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TS2022 Valley Lines Route

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Jacob Didcote

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Hello All,
I am currently adding the "Valley Lines" to the current SWC Bristol- Swansea route. This will hopefully be in 2 Phases. I am stumped whether to set in the ATW or TfW era. The original plan was to wait for the SWC electrification to be done and then i would start the route but then it significantly reduces the scenario potential as after running a 2005 Rhymney Tractor run and roll into an electrified CDF. I was thinking of doing ATW originally as it spanned 15 years. On the other hand, i was thinking of doing TfW as i want to add some modern touches to the route and make it as up-to-date as possible but then i can't as there won't be any OHLE on the SWML. Any ideas or help (reference material) would be appreciated.

PHASE 1 incudes; Vale Of Glamorgan Line, Ebbw Valley Line & Maesteg Line.

PHASE 2 includes; City Line, The Rhondda Line, Aberdare Branch, Merthyr Line, Coryton Line and Rhymney Line.

Updates will be posted on here, my website www.spadsimulations.co.uk, on my Facebook (SPADSimulations) and Instagram (@SPADSimulations)!

Attached are the maps for the 2 phases.
 

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Peter C

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Sounds like an interesting project! I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to Welsh railways and so I can't help with things like reference material etc., but I can offer help for route building tips. Do yu have the gradient information for the route(s)? That'll be one of the most important things for building a route in TS. www.railwaydata.co.uk has gradient profiles, as does https://railmap.azurewebsites.net/Public/Gradients. Have you made any other TS routes before?

-Peter :)
 

Jacob Didcote

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Barry
Sounds like an interesting project! I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to Welsh railways and so I can't help with things like reference material etc., but I can offer help for route building tips. Do yu have the gradient information for the route(s)? That'll be one of the most important things for building a route in TS. www.railwaydata.co.uk has gradient profiles, as does https://railmap.azurewebsites.net/Public/Gradients. Have you made any other TS routes before?

-Peter :)
I do have the gradients for the lines and I downloaded and printed the Sectional Appendix for the lines too which include the speed restrictions and platform lengths, etc. In all honesty no, but I have played round with route building in the past, nothing notable but got myself used how it all works. I haven't set a deadline on it so I can just take my time and make it to the best of my ability! Even tips would be most welcome!
 

Peter C

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I do have the gradients for the lines and I downloaded and printed the Sectional Appendix for the lines too which include the speed restrictions and platform lengths, etc. In all honesty no, but I have played round with route building in the past, nothing notable but got myself used how it all works. I haven't set a deadline on it so I can just take my time and make it to the best of my ability! Even tips would be most welcome!
Ah brilliant - sounds good. I'm currently working on a couple of projects myself which also don't have any deadlines (mainly because I'm doing it more for my own use than for release) and it's definitely made it more fun. I hadn't actually thought about using the Sectional Appendices as a resource, so I'll have a look and see how I could use it.

I hope it all goes well!

-Peter
 

Jacob Didcote

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Ah brilliant - sounds good. I'm currently working on a couple of projects myself which also don't have any deadlines (mainly because I'm doing it more for my own use than for release) and it's definitely made it more fun. I hadn't actually thought about using the Sectional Appendices as a resource, so I'll have a look and see how I could use it.

I hope it all goes well!

-Peter
As well as laying the track at the moment i am making custom assets which is proving to be a pain! https://www.networkrail.co.uk/indus...ators/national-electronic-sectional-appendix/ then scroll down and it'll contain all the lines in the UK!

Hope it helps!
 

Peter C

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As well as laying the track at the moment i am making custom assets which is proving to be a pain! https://www.networkrail.co.uk/indus...ators/national-electronic-sectional-appendix/ then scroll down and it'll contain all the lines in the UK!

Hope it helps!
I need to learn how to make my own custom assets for my route, now I think about it. It would be a lot of work! I think I've got some of the Sectional Appendices downloaded but I'm not sure; thanks for providing the link.

-Peter
 

Jacob Didcote

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I need to learn how to make my own custom assets for my route, now I think about it. It would be a lot of work! I think I've got some of the Sectional Appendices downloaded but I'm not sure; thanks for providing the link.

-Peter
Peter,
No problem! It's fine to create them it's just the Baking, Texturing and Exporting that is the pain!
The sectional appendices have been quite helpful so far!
-Jake
 

aw1972

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If you are looking for reference material and advice, the Railways in South Wales Facebook group is full of pictures and knowledgeable enthusiasts who are happy to answer questions.
 

Jacob Didcote

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If you are looking for reference material and advice, the Railways in South Wales Facebook group is full of pictures and knowledgeable enthusiasts who are happy to answer questions.
The members post so many useful things. Their Signal Sunday is always helpful for positioning and types of signals. It is a really useful page!

