Road Map

[richard]

This seems like a good time for a road map for the site. The map is divided into three sections: Short Term, Medium/Long Term, and Speculative.
As ever, comments and suggestions are welcome.

Short Term - Weeks/Months

1.) The Links page needs to be expanded and edited. It also needs to be split into multiple pages according to topic - eg. a page for Historical Societies.

2.) Add a 'Liveries' article page

3.) Commission a new visual 'look' for the site.

4.) Start to implement the new look

5.) Start Review 1 of the locomotive pages as the new look is implemented. These pages were written over five years and some measurements are recorded inconsistently. Lengths and weights are the main problem. Also add basic livery information.

6.) Plan a new area for the Constituent Companies. Each company will include a potted history, timeline, liveries, and route information. Articles will also be moved into this area - eg. the Wisbech & Upwell will become a part of the GER section. 'Territory' railways will also be included - eg. the Aberford Railway pages will be listed under NER.


Medium/Long Term - Months/Years

1.) Complete the new look and Review 1 of the locomotive pages.

2.) Start Review 2 of the locomotive page text. The text on some of the earlier pages (eg. the four-coupled tanks) are thin on the ground and need to be expanded.

3.) Build the Constituent Company sections up so that all companies have at least a timeline, potted history, and livery information.

4.) Write further articles. Possibilities include: Kings Cross Station; George Hudson; the Crossgates-Wetherby branch; the Thorp Arch ROF factory railway; superheater design; valve gear; the Races to the North.


Speculative

I occasionally receive requests for lists of un-named locomotives. So far, I only list locomotives with names. Adding numbered locomotives would make some pages (eg. the O4 page) ungainly. I think such a system should be stored using a database rather than hard-coded tables. The database would have to be flexible and include important changes (rebuilds, Kylchap fitting, etc) as well as livery changes, re-numberings, and namings. Many of these changes are not consistent between types.
Eg. condensing gear is relevant for an N2 but not for a V2. A Kylchap is relevant for a V2 but not an N2. So the database would have to be very flexible. It then becomes tempting to include further information such as allocations, overhauls, boiler replacements, etc. The database would also have to handle uncertain data. The database design and control software is a big job but I'm game for it when I have time and if it would be appreciated sufficiently. Adding the actual data would be a HUGE job, and I would need volunteers...

My day job involves mapping technologies. An interesting idea is to digitise the routes (how?) and present them on a Virtual Earth based site. Yes there's quite a bit of work but it could be a useful way of promoting my own business services
The two main problems are: how do we digitise the routes? and reliance on Virtual Earth being available.


Richard

[x568wcn]

Some great ideas there Richard, and if you're looking for volunteers for adding info to databases, I might be able to help you there.

Under Constituent Companies, were there sufficiant, that never were part, like the Easingwold Railway, which was always privatley owned.
From it's incorporation on 23rd August 1887, to the meeting on 8th October 1887 to decide on the route, and location of the station, to the opening on 27th July 1891 to the closing on 27th December 1957 (49 years ago!)

and it was steam all the way, no diesel ever ran on the easingwold railway!

[richard]

I think I would classify the Easingwold Railway in a similar way as I have classified the Aberford Railway (which ran on completely private land, connected with the NER, but closed not long before Grouping). So it would be listed under NER with its own article.

Larger railways: I think I will list the H&BR in its own section, even though it became a part of the NER 1yr before Grouping.
Cheshire Lines would logically be listed under GCR.
I'm undecided about the M&GN - logic also says the GNR.


Richard

[richard]

I should also add to the Medium Term list: Pages for Rolling Stock. I need suitable information first, and rolling stock will probably be organised by general type and not a page per diagram number!


Richard