BR (LNER) Peppercorn K1: Contents and Features

 
And so we come to the final blog post on the Peppercorn K1.

It's been a long process for this loco having started at the end of last year and then having to wait for the WVR route to be confirmed and then released.

However it's now ready for QA testing and will hopefully be released soon after and we have to say that we think it's out best work to date. It has brought together all of the techniques, detail and features that we have developed over the past 3-4 years and also given us the opportunity to improve upon many that we already used.

The model has more detail than we've added before; we have created a much more realistic cab environment in terms of texturing and are very pleased with the layers of filth both inside and outside on the worn BR livery; we have new and updated particle effects including visual priming, and steam leaks in the cab on the worn locomotive; our custom wheel slip code has been improved and the detection of the weather is now dynamic rather than having to be set on a per-scenario basis.

We’ve also added some neat new touches such as an in-built head out view for the cab and a shovel to control coaling the engine.

As with all of our releases we've catered for everyone by supporting simple driving mode and then having a basic mode with the "default" style driving controls and then an advanced mode for those who like the challenge and a much greater level of realism.

Below is an extract from the manual listing the key features: 
 

• Simple, Standard and Advanced driving modes
• Xbox controller support SIMPLE AND STANDARD MODES ONLY

• Peppercorn BR K1 Class Locomotive and Tender in 3 authentic liveries
• BR Lined Black (BR lettering and pre and post 1956 logos)
• BR Lined Black - Worn (BR lettering and pre and post 1956 logos)
• LNER Green Lined livery (Preservation era)
• All 70 members of the class with correct shed codes, logos and fittings
• Optional parts for running in all original areas and also preserved running including overhead cable warning flashes (red and yellow)
• 3 optional headboards for rail tours
• Custom sound sets inside and out recorded from the remaining K1
• Realistic cab with multiple views including head out and a fully modelled firebox and coal level
• Fully operable tender controls including a shovel... for shovelling!
• Custom, realistic wheel slip physics and effects with auto detection of weather conditions ADVANCED MODE ONLY 
• Simulated steam chest ADVANCED MODE ONLY 
• Cylinder cock management  ADVANCED MODE ONLY 
• Boiler management with priming damage possible ADVANCED MODE ONLY 
• Realistic injector control ADVANCED MODE ONLY 
• Improved dynamic steam and smoke colour and quantity
• Realistic boiler water gauges effected by gradient, acceleration and speed, and with blow down test
• Visual priming effect from chimney when overfilling the boiler
• Opening windows with rain effects, and roof hatch
• Dynamic lamp setting on both locomotive and tender
• Cab light effects including firebox glow, cab light and speedometer light
• Guards whistles when leaving a passenger pick up

• British Railways (ex-LNER) rolling stock
• Brand new rich and detailed sound set created by Steam Sounds Supreme
• Selectable wheel types, different visual components and non-mirrored sides to provide variation in appearance
• Animated handbrakes with sound

•  Double 13 ton bolster wagons with 4 steel loads
• Girders
• Small pipes
• Large pipes
• Roof trusses
• Single 13 ton bolster wagon
• Empty
• Ex-LNER Gas Tank wagons
• 2 tanks
• 3 tanks
• BR Palbrick brick carrying wagons (can be loaded or empty)
• Type A
• Type B
• BR 22 ton Plate wagons
• Steel plate
• Empty
• BR Trestle AA wagons
• Steel plate
• Empty
• Ex-LNER/Private Owner Mineral wagons
• 5 plank wagons
• BR grey
• Coal
• Limestone
• Stone
• Ex-Private Owner worn livery - Coal
• Weardale
• 7 plank wagons
• BR grey
• Coal
• Limestone
• Stone
• Ex-Private Owner worn liveries - Coal
• A H Stabler, Darlington
• Bradleys, Weardale
• Brodsworth Main, Doncaster
• Lofthouse Colliery, Wakefield
• Nunnery Silkstone, Sheffield
• Roberts Davy, Sandside
• Strakers & Love, Durham
• Weardale

• 5 scenarios for the Weardale & Teesdale Network Route Add-On
• 40 Quick Drive consists with appropriate stock

So that about wraps it up for details of the Peppercorn K1. It's been a real delight to create and we've also had a lot of enjoyment from writing the scenarios for it because the Weardale & Teesdale Route is such a treat to drive on.

We're going to take a break over the rest of the summer and then it's back to work to get the USATC S160 completed and to finalise our plans for 2016.
This time rather than announce the locomotives one by one we're hoping to announce the entire line up for next year in one hit so you know what to expect from us and hopefully can get excited about them.

Oh, we nearly forgot!
A big thank you to BRProductions2014 (I think Ben is his real name) for making a brilliant suggestion when we replied to a question asking about a particular nameplate on the K1.
So we're very happy to announce that the K1 BR and LNER liveries now come with an option to display this ;-)