55008 ran a 44 hour test drive over last weekend (April 1st/2nd) covering over 1800 miles.

With the Trainz East Coast Main Line at a stage of being able to drive to Newcastle 268 miles from the Cross. An event was staged for the ECML route builders to try their skill of driving a Deltic and a test run to see how an event like this may be of interest to members in the future.

The ten drivers/secondmen were diagrammed shift patterns to work to a week before the event but not given details of their route until signing on with their shift supervisors on the day.A shift pattern was also used to share out the 6 beds using the hot bed system!

The Deltic diagrams used were:

Friday
1S72 22.30 Kings Cross as far as Newcastle

Saturday
1E43 20.35 Aberdeen - KX from Newcastle to Kings Cross (late running)
1D01 08.20 Kings Cross - Cleethorpes
1A38 13.17 Cleethorpes - Kings Cross
1D04 17.05 Kings Cross - Hull - Hull Executive
21.00 Hull - Doncaster
1S60 20.00 Kings Cross - Aberdeen from Doncaster - Newcastle

Sunday
1E43 20.05 Aberdeen - Kings Cross from Newcastle via the joint line ( Lincoln ) to Kings Cross

The Sunday diagram was an enthusiasts train from the Cross to Grantham, Sleaford, Cleethorpes,Lincoln,Doncaster,Kings Cross using class 55,20,37,40 and a Merchant Navy steam locomotive!

There was quite a large selection of different types of trains hauled by 55008 and was quite amazing to see the difference in characteristics from hauling the 3 coach local from Hull to the fastest diesel hauled train in Britain the Hull Executive and the 15 coach overnight trains. With the complete ECML and secondary route having gradients it was very noticeable on the heavy train where these were!

The drivers gauges are now starting to be 'motorised' with the MPH and AMPS finished. The latter even show the increase in Amp's when the field diverts kick in from the sudden surge of power. At the correct speed of course.

Another test run has already been booked in a few months time.

Above: Jeff whose building the Hertford loop section thrashes down Stoke bank. Note the two top left gauges which now work.

DECEMBER 2005 UPDATE

55008
Over the last 3 months considerable amount of work as usual! has been carried out on both the ECML route and the Deltic cab. With a DPS Members only day, two weekends of either a Diesel gala or a steam gala at Barrow Hill, Cab it weekend at York National Railway Museum plus the 'Rocket' event at Barrow Hill on November 5th !! with Rocket from the NRM hauling passengers its been a very hectic period indeed.

The DPS Members Day in September brought the cab back to life as a Trainz simulator rather than the Microsoft version of last year at Railfest and Cab it events. DPS members and some of the general enthusiasts who had visited these events last year commentated on a huge difference in quality and sound! Some even making return visits of over 200 miles to different events just to have another go!

The cab sounds at present are from recordings made by Ian Strange and those with an ear to Napiers will have noticed that the recordings are from 55022. In time it is hoped to have cab recordings of all DPS Deltics. For details of Ian's web pages with details of superb recordings of Napier Deltics please go to the Deltic Sounds section of the main DPS links page.

There has been a huge learning curve in the development of the cab controls and the programming behind this. Both Martyn Brailsford (electronics and programmer engineer) and Stuart Page (Project leader) have finely tuned these control systems which should bring even better realistic driving experiences in 2006.

Those of you who have sampled the Deltic simulator may have noticed the 'floating' admission price. As this is a completely new type of driving experience its difficult to put a price on it. Different events have had different charges. Being the first public simulator in the world other than a very small amount of museums abroad is taking a while to see how at public events what a acceptable price is. A £4 fair ride for 3 minutes compared to a 8 minute £3/£4 ish drive should hopefully be acceptable. All proceeds will be for the upgrade of the cab - larger screens and a new PC which at present its borrowed etc. Once this is accomplished then all proceeds will of course go towards the restoration and operation of the DPS's Deltics. A new Drivers 'ticket' is planned for next year which will be something special for everyone to collect.

ECML Trainz project
This project is still progressing at a very steady rate with many hours of work in a 24 hour period being accomplished by the trainz builders. The amount of time and effort these guys are doing is very much appreciated. Pencilling in of around Easter for the route to York completed to be used in 55008. A release date of November 2006 for the DVD disk for sale may be also be on the cards.

New Trainz builders have joined since the last update and building new sections as seen from the below list has commenced.

Since the last update the following sections of route have upgraded to:

Completed:
Doncaster-Peterborough
Nottingham-Newark-Lincoln-Barnetby
Additional parts of both the Hull and Sheffield lines

Trackwork finished:
Peterborough-Spalding
March-Spalding-Sleaford

Extra routes started:
Hertford loop
Sleaford-Boston-Skegness

A general updated map of the whole system is shown below. Please also view the new photographs in Pics ECML project and 55008 . Some rather stunning pics.

AUGUST 2005 UPDATE

Over 150 hours a week is being put into building this project with some members achieving 40 hr alone !! Others may only do a few odd hours a week but everyone is doing very well. With this amount of hours being achieved every week as you can expect the route is coming on very well.

More than 50% of the builders are not DPS members but from the Trainz community. These builders are willing to join this huge project for the love of Trainz and of course for benefit of both camps. Infact membership is increasing from the team we have.

As seen from the map below the whole of the ECML is being built. As new builders join the project these sections are shorten and so speeds up the building process. Quite a lot of sections planned have not been started and may infact not be built. This depends on time available and if more members OR non members join the team.

Do you fancy giving it a go ? Anyone is welcomed.

55008's cab is developing with some controls working in time for the Members Day. This should make steady progress over the coming months until all systems are working correctly.

On Members Day the cab will be showing a demo route which has station stops every 6-8 minutes. This is to give everyone the chance to be able to have a driving turn of around the same time. If queues are short then a non stop 2 station run can be achieved. Distances between stations on the ECML varies so much that for a public event it's unfair to use.

A booking system will be set up for those wishing to drive the whole route of the ECML or sub routes in due course.

Look out for more pictures in the Gallery section.

Recent meeting with the top men or is it boys! From Trainz Australia. Left to Right. Henk Plaggemars (Trainz Global Coordinator), Stuart Page (DPS) and Lance Jago (Trainz Managing Director).

Nearly as good as the real thing ECML Builders posing for the camera before test driving 55008. left to right Oliver, David, Robert, Greg, Stuart, Andy, Graham, Andrew at back, Garth at front Pete and Martin.

Hope you boys are passed out on this route and loco!

Last Updated Tuesday, September 19 2006 @ 16:17 PM BST