Mml Update 2025

I thought this deserved its own discussion / speculation thread!

From Skyhook Games:

“We'll also be adding driveable timetable services to Midland Main Line in a coming update... More to follow on that one! ”

From LucaZone (Skyhook Games):

“Thanks for the interest in the coming update to MML. Some of these additions have been a long time coming, such as Guard Mode and the improved track shadows that were implemented in line with the launch of TSW5 back in September 2024.

There are about two dozen continued enhancements to MML in the coming update. More details to come.

Intermodal content - For MML, the existing Intermodal services have been made playable.”

Skyhook Games have confirmed that, alongside the upcoming Cargo Line Vol.3 Intermodal add-on, there will be a timetable update coming to the Midland Mainline route. As of the 22nd April LucaZone (of Skyhook Games) has confirmed that the only changes to the timetable will be making the existing ai Intermodal flows playable - that is a smaller number than originally guessed. A timetable overhaul is possible in the future, but has been ruled out for now.

The current Intermodal flows in-game are either during pre-planned Scenarios, or ai driven between Sheet Stores Jct and Syston North Curve.

Hopefully we’ll soon see playable and emulated Intermodal services between:

Leicester (south of the station) to Syston (South Curve for the Peterborough line) and vice versa.

Sheet Stores Jct (for East Midlands Gateway) to Syston (North Curve for the Peterborough line) and vice versa.

Sheet Stores Jct (for East Midlands Gateway) to Leicester (south of station) and vice versa.

I can imagine that some scenery updates may be also planned, as the services mentioned above would all begin, and end, beyond the current ‘playable’ limits of the game.. unless they start midway into a station, junction or mainline - which would be highly unrealistic!

Finally, seeing as Skyhook have lent a hand to Rivet’s Fife Circle by providing the Leven Branch Class 158, wouldn’t it be a nice deal if Rivet lent Skyhook a (perhaps unbranded) silver and maroon Class 170.. for some ‘Cross Country’ services, layers or ai? [edit: this has been ruled out, as well as any ‘extension’]


This teaser image shows an Intermodal service heading south through East Midlands Parkway station on the up fast line.

This teaser image shows another Intermodal service heading south, between Sheet Stores Jct and Trent South Jct.


This teaser image shows another Intermodal heading south through East Midlands Parkway, on the up slow line however.


This teaser image depicts some static FCA Intermodal wagons, and a DB Class 66 at Leicester LIP Depot - I could be wrong though!

[edited on 22.4.24 following comments from LucaZone]

 

Very welcome news. Would explain why MML is not featured on the initial launch of the pack.

Along with the AI 170 potential, XC were still running HSTs at the time the route was set and unbranded XC traffic would add greatly to the busy nature of the route.

 

Great shout! Plymouth to Leeds services weren’t they? There’s also the 153’s which may or may not have been local to the route at that time.. one can only dream!

 

That would be great. Imagine the playable and AI services for the 170. It would really liven up the route.

 

I'd love more AI services. Especially around Nottingham and Derby, but the update should be a good one.

 

Did they mention when the update will be available.

 

I was playing MML the other day, (before the game crashed at Derby for no reason. PS5), and scenic wise it's a lovely route, and it'll be a welcome surprise to see a few other services added and adding the container train services. It'd also be welcome if we got an extension to Sheffield!

 

Nothing that I’ve seen, but we’ll see what happens after the Intermodal pack releases on the 1st of May!

 

I reckon there’s more of a chance than with a DTG route.. I mean, how long has the MML been out.. and Skyhook are still ‘updating’ it as and when. It’s a good omen!

After this announcement, I’d love to see the East Midlands Gateway container terminal added (just a few miles short of the mainline) as well as some more of Toton!

 

If Skyhook did decide to extend it to Sheffield and sell the route as remaster like LIRR, I should imagine it would sell like hot cakes.
I’d welcome it, any excuse for the HST to stretch her legs some more.

 

Two teas for this gentleman)

 

Very good news, this has made the vol 3 pack one I'll be buying when these services are added. MML is a great route now.

 

They mentioned some updates to the route itself along with this a while back - smoke back at the power station (which is visible in the screenshot) and TSW5 level track shadow distance.

 

Nice! It’s also worth mentioning that so far the MML will be the only route with all the Cargo Line Volumes playable within.. certainly a positive trend for its fans!

