Wcml Preston To Crewe Discussion

Now this bit of industrial details is what gets me excited about the route. As the narrator says "it's not just a passenger route with a few freight runs thrown in."

 

No, I understand they haven’t released a DLC. But, your comment was “They haven’t produced anything for TSW”, which is incorrect.

 

some good logic there, glad i'm not the only one who thinks whitehaven might be a bit underwhelming after Preston crewe. we shall see.
i had a thought this morning that random incidents may come as part of the whitehaven route it would make sense trying to bring them in on a less intense route there rather than on this and creating extra work.
one thing we are forgetting here is most of the focus has been on the northern end of the route and nothing yet on crewe and basford hall. that's going to be interesting in the updates
the sleepers i can see why some would want them (me included) but its a lot of work to add them in to everything and from a message in a previous thread from JT that the leccys on BPO is being worked on as time will allow suggests that they wont be a top priority for the handful of services they cover.
the 37 yeah im in agreement with most that we need a blue one and with the addition of the 108 they have a good set of locos to start work on a second curveball route away from the WCML, which i could see (i know whitehaven is but its still off what they have already done). my concern with crewe is it again may be a bit bland without any AC EMUs (its too much to ask for one given how much they would offer just on AI services). i doubt they will go south in the same way i don't think AABS will go north. it leaves liverpool west manchester east or north wales and they have ruled out north to Glasgow. there are many other places they could go including 2 remasters that are itching to be done. personally id love them to have a crack at woodhead.

 

Shortly after Whitehaven was announced, on the Discord, I can't remember the exact words, but one of the JT devs along the lines of "don't expect them to stay in the North West region". I feel Whitehaven may be the last NW route and they'll change region after that.

 

And it doesn't matter how good the sounds are, they need to be mixed with an ear to all the little nuances. The TSW Class 40 has been mentioned before and while it is very good, you don’t AFAIR get the change in engine note as the field diverts kick in and out and the frenzied thrash at full throttle.

 

This is so subjective, though. I'm far more excited about this route than Preston - Crewe.

Personally, I'm not remotely bothered about it looking like the rail version of the M1, a nice countryside jaunt with rural/coastal scenery is far more my cup of tea, if I only pass one other train in an hour that's fine by me so long as there is plenty to look at.

Meanwhile, Crewe-Preston is flat, bland and boring (in real life), the freight work sounds quite interesting but the route itself is thoroughly "meh". I guess its just each to their own personal taste, quite like how I can readily spend hours on Blackpool branches but find Shap pretty mind numbing (even with the lovely scenery).

 

I don’t share your views on mainline stretches, but I do agree that the Whitehaven line will be a nice relief from the slew of UK mainline routes we’ve been getting. Certainly looking forward to it.

 

I think it would be great if JT could chuck in a couple of reskins in a very faded BR blue thanks to one too many runs through the acid wash

I will admit that I think it's a shame that they didn't do the Liverpool spur, it would have added so much more to the route (obvious passenger services between Liverpool-Crewe/Euston but also the extra freight opportunities from Ditton, Halewood and Runcorn. I think the biggest issue would have been the need to create and include something like an AM10/Class310 as leaving the diagrams out or just having the 101 sub might be a bit of a stretch - even for those who do suspend disbelief elsewhere.

I think the opportunities for shunting and forming/splitting freight services on this route will be excellent, chuck in the coal workings and it really has a lot of potential

 

No problem. Thanks for the correction.

 

it is subjective on what people would like to see in game, i do agree. when it was announced i was a bit sat on the fence with it in that it will be a drop off in terms of service variety compared with what's gone before. its an interesting route, but will i enjoy it as much as i have the first 2 releases and what's looking like an excellent 3rd. we know very little about it so far and time will tell. it may drag me in and be my favorite release from JT.

its almost a tees valley of the west style route which i enjoyed but there wasn't the variety to to hook me over from TSC at the time of its release. with the excellent work JT will do on whitehaven will get more tongues wagging for a TVL remaster for more of the same.

 

Tees was a frustrating one as they could have had Boulby or Bishop Auckland included. Its basically end to end with a decent yard in the middle. Like NTP its very devoid of AI traffic feeding in and out also.

Crewe to Preston will be very different. JT always have a good go at the time tables and Crewe will be another level of busy compared to Preston even if its not 100% of the services.....

 

Woodhead would be a really cool addition, and one they’re clearly capable of doing well. Concentrating more on Manchester would also give them additional routes (Preston - Victoria and Crewe - Piccadilly).

 

Oh, how I'd love to see those two routes get a remaster with a new loco add-on and timetable...

 

Well if East coastway can have one who knows? As long as the BR doesnt sell line doesnt get trotted out again. With a 108 in the pipeline another DMU option is on the cards. Just need BR era diesel traction getting a boost. The 37 been mentioned already so the 56 and 25 would be a obvious addition.

 

…let’s not dream too many beautiful dreams ! To most of Generation Discord the Class 150 is a ‘Heritage Unit’ ! …The fact that the Class 50 & 55 get overlooked for some Class 2/3XX EMU is where we’re at.

 

And there was me dreaming we might get 10000/10001 at some point - they could even layer on SoS. Though I doubt there are any references as to what they sounded like, probably similar to a Class 40.

 

It's like music. Anything 25 years old is a "classic" and 50 years old is a "golden oldie."
So anything prior to 2001 is definitely "heritage."
Anything 1976 and older would be quite literally an "antique."

Speaking as an antique myself, I understand the frustration. =-)

 

Rock'n'roll will never die

 

The 150s are approaching 40 years of service.

The surviving first generation DMUs were also considered heritage when they got to their fourth decade lol.

 

As I’ve remarked previously, the first gen Sprinters, including the 158’s, are now older than the Heritage DMU’s were when first introduced!

