Woodhead Electric Railway In Blue Available Now

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by TrainSim-Jay, Feb 27, 2018.

  1. TrainSim-Jay

    TrainSim-Jay Guest

    27/02/2018

    A rich history of modernisation and refinement awaits you on the Woodhead Electric Railway – see for yourself how advances in power and route design gave new life to a struggling operation. From the first days of this route steep and unforgiving gradients combined with heavy coal trains to make it a challenge for steam trains, so even as far back as the GCR days, discussions of electrification were taking place…
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    Words were turned into actions by the LNER in 1936, who planned out the electrification of the line between Sheffield and Manchester, including the branch line to Wath, and even had a majority of the overhead gantries in place before the start of the Second World War. While the conflict halted the project, it was reinstated as soon as the war ended, however one big change to the line was added into the plan.
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    To traverse the Pennines, the Woodhead Line when built bored through the landscape with tunnels stretching to 3 miles long. Initially, a single-track tunnel “Woodhead 1” was opened in 1845 and was one of the longest in the world, this was soon followed by “Woodhead 2”, another single-track pathway though the Pennines. Enclosed, and damaged due to years of use by steam locomotives, it was decided that the electrified line would pass through “Woodhead 3”, a new twin-track tunnel that could incorporate the wires.
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    A small fleet of 8 BR Class 506 EMUs were constructed for passenger use - these 3-car units would operate between Hadfield, Glossop and Manchester throughout their working lives. The 506s were rather unique, along with the 76s and the Woodhead Line itself, in being electrified to 1500V DC, instead of the conventional 25 kV AC, this different electrification made it easier for heavy trains to use regenerative braking on the unrelenting downhill sections.
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    Despite the modernisation and new fleet, the Woodhead Line was closed to passenger traffic in 1970, this controversy was due to the Hope Valley Line being all around more convenient, albeit less direct. The Woodhead Electric Railway in Blue captures the route as it was in its waning years, and in addition to that, covers extra mileage such as the Glossop Branch and Reddish depot. If that wasn’t enough, the included traction; Class 08, Class 76 and Class 506, will all come equipped with Pro Range functionality for those who like an extra challenge. Glory in a piece of Railway history and experience the improvements that gave a brief second life to a truly wonderful route!

    Pick it up here
     
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  2. LastTrainToClarksville

    LastTrainToClarksville Well-Known Member

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    Excuse my compulsion, please, but I just have to ask whether there's any chance of a discount for those of us who already purchased (and enjoyed) the previous Woodhead Line DLC?
     
  3. rare_common_sense

    rare_common_sense Well-Known Member

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    It’s already cheaper than most routes and just $1 more than most routes or extensions are offered at discount. For a rework and remade route, along with a new train that’s never been made before, you’re getting it at a decent price.
     
  4. nz_kiwi

    nz_kiwi New Member

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    Hi all,

    My first time on the forums. So hello to you all. I have just d/l this new Woodhead in the 70s route but I am getting a crash dump when I try and start from Manchester-Piccadilly. I appear to be able to start from anywhere else without any issues. I have verified all files so that is not the issue. Any suggestions at this point would be most appreciated. Thank you. Oh, I am running TS2018.

    regards Tom
     
  5. SteveS3667

    SteveS3667 New Member

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    Liked the first Woodhead Route 6 years ago so naturally went for this on a day one purchase, again a nice BR Era Route, plenty of stock and a very reasonable price but... a few niggles, why the semaphores at the Manchester Piccadilly end? Ardwick Station in particular there were lights at both ends of the platform, also at Ardwick the trackwork from the WCML is very simple it had cross overs for trains to access the Woodhead line at the Piccadilly end of the station. Why no Vac only 76 can we expect it in the marketplace at some point, and why the unnecessary empty signal gantries, a nice route all the same and worth the money just felt needed a bit more research with plenty of photo's around.

    Regards Steve.
     
  6. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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  7. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    The Semaphores should not be at Ardwick and the Signalbox is also wrong as London Road Power Box, code LR not LE, covered beyond Ardwick towards Ashburys and Slade Lane on the mainlines.
    There were never lights at both ends of Ardwick Station - the Island platform has the Down East Fast and Down East Slow so you only drive towards Manchester.
    But the Track Layout at Ardwick on the main lines is totally wrong - the directionality is, coming towards Manchester, Down Slow, Down Fast, Up Fast and Up Slow but it was changed in 1959 to Down Slow, Up Slow, Down Fast and Up Fast.
    And there are No Signals on the AC side in to Manchester which there should be

    A view from a Class 506 approaching Piccadilly
    046.jpg 047.jpg 048.jpg
     
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  8. 805 BENBOW

    805 BENBOW Member

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    There are comments relating to this issue in the bug section. Submit a ticket to support.
     
  9. LastTrainToClarksville

    LastTrainToClarksville Well-Known Member

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    It never hurts to ask!
     
  10. Rolando

    Rolando New Member

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    I am really enjoying this route, lots of character that shows it is definitely a railway that had seen busier times. I am referring to the trackage that is only partially removed, letting one remember that there were at one stage tracks to "other places".
    All 3 locomotives that came with the route are very good IMO, I am not normally a fan of DMU's and EMU's and passenger trains in general, but I have been enjoying running the 506, it is reasonably simple to operate and the WS scenarios I have run have not been too tight with the scheduled stops.
    The only issue I had with the 506 was not being able to use the "Head Out" view. I have put a ticket into support regarding this.
     
  11. SteveS3667

    SteveS3667 New Member

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    Did DTG sort the blue door issue on the Blue Grey 506???
     

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