For some, peak simulation is slipping their Wii remote into a plastic steering wheel; for others, it's outfitting their controllers, chair, and body with haptics to feel the action; and for the most avid enthusiasts, it involves creating a perfectly accurate setup to mimic the real controls of a train, plane, or automobile they’re virtually piloting.
That’s the camp Christopher Mitchell falls into. On his blog, he details the painstaking efforts he has gone to create his dream UK Class 80x passenger train simulator — which includes a real dashboard and components used by the vehicle he’s reconstructing, and custom-made parts that as closely as possible match what you’d expect to see in one of these UK trains’ cabins.
I’m not the biggest simulator nerd — it’s an area of gaming I’ve dabbled with but never been enraptured by — but after a colleague shared Mitchell’s blog with us where he details the over three-year-long journey he has been on to construct this simulator, I can’t help but be impressed by the dedication and beauty of his creation.
I mean, c’mon, look at this side-by-side comparison of a Class 80x cabin and what Mitchell has produced.
There’s a delightfully analog nature to this simulator which supplements its charm — juxtaposing the racing sims I’ll sometimes see in my feed with half a dozen giant monitors wrapping around the user’s head and pristine cockpits which make you feel every trick and turn your simulated flight takes.
Ready to build your own?
If you’ve ridden on an Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway, or London North Eastern Railway service (plus a few other operators) in the last couple of years, it has likely been on a UK Class 80x passenger train.
Clearly Mitchell has a passion for this class — evidenced by his efforts to replicate them as accurately as possible — but some online despise their very existence, ranting about their narrow carriages, terrible suspension, and thin seats.
Once Mitchell has completed the dashboard, perhaps his next job should be to mount it and his chair on a platform that will mimic the Class 80X’s much-hated shaking.
If you’re keen to mimic Mitchell’s setup, you’ll, of course, need to also copy his dedication, as this isn’t a train simulator you can just buy. Though with his blog as your guide, you may find you can build your very own hyper-realistic UK Class 80x passenger train simulator in no time.
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