From Schmotenton to New Portland - the rise (and possible fall) of Bran Castle

[evarburg]

Nicely organic development. Also not too griddy ! I am sure you would love Mattb325 recent uploads here for the future of North-Adelaide !

[siemanthepieman]

REPLIES

evarburg - Thank you. I thought avoiding too much orthogonal development would help keep things interesting and give a more organic feel to my city. It certainly has its challenges - I've found it not because there is a lack of diagonal RCI options, but it's harder to fill the little gaps between those options - but it does keep it fun and interesting in the building too.  Perhaps I just need to spend a bit more time in the LE and the BAT to make a few more 'gap fillers' to suit my needs. And, yes, a Matt325 download binge is well overdue - probably for all of us, even those who only did one last week the rate he releases quality new content!

UPDATE 42 – BACK TO THE TRANSPORTATIONAL EXPANSION TO THE EDGES OF THE REALM
For those of you who have been with us since update 14, you might remember that in 1972, King Schmo issued three Orders – 1, the construction of two rail lines, one each side of the Simoleon River, to run to the north east edge of the realm and beyond, 2, the construction of a highway from the downtown business district, south across the river end then east to the edge of the realm and 3, that all agriculture be strictly confined to 'Designated Agricultural Zones' to the west and south of Goose Island and the Knoll, or east of the Lesser New Portland Ridge. 

We then got a bit distracted by our tour of the many suburbs surrounding Bran Castle and never got to see the rail lines, the highway or the agricultural zones develop. The next couple of updates will detail the construction of the railway and highway, with a look into the vast agricultural delights of the region coming later.

The second of the three orders of 1972 was promulgated because development in the CBD had stalled and it was commonly thought that it was due to lack of a road based crossing into the CBD for those who lived on the south of the river (although the fact that the rest of the realm was still stuck chugging along on dirt streets with barely a tar sealed road in sight also didn't help!)  So crossing the river with a new motorway was top of the agenda.

42.1 – The new highway was built across the river at the same time as the passenger railway an in the same location as the original (now purely freight) line that lead to Newport. You've probably noticed the crossing in other updates, but it's a spectacular crossing worthy of its own particular note – many an amateur photographer, and even a few professionals, will stroll down to the banks of the Simoleon River on a warm calm evening to try await the elusive but treasured shot of traffic crossing on all three bridges at the same time as the sun sets over the region or with headlights leaving a light trail across a long exposure with a lovely star lit sky in the background and moonlit waters to the fore. As you can see, the passenger railway line fed into the city loop (and by virtue of that to the rest of the regional rail network) ...



42.2 - ... and the highway scooted past what was then a new row of development against the water's edge.


42.3 – Ambleside and East Crossington didn't quite know what was about to hit when the highway first landed on their shores.


42.4 – At first the residents of Ambleside were quite happy to learn that the railway line was going to pass through their suburb, with a shiny new station to let them board services running direct into the CBD. Most of the residents remained happy throughout. Those that eventually realised the line and the highway were going to run not just through their suburb but through where their living room once stood were a little miffed!


42.5 – Of course, a few local heros managed to negotiate with the civil works guys to avoid the wrecking ball and then steadfastly refused the King's paltry offers of just compensation to buy up their land. Why you'd want to live between a railway line and a highway was anyone's guess (and most people guessed 'I don't know') but you know what they say about a man and his castle. Throw in someone even only slightly more stubborn than usual and you probably have your answer.


42.6 – Madness. Nice houses. But surely even stubborn gives at some point.


42.7 – Initially, the highway stopped at Ambleside and it was only the railway line construction that carried on to the east of the realm.


42.8


42.9 – Snaking its way past Hakone Plateau


42.10 – Past some picturesque river settings.


42.11 – And across bridges where required.


42.12 – As soon as the railway hit the edge of the King's dominion, the highway followed. No one followed its construction very closely, but when it was finished, the King sent one of the local reporters up in the police helicopter to take an overview shot. Two long snakes along the river. Locals said if you hadn't ridden the train or driven the highway along the southern bank of the Simoleon River you hadn't really lived in Bran Castle.