Made it to Penarth!

Jobs to do:
Markers- Stations (Dingle Road & Penarth)
Scenery- Lots to do!!! Will leave it until all of the track is laid. (DEM import has messed up and now there are cliffs down to the stations .

Next job is to lay track down the Vale Of Glamorgan then I'll make a start on the scenery. Before then commencing work on the Ebbw Valley and Maesteg Line!
 

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Jacob Didcote

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After a long days graft, I am pleased to say I have laid the base down for the Vale of Glamorgan line!

Small jobs to do:
-Lay track into yard at Barry (Woodhams Scrapyard) & BTR (Barry Tourist Railway)
-Lay track into Aberthaw PS
-Lay track into Bridgend Ford

After these jobs have been completed, I will lay the track on the other lines which will be included in phase 1. Then on to the scenery!
 

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Peter C

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I'm surprised I didn't post something here earlier! That's an awful lot of work you've got done there. It's really nice to see the route develop. :) Have you found it easy getting the track to a good standard? I found when trying to do my Cotswold Line route that it was jolly difficult getting things to work the way they needed to.

-Peter
 

Jacob Didcote

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I'm surprised I didn't post something here earlier! That's an awful lot of work you've got done there. It's really nice to see the route develop. :) Have you found it easy getting the track to a good standard? I found when trying to do my Cotswold Line route that it was jolly difficult getting things to work the way they needed to.

-Peter
Hi Peter,
The track has been a pain to get right...constantly going back and forth correcting bits. Gradients have been a bit of a pain but I've completed the majority of it. Still got the small bits like BTR, etc to finish. Completed the track in Aberthaw PS & Cement Works which i will post on here later!
-Jake
 
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Peter C

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Hi Peter,
The track has been a pain to get right...constantly going back and forth correcting bits. Gradients have been a bit of a pain but I've completed the majority of it. Still got the small bits like BTR, etc to finish. Completed the track in Aberthaw PS & Cement Works which i will post on here later!
-Jake
I don't think there's any such thing as a 'perfect' route on TS; there are always going to be issues to some degree. From the looks of that map, you've done an awful lot - and in a comparatively short amount of time too. This makes me want to get one with my own route now!

-Peter :)
 

Jacob Didcote

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Barry
I don't think there's any such thing as a 'perfect' route on TS; there are always going to be issues to some degree. From the looks of that map, you've done an awful lot - and in a comparatively short amount of time too. This makes me want to get one with my own route now!

-Peter :)
At the moment it is only track that has been laid. As mentioned yesterday, not all the track has been laid on the smaller bits like the Barry Tourist Railway, Barry Docks and Bridgend Ford.
 

Peter C

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At the moment it is only track that has been laid. As mentioned yesterday, not all the track has been laid on the smaller bits like the Barry Tourist Railway, Barry Docks and Bridgend Ford.
Even so, still an achievement. I'd be interested to see the Barry Tourist Railway: it doesn't seem to have been done in TS before and is one of those little lines which I'm sure lots of people would appreciate having in the game.

-Peter
 

Jacob Didcote

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Nabbed the post from my facebook page:

"Another afternoon well spent! Aberthaw Power Station...has driven me round the bend...badum tss . Eventually got it all sorted though.

Jobs to do:
-Place markers in Aberthaw Power Station, Aberthaw Reception Sidings"

The markers have been placed on the Aberthaw reception Sidings

Even so, still an achievement. I'd be interested to see the Barry Tourist Railway: it doesn't seem to have been done in TS before and is one of those little lines which I'm sure lots of people would appreciate having in the game.

-Peter
Someone did build the Vale Of Glamorgan as far as Barry and some of the valleh lines but is set circa 1930/40/50. And then they did do an updated one but i didnt see many updates on it.
 

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Peter C

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Nabbed the post from my facebook page:

"Another afternoon well spent! Aberthaw Power Station...has driven me round the bend...badum tss . Eventually got it all sorted though.

Jobs to do:
-Place markers in Aberthaw Power Station, Aberthaw Reception Sidings"

The markers have been placed on the Aberthaw reception Sidings
That looks cool! Having the power station on the route would make for some interesting scenarios.

Someone did build the Vale Of Glamorgan as far as Barry and some of the valleh lines but is set circa 1930/40/50. And then they did do an updated one but i didnt see many updates on it.
Ah - so there's going to be a fairly large market for your modern version then! :)

-Peter
 

Jacob Didcote

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That looks cool! Having the power station on the route would make for some interesting scenarios.


