Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Thanks to everyone for your support in 2017. We hope you have a restful Christmas and a train filled 2018.

Christmas Sale 2017

You know what we were thinking the other day? We were thinking, hey it's been a long time since we had some kind of sale! And look what shows up!
This one is branded with Christmas so it will really make Santa smile if you buy a new train with an awesome discount on it, it really will. It runs from now until 4th January and will be the last sale until the next one!

Click this link to see all of our DLC on Steam or click on an image below to view a particular DLC.

Stroudley A1/A1X Class 'Terrier' - 30% off

GWR Saint Class & Travelling Post Office - 30% off

BR Saint & Travelling Post Office Livery (Marketplace - requires GWR Saint Pack) - 50% off

USATC S160 - 30% off

GWR 14xx - 30% off

LNER Peppercorn K1 - 50% off

GWR Small Prairies - 30% off

GWR 56xx - 50% off

GT3 Gas Turbine Prototype - 50% off

GWR Steam Railmotor - 50% off

Southern Bulleid Q1 - 50% off

16th December, Advent One Day Sale - USATC S160

We are delighted to announce that the huge USATC S160 locomotive pack is on sale for today as part of Train Simulator's Advent Sale.
It has its largest EVER discount, a whopping 50% off... but only for today so grab it quick from the Dovetail Games Store!

https://store.dovetailgames.com/uk/product/433118/usatc-s160-loco-add-on

If you're not aware of the S160 locomotive (or our largest DLC pack to date) then read on...

During World War II, it was realised that, if allied attempts to enter the European mainland were successful, there would be a shortage of locomotives for the mass movement of troops and equipment due to the state of the railways after years of war.

As a result, two locomotives were designed specifically for the purpose of heavy freight movements – the British War Department Austerity 2-8-0 and the USATC S160, the latter being designed by a committee made up of the USATC and locomotive builders Alco, Baldwin and Lima.

Despite this slightly unconventional method of ‘design by committee’, the S160 was a resounding success – a wide, riveted steel firebox driving powerful 26” pistons produced 31,490lb/f of tractive effort; a Westinghouse pump for air brakes mounted on the smokebox also gave the S160 its off-centre smokebox door design.

In total, more than 2,100 locomotives were shipped worldwide, every country making its own changes and modifications, and every one with their own livery. Of this mass production, 800 of the Class landed in the UK and were fitted with vacuum brakes, while 200 were built for the Russian loading gauge of 1,520mm. Named Ша (ShA), they were used to help the Soviet war effort, and after the war were taken into regular service. By 1957 50 had even been converted to narrow gauge and named Шy.

After the war, the S160s were scattered all over the world and continued to be maintained and used in almost every Allied country, including Algeria, China, Hungary, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Spain and Turkey. Some of the Class were in use in daily service as late as 1997 – a considerable feat given the expected design life was just 90 days!

The USATC S160 for Train Simulator comes in a huge number of liveries representing their long and well-travelled history.

• USATC Wartime Black
• USATC Wartime Grey
• USA Alaska Railroad
• USA Army
• Longmoor Military Railway
• BR Preserved
• USSR Ша (wartime and post wartime)
• Poland Post-War and Poland Black Wartime

All are available with appropriate fittings: Hook/Vacuum (UK), Hook/Air (Europe), Buckeye/Air (USA), Willison/Air (USSR)
Also numerous optional historical parts allow thousands of combinations to be created.

Provided with Simple, Standard and Advanced driving modes there is enough to keep all sim drivers happy; for those who use Xbox controllers and HUDs to those who demand a full simulation of the engine and cab controls.

As well as all of these a large number of unique wartime rolling stock items are included:

• USATC 56 Ton Flat Car with load
• T34-76 (USSR)
• T34-85 (USSR)
• M10 Tank Destroyer
• Cromwell
• Char B1
• US6 Military Truck (Loaded as single or double, with 5 random variations of truck)
• 40ft Flat Car with load
• USSR Ша locomotive (1520mm gauge) delivery
• USSR Ша tender (1520mm gauge) delivery
• USATC 9900 Gallon Tank
• USATC Caboose
• Warwell with load
• Cromwell
• M10
• USSR 20 Ton Flat Car with load
• Katyusha
• ZIS-3 75mm Anti-tank gun
• USSR Brake Van
• Green and brown

Add to all of this 10 scenarios for 3 routes and 68 Quick Drives and this is by far the largest pack we have ever produced. In fact we think it's the biggest locomotive DLC produced by anyone so far.

