1970s Br Blue Western Region Pack

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by ARuscoe, Dec 8, 2020.

  1. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Stated in the Roadmap stream on 9th December at about 1:04:30 this pack is looking to be developed early next year
    Adam has said that it will include a BR blue 52, and a rebuild so not just the one in WSR

    What would you like to see from a 70s BR Blue Western Region pack?
     
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  2. Challenger3985

    Challenger3985 Well-Known Member

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    Now for me, the Hymeks (Class 35) would be a great addition to the pack. Not only another Diesel-Hydraulic Loco for TSW but also a mixed-traffic engine for both passenger and freight services.
    But since the only Western region route in TSW is the GWML (which is more of a modern era), I'm not sure how this will work for the 35. But, it's just a thought of mine.
     
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  3. krustynuggets

    krustynuggets Well-Known Member

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    Hymeks, gimme gimme gimme, I'm starting some crazy arse praying for them to be included, in fact why don't they make it the holy trinity of Warships, Westerns and Hymeks, all WR loco's and all surviving into the 70's.
     
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  4. BinaryRun

    BinaryRun Active Member

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    Not really an answer to the question, but I'm looking forward to it. Those trains have always looks cool to me, but the 25mph limit has steered me away from them. Seeing it on different routes would make it lot more appealing.
     
  5. Mattty May

    Mattty May Guest

    Surely a 70’s BR Western Region Pack should include all, or at least a small collection, of the locomotives from that era. I don’t know what it should include though as I’m not too familiar with that era/region combination. It’ll be a shame if only the 52 is included though it’s interesting they’re rebuilding the 52. Not sure why this would be needed.
     
  6. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    That's what I would understand from a "pack"
     
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  7. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    A DMU as they were the backbone of rail travel. So either one or a combination of class 116/117/118/119/120/121/122/123!

    Also a route to run them on!
     
  8. Mattty May

    Mattty May Guest

    According to Wikipedia, it seems the Westerns/Hymeks and Warships were the predominant diesel locomotives in the BR Western Region.
     
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  9. Tigert1966

    Tigert1966 Well-Known Member

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    Not to be too greedy, but all the trains in the Western Hydraulics Pack on TS, built for TSW 2 + something period authentic to run them on would be nice!
     
  10. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    A proper pack would have a local passenger, regional / intercity loco with carriages, and at least a class 2/3/4 loco set (so in the 70s you've got Hymeks etc) unless they do later 70s when the 37/47 might be a good shout
     
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  11. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Yes I agree and I think in the days of TS1 it would have, look at the BR Blue packs DTG released. But I don't know with TSW due to the development times and the more complex graphics and features.

    It depends on which part of the Western region too as for certain parts there would not be a need to have all examples of traction. If they chose for example something different like the Bristol to Weymouth route you could probably just supply a 35 and 52 and dare I say it one of Bristol Bath Roads class 101 units, although a class 119 or 120 Cross Country unit would be more suitable.

    Paddington to Reading would be silly without a class 117 and similarly Devon and Cornwall without a class 118 or South Wales without a class 116.

    This is assuming a route would feature as well, which on first glance it appears it will not.

    The Western region did have allocation of class 47's from their inception, and being the Western Region had several named ones, when corporate BR was doing away with locomotive names. They were mostly names which had adorned former steam locomotives.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2020
  12. Kim1087

    Kim1087 Well-Known Member

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    I want a Great Weston route set in the 70's/80's to run them on
     
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  13. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    I'm not sure that it IS more complex with simugraph etc as they can easily get hold of the spec from drawings which I've seen a number of people have got off ebay...
    Anyway, I look forward to more information rather than speculation
     
  14. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Yes me too. Speculation can be quite interesting though!
     
  15. LeadCatcher

    LeadCatcher Well-Known Member

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    It sure is and leads to some interesting and, at times, heated debates which are ALWAYS good entertainment. As I learned in boot camp - speculation is one step from assumptions -- and you know what assume means :)
     
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  16. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    I certainly do, and have been guilty of it several times!
     
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  17. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    So long as people don't then start quoting me as if I worked for DTG... I mean I live down the road from their offices but I don't work for them
     
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  18. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    The gentleman doth protest too much (not sure that works as a paraphrase)!
     
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  19. Rob39

    Rob39 Well-Known Member

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    I wouldnt mind it coming along with a route. Maybe set in a time period where it can make use of some of our NTP stock. Add a collection of wagons. Maybe even a brand new BR Intercity 125
     
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  20. Purno

    Purno Well-Known Member

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    Extra layers for TVL and NTP timetable mode would be nice, as well as some sort of heritage service on GWE, similar to the railtour service on ECW.

