I'm wondering if a remaster is on the cards, the route is 90% off on the current Playstation sale, it probably has been that low before but I don't recall. If memory serves, it was the third UK route released after GWE and WSR, Both of those have been remastered. With Just Trains giving us more stock set in that era and to an extent, Athena with their Mark 1 carriages. I won't be surprised If an announcement was made soon.
It would be great if it is next, but I suspect the next UK route will be BML, which I wouldn't complain about. Matt is a BR blue fan so hopefully he might have an influence.
Athena Simulation have "adopted" the NTP class 40 and 45, according to Jane, when he appeared on the DTG live stream showcasing their class 47 reskin DLC. Since they have seemingly disappeared since that class 47 DLC released, we might never see the class 40 and 45 get updated. And would you really trust Athena Simulation to remaster NTP, after what they did to the class 47?
Hopefully DTG have seen the error in their ways and broken the adoption of the 40 and 45 to Athena. Would love to see JT take these diesels on and upgrade them like they did with the 47 and of course the up and coming 20.
And the 31. Would love that to receive the suspension updates. A railfreight red stripe one would be nice too.
Yes! Remasters of NTP along with TVL are much more needed than BML. BML is AFAIR what's been advertised as a Rush Hour route, and those 2 are from TSW (even without 2020) era, only with some updates from the Preservation Team to bring them more in line with TSW2 standard (like new sky texture, added PIS, probably some level crossings' barriers made working, raildriver & livery designer support).
You are right, but you've also been around long enough to know how this works. The kiddies will always get their shiny, remastered modern routes, while us older nostalgic folks get shafted by DTG every time, because "older routes don't sell". We are lucky that Just Trains are even here, or NTP and TVL is all we would ever have.
I'm glad to see this discussion moving along nicely I do sadly feel that BML is next in line for a remaster, unless I misread the marketing guff for the ECW route they seemed to suggest that BML was going to be next as it could benefit from some of the "improvements" - not really sure, unless they mean fixing the timetable so it has the 700 in there. I would love a BML remaster, I lived by Three Bridges for a while and still enjoy the route today as being a PC user I am able to take advantage of modders revamping the route themselves, while I understand console users are missing out they are also quite vocal about how the route just does not run well enough, particularly how it can be limited in terms of the timetable as it affects performance. I just don't understand how a remaster and new more intense timetable will not make their situation worse, unless of course it was only made available to the latest generation of console. NTP on the other hand has no performance issues and can probably be ran on a Casio watch, mainly because there's bugger all there Now, on a slightly related note, our 56 was out for a sound recording session a few days ago, I had been asked to assist but had to decline as I was away on holiday however I have not yet been able to find out who it was for (I've done a few previously many years back). Hopefully someone (ideally JT) has decided to go down the "locomotive pack" route and give us something which will nicely layer in to a number of BR blue routes and more importantly be another locomotive to fit into the regiment and make it even more enticing for someone to remaster NTP as "look at all the suitable locomotives we have now". As for the Mk1s, NTP desperately needs them (there is a PC mod which switches the Mk2s for reskinned Mk1s and is really good, just a shame about the interior of course) but do you really want the Athena ones? One does have to wonder regarding both the 40 and the 45, they are both very old and in need of an upgrade, I wouldn't put it past JT to eventually bite the bullet and make their own (like they did with the 47) which would obviously be a great addition in itself but also fit nicely into their existing BR80s routes and replace the "classic" version. With something like the 45 there is also an opportunity to make the 44 and 46 to make a "Peak Pack" or something, the 44 of course would have limited use (unless of course it was in green and available for Peak Forest ) but the 46 would also nicely drop onto NTP... I genuinely think there is great potential, we just have to hope that someone in a position of power is able to do something good about it
I’ve just revisited this route, and it’s got a lot of potential—especially after JT released Preston–Crewe. The scenery upgrade from TSC is good, but it really needs a full remaster, and I’d love to see it receive a 1986 JT timetable. The route is apparently set in 1983, so it would tie in nicely with the rest of JT’s routes and rolling stock. Someone suggested the other day that JT should do Chat Moss next. If they did, it would bring everything together and you could go from Crewe and Preston to Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool.
Personally I would rather the timetable was left as 1983. It's the only route where you can realistically drive the class 40. It does need a revamp and a new timetable for sure, I find I can't drive it after one of the JT routes.
agreed and once the whitehaven route is out add the 108 to it as well rather than sub in the 142. its a great route and a hard one to drive without aws which is why i enjoy it so 83 for me is a good year. the TT is an interesting one in that i've not found many services that are missing that you can drive already. most of what's missing is the short depot moves, stuff going into redbank, parcel shunts, ecs, and dmu moves where there were alot stabled rather than running up to newton heath. leeds is a different kettle that im sure some one could give more insight into than me most freight went via the calder valley and would run down via collyhurst and red bank and still did until 1990 or use other routes like copy pit or over stanage and via guide bridge through piccadilly. there wasn't a great deal that did come down miles platting for the obvious reason. th scenery i've mentioned smedley viaduct. the lowry bridge is missing as well. missing tunnel portals at stalybridge for the old diggle line and at stanage tunnel west portal. the canal also looks more like a river winding down the hill ie not on the level and without locks and just stops on the approach to the west side of stanage. might sound demanding but its all within sight from the cab. im sure there is more that could be improved and added lighting has been mentioned especially stanage tunnel, but also in winter night time scenarios in heavy snow and fog, you end up with a giant spot light in front of you that's not from the headlights. its still a good route but certainly needs a refresh
It would be nice to get the 31 and the 3 car 101 onto the route. Plus the new stock coming with the JT route. I believe the timetable is pretty much complete. I just wish it had the train reporting numbers and proper descriptions, rather than drive an express from Leeds to Manchester, or however it's worded.
