Steve's Blog July - September 2014

28th September 2014

The first three Class 66's have been released today.

23rd September 2014

Everything below the body and roof is now finished, so it's now the odd tweak on the body.

15th September 2014

I've been working on the air pipework to the outer sandboxs since the last post.

All four have pipes going off in different directions, so here's a shot of one of them that also shows that I have made the bufferbeam look a bit better.

I have also obtained permission from Manuel Mejias to use and modify his Class 390 external view, that will be added to the cabview/train on this site once I get a chance to make it both a more simple config that does not include separate bogies or gangway

connecters and add things like a Pantograph that's not as simple!

Thanks to Manuel for the permission.

3rd September 2014

The sandboxs over the fuel tank now have details added.

I have also added the pipe between the sandbox and the nozzles on the bogies on the outer sandboxs.

2nd September 2014

More work on the Class 66, this time adding details to the fuel tanks.

Then it's sort out the textures and detail on the middle sand box's and add all the sandpipes and the air supply pipework for the sanding system.

There's quite a bit of the latter!

27th August 2014

I've done a bit more on the Class 87 pantograph.

I've also returned to the Class 66 and finally attached the battery boxes to the underframe, rather leave them floating!

I have also added the small box found on the side shown and resized the battery boxs slightly.

This shot also shows the mountings for the sand pipe nozzles fitted to most Class 66's and that I've nearly finished all the underframe pipework on that side!

Here's a shot of 66502 showing the version of mountings for the sand pipe nozzles fitted to the first built loco's.

19th August 2014

Work continues on the Virgin Class 87, or the pantograph to be exact.

Despite this being a route object I thought a more accurate model of the pantograph was needed here.

13th August 2014

Released to day, a DBS 'Switch on to Safety' version of the Class 60.

In loaded ballast and light engine versions.

The light engine has a new config so is quite quick!

9th August 2014

The pantograph, I started on that today.

It currently looks like this.

8th August 2014

Today I've finished the infill of the bogies, added the vent to the cab roof and started work on the roof details.

That of course includes the pantograph.

Also I corrected that area as I had the boxes the wrong way around!

7th August 2014

A bit of work on the underframe this evening.

This afternoon, I added numbers to the cab sides and altered where the Virgin logo is on the main body for a couple of them.

As shown by 87002 and 87008, as far as I can tell there's three positions for the numbers and two for where the Virgin logo is!

Although I think the white stripes are in the right place on all of them, well they needed to be to match the coaches.

So there was some sort of guidance issued for that.

But no one told anyone were the Virgin logo should be!

Except by there!

I also did something else, but what it was can anyone tell me?

I can't see it.....

6th August 2014

I lied yesterday!

Today I changed the cab nose for some photo real textures, added the windscreen wipers and made a few more nameplates.

5th August 2014

More work on the Class 87 object.

I've added the roof details and made the whole object slightly longer in length.

Pantograph, insulators etc next.

31st July 2014

No work on the Class 66.

But a bit on the Class 87, I've filled in the underframe.

I've also been having a go at some better looking BR Western signals.

26th July 2014

The cab roofs are now added to the 87, although a few tweaks are needed to it.

Along with the roof being added, all the cab windows have been altered and are a little taller.

23rd July 2014

More work on the Class 87.

21st July 2014

On the Class 66 I've back to the pipework on the underframe.

But I also want to provide TSS/TSC with some new objects to update the ones currently used in the NWM route.

So here's the latest route object.

A Virgin West Coast Class 87, very much a work in progress!

18th July 2014

The rail grinder route object for TSS/TSC is now finished.

So I am now back on the Class 66 external views.

13th July 2014

More work on the grinder, there is a few lights to add to the angled sides that are before the roof.

But it's nearly finished.

Then I will send it to TSC, to be told it's a bit big and that it knocks frame rates somewhat!

Although it actually smaller than the 47, 56 and 57 objects.

But it has a lot of separate detail that the 47, 56 and 57's do not have.

12th July 2014

Still work on the grinder, now there's a bit more on the cab front.

Sorry about the light sticking out of the cab roof, but that's the bit I am working on at the moment.

11th July 2014

So back to working on the RGH20C rail grinder, I've added a few more parts since the last screenshot.

It's still a route object............lol!

9th July 2014

The 56301 Fastline object is now finished.

So back to the Rail grinder.

6th July 2014

The Artemis 56 object is now finished.

So I now have a Fastline version in production.

6th July 2014 (a little later)

I am also having a go at this one as a 56 route object.

6th July 2014

The EWS Class 56 objects are now finished.

So I've moved on to a couple of Loadhauls.

1st July 2014

Well I've done a bit more work on the roof and cab of the 56 object today.

I've also given it a real number!