Announcing The Freightliner Class 70 From All Aboard Studios

Are you a fan of UK Diesel traction? Perhaps freight locos too? Well, here comes the perfect combination, bringing a brand new diesel freight loco to TSW, and finally giving the Class 66 some competition – It’s the Freightliner Class 70, coming from the All Aboard Studio team!
With a primary layer on their recently released Brimingham-Crewe route, ABS are so excited to share this with you all today,
As a special way to accompany the announce, we’ve been sent a short teaser to show you all today, giving you the running sounds in all their glory! Let’s have a listen:

We’ll be back in future roadmaps and articles with specifics and details on this release, but in the meantime, we hope all you freight-fans are eager to find out more!

 

What a pleasant surprise!

 

class 90 now the 70 as well, finally some new freight traction

 

Good to hear, only thing is class 70s run hardly anywhere that exists in TSW currently.

 

Hopefully this is a simple substitution capable loco & will be usable with the CL packs.

Unfortunately with all the separated timetables & uncertainty around the 90 fitting in, I’m not too hopeful about the use case for this one.

To be fair they aren’t hugely rare on certain areas of the WCML, especially relative to the number of 70’s in operation. Compared to most other non 66 units, they’re fairly common.

 

Yeah definitely going to be limited unless they’re going to sub it in for all 66 services (I really hope not).

 

Great News! This could be an interesting one licencing wise, what with the sale of the freightliner brand to CMA CGM, but the class 70s being retained by Heavy Haul. I wonder if we will get any new stock (please no more containers!)

 

Also, AABS are really cranking out the content! Long may it continue! Who said TSW was dead?

 

Hopefully this answers the ‘lack of freight’ on the 805 WCMLS and B2C timetables - compared with what it should be!

 

Was just going to say

 

Looking forward to this and the 90 looks like a good start to the year.

 

I hope we get a Southampton route at some point for it, it would be cool to see all the cruise ships at the docks

 

I thought that as soon as I saw it!

 

Shame they are now a thing of the past on intermodal...

 

Yeahhhh another timetable lol

 

I really hope it's a universal substitution for the Class 66....but I don't see that happening.
Probably just a few layers on a couple of routes as has been the norm.
The thing is you don't have to limit it as much as commuter stock because it's a freight train.
They can haul freight a lot more variably, not a set schedule.
They are much more flexible irl that way.
Missed opportunity really if you don't make it more widely available.
As much as I'd like a 66 competitor, if it's only on a couple WCML routes (guessing) then I probably won't bother with it at all. Still leaves 90% of the possible routes still 66 dominated.
They haven't SAID it yet... but... well I'm being practical and not getting hopes up.

Interestingly, I think they made a handful for the German market too. That'd be interesting to see on some of the Mainland routes subbing for a 185 maybe.

Alas, I think we'll be underwhelmed by how it's rolled out.

Edit:
Nevermind the other Class 70s were sent to Finland and I have no idea when we'd ever see that happening in TSW.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...20_29015.jpg/1280px-North_Rail_Dr20_29015.jpg

 

Never knew that, what a shame.

 

New freight locos are much needed happy with this

 

It’s great but it’s on a route which is more blurry than a ufo video /j

 

Why would that be bad? As long as the sub rate for AI traffic is set appropriately it should work out great.

Personally, it's a no-buy from me unless it's drivable wherever Class 66 currently runs.

Already been burned by loco DLC that barely runs anywhere (looking at you Class 700 and BR218), so if not I'm out until a huge discount makes it reasonable to buy as AI traffic.

 

You can add the 805 to them two as well

 

You forgot the iconic loco that barely runs anywhere, being the 204

 

Not necessarily a bad thing, but as you say it would need to be moderated. I don’t want to see a 70 on every single 66 service

 

Yes, a funny choice but welcome nonetheless!

 

Excellent news. I mean I would have preferred a 56 or 60 but anything not a 66 gets my vote (and money).

But as stated above, we need a route for it to run on - anything between Birmingham and Southampton, just set the clock back a few years when they were hauling Intermodal. Or some Colas variants along with engineer's wagons would be good, a Westbury to Oxford via Melksham and Swindon route perhaps!

 

Man would be great if Aberdeen to Dundee or Aberdeen to Inverness were in this game (both with Waterloo yards) because it will give decent length services and shunting at the yard

 

Why not?
Aren't more options better than fewer?