I´ve read the thread and all the calls for keeping the timetable 1983.... but if it ever gets connected to the JT network, people will be screaming for a 1986 timetable that matches with the rest of JT routes. If JT never ventures towards Manchester, then it would not matter, I guess. Is there really so much difference between 1983 and 1986? People have called 1986 a modern timetable on this thread. Found that a little strange.
Maybe not in terms of services but certainly in terms of rolling stock. Class 141s and 142s would be running by then, and the 40s would be gone, for starters
Well we could have two timetables but I would like to see an rework of the 1983 one as things did change over those few years. Liveries were changing and as said above the class 40's had gone and second generation DMUs were making inroads. I would hardly describe 1986 as modern though.
1986 was still fairly loco hauled, the biggest shake-ups occurred in the Summer 89 when trains were routed via Manchester Piccadily instead of Victoria. By that point the line was mostly pacer and Sprinterised. Then finally in 1991 the line went fully over to units with Trans-Pennine services being taken over by 158s. Strictly speaking the signalling is largely wrong for 1983... (and just doesn't work in general but that’s another matter entirely!). The biggest culprit being the lack of the Absolute block sections (i.e no signals) between Stalybridge and Greenfield box, and Greenfield and Diggle. The signalling on that section is the much more modern (post 1999 I think) layout with Diggle junction some horrid messed up hybrid that can never work!
I did a video on the NTP a few weeks back to show how good the line can still be. Its got a couple of mods so its set in 1987, with a Pacer or two. Not strictly 100% accurate, but it definitely captures an atmosphere. And it still looks stunning.
Excellent idea for a remaster, don't see an extension likely though,keep the era the same but redo the timetable and with more static stock Just need to keep suggesting it to DTG maybe they'll get the idea
thats the issue i have with it, same on PFR where its more annoying that i have a book with the headcodes signaling is something that needs to be looked at, seems too many at man vic and nothing on overhead gantry's coming up miles platting im no expert on the matter but it doesn't sit right and they can be very hard to follow. 2 TT would be nice as you could add in the 150/0 and 142 along with the 101 and 108 in 1986, they were on scene by then whilst keeping the 1983 TT for authentic class 40 era. you could add a class 25 which would just sit in both along with the 31 and 20s.............. still say id like to see a calder valley extension form vic to heeley mills though and at 31miles its a fair bit extra. add the Oldham loop and its 41 miles. if it could be priced right depending on what's included, it still could be a good expansion.
Sadly I don't think DTG have any interest in the era (apart from Matt) so unless it's a passion project I doubt NTP will ever be looked at. I think BML is likely next on the list for a remaster.
I'd much rather NTP was remastered or TVL. BML is a bit electrostar heavy but I wouldn't mind a remaster of it, especially if it came with a class 455.
never lose hope, there is a growing demand for it. BML however i have no interest in altogether, just not my cup of tea.
well you got me thinking there with bradford. man vic to leeds via bradford and heeley mills/huddersfield would be 51 miles or 61 miles with the oldham loop. if built off the NTP. would that sell as a route outright that you wouldn't need NTP for. for those that just want a NTP remaster pack for that route as it is now do a separate pack for a price. but for those who want both you would have to buy both the remaster pack and the new calder valley route which would fit seamlessly onto NTP. it would be an ambitious project one that would need at least 3 TT to do one for NTP one for calder valley then a combined one for both routes that would over ride the 2 smaller ones if both routes were owned. it would be a day one for me if its could be done, but its more likely that they would be kept separate and use the route hop.
Love NTP, even to this day i still find myself playing this route, probs my go to route when i want to destress ( yes de-stress driving the 101 isnt normal, right?) definatly needs some TLC for sure!
You're not alone mate, i love driving the 101 especially since i got the TSC-X controller, using the vacuum brakes on keyboard was annoying LOL there's something about how mechanical it is, most other traction you drive via gauges and dials where the 101 comes into its own is you can drive by ear like in a car.
100%, learnt the controls on controller ( former xbox player ) now I'm on PC but use old fashioned keyboard and mouse, surprisingly understand keyboard controls quite quickly for the 101, so much so that I've even managed to go HUDless. I have to keep hands moving I don't like this start then waiting half hour before stopping stuff, unpopular opinion but I say more 101s! Or any manual geared BR stuff!
Yeah, I'm the same, the newer stuff is ok, but a bit to clinical for me, give me noise grease oil and clouds of clag any day LOL, I'm up to about 5 routes now where i can drive them HUDless, next on my list is Preston to Crewe.
The 101 with the direct vac is brilliant, to be honest and speaking real world (albeit on the pres line side of things) anything that has direct vacuum brakes is fantastic to control, you have more control than even with air brakes as you are quite literally "directly controlling" it rather than relying on other valves to do their thing which in turn adds seconds to brakes coming on or off. I've never driven the 101 IRL but I've driven the Hymek, Warship, 40 and 14 all with direct vac and as we used to say "it's the future". The 101 in here is a jolly good drive, I prefer the Shap version for it's little 80s tweaks. It's very enjoyable when it's at speed too, you get a real sense of speed on that one. I must admit though sometimes I do skip a gear intentionally
Yeah using the vac brakes with a proper train controller is on another level, the control you have is amazing, as for skipping gears, erm guilty LOL, 2nd gear for smooth pull aways is just such a sweet spot
