VEA Vans: Weathered ODAs

Bright, sparkling wagons are usually a rarity on the rail network and cleanliness is often a short lived state after repairs. As such, we feel it's important to include some slightly more work worn examples of the wagons included in our Train Simulator expansion packs.

The ODA wagons that will be included in the VEA Vans expansion are no exception and we're pleased to show the more grimy versions of the two liveries to be included in the pack.

VEA Vans: Work Worn and Dirty

It's always good fun to show the bright and shiny ex-works wagons. However, in the real world they soon found themselves in traffic and rapidly building a layer of dirt as the paint began to fade.

As with the majority of our expansion packs the VEA vans will feature both clean versions and the weathered ones featured in this post.

Carflats: Fresh Paint

It's always good to start getting base textures on to models and these have been no exception as the application of colour is really starting to bring them to life. The paintwork at the moment is still very much base coat with the ambient occlusion added with a basic set-up on the shaders so still a way to go!

This Dia. 1/131 FVV is in Rail Blue complete with Motorail branding. The wagon has the taller type of sides with removable end sections and wooden ends.

This version will also be supplied carrying TOPS code NGV representing the 16 or so vehiucles that were transferred to the non passenger carrying coaching stock series for Motorail use in the mid 1980s as a part of the sectorisation of British Rail.

This Dia 1/177 FVW in brown livery has the short version of sides with removeable sections and wooden ends.

This model will also be supplied as an FVV without the through air pipe.

A Dia 1/088 vehicle carrying Rail Blue livery and Motorail branding. The wagon has fixed sides and a steel end along with a buckeye coupling and dual brakes, hence the TOPS code of FVX.

the story of the carflats is complex and confusing to say the least and that was before in service modifications! As such we've taken a decision to portray the best fit of variations in terms of sides, ends, braking and draw gear. Vehicles to every diagram had a mix of all elements but those shown are the most prevalent for the diagram in question.

All that remains now is to start adding some grime and the finalise the set-up of the shaders oh and some loads of course. I've just seen a WIP render of one of the loads under development and I think there will be a very interesting blog post in the future.

VEA Vans: Railfreight Distribution ODA

Even though there were only 50 conversions of tube wagons to form the ODA air braked version, one of the wagons still managed to gain a coat of Railfreight Distribution livery.

Much like the VEA conversions the ODA looks pretty smart in a livery conceived some 30 years after it was originally built. This screen shot also includes a contemporary battery powered flashing tail lamp.

Let's Ride the Rails

A bit of an irresistible title I'm afraid!

A few weeks ago we were contacted by an experienced reskinner who expressed an interest in creating some reskins to form part of the scenarios we include with our Train Simulator expansions. With the scenarios for the Bullion Carriers under way the chance was taken to recreate one of Gateshead's allocation of Class 47s in the form of 47406 'Rail Riders' in original InterCity livery to use as the player locomotive.

The locomotive uses the class 47 included in the European Assets Pack/original routes and has a new texture, 3D nameplates and crest plus added ETH jumpers.

Although forming part of the scenario within the expansion pack the reskin will also be available to download from our website once the Bullion Carriers have been released. Don't take the screenshot as an example of the scenario though - it looks much different and you may have struggled to see the loco ....

VEA Vans: Railfreight Distribution VEA

One of the most exciting things about developing Train Simulator expansions is the little bits of history it can throw up. The story of the Vanwides and later VEA vans is no exception.

Not only did some 1950's built vans gain a new under-frame and air brakes to become the VEA vans featured in our expansion but at least six of them also managed to gain Railfreight Sector livery as the responsibility for Ministry of Defence trains passed to Railfreight Distribution.

Naturally, there was some variation in the way the livery was applied but the version we've chosen seems to have been the most prevalent judging by photographs. It must be said though that the VEA vans carried the livery well and it's a huge change from the all over brown they wore when originally built as Vanwides!

Bullion Carriers: Bullion Van Completed

With the textures and shaders finally completed it's great to see the bullion van in a completed form.

It seems to have been a very long unwrap and bake process with this one but the van and flats are finally with the testers.

If they come back from testing without any issues there will just the the levels of detail to add to complete the models.

