Watford Junction to Milton Keynes Central - Route Information and Motive Power

WJ-MKC boasts many features which will appeal to anyone with an interest in the West Coast Main Line. The route is available in several 'detail levels', and offers some decent scenery, railway infrastructure, bridges, tunnels and some buildings too. The aim is to re-create the 'atmosphere' of the real line. Track layouts are fairly accurate. Many parts of the route are recogniseable to those who know it, due to identifiable bridges, track formations, stations and in some places, perhaps even the terrain.

Along the route, various trains will be encountered, depending on the era - for example Class 86 and 87 AC electric locos hauling Intercity services and Class 321 EMU's. Perhaps BR blue liveried AC electrics and 310's. Others may be seen as well...

Initially, the route(s) are available with the following variations:

• Summer conditions
• Winter, Snow conditions.

Also, the following timetable and motive power options are/will be available:

• Intercity - Class 87 AC electric loco diagram (Present Day)
• Outer Suburban - Class 310 EMU diagram (Mid 80's - BR Blue)
• Planned: Outer Suburban - Class 321 EMU diagram (Present Day)

Available for use with Watford Junction to Milton Keynes - is the Class 87 25kV AC electric loco, hauling a consist of 8 Mk3 coaches and a Mk3 DVT; with the 87's 'Train.dat' file, which defines performance and acceleration curves, as well as many of the sounds, having been kindly provided by Paul Robins. Also available is Steve Green's Class 310 25kV AC EMU, for use with the 'BR Blue Era' version of the route.

Class 87 Electric Loco

WJ-MKC specific version of the Class 87, with 'Trian.dat' file and sounds originally created by Paul Robins.

The 87 is a 5000hp, 25kV AC electric loco, with a maximum speed of 110mph, and is fitted with rheostatic braking, Brecknell Willis 'Highspeed' pantograph, 'flexicoil' suspension and frame mounted traction motors. These locos were built in the 1970's for the electrification of the West Coast Main Line between Weaver Junction and Glasgow, and were designed to easily handle the difficult gradients at Beattock and Shap. The locos operate on the whole length of the WCML between London Euston and Glasgow Central. No's. 87001 through to 87035 use a tap changer to control the current supply to the traction motors, while 87101 uses thyristor control instead. Unfortunately, BVE doesn't allow the full 38 tap positions to be simulated, but the appropriate acceleration curves are modelled.

To find out more about the Class 87, visit Paul Robins' '87 Homepage' at: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/paul87101/87.html

Class 310 EMU

WJ-MKC customised version of the Class 310, courtesy of Steve Green (Train Sim Central)

The Class 310 is a 25kV AC electric multiple unit, built in 1965 by BREL in Derby. These were 4 car units when originally constructed, and designed for 75 mph running. On the West Coast Main Line, these units could be seen between London Euston and Birmingham New Street via the Northampton Loop, as well as between Birmingham and Liverpool. In this BVE route, the unit will have to be driven on the fast lines, due to essential repair works to the track and overhead line equipment on the slow lines, between Watford Junction and Milton Keynes...

Class 321 EMU (Planned)

Note: The 321 timetable version of the route is currently planned as an add-on.

The 321 is a 100mph capable 25kV AC electric multiple unit. Built between 1988 and 1990 - these are 4 car units. On the WCML, these units can be found between London Euston and Birmingham New Street via the Northampton Loop, on outer suburban services.

Here are the various 'detail levels' described. The hardware requirements recommended here are the result of extensive hardware testing. The 'Low' and 'Standard' Detail routes should be the first choice for anyone wishing to try the route.

Regardless of processor speed, 128 MB of RAM is recommended, as well as a video card with 16MB of video RAM - the more, the better. The route has 4 tracks throughout almost it's entire length, and is electrified - this may lower the framerate a little.

'Standard Detail'

• The 'Mainstream' route - should be useable on many machines - BVE2 drawing distance will need to be reduced on lower end examples
• Optimised for BVE2. Should load in BVE1, but not recommended due to it's older graphics engine.
• Completely new and re-written WJ-MKC 'Rolling Ground Terrain' system - features near-constantly varied ground and embankment/cutting height. Also features less repetetive placement of trees in many locations - both at the lineside and in the distance.
• New hills which represent some of the scenic terrain seen on parts of the real line, for example after Linslade Tunnel.
• 'Basic' Mk1 catenary, replaces the Japanese style OLE. Offers a good representation of the real installations.
• Many bridges found on the real line are re-created quite prototypically along the route.
• A limited number of prominent lineside buildings are re-created along the route, and are recogniseable.
• Lineside signs are depicted, with 3D objects and/or BVE markers - these include Permanent and Temporary Speed Restrictions, Signal ID plates, Neutral Section Warning and Start boards, and Gradient Posts.
• AWS magnets and sound effects.
• Highly detailed signals, with 'flashover' protection cages, ladders and signal ID plates.
• 'Passing Train' sound effects (Requires the WJ-MKC specific 87 or 310 to work correctly - see download page for details on using other trains).
• Station Buildings - although some compromises made due to performance issues and the object count.
• Realistic tunnels, including portals, interiors and ventilation shaft in Watford Tunnel.
• Several types of WCML traction and rolling stock can be seen along the route, both present day and 'BR Blue' era versions are included.

'Low Detail'

• For slower machines (may need BVE2 drawing distance lowered)
• Features are the same as the 'Standard' route, however there are fewer lineside trees in this version

And for those who like detail above all else, may want to sacrifice some performance to see it, and have faster processors with high end graphics cards...

'Medium Detail'

• No guarantees, but 700 MHz+ machines with good 3D accelerators (GeForce2 for example) should offer better performance. 128MB RAM recommended.
• Features are the same as in the 'Standard' route, however this version has highly detailed Mk1 catenary, featuring such details as registration arms and more varied gantry types. Wires are in typical BVE format, not 'sagging'.

'High Detail'

• For 800 MHz+ machines; a good 3D accelerator such as a GeForce2 is recommended.
• The same as the 'Medium Detail' route, except the catenary wires 'sag' between the OLE supports, and 'zig-zag' across the track, on longer straight sections of line. Looks just like the real thing. The route uses large transparent textures to represent the wires, so a graphics card capable of loading textures larger than 256x256 pixels is required...