Ecml South Kings Cross From Ats

Don't forget we need a class 180 too

 

I would pay to see a 180 again could feature on GWE

 

Class 180 wouldn't make sense for this route as Peterborough isn't commonly served by Grand Central

 

Simply hook 2 Class 90 together, and you have the Class 180

 

I wonder if they're exploring adding Cambridge the Hertford loop or Moorgate, hence the vagueness?

Perhaps that could be just the name of the route (there is a 1950s version on the TSC Workshop called BR's ECML: King's Cross)

 

I’m confused on the vagueness with building the route to Peterborough. Providing ATS get North London nailed, the remainder of the route beyond say Welwyn isn’t hugely complex in terms of scenery.

 

Yeah, it’s a bit none committal? Surely ATS are aware of the disdain by the community after MAC ended prematurely before Crewe. You’d have thought they’d want to assure the community there won’t be a repeat of previous disappointments.

 

would provide few services on both ECML routes and potential on GWE

 

Happy to be proved wrong, but I'm still sceptical of their ability to make the jump from the flawed and curtailed MAC to doing a 74 mile mega route from the Cross to Posh, even if the latter is pasted in from ECML. Let alone adding the Hertford Loop or line out towards Cambridge.

 

Yeah it’s certainly an optimistic jump from them. I also wonder what they’ll be doing with rolling stock here too, maybe just ‘borrowing’ the 801 from DTG?

In any case they struggled with their first route, without the need to make stock & then struggled with a standalone loco DLC, I don’t think they’re the best placed developer to take on ECML South. I do wonder if they’re internally feeling pressured by what AAS put out & that’s why they keep trying to take on projects that they aren’t fully prepared for, in an effort to out-do them.

ATS has always been an optimistic developer & the result of that is usually a product released unfinished & way under the line of what they advertised. Even here, they start with not naming the DLC in what we are presuming is their way of not over-promising route length, but so far all their screenshots have been of Peterborough, so that expectation has been planted anyway - it’s as if they couldn’t help themselves & IMO this will lead to a disappointing end product that will cost them more of their good-will reputation.

 

Agree completely with this.

I saw some of the screenshots today which all about confirmed the aspiration of Peterborough being the northern end. For any developer this is an ambitious project... Although I'm willing to give ATS the benefit of the doubt for now. They are relatively good with the TSC content and I hope MAC & The Class 90 have been a harsh learning curve for them which have been problematic. Proof will be in the pudding on this one, exciting in theory, but how it translates into the game will be another thing. I'll be keeping a close eye on any insights and previews.

 

Matt on stream basically just gave away that it goes to Peterborough

 

Up the posh

 

Think we are getting a 91

 

I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, if they can handle the pressure of all this. A more cautious approach could’ve been a mild remaster of Peterborough-Doncaster, extended it to York and then thrown in the 91. They must have more than naive confidence they can pull this big project off!

 

What ECML services? Hull Trains got rid of theirs years ago and as I said, Peterborough is an uncommon stop for Grand Central

 

No one's really mentioned the passenger 90s yet, which do have form here (albeit not majorly), and have been hinted as following the freight version.

 

Like I said a few services
4 playable per day on ecml south 20 overall including AI services and 2 per day that are playable on ecml PBO- Doncaster

 

There would also be empty stock movements

 

Despite Peterborough being shown, no final end station has been officially announced yet. Could ATS be planning a massive undertaking and a full run to Leeds from Kings Cross, utilising the DTG P2D scenery and the new Leeds section for their upcoming project? Or is a route that long simply too unrealistic for TSW? I for one would absolutely love that, but I think even I’m guilty of a bit of wishful thinking there!

 

It's far more likely that they are still debating something like whether to include the Hereford loop or not.

 

Definitely wishful thinking Flukey, I think that is one for the modders if they can make it work and a timetable where you can do end to end without the game dumping. Hopefully ATS will confirm soon, personally I can't see them adding in Moorgate or the Hertford Loop as Kings Cross to Peterborough is long in it's own right, at least if we get Drayton Park included, you can still do Welwyn Garden City services and if you have Train Sim Classic, start and end the journey to Moorgate (but ATS do need to confirm this soon as otherwise speculation will run rife - it already is!!)

 

IIRC 90s didn't run with LNER in the 2020s in passenger service. With there being three operational tunnels it would be a bit too late for 90s hauling MK4s on Leeds runs. They may add some for the sake of it though.

 

Wow 20 services with a total of 6 playable really screams "I'm worth the time and effort to add"

 

I am only one that wish both this route and Peterborough to Doncaster was set in GNER era that was best era of ECML meaining would have to get a 91 and a Valenta hst and have old Kings Cross and Peterborough before rebuild

 

GNER even had some 373s at one point when 91s went for essential maintenance works

 

I’ll go one further and raise a Class 55 Deltic to your Class 91!

 

ATS may decide to include a legacy timetable, maybe from pre-Covid years when more 91s were operational and a second current era timetable with 7 car variants.

 

The white rose units which were awesome. I always tried to time my trips to Doncaster and London so that I could be on one.
They were so long that the last 2 coaches couldn't fit on most of the platforms.
It wasn't just when the 91s were in for maintenance, they were actually on trial to see if they could run on the ECML to Leeds and York as a continuation of international services from the tunnel.

 

Hard to get excited for this after MAC farce and the Class 90 debacle, I'll wait for release and see what it brings, got potential to be great, but I'll wait patiently and see.....

 

I wasn't aware of that bit, interesting.

I was talking about the 180, not the 91 there