 

It would be cool to see a timetable with drag moves and static rolling stock based on the Greatest Gathering, though it would mean about a 6 year gap between the scenery and timetable

 

Dont know why they cant be Drivable as well since XC do call at the same destination between Derby and Nottingham....
Would be nice for an EMR update with the introduction of the 170 (and a 158/HST Repaint)?
(the possibility of a 222 is just wishing upon a star nowadays!)

 

Is it me, or is MML the only route that receives continuous updates, even 2 years after its release?

 

Definitely feels it. Isn’t it the oldest third-party route too?

 

In a heartbeat. Derby to Sheffield would add some nice scenery skirting the eastern slopes of the Peak District and as you say, any chance to give the VP185 HST a bit more welly more than welcome.

 

No. It's not even the oldest Skyhook route.

 

It's a great route since the updates a timetable update is much needed make the route even better with more traffic

 

Not even close. The first third party route was the original Isle of Wight which came out not long after TSW2

 

Allow my moment of bliss, forgetting that Rivet existed!

 

East Midlands Trains didn't operate any 170s and that's the company that features on MML.

 

I am aware of that but if the TT was moving to post 2019 then it'll be EMR and if it goes post 2023 then the 170 will definitely be in the picture......but then I guess that'll mean no HST!

Im ok currently as there is a mod available putting an EMR 170 as a sub within the current TT to run on 158 legs, so I'm using that along with the EMR livery from Creator Club to sub for the 158..be nice to get XC in there though to add a bit more traffic around the traps

 

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the interest in the coming update to MML. Some of these additions have been a long time coming, such as Guard Mode and the improved track shadows that were implemented in line with the launch of TSW5 back in September 2024. It will be great when this stuff is out.

I am interested in setting appropriate expectations though.
Extending the route - Extensions are not a thing. This is something I repeat often. The current MML will not be extended. Why is this?
Any extension would have to A] Go free to existing owners (for which the new destinations that get floated would more than double the size of the existing route, so what is paying the staff wages for that time?) or B] Everyone would have to buy it over again effectively making it a new route and not an extension. (This is how DTG achieve 'extensions'. They put the longer version in a new annual release (SEHS in TSW3). The only way to get it is to buy the new annual release, therefore the income from that is paying for the replaced route. 3rd parties don't get any income from new versions of TSW). Extensions are not a thing.

Intermodal content - There will not be 32 additional intermodal services in the timetable. Does that number take into account many services are listed as running at the same time as each other? This means they operate on different days and so there are possibly half or less than that on any one day. For MML, the existing Intermodal services have been made playable.

There are about two dozen continued enhancements to MML in the coming update. More details to come.

 

With respect Adam, I think you underestimate the demand for this route to be extended, whether north towards Sheffield or south towards Bedford. I certainly would have no issue buying a 2.0 version of the route.

And DTG have done this outside the annual release, with LIRR 2.0 which extended the route as a fresh full price release and I’m assuming was reasonably successful.

Otherwise by SHG creating this short, but core section of the MML the chances of another developer coming along and doing a longer version is probably not going to happen.

If that’s the final answer then obviously it is what it is, but I feel the opportunity is now lost for TSW to get a decent run at the MML.

 

Here here!

 

I would buy again if it was extended and given a makeover.

 

This is the problem with TSW, we don't have access to edit the track and signalling to try and extend as a freeware/community project. This is what used to happen, and still happens, with TSC. Shame really.

 

+1 Day one buy for me if the route was extended to Sheffield and further south as a new v2. The only thing I would ask is that the existing cargo DLCs have appropriate timetable slots.

 

Ive always wondered in my short time using TSW why there are no real freeware/community scenery projects (not saying people should do things for free but small branch lines etc) but that is a real shame, leaves a lot on the table for a simulator when other simulator types embrace it!

+1 happy to pay for an extension...for myself the run to Sheffield with the Erewash valley line as this would play into their cargo layers with DB cargo Toton sidings and just add that little bit more into ones gameplay...

 

I stand corrected regarding LIRR as both the original and larger versions are both available for TSW5. That is a bold move by DTG as clearly one will plagiarize the sales of the other making the original pointless to have available still (especially given they're both being sold at the same price!). However that situation still confirms my point - Its not an 'extension' its a whole new copy requiring repurchase. 'Extensions' are not a thing.

I can only speculate that DTG have more lenient budget requirements in order to undertake such an exercise.

 

I bought the lirr comuter the newer one cause its better so if you make mml newer it would be better therefore people would buy because of i certainly would.