    And fully working substitution on TVL, NTP, WSR and ECW. As well as reversed substitution, so other 70s BR Blue locomotives can subsitute the 52 and whatever else this pack brings.

    Obviously new rolling stock would be nice to have, but IMO the other things I mentioned would be 'core' features any DLC should have.
     
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  21. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    If it was set in Somerset, Devon or Cornwall the NTP Peak would be suitable for cross country services as they were still seen there up to the mid 80's. Although some modifications might be needed to the Peaks marker lights to suit the 70's period if you want to be a purist about it (which I would). The class 47 was of course very much part of the Western region scene as it was everywhere, the TVL class 31 could also be used as they supplanted many of the smaller diesel hydraulics on the Western region.
     
  22. Rob39

    Rob39 Well-Known Member

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    I was thinking they would all be suitable due to the lack of a headlamp. If new 52 came with a different variant of mk 2 coach. It could then supplement ntp and vice versa.
     
  23. Challenger3985

    Challenger3985 Well-Known Member

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    Just a reminder, this is the Western Region Pack were talking about here. As I said before, since the only mainline route in the western region in TSW is the GWE (That's set in the modern era), it should be interesting to see how this loco pack would work on a route like this. But still, can't wait to see what this pack is gonna include on the roadmap soon.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2020
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  24. Iskra

    Iskra Active Member

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    Would the West Somerset Railway not count? Plenty of scope there with a preserved railway offering a degree of artistic license.

    However, based on the current British route releases being repeats of TS routes, the Riviera Line in the 70's appearing wouldn't be the biggest of surprises...
     
  25. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    For me no, mainly because driving any loco at 25mph isn't a challenge unless the brakes fail
     
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  26. Challenger3985

    Challenger3985 Well-Known Member

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    I did say Mainline route. West Somerset is just a heritage branch line. Plus, there's already a 52 for WSR (As Preserved I might add) while this upcoming pack will have the BR Blue variant (or Green, whichever comes first).
     
  27. Rob39

    Rob39 Well-Known Member

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    They said on stream that it wasnt for WSR.
     
  28. LeadCatcher

    LeadCatcher Well-Known Member

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    Oh I don’t know... trying to stay below 25mph seems to be my challenge on that route :)
     
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  29. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Agree a pack of this nature needs a mainline route to stretch its legs and modern(ish) GWE won't cut it.

    The ideal solution would be something akin to the Riviera Line in Railworks, Exeter to Paignton or maybe Kingswear too depending on era.
    That said, AFAIR the Hymeks were not that common in the West Country, more likely to turn up on Cotswold services or in West Wales. However some licence could be taken and in addition to a reworked Wizzo, a Warship (Class 42, not Class 50) is pretty much de-facto.
     
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  30. ralphy_porter2000

    ralphy_porter2000 Active Member

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    If it is as rounded as they say I hope we get a Class 22, a new DMU and new shunter.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2020
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  31. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Oxford to Worcester/Hereford would be nice to see set in the 70's. Nice scenery, semaphore signals and historic villages, towns and cities.

    I think the Hymeks did work down to Weymouth if I am not mistaken, not sure about Portsmouth?

    I will be very interested to see further announcements when they come, if it just a pack to run on the GWE as it is then it's not for me as that is taking the suspension of reality too far. If in time a suitable route is released which requires this pack then I will definitely be purchasing it.

    I wonder how it would it work on GWE though, would it have to have a complete new service mode, I wonder, or will it be layers on top of existing services.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2020
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  32. steamfan

    steamfan Member

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    Love this pack dlc idea, hope DTG will do more of these in the future
     
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  33. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Yes I agree, I certainly like the idea behind it.
     
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  34. Mr JMB

    Mr JMB Well-Known Member

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    I think we will have to see what route it comes for, my impression from the discussion was that it is a loco DLC for GWE and is only containing locos and rolling stock. The only confirmed loco being the class 52, but a different model to that on WSR (and the pack is definitely not for WSR). I would suggest this is why the class 52 appears in the roadmap as being specifically made ready for the livery designer, it is clearly being actively worked on.

    Whether this works or not is interesting, GWE is in a difficult place, it is modern but not current-day modern. There are no 800s there for example and not even electrified lines, but it equally would look a bit odd with some random 1970s trains suddenly running there. It has quite a narrow scope if you think about it. The new pack would be better suited to NTP or Tees Valley.
     
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  35. Rob39

    Rob39 Well-Known Member

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    Obviously time will tell, but a different 52 loco to the one we have would make it retro and not suitable for modern era railtours?
     
  36. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Well it wouldn't be suitable for the NTP or TVL as these trains never ran on those lines, I would rather it was for GWE rather than those. But GWE does have OHEL which wasn't there in the 1970's; neither was the junction and flyovers for the line to Heathrow, neither was North Pole depot.

