WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby Derek B » Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:32 pm

I've put together a lengthy shunting scenario for the NCB system featured in North East Rails. It's not a regular sort of scenario so I thought it might be an idea to invite opinion before deciding upon uploading.

The original intention was to try set up a series of linked scenario's which, taken together, would depict a typical working day on the NCB system. This concept broke down quite quickly for a number of reasons: there was the need to place stock half a dozen or so times for each part of the scenario series, the list of instructions required in each part became ridiculously long, some movements confounded the editor into a state of nervous breakdown and the state of the locomotives boiler was reset at the start of each part.

Instead of giving up completely I settled on a structured free-roam format. This meant abandoning any idea of AI traffic but had the advantage of leaving the player free to make their own decisions while managing their locomotives boiler over an extended period of time while operating on the "one-engine-in-steam" principle. It also meant that the scenario would stand as a pre-populated sandbox for those who simply wanted to explore a part of NER that could easily be overlooked.

Rather than provide players with a bald list of instructions (when I said this was a lengthy scenario I wasn't kidding, as to complete it fully requires around eight hours of gameplay) I put together a briefing that provides a description of the Backworth NCB railway system, the operating rules and regulations that apply to it as well as a worksheet outlining the tasks to be performed, which is reproduced below.

Any thoughts, comments or even for that matter hoots of derision would be most welcome.

A Hard Day's Graft

A scenario for North East Rails


Introduction

This scenario takes place on the National Coal Board's Backworth railway system, as depicted in the North East Rails route, in which you take the controls of NCB Austerity steam locomotive “Peckfield”.

This scenario can of course be treated as a straightforward free-roam, in which you can explore the system at your leisure, picking up and dropping off any of the rakes of wagons that are dotted around. This unstructured approach, enjoyable enough as an end in itself, will suit those who simply wish to potter around but may also be ideal for those unfamilier with either the Backworth system or the advanced control version of the Austerity locomotive and who wish to “learn the road” and/or “sign off the traction” before attempting the full scenario.

The various rakes of wagons within the scenario have been positioned so as to allow a full eight hour driving shift to be undertaken. A shift that aims to recreate, so far as is achieveable, the actual workings that took place in the final years of the real-life Backworth system. In order to appreciate what is happening and why during the scenario there follows a brief description of the system and the NCB facilities that it serves.

Description of the Backworth Railway system

The Backworth railway system consists of approximately eight route miles that serve and connect Eccles and Fenwick collieries, the washery at Weetslade, the yard and staiths at Percy Main, the wagon repair shop at Backworth and the locomotive shed, with its watering and coaling facilites, at Eccles. There are connections to British Rail (ER) at both Percy Main and Earsden. At Weetslade a seperate but adjoining NCB system connects the colliery there with British Rail (ER) at Cramlington.

Coal brought to the surface at Eccles and Fenwick is loaded into rakes of NCB owned 16t mineral wagons for transport to the unloading facilities at Weetslade. There the coal joins that mined at Weetslade colliery before being put through the washery. Washed coal is then loaded into rakes of NCB owned 21t mineral hoppers for the journey to Percy Main. There it is shunted out onto the staiths for transfer to coastal shipping for onward movement to the power stations of the south of England.

By the early ninteen seventies, roughly the timeframe depicted in North East Rails, the Backworth system was in visible decline, sharing the waning fortunes of the Northumberland coalfield. Fenwick colliery is on the verge of closure, Eccles colliery is in steepening decline and, with the existence of a parallel British Rail (ER) route to Percy Main (itself suffering from declining traffic) the NCB is openly questioning the economics of continued operation of its own railway system.

With the exception of a short stretch approaching Percy Main the Backworth railway has been reduced to single line throughout. Traffic levels have declined to the extent that the entire operation can be covered (just!) by a single shift operating on the “one engine in steam” principle of train control. As a consequence signalling has been abandoned almost entirely, the exceptions being a few remaining internal ground signals and those signals controling the connections with British Rail (ER) at Percy Main, Earsden exchange sidings and the flat crossing at Earsden junction, all of which are under British Rail (ER) control. The several level crossings on the Backworth Railway System are manually operated by crossing keepers.

