Wcml Preston To Crewe Discussion

JT have announced Preston to Crewe as their next UK route, cooking up another banger!



FIRE AWAY THE DISCUSSION!

 

We won with the 86/4

 

Nice that now we can do a sizeable portion of the WCML. All that’s missing is that short stretch between wilmslow and Crewe and Milton Keynes and Birmingham

 

It looks alright but it's a shame we couldn't have it in the early 90s so we could introduce the Class 90.

 

I do hope however with all these inclusions we standardise the era of the WCML so that I don’t have to free mode run a 390 pendolino on a 1980s route

 

Really love the idea of seeing the 20 popping up more, wondering if that means a reworked 20?

Always up for more historic content! Big up Just Trains!

 

Love that JT have decided to build around a specific station. Makes it feel so much more alive when you have services going in all directions instead of just using it once and moving on to a different part of the country.

 

Really hope they can find away of bridging the different addons. Ie. If i finish a journey from Carlisle to Preston, a pop up asking if I want to switch to Preston to Crewe route to continue the journey would be great.

 

Wonder if Fiddlers Ferry is included?

 

Unless I missed it, I think they announced the route as being set "in the 1980s" rather than specifically in 1986 as per the current route. The Class 90s were in service from 1988

 

I know its not an in cab solution but if its done to the same timetable as WCMLos then you should enable to route hop on to the same train. You can do it with BPO on the London services where you can do the loco shunt on WCMLos then route hop and go on to Blackpool

 

Preston to Crewe is quite a bit shorter than the last route, though in fairness quite a lot of railway. Not watching the stream now so did they mention what if any new traction might come with it?

 

And the whole section north of Carlisle.

 

Reworked 20s, 86/4 and 47/3.

 

Well then time for Rule 1 (and a class 90 DLC)

 

It's sad that it's 1986 again, but it's better this way than without the Preston - Crewe section at all

 

Going back three or four years could have given us a Class 25.

 

It would have been great to have the little branch up to Liverpool, as it would have meant there could've been a slam-door EMU for the Crewe-Lime Street (class 304 if research is correct)

 

Don't forgot where missing Trent Valley too and Carlisle to Glasgow

 

What will gameplay be like for this one? Love Blackpool Branches, but Preston-Carlisle puts me to sleep every time tbh.

 

It’s nowhere near as long - right now on a Pendo it’s about 45 minutes from Preston to Crewe so presume only slightly more in the 80s.

Presume the freight should be pretty different to any current workings too.

 

It’s shorter and far less scenic than the Shap route. More railway interest with the yards at Warrington and of course Crewe, just looks as if JT have curbed their ambitions after Shap and not even really giving us a new loco.

 

Right here

 

They could be doing one big route one year and one small route the next year to help with resources and to stop huge burn out

 

I wonder if they are spreading their resources out a bit further which may limit the scope of future routes compared to Shap. I think a few people found that a dev did some modelling for the Riviera Line (a signal box I think? They only found one example but I'd assume there is more), they worked on the 86/2 (which I guess can coincide with the development for the 86/4) and reworked the Pacer for CCN. I don't think they did as much the year before but we don't truly know, we weren't aware of them working on anything else between Blackpool and Shap.

 

If the merry go round operation is as comprehensive as suggested, then they've got a colliery and a power station to build as well.

 

MGR wagons too presumably?

 

According to my 1986 timetable it was ~50 minutes.
I think this is the first JT route I'll miss, just not interesting enough to me

 

It says Pit to Power Station, so I'd say yes? But you never know!

 

Got to admit, as big a fan of Just Trains as I am, I disappointed.

Considering they included class 40s in their routes and they had already been withdrawn, I don't see why not! Get a 25 in there!

 

Considering the focus on merry-go-round coal trains, surely this is a potential opportunity to introduce the class 56?.

 

It says from Pit to Power Station so Yes i would say Fiddlers Ferry will be included.

 

I've been saying for ages in all the "JT next route" discussion, it'll be Preston to Crewe. They have clearly decided on their time frame and set themselves a plan to build a set of routes rather than scatter shoot random bits of routes here and there. Get a feeling this may focus on the freight side a bit more with the power station and coal trains, plus other freight around Wigan / Warrington. Pacer & Class 101 from Preston as far as Wigan on Liverpool services. Wonder if we could get a Class 56 as a loco DLC for those coal trains down the line? Now if they continue south of Crewe, a slam door EMU will be an absolute must.

Edit: We really need that Blackpool timetable update as well to add the 86/87 to Preston.

 

Getting a bit bored with JTs obsession with Preston frankly. This will have to be something amazing for me to buy yet another section of the WCML. 1986 again, 101s, Pacers. We've been here before.

 

I'm a huge fan of Just Trains - only their low-riding 86/2 has disappointed me to date and I can't wait for it to be fixed.

But I'm feeling underwhelmed with this.

It's not the route. I definitely would have preferred up to Glasgow from Carlisle, but I still like the idea of running Preston to Crewe as I love the WCML.
But it's the choice of traction. Granted the 86/4 is a slightly different beast to the 86/2 and it will offer more scope for services. But it's not different enough.
I hope they've got something else up their sleeves regarding new traction as for the first time with their content, I'm not feeling the urge to get it on day one.

