GWR Pannier Tanks: 5400/6400/7400 GWR

It is finally time to see some of the GWR Panniers in game!
Over the next few weeks we will be covering all of the engines and liveries in the upcoming pack and today we are starting with the 54/64/7400's under the GWR.

First up is the 5400 as built in 1930. This version has none of the later additions (steps, top feed, etc) and carries the early Great Western lettering. It is auto-fitted and is fully compatible with the included BR autocoach (although it would only run in this livery with these versions in preservation as they were built from 1951) and also with the autocoach from the GWR Class 14XX Loco Add-On.

Next we have the 6400. These had smaller driving wheels than the 5400 (4' 7½" versus 5' 2") but followed the same design and were also auto-fitted. As with all purpose built auto-fitted engines they had a screw reverser to make notching up and down easier for the fireman riding in the engine cab as the driver in the autocoach would not need to coordinate reducing the regulator.
It is seen here in the 1934-42 Roundel livery.

The 7400 was a derivation of the 6400, having a similar body but with an angled corner for the bunker and with an increased boiler pressure of 180 psi giving more power. The 7400 class was not auto-fitted and had a standard GWR lever reverser. Here we see it in the 1942-48 GWR lettered livery.

And for completeness here we have the short-lived BR livery used around 1948-49 which featured the British Railways text in the GWR serif font. Shown on No. 6419 some of the later modifications can be seen from this period including the whistle shield, bunker steps and top feed injectors.

All liveries and options are available on all engines types and have comprehensive lists already set up correctly when you add a locomotive into the game.

Inside the cab we see the typical GWR controls and layout. This is the 6400, the 7400's having a lever reverser instead.

Next week we'll take a look at the same engines under British Railways.

GWR Pannier Tanks: 5700/8750 Options

This week we are covering the various options available for the 5700 and 8750 variants of the Pannier Tanks which covers a total of 853 engines; No's 5700-99, 6700-49, 7700-99, 8700-49, 8750-99, 9711-99, 3600-99, 4600-99, 9600-9682 and 7650-79

Note: Each individual option shown here is correct however we have not made any effort to mix and match the correct modifications on a per-era basis as they have taken well over 2 hours to render them all!
When completed every single one of the 853 engines in all relevant eras will be set up correctly when placed in game once we have finished the pack - today this is just a set of renders to show you the individual options.

To start off we have the basic 5700 and 8750 with minimal fittings as originally designed.

These are both shown with vacuum brakes.
Also included with the pack will be No's 6700-49 (5700 style) and 6750-79 (8750 style, the last 10 actually built under BR in 1950) which are only fitted with steam loco brakes and simple 3 link couplings and were restricted to shunting duties and unfitted freight.

Safety bonnets will be selectable as either painted or polished brass and there will be the usual array of logos for every era but as they don't appear in a 3d render we'll move straight to the physical options.

First up are whistle deflectors in 2 different sizes added from 1936.

Steps and hand rails to aid access to the coal bunker also added from 1936.

Top feed water injection. Added from 1942 onwards these also change the pipe arrangements inside the cab.

To the front of the engine; a change to the front steps from a simple flange design to a welded type with upturned sides. Here we also see the smokebox number plate and shed code plates added under British Railways.

The 8750's had cast brake hangers fitted from new instead of the twin plate style of the earlier design. The 5700's were gradually changed to these from 1934 onwards when they came in for regular servicing.

Doors and weather panels. Yes, even doors were absent on the original 5700 designs! Added from 1937 all of them had been upgraded by 1951.

Did you know that some GWR Panniers worked on Southern lines under British Railways? When they did this they they needed to be fitted with two additional lamp brackets to show the Southern six disc/lamp codes instead of the more common four.

Sometimes you just feel like you want the pipes of your injectors to run around the outside of the running boards rather than through them!

When pulling passenger coaches you need steam heating. This modification is also reflected in the cab with relevant controls and the additional gauge.

Tool boxes. Left side, right side, both sides or not at all.

Spark arrestors were fitted to some engines that worked in areas where sparks could cause a major disaster. Munitions factories during WW2 would have seen panniers fitted like these.
After the war when many of the panniers returned to standard duties some of them had the spark arrestors removed and then just ran with the "drain pipe" look!

Spare lamps carried on the right hand side of the engine can be mounted at the front or rear of the running board.

As well as external modifications changing the in-cab equipment (braking systems, steam heating, top feeds, etc.) there are also options for GWR ATC (fitted as standard from 1934), and even a speedometer for creating panniers as some exist in preservation.

One final modification for the 5700 variant is the front cab doorway handle which was originally part of the window beading. From 1934 this was changed to the handrail mounted to the outside of the cab matching the one to the rear of the doorway.