Operations

All trains operated over the Backworth railway system require a brake van to be conveyed at the rear of the train. The only exceptions to this rule are short distance movements between Eccles colliery sidings and Backworth repair shop yard.

Propelling movements, other than internal shunts within the various locations, are prohibited. The only exceptions are, again, movements between Eccles and Backworth and also movements between Backworth repair shop yard and the exchange sidings at Earsden the latter of which must include a brake van at the opposite end of the train to the locomotive.

Maximum train loadings are one loaded rake throughout the system, two empty rakes between Percy Main and Weetslade and one empty rake between Eccles and Fenwick.

All trains operated over the Backworth railway system must, when on the main running lines, display a white headlight on the front of the train at the lower right position.

Line speeds for the Backworth Railway system are: 40mph between Percy Main and Eccles, 30 mph between Eccles and Weetslade, 25mph between Eccles and Fenwick, 20mph within Percy Main yard and staiths and Earsden Exchange and 15mph within Eccles, Fenwick, Backworth and Weetslade. Any temporary speed restrictions that may be in force as required for permanent way work are fully signed with illuminated advance warning, commencement and termination boards.

Day to day operations are arranged through a daily worksheet that is issued by the Traffic Manager to the Locomotive shed and the Chargehand shunters at each location within the system. A standard worksheet will contain instructions from the traffic office covering the movements of coal required that day within the Backworth system, a report from the foremans office at the Repair shops to advise what shunting is required to be undertaken there and a report from the Permanent Way chargehand containing both details of any train movements that are required as well as reports of any activity or restrictions on or about the line. Revenue earning traffic always takes priority and would normally have to be completed before any Repair shop or P-Way activity, unless operational convenience dictated otherwise.

Locomotive and rolling stock

Motive power for the Backworth railway system consists of a sole NCB owned “austerity” locomotive that is equipped with only a steam locomotive brake. Built by Hudswell Clarke as works No.1763 in 1944 for the War Department the locomotive saw service at Donnington, Histon and Cairnryan military railways before passing into NCB ownership via the Hunslet Engine Co. It saw employment in the Yorkshire coalfield at Waterloo Main and Peckfield collieries prior to its transfer to Northumberland. Cover in the event of the locomotives unavailability is provided by diesel locomotive, either from the NCB's own pool at Ashington or hired in from British Rail.

All of the wagons used on the Backworth railway system are NCB owned and the current operational fleet consists of eight rakes of 12 unfitted 16t mineral wagons, six rakes of 12 unfitted 21t hopper wagons and a dozen or so 20t brake vans. Several rakes of condemned wagons are to be found around the system awaiting eventual movement to the yards of Tynesides scrap metal merchants. Some spare mineral and hopper wagons and a few internal user wagons, employed on permanent way work, stores traffic, waste oil and engine steam coal, are also to be found occupying various nooks and crannies.

The wagons are largely kept in fixed formations, the rakes being cycled through the repair shop at Backworth on a regular basis for examination. Should any running repairs be identified as neccessary it is the practice for the entire rake to be removed from traffic while the individual wagons are attended too. The shop at Backworth also provides repair and maintenance to the NCB owned fleets based at Bates and Ashington collieries, rakes of wagons being tripped to and from the exchange sidings at Earsden for this purpose by British Rail (ER).

Your shift

Clocking on at seven am you find your locomotive already prepared and in steam outside Eccles locomotive shed. You are expected to check your coal and water and take any supplies of either that you consider necessary, either at the start of your shift or as required throughout the day.

Once you are ready to go you examine the worksheet that was issued to you when you booked on.

