Cambrian 2 Route released

MartinH · Post by **MartinH** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 11:55 am

Yes, it's done at long last. I can't tell you what a relief it is to get this route finished.

Martin

pedanticmongrel · Post by **pedanticmongrel** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:07 am

Finally great to see a proper route available, I have my copy ordered and await it with great anticipation, however I'm dissapointed they haven't included the Manchester and Milford line to Caerfyrddin with it's branches, it seems to be a scenic now closed and overlooked stretch of line. I guess i should be just grateful that so much is available anyway and quit moaning for that little bit extra.

lateagain · Post by **lateagain** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:45 am

pedanticmongrel wrote:Finally great to see a proper route available, I have my copy ordered and await it with great anticipation, however I'm dissapointed they haven't included the Manchester and Milford line to Caerfyrddin with it's branches, it seems to be a scenic now closed and overlooked stretch of line. I guess i should be just grateful that so much is available anyway and quit moaning for that little bit extra.

This is a considerable extension of the original track and if by "Proper Route" you mean 50s-60s steam hauled...?

.....then yes you did ought to quit moaning

. As it is that'll take a good few hours to drive

. Good to see there'll be some early diesel era in the add-on. Any details of that?

Geoff

Garthion · Post by **Garthion** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:56 pm

I'll wait until it's available off UKTS as I don't use credit cards!

Cheers,
Dale Williams.
All Good Fun.

pedanticmongrel · Post by **pedanticmongrel** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:57 pm

lateagain wrote:
pedanticmongrel wrote:Finally great to see a proper route available, I have my copy ordered and await it with great anticipation, however I'm dissapointed they haven't included the Manchester and Milford line to Caerfyrddin with it's branches, it seems to be a scenic now closed and overlooked stretch of line. I guess i should be just grateful that so much is available anyway and quit moaning for that little bit extra.
This is a considerable extension of the original track and if by "Proper Route" you mean 50s-60s steam hauled...? .....then yes you did ought to quit moaning . As it is that'll take a good few hours to drive . Good to see there'll be some early diesel era in the add-on. Any details of that?

Well it's not so much that it's 50's/60's Steam and Diesel, that helps alot, but it's mostly "proper" because it's one of the most scenic and idillic routes in the UK, if not the most scenic and idillic route in the UK, in pre-amputation form with the 1 in 50 climb to Talerddig included, I can't think of another commercial add on available that has so much potential and mileage. It's going to obviously be the best commercial add on available for steam era in the UK.

michaelhendle · Post by **michaelhendle** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:18 pm

Hi Dale,

I think your going to have a long wait, I also wanted to get it from UKTS but the reply to my post about ordering from UKTS was that it was only going to be available from America useing a credit card.

I was hopeing I could use my switch card but the order page only shows mastercard and visa.

I just hope they have a change of mind about not selling it at UKTS.

Michael Hendle

MartinH · Post by **MartinH** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:34 pm

If anyone has concerns about using credit cards, they should contact Brad Brown at 3DTrainstuff about alternative ways to pay (there are other means of paying in foreign currencies).

The route will NEVER be released through a publisher for one simple reason. We are sick and tired of other people making money out of our hard work. What do I mean by that? We spend years working on something that sells for £25. The publisher and retailer take £24 for the effort that it takes to pop a CD in an envelope and we get £1 to share between the team. This is exactly what happened the last time we went with a well-known publisher. Now I would gladly give my work away free, but I'm not going to help line someone else's pockets.

Sorry for the rant, but it needed to be said.

Regarding the M&M, all that I can say is that we had to draw the line somewhere. There are 213 route miles all detailed to the same standard as the Swanage route, including the Cambrian Coast line, Aberystwyth to Oswestry, Buttington to Shrewsbury, Morfa Mawddach to Dolgellau, Abermule to Kerry, Llanymynech to Llanfyllin and the Tanat Valley line (including Nantmawr and Porthywaen branches). Compare that with most UK add-ons!

Martin

ianmacmillan · Post by **ianmacmillan** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:51 pm

There is one UK distributer who will pay a fair price without ripping you off.

Why not arrange a box of CDs and send them to Matt?

Then the only people who will take a share of the profit without doing any work to earn it will be the customs and the VAT man.

pedanticmongrel · Post by **pedanticmongrel** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:34 am

So whats the next UK Train Stuff project going to be? Because even though those of us in the UK who have ordered this product haven't yet played it, we know it will be hard to follow up with something as good.

douglee · Post by **douglee** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:31 am

Hi,

Who would be willing to pay £29 through UKTS?

With the route being that good.

UKTS's costs are covered and 3DTS should be happy.

Just a thought.

GOOD LUCK

Doug

michaelhendle · Post by **michaelhendle** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:19 am

Hi,
I would be prepared to pay that amount to get the route through UKTS. I'm very warey about giving my mastercard number out to a company I don't know.

At least UKTS is well trusted company who I have no worries dealilng with.

Michael Hendle

mako88sb · Post by **mako88sb** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:57 pm

I've bought most of 3Dtrainstuff products over the last 2 or 3 years and have had no problems at all with them. I can understand some hesitancy in buying North American products due to the Facing Point Media fiasco but as far as i know, that's been the only company to have such issues.

Rob

michaelhendle · Post by **michaelhendle** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:59 am

Just to say I've taken the plunge and have just bought Cambrian 2 from America,although I still have my reservations, just hope I've made the right decision.

Should no by the end of August allowing for the Post and UK mail strikes permitting.

Michael Hendle

MartinH · Post by **MartinH** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:27 pm

Michael, I can guarantee that you won't be ripped off, but if you do have any problems, let me know, and I'll sort things out for you.

Update:
The final tests on the route threw up a few issues that needed attention (more a matter of perfectionism rather than errors), but all of these have now been dealt with. Brad in the US has all of the files and will be making the installer today or tomorrow. If all goes to plan, the CDs will be popping off the production line at the weekend and in the post at the beginning of next week. Post takes about a week to/from the US.

Looking ahead, for me personally, there is the small matter of an infamous (in MSTS circles) GWR branch from Swindon that requires activities, so this will occupy me for the next few weeks, after which I shall be finishing the next batch of Cambrian activities.

The Cambrian activities follow the career of a young lad who joined the GWR in 1935 and remained on the railways until 1985. The idea is to tell the story of the line and highlight some of the more interesting operations through the activities. The problem is that the first 20 (those that come with the route) only get as far as 1939, so I've got a long way to go! The next batch, which are mostly written already, will take the story to the end of 1947 and will cover the whole of the route (as the passed cleaner and later fireman moves from Porthmadog to Machynlleth, Shrewsbury and finally to Oswestry). Of course 1947 was very snowy, so we'll have to include a snowplough with the activities.

Looking further ahead, the track laying gang have been given their marching orders and are heading south. I can't promise anything, but the men have been told to expect some very slow and dirty work ahead of them.

Martin

ashgray · Post by **ashgray** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:39 pm

Hi Martin

The "railman's career" format of these acts sounds a great idea and refreshingly novel. Where would the additional activity packs (when they're ready) be available from?

Ashley