The (1st) Just Trains Route: Preston - Blackpool And Omskirk

Well, it's official, JT are on the home stretch, and they've made it to the roadmap.

So it begs the question, what will we see?
~40 Miles, Era 5 (1951-1990), Diesel-Electric and Diesel-Mechanical

Guesses are open and won't be narrowed down for a while yet, me thinks.

EDIT, 2nd May & 6th of June
We have suddenly got a lot more clues to the route, and the community, as we do, have got cracking to try and solve the puzzle. Here's the leading theories.
Current Info:

• 46 Miles all-in
• 1951-1990
  • British Rail
• Diesel-Electric & Diesel-Mechanical
• 
  
• Freight, Shunting, Parcels, Passenger Operations - all in the timetable.
• Layers from other BR Diesel Mainline routes (NTP, TVL, perhaps WCL) + BR Heavy Freight pack, possibly.
• (Probably) 1980's setting

Current Guesses:
• (A variation of) Preston <-> Blackpool
- Potentially extending past Preston to Ormskirk, Bolton, Burnley or elsewhere.

• Wherry Lines (OldVern's theory)
- Just short of 46 Miles (According to the TSC Steam Page)
- Diesel Route, regardless of time period.

 

A Sprinter and/or Pacer will be featured by the looks of it. It obviously isn't the Preston to Blackpool route unless there is a lot more to it.

 

trainsimplayer , Just Trains 'code' = 3.GDF-R5 01

3 = TSW3
G = UK
DF = Diesel Electric, Diesel Mechanical
R5 = Route, Era 5 (1951 to 1990)

 

was the preston to blackpool route a third party dev, or is that DTG?

 

Don't know, but the JT route is 40 miles so isn't Preston to Blackpool North alone. Unless it is both Blackpool routes (north and south). If that would add up to 40 miles.

 

how about manchester to blackpool thats 40 miles

 

i would take any sectorisation route, tbf

 

I doubt we would see two routes to the same place in development at once.
I recon, saying as it's JT, it'll be Midlands or southwest.

 

it might be a chiltern mainline probably to aylesbury

 

Completing over 40 miles of track laying doesn't make a route 40 miles long, a double track 20 miles long would include 40 miles of track laying.

Blackpool to Preston by rail is about 20 miles.

I'm not saying JT route is this but you cant discount it on amount of track laid.

 

An alternative view: we're looking at BR Green (1958-1964) Preston - Blackpool (North / Central and South) which would come to just over 40 miles of track (per the article), fit in the route-coded era (1951 onwards) and come with potentially the Class 101 (diesel-mechanical) and Derby Lightweight (diesel-hydraulic). It would also clearly see many seasonal services in the summer (resort destination) and winter (Blackpool Illuminations), also fitting with the article.



Additional note: I believe a BR Green Derby Lightweight / 101 could layer nicely onto Peak Forest for the conspicuously missing services, perhaps explaining why they aren't coming with Peak Forest. Steam traction could also layer onto Preston - Blackpool, although I definitely wouldn't expect JT to be producing a steam loco out of the gate.

 

mattwild55 , the code is DF = Diesel Electric, Diesel Mechanical, so no diesel hydraulics, but assuming the 101 is the DM then what ‘new to the sim’ Diesel Electric could it be?

 

You are correct, I'm being a donut. Having said that, a BR Green Class 08 would fit the bill for a Diesel Electric.

EDIT: Actually on reflection, it's more likely to be the better known Pacer (I think Diesel Mechanical at this time period) plus a Sprinter carried over from one of the existing routes. From memory some of the people at JT did a freeware version for TSC too set in broadly this time period.

Northern Lines (ontracksimulation.com)

 

I had the feeling it'll be another early dmu 101 type deal & a generic 37 type loco. In which case, I probably won't get it, they don't interest me.

 

How about the Co-Bo (Class 28) Crossleys as I think they ran around that area, being based at Carlisle. There’s one preserved at East Lancs Rlwy.

 

Blackpool North Station cine - 1980s action - YouTube

Now I would take this all day long, we're crying out for a decent class 47 to todays standards IMO

 

The Wherry lines totals just over 40 miles, and would be ideal for a diesel mechanical DMU and a diesel electric locomotive. The timetable could be quite interesting too, with summer Saturday excursions and layering potential with NTP stock if set in the 1980's.

