5F07 - 0510 Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Woking

I have just published a new scenario for Train Simulator on the DPSimulation website.

The scenario is part of the 'Short Hops' collection on our website, where the scenarios are designed to be no more than 30 minutes in duration. Ideal when you really fancy a drive but haven't got a great deal of spare time. Another advantage to the shorter scenario means that they often also have less requirements.

 

The scenario is based on an empty stock working from Wimbledon Park Depot to Woking using a South West Trains 8-Car Class 455 EMU. You will drive the train from the depot to Woking where the train will form a passenger service back to London Waterloo. As you are an empty stock working and therefore have lower priority, you can expect restrictive signals during the journey.

Requirements

 

London Waterloo to Portsmouth

 

To download this scenario, please visit our 'Short Hops' page by clicking here.  

 

 

5Z42 - 0735 Glazebrook to Manchester Oxford Road

I have just published a new scenario for Train Simulator on the DPSimulation website.

The scenario is part of the 'Short Hops' collection on our website, where the scenarios are designed to be no more than 30 minutes in duration. Ideal when you really fancy a drive but haven't got a great deal of spare time. Another advantage to the shorter scenario means that they often also have less requirements.

The scenario is based on a service from Glazebrook to Manchester Oxford Road using a Northern Rail 2-Car Class 150/2 DMU. Due to earlier delays on the inbound service to Warrington Central, the service was terminated short of it's destination and the return journey is starting short at Glazebrook.

Requirements

Liverpool to Manchester - Steam
Class 156 Pack - Steam
Class 150/2 Pack - Armstrong Powerhouse

Repaints

M5000 Metrolink Tram – DPSimulation - Link

EMT Class 158 – DPSimulation - Link

Optional

Class 156 Branding Pack - DPSimulation - Link

To download this scenario, please visit our 'Short Hops' page by clicking here.  

1L14 - 0543 Salisbury to London Waterloo

I have just published a new scenario for Train Simulator on the DPSimulation website.

The scenario is part of a new 'Short Hops' collection on our website, where the scenarios are designed to be no more than 30 minutes in duration. Ideal when you really fancy a drive but haven't got a great deal of spare time. Another advantage to the shorter scenario means that they often also have less requirements.

The first scenario in question is based on a service from Salisbury to London Waterloo using a South West Trains 3-Car Class 159 DMU and will see you drive the section from Woking to the busy terminus and it will take around 25-30 minutes to complete.

Because of the nature of the memory intensive rolling stock that is provided with the London Waterloo to Portsmouth route, along with increased traffic as you get closer to the capital, it is recommended you use the 64-bit version of Train Simulator.

The requirements are as follows:

London Waterloo to Portsmouth - Steam
Network SouthEast Class 159 - Steam
Class 158/159 (Cummins) Enhancement Pack - Armstrong Powerhouse

To download this scenario, please visit our new 'Short Hops' page by clicking here.

 

Timetable Archive - Overview

As the new December timetable comes into force I thought it would probably be beneficial to give an overview of what is now currently in the archive. Not much in the way of recent additions other than those mentioned previously although I believe I have now added everything from the new December timetable. Not strictly timetables that can be classed as historic at this point but they will be in the future.
The following companies are now covered. In some cases there are only very recent timetables and in some cases they go back to the start of the millenium:

• Anglia Railways
• Arriva Trains Wales
• c2c
• Caledonian Sleeper
• Chiltern Railways
• Crosscountry
• East Coast
• East Midlands Trains
• Eurostar
• First Great Western
• First Hull Trains
• Gatwick Express
• GNER
• Grand Central
• Greater Anglia
• Great Western Railway
• Hull Trains
• LNER
• London Midland
• London Northwestern Railway
• London Overground
• Midland Mainline
• National Express East Anglia
• National Express East Coast
• Northern Railway
• ScotRail
• Southeastern
• Southern
• South Western Railway
• TfL Rail
• TFW Rail
• Thameslink
• TransPennine Express
• Virgin Trains
• Virgin Trains East Coast
• WAGN
• Wales & Borders
• Wessex Trains
• West Midlands Railway
• Wrexham & Shropshire

For our friends over the pond an archive has also started to build with the following companies:

• Alaska Railroad
• Amtrak
• Brightline
• MARC
• Metrolink
• NJ Transit
• SEPTA

Thanks to those who have been in touch so far to help out and give encouragement. From some of you that have been in touch it has become apparent that a small number of scenarios have already been created using this resource.

The timetable archive can be found by clicking here.

 

As well as the archive, I have also listed a page that will be updated when needed that lists all current timetables from UK TOC's. Basically all .pdf files that are listed at multiple different sites but all listed on one easy to use (hopefully!) page.

 

The current UK timetables page can be found by clicking here.

Class 143 - Wessex Trains Repaint Pack

That moment when you realise you haven't got a repaint needed for AI, decide to look into creating it and end up going way overboard. The end result is that I have just released an all new repaint pack for Train Simulator.

Utilising the Class 143 DMU that is included with the Arriva Trains Wales DMU Pack from Steam, this repaint pack depicts the class in eleven variations of the Wessex Trains 'Visit Bristol' livery with the various different advertising decals.

