I'd hazard a guess that Just Trains are making WCML North for TSW6, which they are going to surprise drop with their class 86/2.... Probably going to be a sales gimmick for TSW6, to get all the older players buying the yearly update. And what is my basis for this wild speculation, you ask? https://store.steampowered.com/app/208379/Train_Simulator_Class_86_Loco_AddOn/ WCML North was a route requirement for the class 86/2 loco DLC in Train Simulator Classic, apparently.
I suppose they have been quiet recently with no announcements about route development - possible! If they do, I would love to see a modern timetable created too (potentially by a third party so it doesn't detract from JT's dev time for older content which some players appreciate - but on all platforms - the modders are great, but it's sad their work is often PC only), alongside relevant modern stock (thinking TPE 397 perhaps). Could be good fun.
I could be wrong but I'm sure I heard whispers JT wouldn't be developing WCML North... To be honest the 142 for CCN and 86 + Mk2Ds are probably enough to keep them busy for now... I think route wise they might take a step away from the WCML and surprise us by focusing on a different geographical region. The last two releases of JTs have been absolutely phenomenal. I always hoped they may bring the entire Metropolitan Line along with LU S Stock, like they had developed for TSC, across to TSW. Something very different.
They said it on the WCMLoS preview streams several times and stated it was too long and too complicated.
Yes fairly certain JT said they were not contemplating going to Glasgow. That said, with the AC electrics in their roster not unthinkable they might not look further south at something like a period Trent Valley or similar. Though my smart money is still on their next route being North Wales Coast, or a part thereof as, apart from some decent blue/grey Mark Ones and a Class 25, most of the traction and rolling stock is already in game.
I understand what you're saying, and don't disagree. It would leave many questions though... Carlisle station is a Just Trains asset, so if they don't make WCML North, how could anybody else do it now? DTG won't make a 100+ mile route (they couldn't even make WCML Euston to Milton Keynes without third-party help), so does anybody really think they'd make WCML North? Do you really want Rivet Games or Athena Simulations to make WCML North?
I’d like to think JT would make it but WCML North as it is in TSC may not even come to TSW at all. JT’s Class 86 is for WCML over Shap and that’s all we know. Their next route doesn’t have to join on to what they have already made but if it does it could go south from Preston rather than north. I’d like them to do Crewe to Preston and Liverpool. The only thing there is Spirit of Steam brought a lot of that to TSW already in what was a mediocre way. We haven’t seen duplicated routes in TSW yet and it could be a risk for any dev who tries it. I have no idea what they will actually make, I’m just expecting whatever it is to be good. As for Rivet or Athena making WCML North, no I wouldn’t want that, I would want Just Trains to do it. I’m already sweating that Athena have ‘custody’ of the Class 40 and 45. They may be very enthusiastic but they have a lot to prove and I don’t have high hopes. Rivet are Rivet and will likely only do modern-ish content but may not even make their own UK routes any more with them taking on more route building for DTG. Their plans for more Swiss content may also have been scuppered due to recent developments. There’s no word on them making any of their own content but there is a roadmap coming up so you never know. And of course we don’t know yet what JT have up their sleeve. I will be happy if they do make WCML North but other people are saying they have said they won’t so I’m not expecting it.
Another possibility for JT could be the Highland Main Line. We know at one time they were working on it for TSC, but the project got cancelled. They would certainly still have all the research data available and depending on era, apart from the blue/grey Mark Ones and maybe a Class 26, most of the required traction and stock already exists in game.
Whilst l too wouldn’t want either Rivet or Athena to produce it, in Rivets case they only receive a backlash as their work has been poor and amateurish. The way to kill that backlash is to improve their previous offerings, something they seem incapable of doing. I certainly would want Just Trains to do it, as their work always hits the highest of standards and are a total bliss for everyone to enjoy.
I think WCMLN is a long-shot because of just how many of the branches and loops you need to avoid the inevitable case of local services cutting in/out of the route. Save the 101/314 you'd also need a brand new Class 303 (or similar alternative) for the route to do commuter services which you only see on part of the route, and may not be worth it. I'd only see it happening if a Glasgow Commuter route (in the BR/SPTE era) was made.
WCML North between Gretna and Carstairs isn't too complex. North of Carstairs it gets more complicated but some already been done in Cathcart Circle. Doubt it's coming though like others have mentioned.
There’s been asset sharing before between DTG and third parties - Gospel Oak and Willesden are in Mildmay and lifted from Goblin/WCMLs and would presume that the Manchester Piccadilly from Glossop is the same that ATS are using for their route.
I want the Hamburg U1 Hochbahn Line from Just Trains like they did on TSC with the DT4 and DT5. Or Modern British Routes and No BR Era
Personally, I’m hoping JT will head over to the East and give us a BR era ECML route next. Set somewhere in the crossover period of the Deltics and the HSTs. I don’t want to see any other third party do the Deltic after seeing how beautifully the 87 was modelled!
I think their next route would likely be Preston-Crewe just due to the nature of having their routes be interconnected, as well as having a lot of stock cross over. They could even have a "Would you like to continue this service" feature for trains continuing on the WCML south of Preston, basically route hopping without leaving your seat, with all of the stock in your formation and surrounding you being the same as well. I think they might hold off on another route for a while though, as they have two locos to release, as well as the updates to BPL that were mentioned around the release of Shap (which are eagerly awaited )
Personally, I'd like them to take their 86 and Mk2s and plop it on a period GEML... though I am a little biased
They abandoned this project because they couldn't do the research needed! Specifically, Google maps was too low res and indistinct in the Highlands.
They said many moons ago that the Cumbrian coast was requested often (as was West Highland mainline) and the main issue with both was that it's mostly single track and so would limit the amount of services possible. I imagine it's a similar issue for Highland Mainline. Yeah the routes would work for TSC but for a 24 hour timetable like TSW with it's "open world" drive any service format it would kill it if the line has say only 20 services a day. For me one of the many reasons JT have been successful so far is that for both Blackpool Branches and WCMLOS the start and end points are logical with all services stopping at those places, unlike with ECML and WCML south. They have ruled out Carlisle to Glasgow, so if they stay north I can imagine something like Carlisle to Newcastle in 1986, or as others have suggested and the more logical choice, south to Crewe.
When I did the Far North line for MSTS in 2002 I didn’t have any DEM data and worked off paper OS maps purchased from the bookshop. I also had to extract coordinates from the maps by hand then convert them to the weird format that Kuju decided to use for markers in the game. Where there’s a will, there should be a way and there is far more information available online these days than 20 or so years ago. Google is not the only resource. Failing that, book a couple of nights in a B&B, jump in the car and scout the terrain out for real.