 

Try and take more care with getting the track laying and superelevation across points and curves through stations correct this time pretty please

 

The last class 25's were withdrawn in 1987 so one would be at home on this route as the remaining examples were pretty much based in the north west.

I did wonder if they would move to a different part of the country for this next route.

 

Glad to see a new variant of the 47, must admit I started to get a little bit sick and tired of getting the /4’s

 

im sure it will live up to expectations, and i do think there will be a few nice little extras in there not just the main preston crewe section, a blue class 20 and MGR waggons would be a be a great addition and one that's needed. bit reserved on the 47/3. Edit i now get it as they have the slow speed control for the MGR services.
i can understand the shorter route length if they are going to work on getting these new locos back dated to WCMLos and BPO and the work required there.

one thing i will add, class 20 and MGR waggons plus a 56 if it were done would only push the likelihood of a NTP revamp...... one can only hope

 

Hopefully the class 47/3 would layer in on the freight services on the Shap route. Whilst it wasn't unknown seeing 47/4's on freight in the 1980's it wouldn't have been common, especially as much of the class was still intact and there were plenty of boiler fitted and no heat loco's in service.

 

I've not seen anything other than the "ticket" thing posted earlier however I am delighted with this, I had "called it" months ago when the 86 was first hinted at and am very happy to have been right (since Wigan is my area).

Of course it is speculation but I expect they will be including the branch lines to Bickershaw Colliery near Wigan Springs Branch to "load up" on coal which can then be taken to Warrington and hopefully onward to Fiddlers Ferry, bearing in mind that this working was top and tailed pairs of Class 20s and required a fair bit of reversing it would keep one more awake than just a high speed run between stations.

I don't believe anything has been said about Liverpool which is a shame as Wigan - Liverpool or Liverpool - Crewe would have been a nifty little extra bit that would have added so much more variety.

I am glad that the 86/4 is coming however I am still disappointed that it wasn't just part of the 86 pack recently released and does feel a slight cop out, maybe an 81 or 84 would have been a nice addition. I can understand the lack of 56 as while they may have dropped into Warrington for FFPS the bulk of coal traffic in the Wigan and Warrington area was done by Choppers. It is good to see 47/3s on the cards too, though I don't recall seeing many (if any) on coal workings.

I am sad that another developer is doing Crewe to Birmingham however as it means JT won't continue going south, though hopefully it means we may get Preston-Wigan-Manchester further down the line

Truth be told this is the only thing that I am happy for from today's announcement and just like TSW5 and TSW4 before it, the only reason I will even bother getting the new TSW.

 

Hoping the Class 20 gets a total revamp with JTs normal extra liveries. The Class 31 could do with the same love too at some point.

Does feel this will be a freight centred route though, something Shap and Blackpool aren't.

I do then feel that JT need to find a new area to work on next time (slam door Southern!)

 

I'm excited, yes, it's the same area and time as their previous routes, but that maximises layering potential across all of them.

Again, yes, these aren't brand new classes, but new subclasses offer plenty more possibilities in terms of services (and who knows about any new coaches and wagons). Plus, of course, we know how many variations JT likes to offer with their locos in terms of liveries and various other unique details, so hopefully we'll see plenty of variety within the offering as a consequence.

And as mentioned, a lot of freight focus is nice, I'm definitely more of a freight fan than passenger, so there should be plenty to sink my teeth in to!

 

Very much looking forward to this, have a link to the area, know it well and what it lacks in mileage and scenic features if executed well gives a wealth of Operational variety. The 25 and 56 are now absolutly vital!

 

Can’t get enough of the 1986 WCML theme, and although I was holding out for a 25, the 47/3 and 20 are most welcome. Will be good to drive Carlisle-Preston, then teleport to Preston-Crewe to continue the next leg with the same train (even if the loco will be different).

 

47/3s were the staple MGR loco in the North West until sectorisation. 47/3s then got cast off to other work and 20s and 56s became the North Wests Coal locos, the 20s mainly worked the local stuff (Bickershaw, Parkside, Point of Ayr etc) The 56s worked in from the Yorkshire coal field, 47s dissappered around the time Toton had its full quota of 58s which meant 20s came to the North West and 47s migrated to other places.

 

As someone who absolutely adores Preston-Blackpool, but doesn’t like boring highspeed mainline routes with few stations: I already had no interest in their boring-looking and overpriced Preston-Carlisle offering (and the loco DLC), but this one right here just proves to me that they’ve figured out the following: Even if they stick to similarly boring routes with reused stations and rolling stock, there’s a core fan base that will buy the DLCs. Very sad considering how much potential there is inside of that team… they could build so much interesting stuff.

 

Funnily enough I was thinking that myself while brushing my teeth, of all things. This ought to be the new traction JT offer with the route or as a fall-back a separate subsidiary DLC.

 

Shame they couldn't find another use for a Class 86/2. Maybe it's time to start leaving subtle hints.