This is not a request for a specific route in the usual sense though a few candidates do come to mind. We have now had several modern or modern(ish) electrified UK routes, including the latest BCC with the Class 323. We have a reasonable selection of BR Classic Blue, which of course will always be my first love. However, apart from the flawed WCL and its even more flawed Class 150/2, what we don't have is a diesel UK route set in the period from 1988 onwards when BR were rapidly bringing in the Sprinter classes to replace the old DMU's and loco hauled consists on secondary cross country routes operated on the Regional Railways banner. The first types were the 150's with the original two Class 150/0, followed by the 150/1's which had no through gangway connection between sets, then the 150/2's. These were closely followed by the 155's and 156's for longer distance services, though the former were a bit of a rolling disaster zone and most were eventually withdrawn and sent for rework and conversion into single car Class 153's. Then in 1990/91 came the 158's probably the most successful of the Sprinter type units together with the limited run of similar Class 159's for the South Western route from Waterloo to Salisbury, Yeovil and Exeter. Most of these types are still in service today with the irony being they are themselves classic traction, being older now than the original DMU's they replaced when new. The Cummins engined 150 - 156 have a delightful raw thrashy sound, while both the Cummins and Perkins engined 158's are somewhat more mellow but still quite noisy. A route pack featuring a 156 and a 158 would be superb. The only caveat would be they must be done correctly, avoiding both the weird physics aberrations which plague most of the Sprinters in TSC and bodge job that Rivet did of the sounds on their 150/2.
That would be great. Hopefully we could have all of the liveries if it was just a train pack and didn't have a route. If it was a route then what route do you think could be made with the trains in it?
Now we have BCC it could be quite smart to run a Birmingham to Reading service perhaps which then ties in with London
150 sounds God awful on tsw, my favourite in game diesel for noise(and other things) has to be the 166 I reckon, closely followed by the 101 though.
It was a bit of a marketing phrase, mainly to highlight the faster acceleration of the Voith drives compared to heritage DMU's and loco hauled services. Just as "Express" was coined prior to the Alphaline branding, for services like Cardiff to Portsmouth or Cardiff to Manchester. Oh it needs to come with a suitable route as per my OP, I just didn't want to be specific - it's more that DTG need to come away from electrified routes without necessarily going back to BR Classic. 156's and 158's could/can be seen on a fairly wide variety of services across the network, though a handful of 156's were only allocated to Canton temporarily when the 155's were grounded due to the doors opening in traffic issue.
Could a route with sprinters work near the Midlands or southwest as you will have many types. Also it can be a loco dlc for northern trans Pennine.
Would love a backdated Sprinter route, preferably somewhere in the Midlands or Yorkshire, maybe Manchester-Liverpool via Warrington Central could be a good idea if failing those two areas, 101 can layer as well if in the early days of Sprinters
Newcastle to Carlisle would be a good one for the 156 along with an accompanying 142. Also give us a scenic northern route and one that hasn't really featured in any sim before, apart from a very basic BVE version.
Tyne Valley would be a great route for TSW, scenic, never been in TSC before, a first for DTG, oh yes, 2 TVLs for TSW, would be confusing, maybe CHN (for Carlisle-Hexham-Newcastle) probably, Sprinters and Pacers galore, AP 156s and AP 142s for CHN/Tyne Valley Line
Yes I traveled on this line in a 156 in the summer and by heck it's a stunning route and there is always something to be amazed at. On the way back we had the Geordie lads going in to Newcastle to watch the football and I had my Forest top on so did feel slightly out of place though they were lovely people so no issues, just banta!
Indeed, or the Stranraer Line. Disadvantage would be scope for a second DMU, although these days it seems DTG only want to sell us routes with one new train!
Oooo! I would love to see the Carslile Line!!!!! Such a great and coastal route! It could bundle with the ACL maybe?
How about the Calder Valley Line with 1980s painted 156 150/2 158 & 155 together with a Pacer then layer to Tees Valley Line.
It is Regional Railways liveried stock around that time, which the 150 already has, so that's one train down before the route gets made
West Highland Line South Glasgow to Crienlarich Class 156 Class 153 Caledonian Sleeper Class 67 Very scenic and Very nice
