Wcml Preston To Crewe Discussion

I have mixed feelings after the preview. The models look really good they usually do when JT are involved but I can't help but feel that Preston to Crewe is kind of a boring section and at least for passenger services it's gonna be more of the same. I am very interested in the freight workings, like the MGR trains going from pit to power station is cool and i'm really hoping for a 56 or a 58 from JT at some point.

Driving Over Shap got a bit boring after a while so i'm hoping this route is a bit more replayable.

 

I watched most of the stream, but I didn't hear a lot of discussion about the layers. I was wondering if anybody has heard about the layers from Cargo Line 5 and Peak Forest, how many services they add. And also, if there is a deal like Kingmoor/Carlisle shunting where you have to own all the DLC to get them to work. CL5 and PF are the only layers I don't already own.

 

I can imagine you feel that way! That’s not because of JT, but because there aren’t many options left for where you want to go. It’s indeed not the most exciting route, but the quality isn’t the issue. Maybe it’s also because we’re getting a lot of WCML now, and that makes the content feel a bit repetitive. I definitely enjoy it, but I also doubt whether this will become a favorite of mine. And again, nothing against JT.

 

I think this is very different from anything we have had in the past, certainly in regard to the freight services. I do agree in relation to the class 56 though - this route was prime for it. It was mentioned on the stream that the 56 would be top of the list if they can get access to a loco etc, so hopefully we will see it added in the not too distant future.

 

It is probably the least interesting part of the WCML which is why I guess we’re getting the freight operations. I definitely feel either a Class 56 or a Class 85 might have spiced things up a bit, rather than the 86/4 even if that put the price up to £33. I know the 47/3’s are prototypically for the time period on freight and MGR but they are a bit over used at this point.

I haven’t watched the stream but note re performance and the sound “squelching” which really spoils what should be silky smooth electric sounds. I hate to say this but I’m moving back to my previous stance that this could be the first JT product I don’t buy straight away.

 

No actually, we're all on similar specs but I don't run at 4K myself and then you've got things like streamlabs also eating up performance too.

Upgrading at the moment is incredibly expensive too due to the price of components skyrocketing.

 

I haven't watched the stream. Will we see Class 47/3 and 86/4 as replacements on the Preston Carlisle route?

 

Wonder if we could get the updated class 47 sounds patched on to the Blackpool branches, Preston - Carlisle?. The new idle sound is much more pleasant. You can hear the original one from about 50 miles away!

 

Looks like a great route..... Only a couple of things I noticed which can be raised in any feedback threads which come along after release....

The 47/3 locos shown all had data panels externally and text in the cab showing max speed 95mph..... The 47/3 sub-class were always geared for freight and therefore had a top speed of 75mph.

The station announcements sound quite modern as though computerised rather than being manually spoken by a human with a mic as they would have been in 1986. The more modern electronic PA systems didn't come in till the 90s.

 

Thoroughly enjoyed watching the stream this morning - absolutely can't wait for this route! They've done such a brilliant job capturing the whole feel of the age, it just instantly transported me back to my heyday. Wigan, Warrington, Crewe all looked exactly how I remember them, even the inside of Springs Branch. Superb. The only things I'd change are to fill it with 40s and 25s and rebuild the old steam shed Oh, and shut down the engines of the line of scrappers at The Works Roll on this time next week!

 

I really enjoyed the preview last night, the Passenger services will be great but I think this route is definitely far more freight oriented, quite rightly as well in my opinion. Even today it's a fascinating area for industry.

 

I´m only 40 minutes into the stream... but my god. This might become my favourite route in the whole game. All those branches and freight operations! This will be a day one for me and I´m not even a huge fan of BR BlueI I can´t wait to explore all the branches.

The route hopping at Preston is also great value with the opportunities to head on to Omskirk, Blackpool, Morecambe or Carlisle. I really hope they update Blackpool Branches timetable to make it all come together. This is what Train Sim World should be like.

 

That’s fair, I caught your stream the other night pretty late so I didn’t hear you explaining the part about the poor performance on the route. Don’t worry though, I fully trust you’ll deliver peak performance for us all when the route launches next week. Cannot wait!

 

I really enjoyed the stream personally and I think it did credit to the route. This will be a different experience to WCMLOS for sure, but that's sort of what I want, whilst utilising the same era and rolling stock. What I always appreciate about JT is their ability to make existing stock relevant (like the 47, 20) and update them and give them a real good crack of the whip, giving us completely updated and new sub class variants. If it wasn't for JT we'd be stuck with the NTP 47 which would be incredibly outdated by name. So fair play to them.

What I also appreciate, with this and WCMLOS is that they feel populated and not one dimensional. Watching the preview last night made me realise the real diversity of stock on JTs NW focused WCML routes. From locomotives, to freight wagons, it really has that edge to it.

I will say this, I'm going to enjoy the different pace of Crewe to Preston for the passenger services (closer stopping distances, different pace of driving) and the new 86 + Mk2Ds, but what I am most looking forward to and getting out of this route personally will be the end to end freight runs which is something I am fairly certain we have not had in the game in this scale to date? (Stand to be corrected on that one). But to have the pit to power station MGRs, updated Clas 20, and the new 47/3 is going to be superb. I'm more aiming to get something out of the freight this time round, more then the passenger services. As I say don't get me wrong I will enjoy the different pace of passenger services and driving in the 86, but I know I will get a lot of satisfaction from the freight end of things this time round. It's a win win situation for both driving styles, whatever you enjoy.

Also you, slightly biased from me, but you can't really go wrong with the mid 1980s era, and the early sectorisation days of BR...