First Great Eastern Witham-Braintree

Riche · Post by **Riche** » Sat Nov 30, 2002 7:50 pm

I am creating this route but I need a cab ride video, some plans and objects. If anyone can help.

JohnKendrick · Post by **JohnKendrick** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 2:20 am

I'm pretty sure I've seen a commercial compilation video that covers that section - I'll investigate my collection, however, I've searched high and low for a video of the disused branch beyond Braintree to Bishop's Stortford. You may wish to be aware of a book about the branch. It is called (believe it or not):
"Branch Lines to Braintree" by Carl Lombardelli, pub by EARM Publications, part of the East Anglican Railway Museum.

Try this site for more info about it, or type the title into Google.
http://www.transportdiversions.com/publ ... pubid=1660

If you're nearby, couldn't you take a camera down and film something?

Are you going beyond Braintree to Great Dunmow and Bishop's Stortford in your route?

Look forward to seeing your route if you get it built.

John Kendrick

Riche · Post by **Riche** » Thu Dec 05, 2002 7:15 pm

Oh when I tryed to put other peoples objects into the route I go Into RE and It shows that reported a problem message. The same thing happens when I try to load MSTS. Since this is a modern route It will only go to braintree but if someone wanted I could let them. I can't do a video and I realy need to know how to properly use RE. They could have made It easier.

alan2 · Post by **alan2** » Thu Dec 05, 2002 7:43 pm

Riche wrote:Oh when I tryed to put other peoples objects into the route I go Into RE and It shows that reported a problem message.

I would like to say, try the alltool's file?

I cannot remember where I got it or if it's on this site but it helps to install all default objects.

I will try to find the file for you, then post where I found it.

JohnKendrick · Post by **JohnKendrick** » Fri Dec 06, 2002 3:32 am

Try the link

http://www.dieschiene-online.de/alltools.zip

If that doesn't work, type "Alltools MSTS" in Google, and several (German) sites have it listed. The program docs are in English though.

Alltools copies and sets up all the objects/textures etc in the default routes to your own route file, so it may well help.

To copy a single object, find one in a route you wish to copy and get its name.

Copy its itemname.s and itemname.sd files in the routes SHAPES directory to your routes SHAPES directory.

If you know its texture file ( itemname.ace in the route's TEXTURE file) copy that to your routes TEXTURE (If you don't know its name it will reveal itself as a missing texture when you try and load your route and you can copy it across then).

You then need to find the reference to the item in the route you're getting it from. If its the Settle Carlisle route it the file is SettleCa.ref (load the file into Wordpad, and do a search for your item. It will show up like:

Static (
FileName ( luggagebag1.s )
Class ( "Clutter" )
Align ( None )
Description ( luggagebag1 )
)

This is for luggagebag1

Copy the lines like these to your own route.ref file, and the item should be there (do a back up first in case it all goes pear shaped!)

If you didn't know the texture file name, load up RE and it will tell you its missing a texture file (or maybe several if there and Night and Snow ones). These need to be put in the corresponding directories in your own route file.

If you are adding a downloaded item, it should have instructions with it as to what you need to do, but the process will be effectively the same.

I haven't found the video yet, but it would only be a few shots of trains running, I don't remember it having cab views. A normal OS map may give you some help as to what goes where, but note their copyright restrictions (see UKTrainSim entry on the home page).

There are tools available so you can use map data to help construct your route, but it is still a lot of work, unless someone knows of a way of electonicaly using the map data to produce a route without copying section by section, contour by contour, and getting it 100% accurate. O don't know what OS are afraid of when it comes to MSTS? Perhaps there is a market opportunity for them to sell pre-terraformed tile data.

Hope that helps, if not say so!

John

Riche · Post by **Riche** » Sat Dec 07, 2002 11:42 am

I know about the alltools thing but the downloads don't work and I think they made it go wrong. They were:
Retail Park
2 Aspect Signals (I suspect it was this one)
Flashers (A level crossing)
And more

Riche · Post by **Riche** » Sat Dec 07, 2002 11:45 am

JohnKendrick wrote:disused branch beyond Braintree to Bishop's Stortford.
John Kendrick

Didn't It go to stanstead

JohnKendrick · Post by **JohnKendrick** » Sat Dec 07, 2002 4:33 pm

No, it didn't go to Stanstead. The track spur to it from the London to Cambridge was only built within the last ten years. I remember seeing it suddenly appear under the M11. Most of the old route to Bishop's Stortford is still there as a footpath, but the last bit is missing. I've walked it (in sections) many a time.

Stanstead has only relativley recently become a major airport. If you went there 10 years ago you could spend hours there without seeing a plane come in or go out!