    I will be interested to see whether this pack is a complete set of services or just some of the services. I hope the Paddington to Reading service isn't represented by a class 52 and 3 mark 1's or something!

    Maybe they have developed an era changer which removes certain objects. There were routes on MSTS with it, so I assume it maybe possible.
     
  37. Rob39

    Rob39 Well-Known Member

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    I think we’re in for a 2 part hit, part 2 the route may hit the roadmap higher than the loco pack next year.
     
  38. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    I wonder that, I would say a route in very likely as this is a bit of a poor compromise, certainly if you want to create a realistic experience which we are told is important.
     
  39. dave from Cornwall

    dave from Cornwall Well-Known Member

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    This is where DGT fall in to a trap...they seem to play a game- hint at something. The board goes in to frenzie for the next four months desperate for x, y, z for them only to announce g,f, and z and everyone then grumbles...

    It must be interesting to be DGT and be like setting of fireworks or dropping fish into a pool and watching us all like frenzied piranhas splashing in the water with speculation.

    Right. Better get the lifejacket on, I am jumping in....

    Lets hope its eventually for South "Western" route :) there would have been plenty of freight down here with coal to the Hayle powerstation and goods out of Holmans or Harveys yards if they are going back in time.

    Lets see what we can get disspointed with in July? :)

    D
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2020
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  40. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Frenzy... desperate... Sounds like a mental health crisis
    Personally its of vague interest and I might buy it when it comes out...
     
  41. Tank621

    Tank621 Well-Known Member

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    NGL, it's more British stuff, I'm going to probably buy it whatever it ends up being. I just enjoy having new toys to play with :cool:
     
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  42. Medellinexpat

    Medellinexpat Well-Known Member

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    ‘Hymeks were not that common in the West Country’

    Not true for me, at least outside of the main lines. I can remember as a child waiting on the platform at Maiden Newton (after arriving from Toller on the Bridport Branch) and Hymeks providing the power down to Dorchester and Weymouth or up to Yeovil and Bristol.
     
  43. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Depends on your definition of West Country I guess.
    According to the sources I've read they were mainly stabled in Cardiff and Bristol and rarely went into Cornwall, so if you define West Country as near Bristol down to Plymouth then that can be matched. If you want a run to Penzance, maybe not
     
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  44. Rob39

    Rob39 Well-Known Member

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    Nah Im not frenzied. I enjoy contemplating.
     
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  45. Mich

    Mich Well-Known Member

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    I fully expect it will be on a existing route, not something unannounced. There's still enough stuff on the roadmap to last into February or March, if it's being worked on now I'd guess it will be out well before any unannounced routes. I'd guess GWR would be the route it would be on, not just because of region, but because of the rather large update it got for TSW2, and people have been wanting something new for the route for a long time. The only other route that I could see is NTP, while they may not have served in the area the time period is a much better fit for this sort of pack.
     
  46. Medellinexpat

    Medellinexpat Well-Known Member

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    ‘Depends on your definition of West Country I guess.
    According to the sources I've read they were mainly stabled in Cardiff and Bristol and rarely went into Cornwall, so if you define West Country as near Bristol down to Plymouth then that can be matched. If you want a run to Penzance, maybe not’

    Maiden Newton, in Dorset, opened in 1857 as part of the Great Western. As for Penzance (there aren’t a lot of main lines in Cornwall) I never saw a Hymek there myself - having lived on the Scillies before Dorset.
     
  47. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    I don't think Hymek's were so common west of Exeter certainly not on passenger trains. They did work some of the mainline expresses from South Wales to Paddington, or were known to. They were used on the Bristol to Portsmouth and Bristol to Weymouth service and also the Paddington to Worcester/Hereford services.
     
  48. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Whilst I would baulk at the sight of a class 52 under the wires at Paddington supposedly set in the 1970's at least the sight of a Western under the roof at Paddington is realistic as that was their London terminus and the GWML was their natural habitat.

    The thought of seeing a class 52 bursting out of Standedge tunnel or arriving at Leeds City in some kind of supposed recreation of the Western Region in the Pennines, or some fantasy "what if the eastern region used the diesel hydraulics" is totally unrealistic and I would rather just have to try and ignore the overhead wires on the GWML.

    Anyway I suppose until we see more details it is all just speculation.
     
  49. Rob39

    Rob39 Well-Known Member

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    Sams secret? Christmas send off stream 22nd December.
     
  50. dave from Cornwall

    dave from Cornwall Well-Known Member

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    Cornwall is definitely the West Country. Bristol is very much the North East to me... TVL is near the north pole :)
     
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