 

THIS i would be down for!

 

I have a feeling the dmu could be new so like a class 120 etc. Also It may be a Scottish route with the class 27, 26, 107 etc. Personally I hope the route isn't actually 40 miles long as depending on the rolling stock it may not be a good length like WCL.

 

The Diesel Electric could be an existing unit and the DM could be an early pacer?

 

Diesel electric could be a thumper on the hasting line or another line they've operated on. Though my other guess is they are lying with the routes length.

 

As has been pointed out (correcting me), the Pacer was diesel-hydraulic

 

The roadmap said 40+ miles of track laid which is extremely broad. Could be 20 miles one way and 20 miles the other way making 40+ miles in total cuz both directions. Or included an additional line as well and added up the route lengths following the similar format

 

Well most were, yes but originally some were diesel mechanical (if Wiki is to be believed)

 

142 was mechanical up until late 80s or early 90s I think.

 

Cardiff to bristol is about 40 miles long by the way

 

Diesel Mechanical, not Hydraulic.

 

No diesel hydraulic in this code. Diesel Electric and Diesel Mechanical.

 

Diesel mechanical only really offers us shunters from Classes 01 to 06, large volumes of first generation dmus and early Pacers. My guess would be a new DMU with a reused Diesel Electric such as the Class 47. This still doesn't much help with figuring out the route though as it could be almost anywhere. From the leaked Steam depot dumps, there are still two identifiers unclaimed, those being CB and AAE. Maybe they can help narrow it down.

 

I think it could be the hope valley line, Manchester Piccadilly to sheffield is 42 miles, not 100% sure on what trains ran in this time on the hope valley line.

 

Before the rebuild they were diesel mechanical

 

The 101 could fit in there depending when it is set. The Manchester depots didn't have many 101's until the very late 80's, Leeds did, but I assume Hope Valley services would have been provided by Longsight. Class 104, 105, 108 could be other possibilities depending on the date of the route. During Regional Railway days class 101's were common on the Hope Valley.

I suppose any of the diesel loco's we have could potentially be seen on the route on freight and parcels, I think there were some loco hauled passenger services along it too.

 

The Wherry line would be a big win for me, I've travelled on it a few times, and I have it for TSC, and it's a pretty fun route to drive.

I'd love to see the Riviera line too at some point.

 

CB could be Cardiff-Bristol but who knows

 

I would eat my smelly socks for a nice Class 105 Cravens unit.

 

My punt is the Furness line. The JT team built it for TSC so they'll already have some data, just backdated for a 108 perhaps? Carnforth-Barrow is about 40 miles.

 

I would love that, but if it is the Furncess line, please lets have a 108 not a reused class 101, as they were very uncommon on that route.

 

remember they said over 40 miles of track layed, meaning that could be both directions plus other things like depots and platforms. This in mind, the leaked ‘presblkpool’ (preston-blackpool) is around 17 miles so would be a possible contender. it also makes sense to start of with a smaller route for a 3rd party so they can focus on making the route as good as possible.

 

Or it could be a 40 miles.... so far?

 

That would make me eat another pair of smelly socks...

 

Calder Valley Line Manchester Victoria to Leeds City via Halifax Bradford Interchange in the 1980s with a Class 142 143 Pacer with lorry gearbox Class 50 diesel locomotive to Bridgehouse.

 

You have to bring that up every time, don't you?

 

Had to put that in since it falls within the criteria of 40 miles Diesel Electric and Diesel mechanical rolling stock. Otherwise Fife Circle

 

Didnt realise that the Calder Valley was single track back in the 1980s.

 

Calder Valley always going to be too close to the existing NTP. Guess Hope Valley a possibility.

 

This I like, I have that route in TSC and it's a lovely run. The TSW3 graphics engine would be able to do real justice to the scenery, the water especially. If it was this it's be a day one purchase for me!

 

You wouldn't have seen a class 50 in the Calder Valley. After their stint on the WCML they were all on the Western region and the Waterloo to Exeter services.

 

Didn't have to, just choose to because you suggested it before and take any opportunity to shill it.
I mean, speculation is the point of this thread, but you do it all the time.

 

What diesel locomotive would have belong there in the 1980s can't be going towards Bradford Interchange which needs DMU?

 

Well I imagine any of the following depending what year in the 80's, class 20, 25, 31, 37, 40, 45, 46, 47, 56