VEA Vans: The expected one

When most people think of the VEA Van conversions they remember the Railfreight flame red and grey livery that the vast majority of the fleet carried from conversion.

Even now the vans look very smart in the livery and hide their more traditional history.

To complete the story there's a screenshot doing the rounds internally of the other livery the vans carried. When complete it's sure to feature in another blog post very soon ...

Bullion Carriers: Also in white

With the light application of  grime complete the opportunity has been taken to create alternative versions of the bullion flat with white containers.

The few photographs of the bullion flats in traffic shows them with either blue or white containers in a number of different positions. It's hard to say if this is chance or an era defined choice as there are so few pictures of the flats in service.

Bullion Carriers: Bullion Flat in Need of Grime

The bullion flat is now in the condition where it's really looking the part. The texturing is now complete and all of the lettering has been added.

All that's now left is to add a little bit of grime here and then and get the testers to give the bullion flat and bullion van a once over before the LODs are created.

Once these master shapes are finished there's a little bit of minor tweaking needed to add a little more variation to the pack.

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.

HBA/HEA Hoppers: Darlington 1976?

Could this have been the scene at Darlington in 1976?

A class 08 shunts a train containing six brand new HBA hoppers recently released from Darlington ready for their first revenue earning trip. Part of a VDA van with experimental suspension can also be glimpsed at the left of the picture.

All the parts of the HBA/HEA hoppers for Train Simulator 2013 are in place and the base colours for both the maroon and Railfreight liveries are now complete ready for testing before having LODs created, individual versions created and weathered ready for release of the add-on towards the end of the year.

PEC-04: Railfreight Hoppers in Game

After quite a lot of tinkering to get just the right effect the (almost complete) master versions of the Railfright liveried HBA/HEA hoppers have made it into Train Simulator 2013. There's still a bit of texture work to complete, most notably on the wheels!

Each model sports five different variations of Railfreight logo and lettering which select randomly when placed in the game but can be further modified if required.

North Staffs Minerals: Meaford Power Station

Please note: The mineral wagons in the pictures are not our product and merely used by the route builder as an illustration.

North Staffs Minerals: Wedgwood Factory

North Staffs Minerals: Hem Heath Colliery

A couple of pictures of the south end head shunt at Hem Heath Colliery.

North Staffs Minerals: Cockshute Yard

A nice little selection of screenshots from North Staffs Minerals, our 1970s freight orientated route for RailWorks 3 Train Simulator 2012 have floated over from the route builder.

Target 9 Departs Cockshute Yard, Stoke-on-Trent. 

A view from the tow path as Target 9 Departs Cockshute Yard, Stoke-on-Trent behind two Sulzers.

You can only assume this picture was taken from a narrow boat on the canal of 102t bogie tanks in Cockshute Yard, Stoke-on-Trent

The Night Capitals: Final Master GUV shape.

After much looking at pictures, continual adding of bits and a pretty manic time in non modelling life it's great to have a couple of final shape renders of the GUV for our Night Capitals stock addon for RailWorks 3 Train Simulator 2012 to show off.

The plan has always been to create a generic shape that can be exported to create most variations that the GUV has gone through in its life time. The top picture shows a shape in as delivered condition with step boards, vacuum brakes and through steam pipe. The step boards found themselves removed fairly early on as they were frequently damaged during the transhipment of BRUTE trollies.

The second picture is of possibly the most complicated (and possibly not true to life) variant with dual brakes, through electric wiring and steam pipe along with a gangway buffing plate. The buffing plate was  a modification applied to Motorail vans to help stop shocks under braking between the clasp braked GUV and disc braked Mk3 sleepers. The buffing plate fitted vans were not recognised by TOPS when still in the standard number range so which vans in Motorail traffic were fitted is a matter for conjecture.

Now these are out of the way it's time to put some serious effort into the mark 1 sleepers!

North Staffs Minerals: Glebe Street Junction

A quick snapshot in time of Glebe Street Junction to the south of Stoke-on-Trent station in our addon route for RailWorks Train Simulator 2012.

North Staffs Minerals: Cockshute Stabling Sidings

A quick night time shot sent over by the route builder of North Staffs Minerals addon route for RailWorks Train Simulator 2012 featuring some typical Staffordshire traction waiting their next duty.