Friday 27 October 2017

GWR Large Prairies: Lined Liveries Add-on

Edit: These are now available on the Steam Marketplace
http://store.steampowered.com/app/623267/TS_Marketplace_GWR_Large_Prairies_Lined_Liveries_Addon/

Today we take a quick look at the upcoming marketplace add-on which will add more BR liveries to the Large Prairies DLC
Requested by a lot of people we've created an inexpensive add-on that will give you the following liveries..

BR Black, Lined


BR Black, Lined (Worn)


BR Green


BR Green, Lined


As with the main pack all liveries are available on all 4 loco classes with multiple crests. Which looks something like this..


We are hopeful that it will be available on the Steam Marketplace in the next couple of weeks.

Thursday 26 October 2017

Steam Halloween Sale 2017

The Steam Halloween Sale has started and continues until 1st November and includes many of our DLC packs. We're not strictly sure how any of our products are scary or spooky (maybe driving in Advanced mode can be a bit scary?) but pick yourself up some great deals anyway!

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 - 40% off









USATC S160 - 30% off









GWR 14xx - 30% off









LNER Peppercorn K1 - 30% off









GWR Small Prairies - 30% off








GWR 56xx - 30% off








GT3 Gas Turbine Prototype - 30% off









GWR Steam Railmotor - 30% off









Southern Bulleid Q1 - 50% off

Thursday 12 October 2017

Wednesday 11 October 2017

GWR Large Prairies: Features and Contents Summary



With the release of the Large Prairies being imminent we thought it would be good to sum up the features and everything that comes with the DLC.

With this pack you will be getting the following:
  • GWR 5100 Class Locomotive
    • GWR Green (4 logos)
    • BR Black (3 logos)
    • BR Black (heavily worn) (3 logos)
  • GWR 5101 Class Locomotive
    • GWR Green (4 logos)
    • BR Black (3 logos)
    • BR Black (heavily worn) (3 logos)
  • GWR 6100 Class Locomotive
    • GWR Green (4 logos)
    • BR Black (3 logos)
    • BR Black (heavily worn) (3 logos)
  • GWR 8100 Class Locomotive
    • GWR Green (4 logos)
    • BR Black (3 logos)
    • BR Black (heavily worn) (3 logos)
ALL members of EVERY class listed for each era are included with appropriate components and shed codes, which can also be selected by you by editing the scenario loco number.
The following features are also included:
  • Optional parts and fittings including steam pipes, painted or polished safety valve covers for early GWR and preserved examples, red or white lamps and more
  • Realistic cab with multiple views, including dual “head out” and fully modelled firebox and coal
  • Realistic wheel slip physics and effects ADVANCED MODE
  • Simulated steam chest ADVANCED MODE
  • Realistic train pipe and reservoir vacuum braking ADVANCED MODE
  • Cylinder cock management  ADVANCED MODE
  • Boiler management with priming possible ADVANCED MODE 
  • Realistic injector control ADVANCED MODE 
  • Realistic “by the shovel” stoking with synchronised sound ADVANCED MODE
  • Dynamic steam and smoke colour and quantity
  • Realistic boiler water gauges effected by gradient, acceleration and speed and with blow down test
  • Opening windows (with rain effects), doors, weather panels and roof hatch
  • Dynamic lamp setting
  • Cab light effects including firebox glow and water gauge lamp
  • Communication with the guard in the brake van for handbrake usage (when used with compatible GWR Toad brake van – included with this DLC) ADVANCED MODE
  • Second valve regulator effects ADVANCED MODE
  • Atmospheric AI effects ADVANCED MODE

We covered the new advanced braking system in this post, developed with the help of two GWR preservation drivers, it adds a whole new realistic element to driving our steam engines.

Also the following rolling stock is included:
  • ex-GWR 8t Cattle Wagon
  • GWR Fruit A Van
    • GWR
    • Worn GWR
    • BR(W)
  • BR(W) Gunpowder Van, Diagram 1/260
  • BR(W) “Herring” Hopper, P22 - Loaded and Empty
  • BR(W) Iron Mink, V6
  • BR(W) 12t Mogo Van
  • BR(W) Tunnel Inspection Van (ex-Cattle Wagon)
  • GWR 20 ton Toad Brake Van
  • BR(W) 20 ton Toad Brake Van

And finally it comes with:
  • 4 scenarios for the Riviera Line in the Fifties: Exeter - Kingswear Route
  • 75 Quick Drive consists with appropriate stock

The pack should be released very soon and as always we look forward to seeing these engines on people's routes mixed in with all the other excellent GWR engines that are available in Train Simulator.







Coming soon... work starts on the LNER Q6!

Monday 9 October 2017

GWR Large Prairies: Rolling Stock

With the Large Prairie's release rapidly approaching it's time to take a look at the accompanying rolling stock.

First up is the GWR 20T "Toad" Diagram AA13/15 brake van in GWR grey and BR Bauxite. This van is compatible with the "Active Guard" system that was also included with the 4200/5205/7200 DLC and allows you to use the second "deep tone" whistle of the locomotive to alert the guard to apply and release the brake van handbrake. This can be used to slow the train on a steep decent or to bring it to a halt whilst keeping the wagon couplings tight. Note that the AI will also use this system and can be heard to whistle for the brakes to be applied and released at the start and end of steep gradients.


Up next is a British Railways wagon: Gunpowder Van, Diagram. 1/260. These were used to carry military and commercial explosives up until the 1970's when they were replaced by generic air braked vans. In the latter days of BR in some areas, Llantrisant for example, the sole freight being carried by the railways were mining explosives.


Built in Swindon from 1947, the 20 ton P22 "Herring" Hopper was used to carry the millions of tons of ballast required by the railway network. Textured in a typical worn BR style and available loaded or empty these wagons were vacuum fitted and could run at speed.


Next is an old faithful, the GWR 8 ton Cattle Wagon as seen in BR days. With a majority of livestock traffic moving from the railways to the roads these old wagons were used for any kind of bulk traffic that did not require a specific van. They were invariably worn out and uncared for.


Some of them found very specific uses and this next van is one of those cases. Converted with a flat roof and access hatch and under the control of the civil engineering department a number of cattle wagons became tunnel inspection vans and were used to check the state of the ceiling by climbing up onto the roof as the department train was pulled slowly through the tunnel.


An ex-GWR Iron Mink (Diagram v6) is next, repainted in bauxite under BR but left to fall into disrepair. Carrying goods that required a watertight container (wooden vans being unable to guarantee this) they also found themselves in yards being used as static sand containers in their later lives.


Another ex-GWR van, our old friend the 12 ton Mogo van. Originally used for carrying brand new motor cars from their factories these become all purpose vans under BR when road vehicles were almost exclusively carried by road and had become too large to fit in these vans.


Finally we have the 3 lives of the GWR 6 ton Fruit "A" van. Built from the early years of the 20th Century these were used to carry fruit produce all over the country.
From left to right: as new in GWR livery, worn and neglected in the late 1940's/early 1950's, and then re-born in BR bauxite livery.


The GWR Large Prairies DLC will come with all of this rolling stock, as well as the 5100, 5101, 6100 and 8100 classes in GWR Green and BR Black (Clean and Worn) and will be available on Steam very soon.