Bonus Brake Vans - Part 1

Those of you who have been following us for a while know that we like to throw in the odd extra when it comes to our Train Simulator expansion packs to make them a little more realistic. Today we're showing off a couple of items we've been finishing off to bundle with a number of our forthcoming Marketplace releases.

With the Sectorisation of British Rail, image and accountability became a very important part of the business. Ironically, even in this modern business, there was still the need for traditional railway technology including the humble brake van.

Where the transportation of dangerous goods or particular operating arrangements were in place there was still a requirement for brake vans to be used for the use of the guard or other members of the train crew. As a consequence, a number of the later built dia. 1/507 20T brake vans with through air and vacuum pipes (TOPS code CAR) gained fresh coats of Railfreight sector livery complete with sector branding.

We have created this model for inclusion in our RNA barrier wagons pack that is due to be released on Steam Marketplace very soon. The model features coal sector decals by default but these can be changed through the use of number prefixes to any other decal if you so desire. Given the period of use this van is fitted with a single early design battery flashing tail lamp controlled via our intelligent tail lamp scripting.

Turning the clock right back we've also been working on a more original unfitted dia. 1/506 brake van with plain axle boxes. A considerable number of these vans were built in the early 1950s both in the form represented here but also with through vacuum pipes and in some cases, were fully fitted with vacuum brakes.

Given that unfitted wagons were not fitted with lamp irons and would not be expected to run in train without a brake van this model is currently scheduled to be bundled with a number of our forthcoming expansions including the unfitted 21t hopper packs and the BDO bogie bolsters.

The dia. 1/506 vans feature a selection of randomised or controllable lettering styles along with clean and weathered textures. By default the vans display three oil lamps (with the side lamps being randomly black or white) denoting a partially fitted or unfitted train but this can be overridden if desired to show a single lamp for a fitted train.

Both of the vans shown are supplied with smoking and non smoking stove pipes. The smoking variant has dynamic smoke that changes over time reflecting changes to the fire in the stove.

We do have plans to create further versions of both these vans which will be bundled with future expansions as appropriate.

HEA Hopper Conversions: A Brake Van for the Sectorisation Era

Our latest screenshot of items to be included in our HEA Hopper Conversions expansion pack for Train Simulator 2014 is a dia 1/507 CAR brake van in Trainload Railfreight Sector livery.

Even though the days of every goods train conveying a brake van on the rear for the use of the guard were long past a number of CAR brake vans did surprisingly receive the Trainload Railfreight livery complete with sector decals. The vans were given this modern livery as they were still needed for use with hazardous cargoes and where propelling movements were required as a part of a trains booked schedule. It was probably good for public perception of some of these potentially controversial commodities to appear to be carried in smart, well maintained trains too!

The main reason for including a new version of the CAR in our HEA Hopper Conversions expansion is to work alongside the RNA Barrier Wagons for use with nuclear flask traffic. The vans were included in trains in the late 1980's and early 1990's to assist with shunting movements at terminals and in the unlikely event of something untoward happening to a train conveying nuclear flasks the guard would be able to protect the rear of the train without the locomotive crew having to pass the flasks carried on the train.

Done LODing

Ok, so it's nothing that hasn't been seen before but this screenshot marked a seminal moment earlier today as the last shape for inclusion in the HBA/HEA Hoppers pack, a weathered Railfreight flame red and grey CAR brake van with a battery tail lamp, went for a quick spin behind a Class 37 out of Carlisle Kingmoor Yard.

All of the shapes are now complete, the manual is finished and the test version of the installer has been built and is ready for the testers once their (extensive) brief for the installer test has been written ready for them to try and break it!

This should mean that release happens within a couple of weeks if the installer test goes well and doesn't throw up any issues as everything is given a final inspection.

The manual for the pack is likely to be uploaded during the week for anyone who fancies a sneaky peak too.

Pimp my CAR

The creation of the CAP and CAO brake vans for the HBA/HEA hoppers pack saw a number of shape tweaks and material changes take place. We've taken the opportunity to make some of the same changes to the CAR brake vans that were originally released with the VDA vans as a need was found for them in the scenarios for the hoppers where they are included as free bonus items alongside the other two variations.

The chance has also been taken to add some new versions of the brake vans with battery flashing tail lamps on the liveries that were likely to have survived into the late 1980s.

A patch will be issued slightly later to upgrade the CAR brake vans to the current version for those people who have bought the VDA vans pack but don't wish to buy the HBA/HEA Hoppers.

Brake van without brakes

It's been a productive week and a few small tasks have been completed that move the release of the HBA/HEA hoppers for Train Simulator 2014 a step closer.

Following close behind the CAP brake vans shown last week are some modified dia 1/506 brake vans from lot 3129 which have lost their vacuum through pipes to become unbraked CAO vans,

Bauxite and bauxite with grey end liveries are supplied in both weathered and fairly fresh paint condition. The grey end was often added to brake vans which should have been braked to indicated that they were unfitted.

CAP Textures Completed

Challenging times in the current day job have been sapping energy and modelling time so it's great to be able to make this post!

The texture work on the dia. 1/506 vacuum piped brake vans (TOPS code CAP) has been completed this morning with both the recently painted and work worn examples completed and happily displaying in Train Simulator 2014.