42.13 – Of course, the trip along the northern bank wasn't the worst train ride in the world either. Many said the views across the region's northernmost 'Designated Agricultural Area' (coming in a later update) were as good as, if not better, than the views of the river.


Stay tuned for a return to New Portland's roots - s tour of Newport and the rest of the region's beloved industrial zones.

[fantozzi]

The last picture with the agricultural area is sensational. Landscaping until the cows come home.

[art128]

The smooth railway line along the river is brilliant, very realistic.

Excellent couple updates!

[PaPa-J]

I agree with both fantozzi and art128, those are some really good scenes.  I also like your use of angled streets, it helps with a scenes of realism.   

[c.p.]

Nice towns and rural scenes, but I especially enjoy the storytelling style of this MD

[89James89]

I second that the agri area in the last picture looks very nice along with the rest of the update. One thing in particular that I like about it though is the way you've created the very natural looking river systems.

Very nice job!

[mattb325]

Beautiful river and rural scenes. Well done 

[siemanthepieman]

REPLIES:

fantozzi, art128, PaPa-J, c.p., 89James89 and mattb325 - Thank you. I am delighted to have some of my favourite forum participants, MD'ers and content contributors following along and providing encouraging comments. It is a shame it is the rural scenes that seem to excite you all the most. You won't like this (short) update then! Or the few that are slated to follow!! But if you hang around long enough things might return to your liking.

89James89 - I wish I could take credit for the river system but I can't. Credit goes to the map maker - I think dobdriver but maybe drunkapple or maybe both, I'm not quite sure, they seem to collaborate sometimes.

UPDATE 43 - 1972, ORDER 3
The third of the three Orders issued by the King in 1972 was that all agriculture be strictly confined to 'Designated Agricultural Zones' to the west and south of Goose Island and the Knoll, or east of the Lesser New Portland Ridge. It was partly due to the King's desire to ensure that the produce grown and made available to the region was produced in pristine environments, away from the smog and pollution of the port and any built up areas. It also ensured the rest of the region would slowly have to build in on itself creating a hub of residential, commercial and industrial zones and that there would always be a thriving rail freight transport industry into Bran Castle and its surrounds - the King didn't want that original rail line into the Port going to waste, even if it was already well utilised by trains coming from Schmotenton.

This brief update is just to show what happened to the agricultural zones which were not within the designated zones.

43.1 - There one day ...


43.2 - Going the next ...


43.3 - Then gone! From green to grey, just like that. Just how the King wanted it.


We'll visit the industrial zones of Bran Castle next. Then we'll get back to the agricultural zones, wherever they went!

[evarburg]

(Having been abroad, I got two for the price of one ! Wonderful landscape -- I love the "picturesque" part of it in the previous entry. The river system looks very natural, as well as the development of the city. Damn that king enamoured with grey, though ! 

[PaPa-J]

My sentiments exactly, but show one good king that doesn't get his way.

[art128]

Wow some big factories replaced them. I like that the small farm is still there in the middle. It reminds me of the people who refused to move when they built Narita Airport in Tokyo, who are now living in the middle of the taxiways...

[siemanthepieman]

REPLIES:

evarburg, PaPa-J and art128 - We're sticking with the grey theme for now.

art128 - There are a few stubborn sims in my region who have refused to move despite the best efforts of the King and/or developers. I was thinking more Darryl Kerrigan and the Castle (mattb325, noahclem, and the rest of the Aussie cohort will get the reference, I'm sure), but it's nice to know there is a real world equivalent too.