 

How much of an extension are the new LIRR and SEHS compared to the old ones?

Just the mainline Derby to Sheffield is some 36 miles. The Matlock branch is another 7, and Erewash Valley is 21. Would be better off its own route with a 222 and/or 156/195.

 

v2 with the extension to Sheffield (+ Erewash valley line) along with the introduction of the class 222 and one could be quietly confident it'll do well!!

 

Will you guys be doing another route. MML is fab.

 

This right here! Vern always On point in the forums. I wouldn't mind paying for a V2 at all! Give us an extra long run in the HST which people have been crying out for me but no we constantly get shafted all the time.
It is 2025 and got the Technology to do this stuff also, get do Focus groups or Surveys. (from what I remember in Business Subject back in school) You have online surveys and that to get people's opinions. Doesn't take much to engage with the community and surveys are a really good way of doing it because it shows our opinions and you are possibly willing to Listen.
This is how I look at it.

 

If extensions are "not a thing" then TSW is forever destined to be full of short routes that go from nowhere, to nowhere. Or if the next section is built the faintly ridiculous notion of teleporting from to the other. Run 8 has a very successful business model extending their various networks, mainly SoCal, yes the tech is slightly different but I for one want to hear solutions to this in TSW, not problems or can't/won't do.

 

OldVern on Point again!
I am getting quite sick of these very short routes.
I don't like the Route hopping feature. Seems to be another excuse not to have things as one big route. Always seems to be a stupid excuse not to do these extensions. Like as I said, 2025 and we have the technology right Infront of you.
Plus Paying £30 for an extension isn't bad because it is a new route but with another big extension. That is how it works.

 

I mean extensions are a thing, Mildmay is getting extended to Richmond, Fife was extended to Leven, Dresden- Riesa with the new branch...

I understand the logistical reasons for not doing an extension for MML which is fine, but to say extensions aren't a thing, I'd say is not correct.

 

Refine the route hop feature and set a fresh route like described above in the same period and maybe a happy medium?

 

Unsure on the Mildmay logistics, but Leven was doable as the track was laid I think, so was just essentially the scenery.

 

Same with Dresden Reisa as it was originally to go to Meissen and the airport but they cut it down due to time.

After all the complaints they cut the route back they decided to give us 1 of the branches they originally asvertised the route with.

I suspect that the Mildmay line was originally going to go to Richmond but the creator cut it back to see if sales would be good enough to justify finishing ot like a Go fund me.

 

Why can't the approach that JT took in TС when implementing Western Mainline routes be applied? (example for MML)
First release: MML: Leicester-Derby/Nottingham v.1.0 - price $30.
Second release: MML: Leicester-Sheffield/Nottingham v.2.0 (extended);
- full price - $60.
- price for v.1.0 owners - $30.

At the same time, route v.1.0 can remain in demand among the community after the release of route v.2.0, if it has something exclusive, for example, its own scenario company, its own set of rolling stock and its livery, its own schedule, which is not duplicated in route v.2.0.

 

I’ll also stand corrected here. You’re right, the 32 aren’t ’services’ but ‘paths’, some of which I’ve omitted as repeats and some of which I’ve included if they had different head codes. Besides, these are 2024 numbers.

I don’t think WonterRail’s TT shows the ai intermodal services, but I’m assuming you’re tempering expectations to a number in low double digits!

 

I think whilst we may hear stuff that we don't like concerning an extension of MML, we have to appreciate the clarity and transparency that Skyhook have shown by even engaging on a subject that was a side point on a thread about a timetable... Genuinely hats off to them, and much respected. It's refreshing to get a blunt, but articulate and honest response surrounding any suggestion of an extension to Sheffield.

But I agree with Verns comment surrounding TSW being stuck to short sections of track. I'd most certainly buy the route again at full price if it was extended to Sheffield.

I think Skyhook will most likely stick to their cargo line and rolling stock packs that really enhance existing routes beyond recognition sometimes and add much needed freight variety. ScotRail and GWE being prime examples... They have done a fantastic job bringing life to them. And also the quality of the rolling stock they produce is top notch.

 

Yes thank you very much LucaZone for your communication. I myself and others do appreciate the transparency you have given us.

 

Hi Luca, was wondering if in the upcoming updates if extra AI services would be added at Leicester/Derby and Nottingham?

 

Thanks for the question.
We currently have no plans to expand the MML timetable further.