 

Some people would lay an egg if you told them there are some electrostars getting on for 3 decades old.

 

Cluck, cluck…

 

One thing I really hope JT focus on with this route is the lighting. I’ve just done another run on the GWE remaster and the improvement is massive. One thing that really stands out, is the sun no longer reflects off the wet ballast and sleepers to the point you are blinded. This isn’t just for JT of course, as most of the other routes have this problem. It can be a bit of an immersion killer so fingers crossed this is looked at.

 

apologies, my comparison of tees valley was with the whitehaven route not preston crewe. both are as you describe an end to end run with yards in the middle and a dock on whitehaven.

i was thinking that woodhead post 70 would be freight only past hadfield so to add a bit more to it do an ad hoc TT for some foot ex services and maybe add Sheffield midland so you could add in some unusual hope valley diverts using nunnery. it would give you both start points for a hope valley route (without stockport) but could include peak forest and buxton for the freight and the hyde loop of which most of it would be done from woodhead.

 

I wonder if the Class 47 improvements will include reversing the animation on the top radiator fans? The way they spin at the moment would force air back down - my understanding is it should be the other way, sucking air through the side louvres, over the rads and out the top.

 

A further update in this month's roadmap, this time focussing on the class 20s. Some really nice screenshots!


Good to see we're getting some Railfreight livery 20s and 47s for some variety

 

https://www.justtrains.net/in-development/west-coast-main-line-crewe-preston
Some more details in the JT blog too as well as a few more screenshots

 

122 of them + quite a few Scottish versions

 

Really looking forward to this, just a shame it does look like we’ll be waiting a little while longer!. So pleased they have adjusted the Class 20 exhaust dynamics. Hopefully the 31 will get the same treatment at some stage.

 

Take my money now etc...Although having had to replace my car recently I am kind of glad its slow to be released. The 20s look spot on.

 

Really looking forward to doing the Deepdale and Fiddlers Ferry branch lines, both really interesting areas.

 

Pretty sure there is a screenshot of Vulcan Village on the blog. That could mean Earlestown station is included as well as Newton - Le - Willows. I don't think that has been mentioned prior??

I'd love to see a route map!!

Edit first picture on GWR Kings post

 

Is it a whole new Class 20? Or is it a reskin with all the problems of the originals? I know this is set in the 80s and the most recent release class 20 was more recent but I think the question is valid as we’ve had several incarnations of 20s before.

 

Probably a rework like they did with 08

 

https://www.justtrains.net/in-development/west-coast-main-line-crewe-preston

 

Earlestown and Newton Le Willows are both in it as Parkside Colliery is basically in Newton Le Willows. The trains from Parkside to Fiddlers Ferry run through Newton Le Willows and Earlestown then down to Winwick jcn and reverse south of Warrington Bank Quay. They then reverse east of Warrington at Latchford and thence to Fiddlers Ferry.

 

This still looks like a day 1 buy for me because I am old and love blue things, and things that were once blue.

 

So I am not usually one given to experiencing pareidolia, but this has to be the most Thomas-ass looking design that ever existed.

 

Unless I missed something we don't have a proper route map for this yet. We got one for Carlisle-Whitehaven 3 months ago during Season of Reveals along with some other routes expected after Crewe-Preston.

It's absence is conspicuous.

 

Reminds me of this article about "Happy Trains"
https://www.railmagazine.com/news/r...rchives-happy-trains-are-award-winning-trains

 

Cheers for that, I wasn't sure of the route from Parkside back to the mainline back then!

 

No probs, its not to far from my neck of the woods. Used to enjoy the sounds of the 20s back in the day.

 

Ditto me but i'd have been 3/4 when the route was set! I used to travel from NLW to Manchester a bit in the early 90s but other than the towers Id don't recall much about Parkside

 

Aw, look at his little face

 

Chopper had been a naughty engine that year, all he got for Christmas was a merry-go-round with a lump of coal...

 

The freight pics have looked fantastic, I really think those who enjoy that side of things are really going to enjoy it.

But my favourite aspect is still the passenger side of operations,

I want to see more of the stations, a class 86 without third rail capabilities(!) and the new Mk2 variants. I had hoped they would have released some pics of the 86/4 by now.

 

Are you referring to an image where the bogie structure looks flush with the rails ?
I noticed that the other day and that left me perplexed...

 

Yeah, it's been a thing with the 86/2 since it was released.
It's apparently been fixed but still no pics or update.

 

I have a feeling the timetable on this one will be a huge undertaking, the amount of junctions alone means a lot of trains feeding in and out of the map even if they are not all playable. Crewe simply is a massive amount of traffic even if it all doesnt feature. Id say that a lot of comments about the route length perhaps dont take into account the scope of it.

Preston station and routes from it (Ormskirk, Blackpool, Chorley, East Lancs)

Wigan North Western and routes from it (Ince, St Helens and the Wallgate lines)

Springs Branch with the Bickershaw lines

Lowton/Parkside area triangle

Chat Moss (very busy trunk route)

Warrington Bank Quay(Arpley yard and route to Fiddlers Ferry, Helsby lines) Also the Cheshire lines which cross over the WCML in the Froghall lane area of Warrington.

Weaver Junction which feeds in and out from Liverpool.

Hartford jcn which leads off the WCML towards Northwich and joins the lines from Chester.

And finally

Crewe with WCML, North Wales Sandbach, Potteries, Shrewsbury services all converging and thats without getting into the freight....

 

Couldn't have gone farther south anyway (considering AAS Trent Valley coming).
One day perhaps we will have some routes represented "modern" and backdated, but we are not there yet.
And even in TS it was rare, so I would say that if one day we get the complete WCML, it will be a patchwork of different eras...