So that about wraps up the options for the 5700/8750 Pannier Tanks.
It was this quantity of options and feedback from customers as our add-ons have become more and more complex that has led us to begin to develop the "Victory Works Locomotive Number Generator" which will hugely simplify the selection of all of these optional parts for the whole range of our existing add-ons and into the future.
Have a read of last weeks blog post if you missed the announcement.

Next week, we think it's about time to see some Pannier Tanks in game!

Steam Halloween Sale 2018

Clocks changed - check!
Suddenly got very cold - check!
Dark by 5pm - check!
About to create 100 million tons of landfill copying an American tradition - check!

That must mean it's time for the Steam Halloween Sale!

All of our Steam DLC is on sale from today until 1st November with the GWR County available with 30% off for the first time.

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

GWR 1000 County Class - 30% off

LNER Raven Q6 - 30% off

GWR Large Prairies - 50% off

GWR Large Prairies Lined Liveries (Requires GWR Large Prairies Pack) - 50% off

Stroudley A1/A1X Class 'Terrier' - 50% off

GWR Saint Class & Travelling Post Office - 50% off

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

USATC S160 - 50% off

GWR 14xx - 50% off

LNER Peppercorn K1 - 50% off

GWR Small Prairies - 50% off

GWR 56xx - 50% off

GT3 Gas Turbine Prototype - 50% off

GWR Steam Railmotor - 50% off

Southern Bulleid Q1 - 50% off

Ridiculously Complicated Loco Numbers: Fear Not!

One of the things you learn about steam engines, especially those that last a long time in service is that they change a lot during their lives. Better ways of doing things are developed and modifications are made to suit the engines uses.
With all of our loco add-ons we always try to reflect as many of these options as we can: safety bonnet styles, bunker steps, reverser types (lever or screw) are just some of the dozens of options we've created over the years. The way to set these options in game is to use the loco number in the scenario script using the Locomotive Numbering section from all our add-ons manuals, for example:

(from the GWR County manual) 
 
1. to 4. 4-digit locomotive number
5. to 7. 3-digit reporting number, use ### for no number
8. Headboard
•    0 - None
•    1 – The Cornishman
•    2 – Torbay Express
•    3 – The Mayflower
•    4 – Royal Duchy
9. Chimney
•    1 – Single
•    2 – Double
•    3 – Sheet steel double
10. Safety bonnet
•    1 – Polished
•    2 - Painted
11. Company logo
•    1 – GWR lettering (1942-47)
•    2 – British Railways lettering in GWR font (1948)
12. Lining – Yes or No
13. Power disc – Yes or No
14. Speedometer – Yes or No
15. Head code – Letter of the head code class (see Appendix), note: lower case for running tender first

e.g. 1012###0111YYN

As time has gone on these numbers have become more and more complex and people have told us that they are beginning to struggle to make sense of all of the available choices. And due to the complexity and detail that we love to provide they are not getting any shorter.. one of the GWR Pannier Tanks that we are working on at the moment will have a number that is 25 digits long! That is a lot to fiddle about with and has the potential for getting it wrong in a small way that can completely change the loco's set up.

Although all of our add-ons can be used "out of the box" and have prototypical numbers already set we also know you all like to set them up just the way that you want.
We have heard the feedback loud and clear and so here is a glimpse of a little program we've been working on as a side project that will create these numbers for you in a very easy to see way.

It is inventively called the "Victory Works Number Generator"! It will come pre-programmed to support all of our existing add-ons (from Steam and from Steam Sounds Supreme 42xx/5205 Terrier) and future engines will come with the required files to add to the system automatically.

You select an add-on from the drop down list.

You then select a livery/type.

The program then lists all of the available options for that add-on/livery and you can make the selections using either a box to type text into (e.g. for the loco number) or a drop down selection for a particular option. If you type too much (or too little) into a box then it will highlight it and give you a hint as to what information it needs.

Once you have made your selections you simple click the "Copy to Clipboard" button and the number generated will be stored ready to paste into the loco number in the scenario in the Train Simulator editor.

Easy peasy!

The program can expand the interface to handle as many or as few options as are required allowing it to help you with even our most complex of options systems.

It is still a work in progress at the moment (we still have quite a few more add-ons and liveries to include) but we hope to make it available before the end of the year.

GWR Pannier Tanks: 5700/8750 - 5700 version and 8750 Cab

An early blog post this week as tomorrow we are attending the Mid Hants Railway's Autumn Gala.

Work has finished on creating the 5700 variation with its older style of  cab with the simple backsheet and the round windows.

And then it's back to the 8750 version to begin work on the cab. The controls will be a very familiar sight for anyone who has driven GWR engines but to make sure we keep pushing the authenticity we are creating a new brake system for Advanced Mode that will operate as a vacuum brake (where installed and when the train is vacuum fitted) and a steam brake, both using the combined brake lever and the vacuum reservoir where fitted.

Next week we will delve into the options that will be available for the 5700 and 8750 engines.