 

Where are the Class 90s going?
If they're mostly on the WCML too, I can see a very unbalanced situation happening where a few routes have a TON of options and most others have still just have the 66.

 

90s and 70s are frequent visitors on freights round these parts too so they're not just for WCML. I've seen both on the North London Line too.

 

Yesss as a regular spotter on the WCML South I’m used to seeing these beauties. There was also one on special invitation to the Watercress Line at Alton Hants last summer and I got a very close look. I applaud the devs for finally adding more UK freight engines. Well done!!

 

Whilst I am not fond of the 66 they are the mainstay freight loco. I don't want to see the class 70 subbing in for them, it's not realistic. If it does I probably won't get it unless it's at a minimum.

There are many many more 66's around than 70's. Plus as far as I know DBS doesn't operate 70's in the UK.

 

WCML South.

 

By that logic a huge amount of the rolling stock and almost all the layers wouldn't exist since it's not the usual.

Again, this isn't saying they WOULD replace all 66's.. that would be weird. However, the ability for a player to sub in a 70 would have no impact on anything but what the player is driving. So it'd have zero impact on you as a single player.

On the other hand, opening up any 66 to be subbed in for by a 70 means that you don't just get it on a couple runs on a couple routes... but all across the UK so a LOT of people can use it when they want.

I don't see what your drawback would be unless you incorrectly think we meant that 70 would "always" sub in for 66s...which it's not.
If you don't choose it, you wouldn't ever see one.

 

I’m so happy I could cry.

 

Ah yes, forgot about the Tunstead runs. Those wagons aren't in TSW though so assuming it'd be new with this if they're doing that

 

Agreed!

And theoretically you could even just uninstall it when not driving it- loco DLCs tend to have very small file sizes so it wouldn't be much of a hassle imo.

 

Kill joy

 

I hope it atleast is playable as a stand in for Class 66 services. Doesn't need to sub for AI but atleast so the players have a choice.

 

Alex just confirmed on the roadmap stream the 387 is coming

 

Guessing this will drop into all of their WCML routes / timetables.

 

I was more thinking if it starting appearing on AI trains, not as one to drive.

 

Just stating an opinion, I wouldn't want to stop it appearing for others, I just don't want to see it myself appearing on lots of AI trains.

Thanks for your mature response, I thought this was a place for discussion not glib responses!

 

That's my thought. It'll just go onto stuff they are already working on.
That's the easiest low hanging fruit.
So... WCML-South and Birmingham-Crewe
Otherwise unless they just use generic labels (like "sub in for player 66s") they'd have to work with other developers to get into their timetables. The more work it takes, the less chance there will be it'll go anywhere else unfortunately.
I don't really drive those routes so it's kinda... what's the point?

I could be wrong.
They could surprise us and put it as an option on 12 other routes.... but I doubt it.

 

I'd just like it to appear as an option for drivers bored of the 66 to use.
I don't think it's a numerous enough loco to be used in AI that much.
However, in practice we usually get more AI layers than we do drivable substitution stock in layers so again I'm not optimistic.

 

I agree with the idea of having it as a playable option, I would often choose it myself.

I don't know the inner workings of the sim that well and how AI substitution works, although I do want to look at timetable creation.

I just want the experience to be as realistic as possible, hence my irritation with the class 40 on Shap appearing far to often and on trains it wouldn't have been seen on if it was still in service. However I realise I am probably in a minority, well clearly in a minority judging from discussions I have had before.

 

What a wonderful surprise. Good that we are getting another UK freight locomotive.

 

I don’t think the class 70 is a bad addition at all. They actually sound pretty good as well imo. I would have preferred a class 56, which could run across multiple routes and eras, but certainly looking forward to this one.

 

Oh, what a lovely surprise Glad to see "her" coming, finally a new workhorse Hope to see it in Colas guise too, one day

 

Engineering trains would be a nice gameplay addition too…

 

Would certainly love and enjoy a Tamper by Colas rail, could add some great scenarios and gameplay.

I said ages ago I think, that more Modern UK routes focused on the freight side of things would be brilliant, as well as passenger services!

I’ve had a few tampers on my station sidings a couple of months ago whilst NR was replacing track and ballast and managed to get a lovely closeup!