I appreciate that the download size (671mb) is fairly large for this pack, although it shouldn't be as much of an issue in 2018 as many take advantage of high download speeds. More advanced users do of course have the option of only installing the particular repaint(s) that they need for an future scenarios that require this pack.

There are also a couple of minor issues as outlined in the readme, but nothing that prevents use in Quick Drive or the scenario editor. It was important for me to get this pack released due to it being needed as AI in upcoming scenario and Quick Drive projects.

This pack can be downloaded from the DPSimulation reskins page by clicking here. 

 

Timetable Archive - Update

For those interested, there have now been further updates to the archive which include a selection of timetables from Eurostar, First Hull Trains, London Midland, Greater Anglia, National Express East Anglia and Anglia Railways. The latter also has London Crosslink and Amsterdam Express timetables included where they were available.

I have also added a new US section which features Amtrak timetables as far back as 2003. I'm unsure what our friends over the pond use for scenario creation but if you know of anyone that could benefit then please let them know about the archive.

Click here to visit the timetable archive.

North East England - East Coast Main Line

Please accept my apologies for the lack of updates recently with regards to the North East England route, I can assure you that the first beta is due to be released soon.

At the end of September we received some terrible news when my partner's mother died suddenly at only 53 years of age. Obviously this was a shock and with having to be there for her and the children I haven't been able to spend as much time on Train Simulator as I had intended.

Last time I shared a few screenshots of one part of the route, the Durham Coast line. Here are some further screenshots, this time of the East Coast Main Line portion of the route between Darlington and York.

Thanks to everyone who has been in touch since the last update and thanks for your support.

For more information about this upcoming route, click here.

Train Simulator 2019 - Important Notes

With the release of Train Simulator 2019 now imminent, it's important to note that some instructions have been added to the Train Simulator knowledgebase should you wish to immediately use the 64-bit version of the program.

1. Load Steam and navigate to your Game Library.
2. Right-click on Train Simulator and select Properties.
3. Click the Local Files tab and then Browse Local Files.
4. Double-click on the file called Setup_Audio.bat (we're receiving early reports this hasn't been included with the build - you can download it from here. Just drop it into the folder above)
5. A window will open, and you should select Option 2 to set up the audio for 64-bit. (If you plan on going back to 32-bit, you will need to repeat these steps but choose Option 1)
6. Follow the instructions presented until you’re back at the main menu – choose Option 3 to exit.
7. You can now safely launch Train Simulator 64-bit by clicking Play from the Steam Games Library.

More Timetables Added

I've just done a major update to the timetable archive, adding another 1gb or so worth of content. Additions include TOC timetables for East Midlands Trains, Midland Mainline,  ScotRail, Southern and WAGN along with a whole new raft of full Network Rail working timetables stretching back as far as 2007. Thanks to James Ivell for his assistance with these timetables.

To visit our timetable archive, click here.

North East England - Durham Coast Line

I've had a few emails over the past couple of weeks asking for more screenshots of the route. Happy to oblige, here are a few covering the Durham Coast line.

For more information about this upcoming route, click here.

DPSimulation Website - New Additions

Following the recent revamp of the DPSimulation website, i've now added two all new sections that I hope will become useful in time. They are both currently work in progress but will expand rapidly in the coming weeks.

First is the 'DLC Directory' which is designed to eventually document all DLC from around the world. It provides information and screenshots for the relevant products but is also designed to offer alternative places to purchase where applicable in order to enable users to find the cheapest current price. It is also designed to be a hub for related content, so some pages will have recommendations such as a route extension (example), enhancements or scenarios. For Steam DLC it will also have a section where appropriate to outline additional content (example) you receive when buying a particular product, allowing users to potentially get a lot more for their money. The directory will also cover content from the TS Marketplace, after seeing feedback through various forums it is apparent that many people are often unaware of this extra content at the time of release.

Another quirky touch to some of these product pages will be the addition of other related information. As an example, if you visit the Horseshoe Curve page you can also watch the live webcam feed from the location, courtesy of Virtual Railfan. Click here to take a look.

Next we have the 'Timetables' section which is designed to assist in scenario creation. Intended to be a large repository of historic timetables from current and now defunct TOC's, the first batch of files are now live. As retrieving this historic data is a slow and often difficult process, I anticipate it will take time to fully realise the vision I have for this section. However, over the coming weeks I do hope to have timetables in place for every post-privatisation TOC in place that cover nearly 20 years worth of documentation.

Both of the new sections can be found on the top menu of the DPSimulation website by clicking here.

DPSimulation - New Website

It's been a long time coming but i've finally launched the revamped DPSimulaton website.

With analytics now showing a much larger percentage of people accessing the site on mobile devices, this was a major consideration on the new template and layout. Another consideration was the sheer size of pages such as those containing the vast amount of reskins from Richard Fletcher, this has now been split into multiple pages. Likewise with routes, these now have their own pages and other sections have been streamlined.

Unforunately, the downside is that some websites will now be linking to old pages that are in the process of being removed, but I guess that is the price of progress. Given how the site is now laid out, it should not be too hard for people to find where the content has been relocated to.

