Watford Junction to Milton Keynes Central - Driving the Class 87

Here is a brief set of guidelines for getting the best out of the route and loco:

Key commands:

• Release brakes: '.'
• Apply brakes: '/'
• 'Notch' power handle up: 'z'
• 'Notch' power handle down: 'a'
• Master Switch 'Forward', 'Off', 'Reverse': 'Up/Down Arrow'
• Sound horn: 'Enter'
• Cancel driver vigilance device: 'Delete'

In the cab

• Once in the cab of the 87, press the '.' key once to select brake position 8, and this makes the brake gauges display the correct pressure readings.
• Press the 'Up Arrow' key to move the 'Master Switch' to the forward position
• Then, press 'Shift+F3' once to bring up the BVE2 clock. Listen for the guard's first whistle, and depart after hearing the second whistle.

To get a more realistic driving experience from the 87, follow these steps:

• First, release the brakes ('.' key) until 5 bar is indicated on the brake pipe gauge (the largest pressure gauge). The bogie brake gauge should also read '0'
• Next, 'notch' up the power handle one step at a time, by pressing the 'z' key once at a time, leaving a few seconds pause between each increment. Each 'z' key press is like moving the power handle in the real 87 between the 'One Up' and 'Hold' position several times in a row. Repeat this until maximum power is applied.
• Should the Driver's Vigilance Device sound ('EB' in BVE2), hit the 'Delete' key within 5 seconds, otherwise an emergency brake application will be made. Should this happen, once the train has come to a standstill, press 'Ctrl+F2' to isolate the cab safety systems, and press 'Shift+F2' followed by 'Insert' to re-activate them. This has the effect of 'resetting' them.
• To apply the brakes, first 'notch' down slowly with the 'a' key. Then, apply the brakes using the '/' key, but don't apply the brakes too heavily.
• When accelerating away from a speed restriction of any kind, remember that there are 8x mk3 coaches and a DVT behind you - don't accelerate too early .

Neutral Sections

• Neutral Sections have now been added to the route, these being short isolated sections of overhead line equipment, seperating catenary power supplies from each other. The Neutral Sections can be identified by white signs at the trackside, by equipment installed in the overhead wires; and by pairs of yellow 'Automatic Power Control' (APC) magnets on the track. While these Neutral Sections don't function in BVE, you should remember to start slowly powering down when the warning board appears and then slowly notch the power handle back up after passing the Neutral Section. The Neutral Sections themselves are one mile after the warning board.

The Neutral Section warning board looks like this:
The Neutral Section start board looks like this:

Stopping at Stations

• You will know that you've stopped at a station in the correct place when the distance information appears in the status bar on the bottom of the BVE screen. You should use the black 'Stop' signs fitted to lamposts at the end of the platform as a guide to where to stop, and use BVE2's own stop indicator (the orange line to the right of the 3D view) to stop precisely.

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