I'm sure it would be worth them re-instating the route from Stanstead onto the old route and into Great Dunmow and on to Braintree.

There used to be talk of closing the Braintree line as well at one time until it became a fashionable area within commuting distance of the city, hence why it would be good to re-instate the rest of the line (with the Stanstead deviation). Think how much traffic it could save in the rush hours! And how useful the link from South East Essex to Cambridge without having to go into London.

Re your prob., I would think the Signals would require a change to the sigcfg.dat file, the author should have a readme file to say exactly what it needs. Did you make the changes needed to the .dat/.ref file for these items, and if you did, what went wrong? What happened when you tried to place a crossing?

A suggestion - make a small test route (just one tile) and add items to it to see that they install and work OK. If they don't - you won't mess up your main route.
Most authors of add ons include their e-mail address in the readme. You could try asking them if you've tried what they say and it hasn't worked.

John

Zackybong1 · Post by **Zackybong1** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 6:19 pm

In the fifties you could effectively do a circle. Liverpool St. - Cheshunt - Bishops Stortford (all on the current Cambridge mainline, at B. Stort it divided) and off an old J15 0-6-0 trundled to Braintree via Takely, Easton Lodge, Dunmow, Felstead and Rayne. Then Cressing (although its Freeport first now), White Notly and then Witham. Change here for a Liverpool Street express and, voila, circle complete! Most of the Braintree - Stortford section now houses the A120 (especially the new bits!).

Stanstead village was originally served by the Cambridge mainline (it's the station after Bishops Stortford) which then went on to call at Newport Audley End, Great Chesterford, Whittlesford, Shelford and Cambridge.

Which reminds me of a second circle in the fifties. Liverpool St to Shelford - Haverhill (Stour Valley Line) - Long Melford - Sudbury - Chappel (home of the East ANGLIAN railway museum, not ANGLICAN - Marks Tey - Liverpool St.
Nice.

May all your pear trees have a partridge (etc.)
Zack.

Zackybong1 · Post by **Zackybong1** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 6:31 pm

Also, just out of curiosity, why the Braintree line? Why not start with the Hadleigh branch if you're looking for something easy and Great Eastern?

Mind you Andy G might be planning on adding this to his Ipswich - Harwich - Colchester plan...?

Riche · Post by **Riche** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 7:31 pm

Re your prob., I would think the Signals would require a change to the sigcfg.dat file, the author should have a readme file to say exactly what it needs. Did you make the changes needed to the .dat/.ref file for these items, and if you did, what went wrong? What happened when you tried to place a crossing?

A suggestion - make a small test route (just one tile) and add items to it to see that they install and work OK. If they don't - you won't mess up your main route.
Most authors of add ons include their e-mail address in the readme. You could try asking them if you've tried what they say and it hasn't worked.

John

How do you think I would get into MSTS? Look earlier on to see what I mean.

And I choose the Braintree line becuase I went on it lately.

JohnKendrick · Post by **JohnKendrick** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 12:11 am

I'm not really sure what you mean -do you mean you still cannot get started properly with the editors? If so, have you looked at all the threads in the 'sticky' thread in this section - 'All newcomers to MSTS route building please read'. There are lots of references here on how to do all sorts of things, and where to find tutorials.

Have you managed to lay track and add any objects to it.

If it's not that, sorry, I'm being thick, please explain???!!!

You're reason for doing the line seems good enough to me for trying!
Really, just try doing a little bit of the line (if you can). Once you get started, you will quickly get better at it. There are books available which can give you a 'flying start' (eg Michael Vone's Routebuilding Guide which has a very clear hands on route to build to get you started- I would not have got started without going through it, step by step.) Even some of the documents on the MSTS CD may help.

The Cab video you're wanting wouldn't be useful until a lot later on in your project when you will want to fill the route with objects - first you need to lay some track, then some roads! While you're building your track, you can be collecting pictures about lineside structures from books (from the library?) It wouldn't be easy to design a route from a cab video as it is really difficult to judge curves and distances. You are much better off with a map. Use the video later to compare what you have done to the real thing. If you get started, maybe someone will help you take your own Cab Video - a letter to the right person can work magic (that's not

by the way!)

You don't need to learn everything at once, take it step by step. If you get stuck, ask, but do that when you cannot find the answer from elsewhere. (Your problem could be new).

Hope this helps you make a start, but you are not going to build your first route over a weekend. For all of us who delve into the Route Editor, there is a long learning curve. (I think its an A1t2000rRndTun.s - if you understand that you're on your way, if not find the docs about laying track!)

John