Great Western Levels 1882 –   GWR / LSWR

​DESCRIPTION

​Golden Age Developments are proud to introduce our 'Great Western Levels 1882' route, a fictitious mixed-gauge GWR route set on the edge of the Somerset Levels. This route has working broad gauge and standard gauge networks, connecting major towns in Somerset with various docks and industry. Unfortunately the broad gauge stock intended to be released with this route was never finished, partly due to personal circumstances of the locomotive developer, and partly due to a break down in relations between the person who commissioned the stock and GAD. We provide a link to download the latest version of the locomotives and stock that we have available to us, but we cannot offer any support. Please read the manual.
KNOWN ISSUES
​
Train Simulator isn't designed for mixed gauge and so there are some bugs:
  • Opening doors at mixed gauge platforms can be temperamental.
  • It is not possible to reliably signal the route, so there are none.
  • Some station buildings are shiny from certain angles.
  • Point rendering is difficult or impossible in most places.
  • Some scenery is slightly anacronistic, due to availability of assets.
  • Since the stock is unfinished/untested, only quick drives are provided.
If you encounter any other bugs, please contact us via our contact form.
REQUIREMENTS
​
Payware: Freeware (ensure you have latest versions): Check you also have the following default items installed:
  • Kuju European Loco and Asset Pack
  • DTG Academy
  • RSC AP Station
  • RSDL Foliage01
Thank you to MM, OK, and the GAD donators for their financial contributions to the route building and assets.
No support will be provided for the stock.
Community Creations (external to GAD)

Alternate History

Picture
In our fictional timeline, the Salisbury & Minehead Railway (S&MR), sponsored by the Great Western Railway (GWR), constructed a line from Salisbury to Glastonbury and Minehead. Unfortunately, construction costs along the coast besides the steep quantocks led to the curtailment of the line at Williton. This section opened in 1841, causing parliament to block the Bristol and Exeter Railway's (B&ER) proposal for a line from Bristol to Exeter via Highbridge and Bridgwater. As such, the B&ER approached Bridgwater from the south, opening in 1844, connecting the harbour there to the railway network.

It was soon realised by the B&ER that they could muscle in on the S&MR's traffic to the growing town of Williton by building a line from Bridgwater to connect at Combwich Junction. The LSWR supported this bill, and by playing both sides they were able to lay a standard gauge rail from Salisbury to Williton. By the 1860s, the Somerset coal field was burgeoning, as was a lumber industry at Stretchold, and the harbour at Bridgwater was deemed unsufficient. In 1867, the Bridgwater & Highbridge Docks Railway built a line from Stretcholt Junction to Highbridge, Stretcholt Lumber Wharf, and Highbridge Docks. The passenger line to Highbridge was laid mixed gauge, so that trains could run from Bridgwater to Highbridge. In so doing, the triangle at Combwich Junction was completed. As traffic to the docks boomed, the awkward reversing maneouvre for standard gauge trains was obviated by a short chord from Pawlett towards Huntspill.

By 1882, when this route is set, the broad gauge is diminishing in priority, but there are still several traffic flows around the area because Bridgwater has not yet received standard gauge rails. Goods trains to the docks are almost entirely standard gauge, except for short trip freights which use the line down to Bridgwater and the docks there. Local traffic remainds a mixture of both gauges, and long distance goods are mostly run by GWR and LSWR standard gauge trains. The broad gauge passenger service covers all stations on the route, and the GWR standard gauge trains from further afield come along the line to Williton. The chord from Pawlett to Huntspill is occasionally used by LSWR passenger trains to access Highbridge, although the majority of their traffic is still express services to Williton.
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