-----------

NCB, Northern Division, Northumberland Area

Backworth Railway System

Daily Operations Worksheet 01/12/72

Revenue traffic managers instructions:

Deliver loaded rake 16t's from Eccles sdg 7 to Weetslade and unload at Weetslade sdg 15.
Add empty rake 16t's from Weetslade sdg 14 and deliver 2x empty rakes of 16t's to Eccles. Stable one rake at Eccles sdg 7 and deliver second rake to Fenwick.
Swap empty rake for loaded rake at Fenwick sdg 4 and deliver loaded rake 16t's to Weetslade and unload at sdg 14.
Load empty rake 21t's at Weetslade sdg 4, deliver to Percy Main staiths and unload at Staithes line 8.
Unload rake 21t's stabled at Percy Main yard sdg 6 at Staiths line 8.
Assemble both empty rakes of 21t's and deliver to to Weetslade, Load one rake and stable at Weetslade sdg 2. Stable second rake at Weetslade sdg 3.
Deliver loaded rake from Weetslade sdg1 to Percy Main yard and stable at yard sdg 6.
Deliver rake empty 21t's due shopping from Percy Main sdg 1 to Eccles and stable at sdg 2.

Backworth Repair shop foreman report:

Rakes shopped and ready to be assembled as follows:

Rake 21t's on roads 1, 3 & 4 to be assembled and stabled at road 7.
Rake Ashington 16t's on roads 2 & 4 to be assembled and stabled at road 6

Rakes due shopping to be stabled as follows:

Rake 16t's on inspection road 5 to be stabled at road 4 and first two wagons put into shop road 2.
Rake 21t's from Percy Main to be collected from Eccles, broken and stabled at roads 3 and 4 and first wagon put into shop road 1.

Other duties:

Collect rake of minerals from NCB Bates from at Earsden Exchange siding and stable on inspection road 5.
Deliver rake Ashington 16t's from road 6 to Earsden Exchange siding.

Permanent Way office report:

No movements requested.

Temporary speed restriction of 15mph in force on Eccles to Percy Main section at approx ¾ mile south of Eccles for sleeper renewals.
Passing loop 1 on Percy to Eccles section: Points clamped and out of use for scrap wagon storage.
Percy Main sdg 9: Points clamped and out of use for scrap wagon storage.
Staiths line 9: Out of use due to unsafe track except for headshunt at Yard end.

Recd by Driver (signed) ____________ On (date) ________


--------------

It is up to you as Driver to complete all of the tasks detailed on your worksheet, adhering to all relevant rules regarding loadings, speeds and operational requirements. Happy shunting.
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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby Nobkins » Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:52 pm

That was a very enjoyable read.

Are you intending to just have Marshall instructions which I believe will be shown as complete once the relevant wagons are in the right place?

Or is it just do as you wish with no instructions to "tick off".

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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby Derek B » Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:15 pm

Thanks. I appreciate that some might think I've lost sight of the plot a little but I like to immerse myself into a bit of backstory when I'm playing. I also thoroughly enjoyed researching the history of the north easts coalfields and digging into the likes of Flikr for shots of the NCB system when I was putting this together.

Yup, it's as you wish, there's no F1 to refer to and no ticks to fret over. The only instructions are the ones in the italicised daily worksheet that comes with the description.

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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby AndiS » Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:44 pm

I thought that chained scenarios were a good idea but you convinced me. :|
I mostly favoured it as a chance to salvage AI shunting (doing the coupling in the intermission between scenario episodes), but there is none in your case, and no need nor space for it.

Managing the boiler over a longer time is certainly better than starting afresh every 30 minutes or so. It is also a pity that Kuju dumped a few MSTS features when they reimplemented the engine details. MSTS permitted different initial conditions of boiler and firebed, including difficult ones.

This scenario and its description address the very literate player, I should say. I am glad to see another person caring about the prototype.

Having the instructions printed out on your desk is the way I always preferred it but I always thought I was alone.
You might consider splitting the text in two files - background information and instruction (with speed limits). People will not want to print all of the background information when they print the instructions.

