The South Humberside Mainline runs from Cleethorpes to Doncaster and is nowadays served by Transpennine Express class 185s. This route would take a step back to the 1990s and the end of British Rail, with the myriad of freight traffic that ran to Scunthorpe and Immingham being the main focus of this route. Barnetby was also a major hub for freight traffic, as the line from Grimsby splits into 3 there and heads for Doncaster, Brigg and Lincoln leading to a plentiful amount of semaphore signal gantries. This route would have a total route length of around 67 miles. Proposed Rolling Stock Class 56 'Grid' in Coal & Petroleum Sector livery The Class 56s were one of the main forms of freight traction on the coal workings to Immingham and Scunthorpe alongside Class 60s and the occasional Class 37s. These workings had the 56s hauling upwards of 50 fully loaded HAA wagons or a rake of 20 or so bitumen TTA tankers (both new for this route), giving the driver a challenge in getting the trains stopped and starting up again. The Class 56s are fitted with a Paxman engine similar to the engines originally fitted to the Class 43 HSTs, and they both share a distinctive turbo scream when the engine has been put on full power. The class has a top speed of 80mph, with 105 Class 56s were built in the UK whilst the first 30 were built in Romania and having a slightly different appearance as a result (most notably the grilles on the front of the loco). Class 60 'Tug' in Coal & Petroleum sector livery The Class 60s were built by British Rail in response to the Foster Yeoman Class 59s, as BR wanted to prove that British built locos were still capable of working heavy freight traffic. Whilst it is safe to say that the Class 60 failed miserably when compared to the Class 59 and following Class 66, they were still capable enough for the duties they were assigned. The Class 60s would be hauling reskinned TEA wagons on Petroleum workings as well as PTA wagons for iron ore deliveries to Scunthorpe and Immingham. The Class 60s had a top speed of 60mph, and were equipped with a Mirrlees Blackstone engine similar to the one tested in 37901-904. Class 158 in Regional Railways livery The Class 158 fleet consists of 165 2car units and 17 3car units which were capable of doing 90mph, and they would find themselves on services between Doncaster and Cleethorpes on this route as well as some AI services at Doncaster. Layers Class 142 (Blackpool Branches): Local services between Doncaster and Scunthorpe. Class 150/2 (West Cornwall Local): Would add services from Lincoln (Barnetby) to Grimsby/Cleethorpes as well as the Barton-on-Humber branch line services as far as Ulceby. Class 37/5 (Tees Valley): Would add some additional local freight services around Scunthorpe and Immingham as well as some AI traffic at Doncaster.
I was thinking about suggesting this route myself, albeit in a (slightly) more modern setting, as I'd like to see a 185 in the game. Either way would be cool though.
Would love my local route in game. Prefer modern era though, mostly because I know it best. It still receives a lot of freight traffic to this day. Think I've even seen a Class 56 on the odd occasion. It'd be a shame to miss the Barton branch out.
I think it should be based around 2006 when the 185 where they slowly introduced into service as they faded out the 158s and the 153 on the Barton line also the line to Lincoln
Excellent suggestion. Some good end to end freight runs (Scunny CHP to Immingham coal and Santon to Immingham iron ores and decent gradient at Santon bank to contend with. Semephores and colour lights. The 56s never wore petroleum livery, they wore coal, metals and construction, both metals and coal were very frequent, construction less so. Also the HAAs were usually 36 to a rake. The class 60s were not a failure they were quite successful, they replaced pairs of 31s on the petroleum trains and hauled more than double the 47 capacity on tank trains (usually 28 TEA tanks) they also replaced the double headed 37s on iron ores. Granted the 59s were stronger and certainly more reliable but they were also very non standard and with GMs heritage of producing very powerful reliable North American locomotives, it makes sense. The 66s were seen as more of an initial failure when they arrived, build quality was lower standard than the 59s, and they were very noisy from the cab, but as Wisconsin Central ought EWS it was expected that the US owners would buy a US product. With larger wheels they are geared for speed (75mph) rather than power as per the 59/60s (60mph).ironically the non standard nature of the class 60s is ultimately what caused them to be withdrawn (as with the 58s) the 66s were too numerous by then with EWS, FL and GBRf buying them en mass.
