About the Game

Beautifully modeled by Peter Gillam with highly accurate controls and cab features, the 56XX tank locomotive is one of the most realistic steam driving experiences available for the PC.

The origins of the 56xx class locomotive lie among the coal mines of South Wales, where the 0-6-2 locomotive configuration was proved to handle the tightly-curved lines with ease. Following the 1922 grouping of numerous small railways into large companies, the Great Western Railway gained the railways of south Wales, including their proven but ageing R and M Class tank locos. Having condemned many of the original locomotives as past their working lives, the Great Western set about replacing them and the 5600 class (or 56XX) was born. They proved to be powerful machines capable of hauling 40 wagons or more, though there were some concerns about stability when hauling passenger stock. Introduced in the 1920s, the 56XX soldiered on through World War 2 and into the 1960s, proving itself a tough and versatile locomotive. 200 were built, early versions having tapered buffers rather than the parallel buffers of later examples, and nine survive in preservation today.

Operating features on the 56XX include cylinder cocks with required prototypical operation and dynamic cylinder cock steam, ejector operated brake vacuum creation including leakage management, feathered safety valves, dynamic smoke effects, notched reverser, operational reverser locking lever, steam leak effects when stationary, mason's valve and steam heating valve affect the heating system pressure gauge, custom head code lamps which can be set from the cab, operational water tank gauge, dual chime whistle with working in-cab chains and external steam blasts, plus operable front and rear windows, doors, seats and roof and window panels.

Includes:

• GWR 56XX Tank Locomotive with tapered or parallel buffers with ‘Shirt Button’, GWR or Great Western logo
• BR 56XX Tank Locomotive with pre-1956 or post-1956 logo
• 6 ton Fruit 'A' Van (Y.2)
• 3 - 8 ton Cattle Wagons with cows, goats, sheep, and one empty wagon
• 10 ton Fruit 'B' Banana Van
• 10 ton Covered Goods Van
• 10 ton Fish Van
• 10 ton Gunpowder 'Cone' Van
• 10 ton Linoleum Wagon with Tarpaulin
• 10 ton Open 'A' Goods Wagon with Tarpaulin
• 10 ton Ventilated 'Mink A' Van
• 12 ton China Clay Wagon with Clay
• 12 ton Conflat 'A' Wagon with 3 wooden and 2 metal GWR containers
• 12 ton Motor Car 'Mogo' Van
• 13 ton 3 plank Open Goods Wagon with Lumber and Tarpaulin
• 13 ton Open Goods Wagon with Gravel, Bricks, and Tarpaulin
• 15 ton 'Open C' Wagon with Pipes and Tarpaulin

6 scenarios:

• An Introduction (Oxford-Paddington) – learn the correct usage of all the locomotive controls including cylinder cocks.
• That’s the Ticket (Oxford-Paddington) - take the 56XX along the main line to the Didcot Railway Centre for full servicing, dodging in and out of the daily traffic.
• What a Picture (Oxford-Paddington) – the newly-serviced 56XX is making its way from Didcot Railway Centre with a rake of mixed wagons to the newly-opened Oxford Railway Museum.
• Stock Check (The Port Road) – Run from Dumfries to Castle Douglas to retrieve a train of cattle wagons full of prize livestock. Requires The Port Road freeware route available on Steam free of charge.
• Doing Your Part (Bath-Templecombe) – it’s 1942 and The Royal Ordnance Factory at Wrexham is expecting three wagons of vital test equipment to be dropped at Shepton Mallet.
• The Challenge (Bath-Templecombe) – it began as an argument in a pub – “The Welsh tanks could NEVER make it up the gradients of the Somerset & Dorset with a decent load!” The challenge was set, and you have 20 ex-GWR wagons to take across the hills.