UPDATE 44 - NEWPORT

44.1 - Newport was the only industrial estate which wasn't really planned at all, it just grew organically from the Port as the city grew. As a result, it become more a collection of smaller, quite separate industrial estates that one cohesive whole. It is nevertheless revered as a single important historical and industrial zone, considered by many, quite fairly, to be the heart of New Portland. Industrial business aspire to establish themselves here, and industrial workers aspire to work here (even despite the longer commute). Those that do work here are known to say that you can trace the entire history of the region through the varied buildings and operations within Newport and nearly all of them are only too willing to 'chew your ear off' for an hour or two explaining just how that is so. Whether that is true or not, it is certainly one hell of an industrial zone.


44.2 - Although renowned for its many separate industrial parks, many businesses and factories did sit 'side by side'. In fact, there were probably more sitting side by side than there were those separate by any significant space. Those that were well separated established a lovely 'green belt' worked in amongst what would otherwise be the grays and browns of any other industrial zone. It didn't, by any means, create country fresh air, but it did provide a nice outlook from many different points within the zone and plenty of nice spots for morning tea and 'smoko break'.


44.3 - Side by side or separate, the businesses, factories, and everything else in Newport was joined by winding dirt roads – roads which snaked along, over and even under the ground when necessary.


44.4 - Some of the underground connections were actually reasonably substantial even.


44.5 - Nothing to see here, just typical Newport.


44.6 - Almost as often as roads it was railway snaking between the estates. Although it was often a curse (who likes waiting 30 minutes with 100 freight carts due for port whilst another train clears the line), Newport was known for its (relatively) picturesque single track.


44.7 - Of course, the single track doubled up where it needed to - usually where it was on private company coin rather than out of the King's coffers.


44.8 - Again, nothing to see here (apart from some hefty road networking). Just more typical Newport.


44.9 - In many places, the scenery between two estates or between or beside the road and development was quite beautiful ... even in winter.


44.10 - Just another nice scene. Initially the King had to work quite hard to convince business of the benefits of leaving some of Newport's nicest natural areas untouched (or at least 'undeveloped'). Eventually business came to realise what the King always knew - he was a visionary, who knew at all times and in all circumstances what was best for any given part of his realm.


44.11 - The highway in Newport was always busy.


44.12 - Always busy.


44.13 - Truly. It was always busy.


44.14 - Some of the estates ran almost seamlessly to the next. Within those estates, and against the backdrop of some fairly sheer hill/mountain faces, there were some quite picturesque scenes.


44.15 - The mountains really were something else, coming, as they did, down to the sea. Surprisingly, they saw only very limited hiking (or any other) activity which meant they remained largely untouched.


44.16 - Even when the scene was half full of garbage (literally), it was still a sight to behold.


44.17 - Speaking of garbage, Newport became the region's garbage disposal unit. The garbage docks were, on most days, the busiest docks in the whole port. The King had long encouraged the mayors of the various councils that make up New Portland to work co-operatively with one another to funnel all of their landfill through each other and into Newport, where it could be better managed with improved recycling outcomes, whilst keeping the suburbs free of nasty piles of landfill. These neighbour deals got cancelled from time to time (often without notice and for no apparent reason!) but, by and large, the system worked.


44.18 - Of course, it wasn't long before there was too much garbage for it to all be sent offshore. It was expensive too. At first, the excess garbage just piled up and very little, if any, of the region's waste was recycled.


44.19 - So land was cleared and/or set aside ...


44.20 - ... nice big spaces ...


44.21 - and nice big recycling facilities were built.


44.22 - Freighted garbage fired incinerator power anyone?


44.23 - It was one hell of a garbage wonderland.


44.24 - Whichever way you looked at it.


44.25 - Such was the reputation and demand for garbage facilities in Newport, some 'premium' or 'boutique' facilities popped up (can there be such a thing in the garbage industry?), nestled usually amongst trees and other more discerning (in environmental and desirability terms) businesses and often focussing on particular items - clean fill, composting and organics and chemical disposal for example.


MD44.26 - The region's 'dual pumpers' - the two big coal powerplants sitting side by side - had been a regular sight coming into Newport on the passenger rail (and from the highway) for many years. They always inspired, looking, fittingly, powerful amongst the trees and other surrounds.


