West Yorkshire Metro Wakefield Line, Leeds - Sheffield & Doncaster

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by seandouglas, Jan 19, 2022.

?
  1. Aye

    18 vote(s)
    78.3%
  2. No

    1 vote(s)
    4.3%
  3. Older

    1 vote(s)
    4.3%
  4. BR era

    6 vote(s)
    26.1%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. seandouglas

    seandouglas Active Member

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    Hello all! Today I'm suggesting the Wakefield line between Leeds, Sheffield and Doncaster. The route is a big one, with over 70 miles of track and 21 stations set in the modern day.

    The Route:
    There are four sections of track:
    Leeds to South Kirkby Junction, S. Kirkby Jn to Sheffield, S. Kirkby Jn to Doncaster, and the lines between Hare Hill Jn, Castleford and Leeds via Normanton. Here's a poorly made route map from MSPaint (best I could think of...)
    upload_2022-1-19_19-42-33.png

    Freight: I've included the section of track between Wakefield and Leeds via Normanton because there's a huge amount of freight traffic that uses that section of track. There are freight yards at Leeds, Doncaster and Wakefield and many freight services run through Sheffield station which can be used as a "driver change". There is a lot of freight traffic thanks to the 3 or 4 freight yards at Leeds, the 2 at Doncaster, and Wakefield has the Europort and many sidings.

    Depots: There are 4 depots that will be included on this route, Sheffield LMD, Leeds Neville Hill TMD, Leeds Holbeck loco sidings and Doncaster Carr Lep. There is also Crofton depot which is used by Cross Country, Transpennine and Grand Central lying near the route and could be included. Sheffield LMD is small and uniquely situated next to the station, which could result in some interesting depot moves with many reversals. It would be used exclusively by Northern Trains services. Leeds Neville Hill TMD is huge and situated 2 miles East of Leeds station. It is used by LNER and Northern trains as well as freight services such as GBRF. Some interesting coupling moves occur in the late evening at Leeds before trains move into their respective depots. Leeds Holbeck loco sidings are less frequently used, however some services terminate here. Doncaster Carr Lep is almost exclusively used by LNER trains, but there are GBRF and DB Schenker sidings nearby.

    Rolling Stock: Now the fun bit! I'm suggesting two trains to come initially, with some DLC/layers.

    Northern Class 150/2
    [​IMG]
    The Class 150/2 would get a refresh and update for the modern era. These would operate hourly services between Sheffield and Leeds, sections of services on the Castleford branch, and the services on the section Adwick and Sheffield services as far as Doncaster.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_150

    Northern Class 331/1
    [​IMG]
    These are new on the network, replacing the class 321 and 322. These would run hourly services between Leeds and Doncaster. They are part of the Civity family of trains.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_331

    DLC/Layers
    There are many trains that travel on this route. I'll look at freight first.

    Layered Class 66
    [​IMG]
    We are already familiar with the class 66 locomotive. They haul all sorts of freight around the UK. I would suggest to also have a GBRF and/or Freightliner liveries.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_66

    Freightliner Class 70
    [​IMG]
    Don't know much about it, but it looks cool and it would be cool to see as an alternative/addition to the class 66. They'd mostly haul containers between the different freight terminals.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_70_(diesel)

    LNER Class 91 and Mk4 coaches and DVT (Intercity 225)
    [​IMG]
    These are iconic on the East Coast Mainline and are still running due to the issues with the class 800/801 trains. These will operate fast services between Leeds and Doncaster calling only at Wakefield Westgate. These could either come as a layer from another ECML route or as a DLC for this route. There are also many special liveries for the class 91, including Flying Scotland and special war liveries and many locos are also named. It would be amazing to see these liveries appear by chance.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterCity_225

    Cross Country Class 220/221 Voyagers
    [​IMG]
    These would service fast services between Leeds and Sheffield calling at Wakefield Westgate. There are slight differences between the 220 and 221, mainly the 221 has a tilting mechanism. Both classes can and are often coupled together to form 9 car sets, however single train sets do run on these lines and a bit of artistic liberty can be used. These operate throughout the UK on many routes and they'd be an ideal train for any UK route.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_221
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_220

    Class 158
    [​IMG]
    The sprinters! Another iconic loco that would be fit for any route in the UK. I can see this loco layered with a reskin from another route. They'd run the same services as the class 150s and can sometimes be seen paired together. They also run services from Leeds to Sheffield via Barnsley (stopping and semi-fast via Normanton).

    Anyway... I think this would be a great route to have and it has so much potential for extensions/mergers with other routes in Yorkshire. I'd prefer to see it in the modern era as we already have a lot of BR Northern routes and a bit of modernity never hurt anyone...
     
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  2. lancpudn

    lancpudn Active Member

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    Fantastic suggestion & especially with a BR Class 91 on it. :love::love::love:
     
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  3. Nick Y

    Nick Y Well-Known Member

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    Great route and it's my local line so I'm very familiar with the route.
    Would be nice if it could include the line to Dewsbury Cement for freight via Kirkgate, Horbury Junction and past the old Healey Mills Yard at Ossett/Horbury Bridge.
     
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  4. seandouglas

    seandouglas Active Member

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    Thank you! And yes, I agree, the 91 would be great on this route!

    I'm glad! Hopefully most of the info is correct according to the local! :) While that extension would be nice, it's already a long suggestion by tsw standards and I fear any more track will break the game! Do you know if these cement trains run through Kirkgate and then up towards Leeds?
     
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  5. driverwoods#1787

    driverwoods#1787 Well-Known Member

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    Excellent idea regarding Class 158 it can form a 4 carriages train with Class 150/2 reason is that they are equipped with BSI Couplers set this around 2019 Class 150/2 or 158 and pacers are combined.
     
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  6. Nick Y

    Nick Y Well-Known Member

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    The Dewsbury cement trains run to Kirkgate, then Crofton and Hare Park Junction and then south to South Kirkby Junction and Moorthorpe and down to Sheffield as they are going to Hope (Earles Sidings).
     
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  7. seandouglas

    seandouglas Active Member

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    Oh yes that's true! It would be very cool to see the occasional mixed consist service, would add so much variety and interest to the trains. I've not seen many 4 car trains on Real-time-trains but this is based on a covid timetable so I'm unsure whether more carriages were used before.

    Oh yes, it's a good idea to include the track between Kirkgate and Crofton Jn :) , though I doubt the section between Kirkgate and Dewsbury cement could be realistically included. I was thinking the player would pick up the service at a red before Kirkgate or at the station itself.
     
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  8. tubefan1973

    tubefan1973 Well-Known Member

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    If this was me, I'd love to have the Meadowhall - Barnsley line included, meaning more Class 150/2 Services (which would normally go to Huddersfield) And some more CIVITY services to Leeds too
    I mean, the line to Huddersfield would also be nice but that's too far I think
     
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  9. seandouglas

    seandouglas Active Member

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    Yes, and also you'd have the slow services to Sheffield via Barnsley which use 150s as well. The route is already quite long, but I can see this section being it's own route with the Pontefract line which can either be stand alone or merge with this route. "Normal" tsw routes aren't much longer than 50 miles, so 70 is a push already, and adding the 25 miles or so of the Hallam line is probably too much. I'd still love to see it as either an extension or a route merger, perhaps with the Pontefract and Penistone (yes, real place, pronounced pen-iss-ton) line.

    I like the idea though!
     
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  10. tubefan1973

    tubefan1973 Well-Known Member

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    I near Penistone so I'm used to the dodgy pronunciation
     
  11. seandouglas

    seandouglas Active Member

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    It was more for those not in the know, and just in case any censors came along xD
     

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