I started Bristol 1985 v3.21 0530, Beginner level, making sure I selected "1980s based" in Options, said yes to all the shunters who phoned me to say trains were ready to appear, and now when I'm trying to chase them up, I notice several trains are missing from the map.



To take just the first two examples, you can see there are no trains at 553 and 635.

Why?

Hi Maxand

The trains are there but they wont appear until you have set them a route, if you set a route from sig 635 to sig 345 the 5A04 should appear, you will then have to manually interpose the train id when it appears on the sim its probably easier to do this when it reaches sig 345.

You have to do this with all the trains that are waiting at reds on your game as they are just entry points, eg the 5B132 you need to set a route from sig 462 to sig 62

Hope this is of some help

Matt

There is no berth at these signal for a train desciber. If you set up a route to the next signal, then the train will move into the set route, which will have a berth to enable you manual interpose a train description.

Thanks for your quick replies. To set a route I have to know their timetables. How am I supposed to know their timetables if there isn't a berth for me to click on and bring up the Show Timetable window? Seems like a catch-22 situation here!

I just realized the train's route is included in the shunter's message (which I don't normally bother reading in detail as I'm normally flooded with a mass of calls as soon as I commence the sim). That introduces a new problem.

If I say OK and get on with answering the next call, I lose all that valuable info in the shunter's message. Hmm, so I guess the approved method is to keep him waiting while I use the info to set the route, then get back to him and answer OK. Is this how people normally do it?

Also discovered that when telephone message window is open, it's a modal window, meaning the main map panel is disabled, preventing me from setting a route while reading the shunter's message. Damn.

However, I can select (highlight) all the timetable info in this window and copy it to a text editor window or sticky note somewhere, click OK to close the window and return to the sim. Thank god for that.

Wish I'd read that somewhere in the Wiki before trying this sim.

(added)

Works this way now. Thanks again.

Max

A lot of the newer simulations have hyperlinked sticky notes. With these if you post the train ID then click on the underlined text it will bring up the trains timetable. Please note that not all sims have this (it depends where they are on the refresh schedule).

Paul

You can close the telephone window with the X in the top right which doesn't give a reply. Instead the call remains in the list so you can go back to it later.

Of note is the fact that on this Wiki page (a page which you yourself have edited to improve upon by adding the bit about catch points ) it does show an example of the track where the train is and mentions it is "Track controlled by another signalbox or not track-circuited". It is no surprise that a train doesn't show up, however one would wonder if any future updates of Bristol could feature the same option as in Central Scotland where users can select to show non-TC areas as having TCs.

Personally, I pause the sim when you start getting calls, and deal with them all while paused (this is allowed on Bristol), setting routes and interposing in the next available berth, before un-pausing and then playing as normal.