I know this has been suggested before but it’s been a workhorse of UK freight for many years and some are still going strong. Let’s see the Class 56 on TVL or NTP please instead of recycled 47s or 40’s. Maybe some authentic sector livery too instead of safe BR Blue
As much as TVL would be great, I'm not sure if there's any more services they could add, it'd be much more at home on NTP to bring some much needed coal traffic. There's no pits on TVL and I believe a lot of the 56's work was taking coal from the pits along the Durham Coast Line (Murton and Easington in particular) to Tyne Dock (for export) or power stations in Northumberland. Having said that, if it is for NTP and they substitute it onto the existing coal services on TVL, I'd 100% be down for that.
There is a flow on the Tees Valley which hasn't been done yet and that's the potash traffic from Boulby mine. The line joins the Tees Valley at Saltburn junction and we've already used that in a class 20 scenario. I'm not sure where the potash ends up, it may go to the docks at Teesport, which isn't modelled, possibly via a reversal at Tees Yard. So, we could get a run from Saltburn to Tees Yard. It would at least give a bit more freight activity to that end of the line and if the 56 could substitute for the 37s and 20s on coal traffic, even better.
yeah, I've been looking into this service, and assume it goes into this yard? All RTT and Railcam say is "Middlesbrough FHH" (FHH being Freightliner Heavy Haul), with reversal in Tees Yard and doesn't appear to go back through Middlesbrough station. Would be nice to see it but I don't think the 56s were used on it, from pictures I've seen it was Class 20s and 37s.
I'm sure I've watched a cab ride on that train with a 56. I'll try to find it. Here it is, though not a cab ride.
I think they run round in Tees and form a service to Tees Dock going back towards the way they came (First junction after the Whitby line branches off) . I think all the sidings are in the TVL map for the unloading? The Trains at the Saltburn end would have to spawn on the branch from Boulby. 56 Would be ok for the coal stuff more but did work up to Boulby.
The line down to Tees dock is indeed on the map but is inaccessible unfortunately. I think the best we could hope for would be a working as far as Tees Yard. Such a shame more branches weren't included as it would have added loads of potential for interesting workings.