These vans have been produced to enable us to add variety and a little more authenticity to the scenarios included with the HBA/HEA hoppers pack and any further packs they can find a use in. They're not expected to form a pack in their own right but will be included with other packs as appropriate.

Brake Van Variety

Been hanging on to this little shot of the completed brake van shapes for a bit and didn't get round to posting them!

These are both from lot 3129 and built to dia 1/506 with the right hand one being as constructed with a through vacuum pipe. The van on the left has had it's vacuum pipe removed as gained (like some other vans but by no means all) a grey end when this happened to signify that it is now effectively unfitted.

Once the HBA and HEA hoppers have finished being kicked around to make them look dirty and used it will be the turn of the brake vans which are looking way too clean!

HBA/HEA Hoppers: Brake Van first spin.

A first peak of a much too clean and sparkly dia 1/506 brake van from lot 3129 for use in the scenarios bundled with the HBA/HEA hoppers and other future packs as required. The default LMS van was looking a bit weird bring up the rear of partially fitted and unfitted trains in the late 1970s so we felt something a little different was required.

The model, originally produced as a CAR (through air and vacuum pipes) for inclusion in the VDA pack, has had a bit of an upgrade in a couple of areas along with the removal of the air pipes and visible controls inside the van.

It's safe to say that this has possibly been one of the biggest minefields yet and there is almost a picture to prove everything. Lot 3129 should (according to the diagram book) have been built with plain bearings and spindle buffers but every picture shows them with roller bearings and hydraulic buffers, just like dia 1/507 which covered the final two lots produced by British Railways and the subject of the CAR model.

Many of the vans had their through pipes removed towards the end of their careers with a subsequent change of TOPS code from CAP to CAO and these will be produced too, once the last little issues are sorted with this model.

Brake Van Variety

The dia. 1/507 brake vans included in the VDA vans stock pack for Railworks were completed today and sent off to the testers.

This monster post shows all four variations to be included: bauxite and yellow clean; bauxite and yellow weathered; Railfreight red and grey clean and Railfreight red and grey weathered.

Each of these variants comes with 3 tail lamps (unfitted trains), 1 tail lamp (fully fitted trains) and without any lamps plus smoking and non smoking versions of the above.

Northern Lights?

A quick walk out at dusk last night found this standard dia 1/507 20T brake van with a full set of lamps for an unfittted train on the rear of a local trip working.

Taking a Railfreight Brake

Ok, the plan was to get Railfreight flame red and grey livery on the dia. 1/507 brake van for RailWorks and then get the models out to the testers.

What actually happened was the livery was applied and in the final stages of tweaking when an idea popped into my head - 'It might be a good idea to add side lamps for working trains without continuous brake'. The results can be seen above!

At the present time the side lamps have holding textures in place so the flat appearance and red lens will disappear in future along with the test coupling. The next modelling session should see the lamps baked and given proper textures and the coupling sorted too so these can go off to the testers while final versions of the VDAs are compiled.

Basically Bauxite Brake

Ok with a bit of yellow too!

The base textured dia 1/507 brake van with through air and vacuum pipes (TOPS code CAR) in bauxite livery with yellow patches is ready for a trip to the testers before a bit of dirtying up.

One thing that has become apparent while applying these textures is that no two examples were quite the same. What we see here is an aggregate version that captures the spirit of the vans.

First Coats of paint for the Brake Van

After a couple of entertaining sessions tweaking mapping and realising that no two prototypes are painted the same this freshly painted dia. 1/507 brake van was spotted slipping past Darlington.

The texture is still a layout version at the moment with generally flat colours and some needing a bit more tweaking, but it's always nice to see the model coming to life.

Baked Brake

By request here's a screenshot of the baked dia 1/507 Brake Van in game.

There are a few issues in evidence at the moment that need to be sorted along with the high vis coupling!

Easter Brake

With the high poly version of the dia 1/507 brake van for RailWorks complete and ready to join the unwrapping and baking line it's time to take a couple of days off for Easter.

Getting Warmer

Looks like the guard has got the stove lit to keep the chills at bay.

Breaking the game?

It's always satisfying to see the completed shape in game, even if this one has been in and out a few times with holes that needed plugging. It's strange how a shape that appears simple suddenly throws some deceptive problems.

With the basic shape complete it will be off to the testers for a bit of a critique while the interior is created and hopefully a bit more of the VDA unwrapping can take place.

Getting a hand hold

After a week where other matters have had to take priority over the modelling I've found some time to add some more of the detail to the dia 1/507 brake van that will be included in our VDA stock pack for RailWorks.

All that remains now are a few brackets and angle pieces and the myriad of bolt heads and rivets to bake onto the final texture.

Can't quite get the brakes off ...

Just a quick end of the day render of the dia 1/507 brake van for RailWorks. Not quite so much progress tonight as desired, but that's sometimes the way things go.

As usual the render has thrown up a few areas for a bit more attention next time. Most noticeable are the rain-strip and vents which need to be a bit finer and subtle and the coupling and buffers aren't quite right.

The next session should see the items above tweaked along with the hand rails and lamp irons added before embarking on the finer details.

dia 1/507 Brake Van Progress

Have sent some more time on the dia 1/507 brake van that will accompany our VDA vans for RailWorks.

The model starts to resemble a brake van now and the next session should see the majority of the big bits completed.

As is always the case with WIP renders they show the bits that need a little refinement. In those super chunky foot boards need a bit of attention along with a couple of other small things.