After just reading the latest roadmap, All Aboard have yet another product on the way!?! Not just any old thing either, the class 70! Whilst I would love a class 68, the class 70 is a welcome addition for sure. For a studio that has been around on the scene for a year or less? they seem to be really taking strides. What do we all think of All Aboard Studios overall?
They certainly seem to be. Of course I would have preferred a 56 or 60, even a 25, but it’s gratifying to see a 3P making a new freight loco to break the monopoly of that wretched 66.
Absolutely and the fact they are still finding the time to make sure they go back to get fixes sorted for birmingham crewe, its very interesting to see, they must be quite a big team Would love a class 60 too!
I'm sure from ages ago, they said they have a 20+ odd team. So that is pretty big. I'm fully expecting they'll be dropping 2-3 routes and 2-3 locos per year with a team that size.
I like what they have done so far, the 805 is very well made as is the Crewe route despite an unfortunate start. The class 70 is interesting and I am very much looking forward to the Trent Valley route. Hopefully they will branch out to other areas of the country.
I can see them doing 1 more bit of WCML with MK to BNS with Northampton and a Class 730. Maybe North Wales Coast for their Class 805.
Well, they’ve certainly got my attention - I love Birmingham-Crewe and the 805 so far - everything says high expectations to me. Caveat being I’m on PC/Steam, of course. But yeah, I’m anticipating TV and the 70 to be excellent additions, probably day ones if the bank account can handle it!
Both of those would be very nice, AABS are the only ones who have managed to liberate some $ from me for a while.
Indeed the surprise of TSW6. I was surprised how much fun I could have with a passenger train add on like the 805. They clearly understood their assignment.
Interesting thought. We have seen in another thread that Birmingham to Crewe includes the track via Bescot off stage so to speak. If they could get a Colas licence it would make sense to add in the scenery for that section as Bescot Yard is a hub for Colas infrastructure trains.
Didn't know about the Bescot stuff in B2C. Also note in the roadmap it says of the Class 70 "With a primary layer on their recently released Birmingham-Crewe route, ABS are so excited to share this with you all today.", so it is for the B2C route. I'd have more expected it for the Trent Valley, unless there is going to be a "hidden surprise" around Bescot.
This was my thought as well and would so welcome this especially for the 730.. I wouldn't be surprised regarding a North Wales Route as you mentioned also for that reason with the 805.. I also thought of a Birmingham - Liverpool due to the 807 as they already have all the track laid to Crewe, similar with what they are doing with the TV with track already completed from Stafford Station up they only need to do scenery just north of Crewe to Liverpool
For the MK to BNS section, I’m personally hoping AABS will do an extended version of WCML South, upgrading the existing parts of the DTG route and extending it to New Street. I could see them doing North Wales Coast, but I’m holding out hope for that to be a JT project as the traffic was more interesting on that route back then when compared to today.
Personally i would be happy with a modern and more historic version but it would cause complaints in sure. Would love to see NWC set early 80's and so somewhere realistic to give the class 40 a good run on.
To me, North Wales Coast is the 80’s. I used to love that old MSTS add on, particularly the second version which included the Blaenau Ffestiniog branch. It helped it came with a massive collection of traction, which we could never expect to see in TSW. Sadly I nuked my MSTS/Open Rails some time ago so now lost and of course the TSC version of the route is set in more modern times, not the same.
I was just thinking about the MSTS version the other day. I have the disk somewhere. I wondered how feasible it would be to install open rails just for it. If I recall it seemed to have nearly a full days worth of activities and so much stock. I think there were three different first generation DMU's included. If DTG recreated it like for like in TSW and charged £100 for it I would snap their hands off!
NWC would be my ask, personally though I’d like to see it in its 175 era. If we’re doing anything out of Birmingham again though, I’d love to see Moor Street & some Chiltern Stock. Now I’d really love to see the 68, but I have to say the 196 in Chiltern livery is easily one of my favourite liveries to come in recent years.
And they said the speed limits will apply as should be (MU/EPS)... Had a run yesterday on GWE:R with the "Night Riviera" (JT's 47 + FO Mk3s), it is routed via the slow lines and the HUD shows 90 as limit (MU), where it should be 60 all the way to Reading...
They’re definitely on par with the likes of JT and it’s quite impressive the amount of content they’re pumping out with such a small team. I know AAB focus is the WCML, but it would be nice to see them tackle other mainlines… *cough* ECML.
Hopefully they run out of AT300’s too. I get why people want to see more AAS routes but personally I’m not too excited for current day mainlines that are the domain of those units.
We're about halfway done with them. LNER 801, GWR 802 and Avanti 805 and 807 ticked off. That at present leaves the GWR and LNER 800, Hull and TPE 802, Lumo 803 and the new EMR 810. Thankfully we can cut that down a bit as a Lumo 803 is probably unlikely to ever happen, and bare minimum the 800s will probably just be folded in with another route alongside another train anyway as both of them are just re-engined versions of what we already have.
I could see theses doing the whole of the WCML but when I saw the class 70 who knows what else they could have cooking as well this is why I love 3rd party developers because they know what fans want .
Really, where did you hear that? I’m not saying it’s wrong but 20 seems high, they would need to produce 2 routes and locos per year if that is right. I thought there was just 2 of them with contract help, wondered how they were putting out so much stuff and very good stuff too.
Someone did a freeware BR Blue era version for TSC of NWC. There is also a freeware Ffestiniog branch that tacks onto NWC.
Hopefully the class 70 can be used on Wcml Trent Valley, might actually give me a reason to buy the damn modern route, would also buy it if they have good rail tours like class 86/87 etc
Maybe it has been planned to be released at the same time, as was the Pendolino with WCMLS. So that you'll need to buy both to enjoy the "full experience"...
They are like a breath of fresh air and I’m glad they chose a current freight loco because I’m sick and tired of the 66. Added to the 90 things have finally changed for the better.
I don’t hate that they’ve created a collection of routes and locos that link together now. It’s quite a trophy cabinet forming! Birmingham to Crewe with the 350 Variants Class 805 with two new timetables Trent Valley with the 807 Class 70 loco
And quite a few opportunities for the Pendolino to stretch its legs. I just hope those routes will really be linked somehow one day...