44.27 - The region was never going to run out of paper (and not just due to the digital age) with the Newport Paper Mill in town. The giant coal pile next door meant that there was also always a 'little in reserve' for the powerplant, should heady times require it. 


If we take tour around the rest of Newport, it isn't hard to find many notable factories and businesses.

44.28 - A motor body factory, disease research centre, cyber security firm, and a sports shoe factory (everything from casual runners to cleats, golf shoes, cycling shoes, and more).


44.29 - Two large textile halls, a pharmaceutical research centre and, just because there was a spare little patch, more recycling.


44.30 - The giant Newport Flour Mill and its surrounding warehousing facilities (often with short term/private spaces available).


44.31 - Cryo testing facilities, large scale distribution centre and, of all things, a polish factory!


Touring further, we can see nice little snippets of otherwise fairly non-descript industrial life

44.32 -


44.33 -


44.34 -


44.35 -


44.36 -


44.37 -


44.38 -


MD44.39 -


44.40 - Pleasingly, the original docks remained in situ and largely unencroached by the larger development that overtook much of the rest of Newport.


44.41 - Perhaps that is because once it was dwarfed by the Newport dock, everyone basically forgot about the original docks that kicked it all for King Schmo.


44.42 - Let's leave Newport with a panoramic view of what it is really all about, a snakelike network of roads and rails funnelling goods down to a small but extremely efficient dock, breathing life and ambition into the industry not just of all of New Portland, but to Schmotenton and every other part of the island on which New Portland sits.

[PaPa-J]

I like the rural look the dirt streets give it.

[evarburg]

Well, that kind of grey is legit    Excellent industrial zones ; I like that they're not all stuck together (there is some green in-between....)

[fantozzi]

44.19 funny! 

Someone should educate those Sims to make less garbage.


The tourqoise silos seen in 44.32 (bottom center), 44.34 (center right) - what are those?

[siemanthepieman]

I have finally finished my most recent update - apologies for the delay.

REPLIES

PaPa-J and evarburg - Thank you both.

fantozzi - The silos you ask about appear on a lot called 'Dead Forest Paper'. I think it is a Maxis creation that ships with the vanilla version of the game.

[siemanthepieman]

UPDATE 45 - OUTER NEWPORT INDUSTRIAL PARK

Rather predictably, Outer Newport Industrial Park was in many ways just the very end of Newport itself. However, it wasn't always like that - and indeed, when ground was first broken for development, Newport wasn't even really close to reaching it. And it started off with, and retained, a few important points of difference.

45.1 - Both of Outer Newport's points of difference are readily apparent in this picture. Undoubtedly the easiest feature to notice (at least from the sky) is it's substantial distribution centre and surrounding warehousing and other facilities. As Newport itself grew people thought the Outer New facility would become obsolete. But because many of the suburbs developed away from the highway that ran directly to the port and the snake like dirt roads that wound into Newport from any other entry route, the distribution centre became an extremely popular and efficient way to transfer cargo from truck to ship (or vice versa) with just a short train leg in between.


42.2


42.3 The other point of difference was the increased tax on heavy, dirty industry. It meant Outer Newport was cleaner and quieter than neighbouring Newport and a little bit more abuzz with technological and research whizz kids doing all kinds of interesting stuff.


42.4


42.5 - The benefit of such clean industry was two fold. UHigh wages for all the clever cookie tech boffins, and they all wanted to live close by.


42.6 - Giant mansions next to an industrial park? What will they think of next?


42.7 - I almost forgot the whole other section to the east. Maybe another update in and of itself?

[evarburg]

The battle between modernity and the old walls will be interesting (if highrises ever come to town) ! (PS : remember to hit G when you take pictures !  )

[kbieniu7]

I need to say that those industrials plots and areas look quite nice from the distant view. And good to see that more and more of them got asphalt roads

However, the road crossing from the photo 42.1.... well, the tunnel engineers must have quite a big amount of ground water to handle