Available today on the Dovetail Games Store with a fantastic 50% off, grab yourself an engineering hero with a unique history that not only played its part in the worldwide Allied victory in World War 2, but also helped many countries to recover from the damage of the war by providing hundreds of easy to run and easily modified locomotives when the fighting ended.

https://store.dovetailgames.com/uk/product/433118/usatc-s160-loco-add-on

Raven (LNER) Q6: Tender, and Everything

Not a huge amount to say about this one other than.. it's the tender for the Q6!

Plenty of detail on the front face for the player in-cab views.

And how it looks all together: engine, cab and tender

The next task is the tedious unwrap and then it will be time to have some fun and get out the paint brushes.

This image is rather inspirational for the final days but we'll be doing NER, LNER and Preserved liveries as well!

Raven (LNER) Q6: Cab WIP

Today we move on to the cab model of the Q6.

Starting with a basic shell we fill in the basic backhead components to help scale everything correctly, along with laying over the plan diagrams.

The main shell has these rather stylish seats/footboards added and the rest of the components start to go into place. This render was taken at the end of a days work and contains a text object on the right hand side reminding us to add a specific item next time we start modelling - just one of the techniques we use alongside todo lists to make sure no element is forgotten.

The left hand side front sander lever mechanism has been added along with the cylinder cocks lever on the right hand side. In addition behind the vacuum brake pedestal the steam reverser lever can just be seen.
Although these images show the steam heat dial (the left most of the two left hand dials) this will be removed for all liveries prior to preservation as Q6's were not designed for passenger duties and had no steam heat fitted until the 70's.

Next week we will have the cab finished and then it will be time to move on to the tender.

Sale Time, again!

It's sale time, again! Lots of good discounts on our products in the Steam store from now until 28th November.

Click this link to see all of our DLC on Steam or click on an image below to view a particular DLC.

Stroudley A1/A1X Class 'Terrier' - 30% off

GWR Saint Class & Travelling Post Office - 30% off

BR Saint & Travelling Post Office Livery (Marketplace - requires GWR Saint Pack) - 50% off

USATC S160 - 30% off

GWR 14xx - 30% off

LNER Peppercorn K1 - 50% off

GWR Small Prairies - 30% off

GWR 56xx - 50% off

GT3 Gas Turbine Prototype - 50% off

GWR Steam Railmotor - 50% off

Southern Bulleid Q1 - 50% off

Raven (LNER) Q6: Model WIP

This week we are continuing with work in progress images of the Raven Q6 model.

Adding the smokebox door, buffers, chimney, dome and smaller items such as the whistle, safety valves and washout plugs and she starts to look more like an actual locomotive.

Adding the rear steps and brake gear finishes the larger parts and then we begin to work on the small details like handrails, rivets and pipework.

Once this is complete the boiler is hidden for a time so we can access inside the frames to model the steam reverser piston. Also the inner valve gear (with its prominent counter weights) is built and carefully connected as it will need to be animated along with the wheels and outer pistons later on.

A final going over to adjust part placement here and there and to add more details like the cab window surrounds and hand rails, the injectors behind the steps, and the locomotive's outer shell is complete.

Next week, work starts on the cab.

Raven (LNER) Q6: First Look

Today we have the first modelling images of our next locomotive, the Raven Q6.

In the early part of the 20th century a large surge in mineral traffic required a power upgrade to the successful NER Q5 design so Sir Vincent Raven designed the Q6 using the best parts of the piston valve version of the Q5 and adding a larger boiler.
120 Q6s were built between 1913 and 1921 and the 0-8-0 tender freight engines were a huge success; described as strong and reliable, they gave service right up until the end of steam.
Initially allocated to sheds in the North East to haul coal from the collieries, under the LNER the Q6's ventured further afield including trips to Manchester via Woodhead Tunnel, and to Doncaster, and after 1930 they went north of the Tyne as well. In the 1940s, they went further south to Peterborough and March.

A common sight around Darlington and the surrounding area through their whole lives the Q6's will be a perfect heavy freight locomotive for the Weardale & Teesdale Network and many other Northern routes and also a popular choice for passenger services in preservation.

As usual, we begin modelling with the wheels, to assist with the scaling.. and because you need to start somewhere!

Then some basic filling out - the boiler and running plate allow us to place the distinctive sand boxes and splashers.

After adding some detail we look to the right hand side which has a mechanical lubricator, operated by a rod from the driving wheel.

Adding the frames, front buffer beam and a basic cab shape makes it start to look less like a mobile boiler and more like a locomotive!

Completing the piston, crosshead and slides means we should be able to drive somewhere when the times comes.

And that's everything for today, we'll be back with more modelling progress next week.