The new DPSimulation website can be viewed by clicking here.

Steam Workshop - 1D52 - 0823 Crewe to Chester

I have just released a new scenario on the Steam Workshop. It's just a simple run that I created when I fancied driving the Class 150/2 on North Wales Coastal.

Route: North Wales Coastal

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 25 Minutes Approx

Start Time: 06:21

Description

This morning you are in charge of an early morning Crewe to Chester service using an Arriva Trains Wales Class 150/2 DMU. Traffic is light and it should be a straightforward run.

Briefing

First open your doors to allow passengers to board before awaiting your departure time of 06:23. You will then run non-stop to Chester where this scenario will end.

Notes

Please be aware that there is currently a TSR (temporary speed restriction) on the approach to Crewe Electric TMD. Also, make sure that you do not exceed 75mph, the maximum speed of this service.

Steam Requirements

North Wales Coastal

WCML Trent Valley

Class 150/2 Arriva Trains Wales Pack

To visit the DPSimulation Steam Workshop, please follow this link.

Liverpool to Manchester - 2000/2001 Quick Drive

Ever since I included something similar with my ECML:NE route, i've wanted to release a range of era-specific Quick Drives for various routes but they do involve a lot of time and planning, and therefore I never got around to it. I'm therefore very happy to release version 1 of this Quick Drive on the Liverpool to Manchester route.

It's basically Quick Drive as you already know it, but providing you have a selection of the requirements installed then this particular Quick Drive will only spawn rolling stock specific to the represented era, in this case around 2000/2001.

The beauty of this system is that you don't necessarily need all of the requirements, it should function in some form no matter what you own. Despite that, the more you do own should give a better experience with much more variety.

With well over 100 consists and fragments included, it should be fairly different no matter how many times you run it although there will inevitably times where things can be duplicated. Due to the nature of how the randomisation works, some runs will have a low amount of traffic, some moderate and some quite heavy. If you are driving the full length of the route you might have a clear run or you might get stuck behind a stopper and encounter adverse signals. Driving through the central core of the route you might only see local traffic, or you might see empty stock workings or even the occasional engineering train.

Please make sure you read all of the included documentation that comes with this release before attempting to run any of the included Quick Drives.

This new Quick Drive can be downloaded from the dedicated page by following this link. 

Weekend Showcase - Settle to Carlisle - 2000-2003

In this showcase we feature the picturesque Settle to Carlisle route as seen in the period between 2000 and 2003. Although traffic is normally fairly quiet on this particular line, this time period certainly saw plenty of variation with WCML diversions being a regular feature.

66547 awaits the road at Carlisle while working a Hunterston to Drakelow loaded coal train - May 2002

142020 passes the now much reduced London Road sidings with a service from Sunderland to Carlisle - June 2002

Passing the oddly coloured signal box at Armathwaite, 156454 and 156475 depart the station with a service bound for Carlisle - August 2000

66064 approaches Langwathby with a Ayr to Milford MGR working - September 2003

With the gypsum plant in the background, 66708 awaits the road while working a trial service to Hull King George Dock - August 2002

Following the reintroduction of loco hauled services on the Settle to Carlisle line, 37408 'Loch Rannoch' departs Appleby with the 13:33 Carlisle to Leeds service - October 2003

Now a distant memory, WCML diversions over the line were fairly frequent. Here, 47854 opens up through Kirkby Stephen while working the 1M64 Carlisle to London Euston - April 2003

In the bleak surroundings of Garsdale, 33030 and 33025 work the inaugural run of the short lived 'Minimodal' service - August 2002

Held in the loop at Blea Moor while working a Carlisle to Crewe Basford Hall departmental train, the driver of 56070 has a chat with the signalman - September 2002

With Whernside dominating the background, 43100 'Blackpool Rock' crosses Ribblehead Viaduct with a diverted Edinburgh to Bournemouth service - June 2000

Departing from the very well kept station at Ribblehead, 156487 works the 12:46 from Leeds to Carlisle - July 2000

Hauling a rake of recently built HTA wagons, 66048 heads a northbound MGR working past Settle - September 2003

If you have any questions about the rolling stock or repaints used above, feel free to leave a comment below.

Virgin Trains 43100/101 Repaint

I have just uploaded a new repaint pack to the DPSimulation website.

Utilising the Class 43 (Valenta)/Mk3 Enhancement Pack, this pack features Virgin Trains 43100 and 43101 with their respective 'Blackpool Rock' and 'The Irish Mail' stickers. The variation of the Virgin 'Flying Lady' is also included towards the rear of each power car although I am aware that due to mapping issues they are currently reversed on one side. This will be addressed in due course.

These powercars are something I have wanted to tackle since as far back as the days of MSTS but it never happened for one reason or another, mainly due to a lack of research material. I finally plucked up the courage to try and make the two stickers from scratch and although they are not 100% perfect, they are near enough for me.

Both the European Loco & Asset pack from Steam and the Class 43 (Valenta)/Mk3 Enhancement Pack are required, otherwise this pack will not work. 

This pack can be downloaded from the 'Locomotives' section of the repaints page by following this link.