I think this will reach few but those who like it will spend many hours with it. Printing a page for a day worth of activity is not a waste.
One thing I am not so sure myself is whether I would want to go through all these unloading and loading tasks. I assume that means you wait for each wagon to finish, then move on by one wagon length and wait again. But I never tried how that ties in with the shunting moves. Just shunting alone for hours could certainly lead to exhaustion, so the loading stuff could be seen as a break.
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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby Nobkins » Tue Apr 29, 2014 12:08 am

The background info is adding a lot of appeal for me. It makes the whole era, route and scenario fit together and mean that it feels a little bit more like the real thing than just following a list of instructions.

I am sure it won't be for everybody (and what is!) but there will be a good few who enjoy it.

I am sure you will do but make sure it is clear that the Work Sheet page (if you split it into a Background and a Work Sheet page) is designed to be printed out and worked through (as per real life).

As ridiculous as it might seem that had not occurred to me! I assumed you would have it on one screen and be playing on another.

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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby Derek B » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:26 pm

I'm heartened to find that the concept behind this scenario is meeting with some approval. I had my doubts. Thanks for that then, much appreciated and it's especially nice to see that the extended description has been enjoyed. As has been said, it's not for everyone, far from it, but if even one person, besides myself, can get some enjoyment out of it then it's worth the effort so far as I'm concerned.

I should say that I've not abandoned the idea of standard scenario chaining altogether, in fact I'm considering using it in a series of WIP Civil Engineer trip workings set in the eighties on a number of route's. The NCB network as depicted in NER lends itself nicely to the free-roam approach however, being more or less self contained and exclusively hand-pointed. The network is also fairly extensive, with decent lengths of "mainline" running required between all the shunting and a variety of loadings has been factored into the pre-set moves to ensure that the player is never doing exactly the same thing twice when on the "mainline".

Another plus point is that it's easy for the downloader to change the locomotive over at the cost of only a few moments in the editor without having to worry about breaking anything within the dispatcher. Indeed, a few more loco's could even be added to provide some variety. For example, diesels could be left handy at Weetslade and Percy to handle much of the shunting and load/unloading with the steamers left for the mainline runs. Or vice-versa if that's your thing.

I'll admit though that managing the boiler over an extended period of time was what really drew me into this one, living with the consequences of my own actions/mistakes and having no-one to blame but myself if the safety valve was lifting all the time or the tank ran dry! It's hard to describe the feeling of achievement I got when running onto the shed at the end of eight and a half hours of running time all tasks completed with only embers in the firebox and just enough pressure left to apply the steam brake to bring myself to stand.

Speaking of loading/unloading, yes, the player is expected to unload a total of four trains and load a further two though it would be possible to cut out a couple of the unloading and one of the loading instructions either by making use of the other rakes that are in position or not worrying about leaving a rake in the wrong condition for the next days shift! I was a bit dubious about all this myself at first in all honesty but I actually got quite into it. It certainly helped me get a feel for handling the austerity's regulator and steam brake (the Jinty's too) and I even discovered that, with care, it's possible to do some unloading on-the-go, so to speak. After dealing with the first couple of wagons I often found myself switching to auto pilot a little and was able to busy myself instead with working out how best to shunt the brake-vans (no instruction to guide you here I'm afraid...) and worrying about how much steam I'd need, and when, for the next run on the "mainline".

Having a printable version of the instructions along with a summary of the operating rules is indeed a good idea and I'll rework the text accordingly.

A few WIP screenies can be found here http://www.trainsimdev.com/forum/gallery/album.php?album_id=82

BTW, I've also worked out a method for having instructions delivered to the player at various points in the scenario which, on a purely random basis, may or may not require either reduced speed running or having to swap a wagon out of the rake. It adds an element of chance to the scenario, ensures it's never the same twice and is simplicity itself to implement. I don't want to overcomplicate an already long scenario description though, so perhaps that's best left for another day.

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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby AndiS » Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:27 pm

An important point we forgot before is that creating this scenario certainly was more fun than messing with the dispatcher. I.e., with little effort you get 8 hour of fun. Not little effort in terms of background research for sure. But typing these instructions (without the background information) took about as long as it would take to define the shunting instructions in the scenario editor, I guess. Then you tested it and if it was not complete fun in the first run, then only because you found a way to improve the instructions - and never because some AI train played up or the dispatcher would not set a path.

