Help trying to track down some old diesel favourites

Hello all, this is my first post on the forum and I’m hoping someone can assist. I’m trying to track down some old payware CDs that have long since past into the illustrious history of MSTS.

I know many of you are raising an eyebrow thinking why bother when there are so many good modern rail sims on offer. I don’t doubt, but since installing OpenRails is has given new life to the old sim and out of nostalgia I was hoping to rekindle the old girl, as I have some fond memories of MSTS as part of my youth (actually.... it gives quite a credible result running on windows 11 on my laptop, even by today’s standards!).

The payware CDs in question was produced as a fund raiser for the Class 15 Preservation Society.

CD 1. ‘Noisy and Smelly’. A compilation of BTH Type 1 diesels

CD 2. ‘Claytons’. A compilation of Class 17 diesels

Alas, the items are no longer available from the Society shop as time and people have moved on from MSTS. I have tried contacting the society admin hoping they might have a dusty copy lurking on a shelf somewhere but no joy. I’ve tried Ebay and other shops but to no avail.

If any body has the above CDs (either or both), then I would be happy to buy them at a generous price and cover all postage costs.

Hope someone can come up with the goods!

Hi,
Welcome to the TSSH Forums
Could we have a more friendly name, please?

I can see your problem! I'm sure many of us have those particular CDs, but, speaking for myself, I won't be getting rid of them, until my demise (which, I hope, isn't any time soon!!)

A few years ago, I collected some MSTS CDs from two members of UKTS who had moved away from MSTS.  I offered these CDs through the Forum at UKTS and most found new homes.  Although the two you mentioned weren't included, I do still have the 'Baby Deltics' from the same company; the label is a bit tatty but I've made a note that the disk seems to be OK.  If it's of any use to you, you are welcome to it for the cost of its postage - I will, of course, recheck it before I send it!

Cheers,
Ged

Hi slipperman12,
thanks for the very generous offer on the baby deltics and coming back so quick. I think I'll pass on that, but it does give me a glimmer of hope knowing that others might have other CDs from the Class 15 preservation society. It's the Clayton Class 17 that I'm particularly interested in. The Class never had an auspicious career with BR but their appearance is appealing.

Hi,
That's OK, mate
I hope you find what you're looking for!
Latterly, combinations of CDs from the Class 15 Preservation Society were available from UKTS; they might well have contained the two packs you're after.  
Checking the Wayback Machine doesn't give access to the CD Ordering page so, sorry, I can't help any more.

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks Ged, i did try the Wayback machine to find the few Claytons that were available on the site for download. I think I have everything that was on offer but they were all early models and not particularly detailed. The ones from the Class 15 preservation society were bespoke models and are really very good by MSTS standards. Hopefully someone will have a CD somewhere or copy on a hard drive. I'll be happy to forward a USB stick to anyone who might be able to make a copy and pay for their trouble. Once again, thanks for your input.
Regards. Chris

Hi Chris,
Sorry, mate, but to make a copy of a CD, or its contents, and send it to you would be against all copyright rules.  Also, it's probably against the rules of this site to even ask for such - if not, it's definitely against the spirit of this site..

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
Your quite right sir, my apologies for letting my enthusiasm in obtaining the Claytons run away with me. I fully respect copyright law and fully understand your comment and the spirit in which it was given. I hope someone can come up with an original cd.
Regards. Chris

People sometime get caught up on the letter of the law vs the intent.

I'd think if you could make the required donation to the Society, copying someone else's CD would still be honouring intent....

HI Eric,
That may well be an acceptable approach
I have emailed the Treasurer of the Class 15 Preservation Society, putting that proposal to him.  He might not give his approval due to the fact that a number of different authors were involved in creating content for the various CDs issued by the Society.

The site address :  http://www.d8233.org.uk/

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks Ged and Eric for your input. I'm not familiar with the finer detail of copyright but I understand the need to protect the right of ownership both physical and intellectual. I would be very happy to donate to the Class 15 preservation society for whatever cost would be deemed appropriate to cover the' Claytons' Class 17 CD, if thats a fair and equitable solution. I hope you get a reply from the societies Treasurer Ged. If we get a green light then I suppose it's down to finding someone withe an original CD?
I'll wait to hear from you.
Regards. Chris

If the authors submitted their work to better the society's goals, there really should be no conflict.

I've done several donationware projects, and would have no qualms about someone taking this same approach with my work if it were no longer available for distribution.

Hi Chris,
I have now received the following reply :

Hi Ged,
I have passed your message onto Chris Baily who was the person who produced the CD's back then.
If you don’t hear back after a few days then I don’t have an issue with you sending a copy elsewhere. Feel free to make a donation as you see fit - bank details are on the website
Cheers
Tim
Treasurer

I'll leave it until the end of this week to give time for Chris Baily to reply.

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Chris,
I've received a further email from Tim :

Ok Ged

Also apparently there are a number of unsold CD's still at Bury that have been stored in the workshop coach. I've asked the chairman to let me know what they have and we will make them available on the website at some point.

tim

That being so, I will hang fire for now and let you know as soon as I have more information.

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
Thank you so much for sorting this. This is fantastic news, not just for me but for many others I'm sure. I hope the 'Claytons' are amongst those stored!

Best regards. Chris

Hi Chris,
Yes, mate, I hope so!
If it's not, I will continue to seek permission to share any which are no longer available.

I believe I have all the original CDs (but not the 'combination' disks latterly available from UKTS).

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Chris,
If you go to http://www.d8233.org.uk/shop.htm, you will see a 'Coming Soon' notice for the 'Noisy & Smelly' CD !!
I don't know how 'soon' it will be but at least we've got a good initial response

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
Fantastic, just bought the CD from the Class 15 Preservation Society. Thanks so much for your help Ged, this is a great result. Sorry for the delayed response, but I just got back from hospital, unfortunately my progressing MND means I'm less active now but on the upside I have more time for train simming! Hopefully a copy of the 'Claytons' might resurface at some point, that would be the icing on the cake!
Best regards. Chris

Hi Chris,
Today, I have received another email :

Hi Ged,

We had a committee meeting last night. We will be making pretty much all of the MSTS stuff available again shortly. It will be sold on USB sticks.

I’ll let you know when the webpage is active.

Tim

The choice of medium is understandable as, these days, not many PCs come with CD/DVD drives, but I'm a little concerned about the cost especially if only one product is on each USB stick.

Cheers,
Ged

EDIT : In response to a question, I received this reply from Tim :

...and there will also be an option to purchase all available packs on one stick. We are thinking around £5 plus P&P for most of the single packs.