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Merrickstowe

ABOUT ME

Hi, BonBonB here (pronounced Bon-Bon-Bee). If you don't know who I am; I run THE Cities Skylines map review channel on YouTube, checking out and critiquing other creators' maps from the workshop.

Eventually I had to put my head over the parapet, and finally, here is my first ever map. Remember, I'm a creator newbie so be as nice to me as I am nice to other newbs.

Channel Link:
www.youtube.com/c/BonBonB

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REQUIRED ITEMS

The required items are listed as normal, or simply "subscribe to all" in the collection below. If you are concerned about frame rate problems you can unsubscribe to Gula's Grass. This isn't heavily used and the map will work fine without it.

Collection Shortcut:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1188731652

The main intersection is a modded version of "I Will Be" by agusingnavy. There were problems at one node with vehicles doing a hairpin turn, so I added a loopback on the other side of the junction.


Extra Info:
The fields are all painted with 100% fertile resources, but some are overpainted with ore as well. If you wished to play using vanilla rules you can specialise any of this area for farming and it will provide the appropriate revenue.

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WELCOME TO MERRICKSTOWE

Merrickstowe is a fictional map location created by BonBonB for Cities Skylines, imagined to be somewhere in England.

History

While there's some evidence of bronze age activity in the hills around Asquith Forest, the first recorded permanent settlement in the area was in around 1200, when the Meric family (later Merrick) were gifted an area of inhospitable floodplain marshland, bordered by two rivers, a firth, and some rolling hills. Over time this land was drained and the newly accessed fertile soil proved so fertile the family established a very successful small holding. For five centuries the family thrived. The settlement became known as Mericstad (now Merrickstead) Farm.

In the mid 1700's a small quantity of gold was discovered in a river mouth near the farm, leading to a gold rush. Dozens of opportunists flooded the area, panning for gold, thus evolved the name, the River Pann. The river was owned by the estate of the Earl of Worcester, who in urgent need of funds sold the rights to a mining co-operative. By the early 1800's the source of the river had been dammed off, exposing the seam of gold for easy excavation. The peak of the industrial operation was reached in 1840, with a rail line forcibly extended through the Merrick's farmland to reach the seam. Unfortunately gold could only be found in one location, and the deposits were soon cleared. To this day the river remains dry.

While modern day Merrickstowe has become a very busy port, it is still very much a place to pass through. The Clanborough Firth was bridged in the early twentieth century, leading to increased traffic passing through the area. The main tourist locations are on the periphery of the area attracting visitors away from the city centre.

Places of interest:

River Merrick
The main river running through Merrickstowe, sourced from Lake Worcester. The river cuts through the Asquith hills, before twisting and turning through the former floodplains of Merrickstead. The islands in the wide river delta are a Mecca for migrating birds.

River Pann
Formerly the second river of the region, and a key source for farm irrigation, the River Pann was dammed off in the early 1800's to allow for easy access to the hidden gold seam approximately half way down the river. The dam has remained in place to this date, although plans have long since been in place to release the waters and bring life back to the area.

River Ribble
A burly mountain stream that cuts down from Lake Worcester and emerges into the Clanborough Firth just a few kilometres from Merrickstowe.

Lake Worcester
The largest lake in Earl of Worcester's estate, and a source for two rivers. Also rich in trout.

Asquith Forest
Part of the Earl of Worcester Estate, Asquith Forest is located in a valley close to Lake Worcester. The forest is rife with wildlife, and is a licensed hunting ground, utilised by the aristocracy.

Clanborough Court
The third of three structures to stand upon this man-made peninsula. The original was built from straw and mud, and was almost literally blown away during the first major storm. The second, a wooden structure, was burned to the ground when Eric the Wolfe and his Viking invaders ransacked the area. The third building still stands today, jutting out into the Clanborough Firth, and is the ancient seat of the 'Clans'. Today the castle is mostly a tourist location where people experience the history, can take in the lights from the city, and visit the pig farm.

Chisal Lighthouse
Located on a small island just off the mouth of the River Pann, Chisal Lighthouse got its name through an unfortunate clerical error. At the time of building this now abandoned lighthouse was deemed as being “essential”. The sign writer, a very literal man, misheard this and thought the instruction was to put the “s in chial”. The only word he could find in his dictionary that matched this instruction was “Chisal”, and so the name was born.

Tempora Hill
Overlooking Lake Worcester, this hill contains the only evidence of a the bronze age settlement, a stone sundial showing the hours of 6:00, 9:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00.

The Abandoned Rail Line
Cutting through Merrickstead farm, the rail line joins the old gold quarry to the River Merrick. The old bridge has been mostly washed away with only the posts still standing. Beyond the river the line was ripped up to make way for the Clanborough Firth highway, but could be easily reinstated if the planners required.

McDullard Bridge
Built in the early twentieth century, McDullard Bridge links the two sides of Clanborough Firth. A lot of passenger and cargo shipping passes through the two gleaming arches, a golden sight to behold at night.


Map Tip
When I built the map I made one major error. 66% of all through traffic has to pass through the start square. Yes, despite reviewing 100's of maps I was still a map noob. Naturally you can find your own solutions to this, but I suggest running a by-pass from the dry river crossing up to the national road that cuts through Asquith Forest, just before it enters the hills; and then upgrading the national road from that point to the map's main intersection. Good luck.