I don't know the route but placing a few engines around the corner is a great idea. In particular if those who don't own it just delete them with no damage at all. I would say people will start with the given player engine and receive the instruction "If you don't like it (the default engine), assume that this engine is going to X for maintenance. Drive it to Y and change to engine Z there. Then return to start work." Y would be some place around the corner not seen from the main site so the number of engines parked there does not distract.

The drawback of going over the top with the engine choice would be that it could turn off people who don't own them. Even if it is easy to delete them, firing up RW Tools first is not standard practice for everyone. So an alternative version with nothing but the Austerity might be attractive just as well.

I don't have much idea about the UK prototype in this case, but on the Continent, many operators have serious looking order forms for such shunting instructions. In case you can source anything inspiring and adapt it to your needs, it could add another bit of atmosphere. Depends on how you like the text formatting bit, of course. And I must admit that these forms were filled in by hand and getting a font that does not look childish might be a challenge. I only know Script and that looks like the handwriting of a primary school teacher, not of a foreman. But then again, you want people to be able to read the instructions. It could be another too theoretical idea as well.
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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby Derek B » Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:44 pm

Oh believe you me, I didn't miss the endless rinse and repeat testing cycle that scenario creation usually involves when putting this one together. It was a joy to just "place and go" for once.

Personally I'm happy to leave additional engines out and let any potential up-loaders add what they like to it as they see fit. I'm settling on the idea that the USP of this scenario should be the chance to take a single steam loco through a working day. I see that as being where the challenge lies but, as I said in the OP, the scenario will also stand quite happily as a sandbox for the NCB lines within NER.

I know what you mean about the instructions. I originally envisaged trying to recreate a seventies style printed standard form with typewritten instructions added to it (an idea inspired by the manual for the Jinty). Such a form could very well have been what was handed to the driver when he booked on in the morning. That all seemed like a bit to much effort for little return in the end and I settled for using a different font in the original draft to set it apart, which was carried over into the posting here by using italics. Having a separate instruction sheet, as suggested earlier, at least makes it easier to invoke the original idea.

Your saying that you didn't know the route got me thinking. I touched briefly in the draft description on the desirability of some route and traction knowledge on the part of the player. I'm wondering if I shouldn't make that more explicit though that could carry the risk of patronising people a little and indeed may put some off altogether. After all, this isn't something that is likely to have much appeal to the "jump in and go" brigade so it might be best to just trust that potential uploaders can read and leave them to decide for themselves how to go about their business.

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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby AndiS » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:12 am

Typewriter is an excellent idea. I always think in pre-sixties terms, but your scenario is well set in the age of typewriter, so to say.
If it is nothing but the formatting, let me know about it.

Regarding the route knowledge, it is best not to touch it. There are two very valid points:
1) In the prototype, you had to learn the route and you earned a living as a fireman for years before being a driver.
2) Today, people have a few hours of spare time to devote to an illusion/simulation of their choice. They don't get paid to do it. Instead they pay for computer, core game, add-ons.

All you can do is support people in bridging this gap by providing useful information material, e.g., a schematic map. But that is hard work, harder than formatting the instruction sheet. So it won't happen. And it ought to be the route builder's job, too.

Interesting what you say about rinse and repeat. It all looks so easy when you read the description of the finished thing.
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Re: WIP A Hard Day's Graft for NER

Postby whittaker » Sat May 03, 2014 12:39 pm

Good read Derek ,i can see you have done a lot of research before you put this together and a very interesting concept using freeroam in that way.
also If you are interested i am in the middle of creating a pack for the railway in question using some repaints i have done of dedicated locos for the line

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=187

the locos use the Mardy add on and the wagons are from woodhead. feel free to use them if you wish or if you would be interested in adding your work to the pack that would be great as your scenario skills totally outstrip my attempts.


Joe Whittaker

ps Earsden is Earsdon in Geordie ;)
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