released that station set yet? I haven't been paying much attention to the graphics section...

[Ameecher]

Not to my knowledge he hasn't, no. Cheers for the comments

[Ameecher]

Double post because I found some more screenshots of the same game.

Blaydon is a tiny village which serves mainly as a part for the transfer of livestock across the lake for onward travel to the abatoir. The long journey time means the animals must be alive for the freshest tastiest meat... (sorry got carried away!) The town also sees an infrequent passenger train service and a slightly more frequent but very slow ferry service.

Provincial Railways, 2nd Nov 1935.png (93.6 KiB) Viewed 2422 times

Virginstow is an important transit point for passengers and goods. Located on the most southerly tip of land it is the port of call for all ships from the island* across the channel. This is the island's only link with the mainland and is, as such rather busy. The goods platform allows immediate transfer of goods from train to ship. Just needs a train really! The excessively long train in platform is another of those summer special trains carrying tourists for onward travel to the island.
*I've got sod all idea what the island is called, it's a long time since I played the game!

Provincial Railways, 17th Jun 1938.png (86.65 KiB) Viewed 2424 times

The centre of the network (although geographically in the corner of the network) is Cowbridge. The station was originally a small terminal affair for a handful of journeys. However the growth of freight in the area and the demand for services to go beyond cowbridge meant a rebuild was required. The marshalling yard to the south of the station was expanded with an extra handling track. The original station was converted to goods use and a new station was built in conjunction with widening of the line to the north from 1 track round the town to 3 to cater for (as yet uniniated) expanded passenger services. A rather quaint little mess, I think you'll agree?

Adams & Co., 8th Jan 1928.png (191.81 KiB) Viewed 1088 times

[Gord]

Yeah, i can't wait for mph's stations...but patience can bring many rewards...it always does when new stuff is being developed for this game!

...great screenshots again Ameecher, everytime i check the screenshots forums and see that you've posted, i always hope you've posted some new shots...you're one of the screenshot people who play just the kind of game i like to see!

(Though i have to admit, even after all the wonderful games you've played and posted here, that East Anglia one you did ages ago is still my favourite!)

[Ameecher]

(Though i have to admit, even after all the wonderful games you've played and posted here, that East Anglia one you did ages ago is still my favourite!)

Funny that, I was planning a new version of that on a larger map (512x512). Maybe, maybe not

[andysine]

Absolutely fantastic shots...

Keep up the great work...

[Badger]

That shot of Blaydon is top-notch.

[Ameecher]

Well then, inspired by Dutchman on Rails whose current game is frankly awesome I decided to play my own version of his game. Trouble is, I can't get pb_build.grf to work at the moment which is highly irritating as there is not much of a challenge. Anyway, here are some shots.

Firstly, the steep and circuitious route around Tiverton.

Alpine Bahn, 9th Sep 1929.png (191.13 KiB) Viewed 1109 times

And where it began, Blyth food processing Plant. The passenger station used to be adjacent to the food processing plant with a single platform and a passing line but demand for more and longer platforms required it to be moved to this location.

Alpine Bahn, 10th Jan 1930.png (88.81 KiB) Viewed 2159 times

[michael blunck]

Firstly, the steep and circuitious route around Tiverton. [pic]

Is that my rivers.grf you´re using? Its rapids should be randomised but they´re looking all the same on your pic? Or is it just by coincidence?

regards
Michael

[Ameecher]

It must be a coincidence because it the rivers.grf that is in use here, Michael.

[Ameecher]

It must be a coincidence because it the rivers.grf that is in use here, Michael.

Or perhaps not. I think it was me fiddling around with my own rapids set up and needed a test bed to see how they worked with animation so I hacked it into your .grf. Unfortunately this hacked .grf seems to have made it into my newgrf folder and remained. Rest assured it has been deleted and future screens will not contain this bootleg .grf The following lot will though.

Same map. Different game as I wanted to have pb_build.grf to make the game a challenge. This also gave me the oppurtunity to relocate some industries and make some other minor adjustments to the scenario.

Firstly. The new look Tiverton:

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 2nd Jul 1932.png (138.1 KiB) Viewed 1950 times

Blyth in the new game. Note the better location of the food processing plant allowing more space for passenger and freight stations.

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 22nd Mar 1936.png (106.64 KiB) Viewed 1952 times

And I think I had to do 2 bits of terraforming to do get this to work. Quite pleased with that!

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 14th Feb 1942.png (180.42 KiB) Viewed 1067 times

[Ameecher]

Tiverton is a major junction and was vastly inadequate for the services I was cramming through there.
This is the scene in 1944 with slightly extended platforms at the passenger station and the hideous yard to the south of the station.

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 3rd Nov 1944.png (94.27 KiB) Viewed 1941 times

Money and space constraints didn't allow anything much to change in the yard but the passenger station gained another platform permitting the long-planned branch of the line to the north. Longer passenger trains were now possible as passing loops and other stations on the line were extended.

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 5th Dec 1951.png (137.43 KiB) Viewed 1942 times

Blyth needed a bit of work too.

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 29th Sep 1958.png (103.81 KiB) Viewed 1938 times

[Ameecher]

A long term aspiration of the company was to reach Hutton, literally in the opposite corner of the region to Blyth and that dream was finally realised in 1961, 32 years after the company began. The company even splashed out on a new BR110 electric locomotive to haul the new express train along the twisty route through the mountains. The company quickly regretted this decision however as it was plunged £800,000 into debt.

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 23rd Jan 1963.png (76.7 KiB) Viewed 1926 times

The train is seen descending the S-bends at Solihull. The station here was expanded to cater for the longer and more frequent trains, at vast expense.

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 22nd Feb 1963.png (117.08 KiB) Viewed 1078 times

The map as of 1964. Lots of single lines but the final steam locomotive as been withdrawn from service and a steady (and extortinate) fleet renewal scheme is in progress with all the old stock being stored so that it can be used on new services when I finally find enough money to build new infrastructure. The main focus of recent years is increasing capacity of the Blyth/Skipton - Tiverton - Sheffield Corridor with the next focus bein on the Skipton/Tiverton - Hastings - Solihull section which has seen an increase in traffic with no improvement to infrastructure leading to long waiting times at passing loops.

Tiverton Alp Bahn, 19th Oct 1964.png (37.37 KiB) Viewed 1073 times

[michael blunck]

it was me fiddling around with my own rapids set up and needed a test bed to see how they worked with animation so I hacked it into your .grf. [...]

Yeah, I recognized these as being not my rapids w/o a closer look.

Unfortunately this hacked .grf seems to have made it into my newgrf folder and remained. Rest assured it has been deleted

Good thing it hadn´t make it into the internet, though this would be the usual way ...

Very nice screenies, BTW.

regards
Michael