Ah - so there's going to be a fairly large market for your modern version then! :)

-Peter
It will be good for scenario potential!

I do believe the creator did a 2017 version but was only as far as Penarth.
 

gswindale

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Sounds good! One of my favourite routes in MSTS was Briscard (Bristol - Cardiff) which eventually extended to Carmarthen in the West and to Swindon in the East and included the Valley lines.

I would personally set it in ATW times - allows you to run Valley line liveried stock (if it exists) and TfW stock as well as ATW as you can always imagine you're in a transition period.
 

Jacob Didcote

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Sounds good! One of my favourite routes in MSTS was Briscard (Bristol - Cardiff) which eventually extended to Carmarthen in the West and to Swindon in the East and included the Valley lines.

I would personally set it in ATW times - allows you to run Valley line liveried stock (if it exists) and TfW stock as well as ATW as you can always imagine you're in a transition period.
I was in a predicament about what era to set it in. Valley Lines/ATW/TfW. I was thinking of setting it in ATW as ATW spanned for the longest. I was originally going to wait for the electrification to be finished on the SWC and then start the route but then it reduces the amount of scenario potential. 2F26 1215 Rhymney-Cardiff Central from 2005 coming into an electrified CDF...would be rather odd!
 

Jacob Didcote

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Hi All, hope everyone is staying safe!

It's been pretty quiet here for a few weeks so I thought I might as well add an update. This afternoon has been spent laying all the track at the Barry Tourist Railway! This task has been awfully challenging as I couldn't find any gradients for the BTR.

Jobs to do:
-Connect all the roads as roads 2,3,4 & 6 are not connected to the rest of the yard
- Rework Up & Dn Barry Island as there was some glitch in the track so that needs to be redone
-I'm sure there are probably many more jobs to do which I am yet to discover

The screenshots show the progress that has been made today. Quite pleased if I say so myself!
 

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Peter C

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Hi All, hope everyone is staying safe!

It's been pretty quiet here for a few weeks so I thought I might as well add an update. This afternoon has been spent laying all the track at the Barry Tourist Railway! This task has been awfully challenging as I couldn't find any gradients for the BTR.

Jobs to do:
-Connect all the roads as roads 2,3,4 & 6 are not connected to the rest of the yard
- Rework Up & Dn Barry Island as there was some glitch in the track so that needs to be redone
-I'm sure there are probably many more jobs to do which I am yet to discover

The screenshots show the progress that has been made today. Quite pleased if I say so myself!
That all looks really good. Did the gradients for the BTR work alright in the end? Tracklaying without gradients is really annoying in my experience.

-Peter
 

Jacob Didcote

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That is an impressive days work.
Why thank you! Lots more to do though!

That all looks really good. Did the gradients for the BTR work alright in the end? Tracklaying without gradients is really annoying in my experience.

-Peter
Thank you Peter, unfortunately i couldn't find any but i tried my best to use a few cab ride videos and based the graidents from a visual analysis.
 

Peter C

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Thank you Peter, unfortunately i couldn't find any but i tried my best to use a few cab ride videos and based the graidents from a visual analysis.
You're very welcome!
That's a cool way of doing it - no-one can criticise you for trying, especially given I expect most people, myself included, would have given up without gradients.

-Peter :)
 

Jacob Didcote

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You're very welcome!
That's a cool way of doing it - no-one can criticise you for trying, especially given I expect most people, myself included, would have given up without gradients.

-Peter :)
It looks quite close when compared to photos and other media sources. I hope no rivet counters come along and pick every single fault with the route haha!
 

Jacob Didcote

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Hi All, hope you're all well? I know it's definitely been quiet on the route building front! I do apologise. I have been very busy though. I will upload photos in a short while. I have laid the track up to Maesteg. At Tondu I do plan on laying the track up the Blaengarw Branch Line which is currently disused but the track still goes as far as Pontycymer. This is where the Garw Valley Railway runs services between Pontycymer and Brynmenyn. I have also laid the track which is used for diversionary freight moves between Tondu and Margam!
 

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Peter C

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Hi All, hope you're all well? I know it's definitely been quiet on the route building front! I do apologise. I have been very busy though. I will upload photos in a short while. I have laid the track up to Maesteg. At Tondu I do plan on laying the track up the Blaengarw Branch Line which is currently disused but the track still goes as far as Pontycymer. This is where the Garw Valley Railway runs services between Pontycymer and Brynmenyn. I have also laid the track which is used for diversionary freight moves between Tondu and Margam!
All sounds very interesting - and that's quite the amount of track! The amount of scenario potential in that small amount of route is really cool: there seems to be something for everyone!

-Peter
 
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