does anyone know the release date of the br class 104 and the peak forest expansion and will it be at any extra cost?
Don't know a timeline, nor a reason why a dlc which has had time and effort put into it would be released for free.
The Class 104 is being made by Simtrack, a 3rd party developer and the release date is unknown at this point. Surely you don't expect a small studio to give away its first TSW project for free. What planet are you living on?
Many people are eagerly awaiting this release to breathe some life into a route that didn’t live up to its potential when released. If it takes them a while longer to get it finished to a high standard it will be worth the wait and the price, whatever that turns out to be.
It does seem to have sunk into some sort of development hell, which is rather surprising given the existing Class 101 probably used as a template. But no one in their right mind would expect it to be released as a freebie.
It's slowly ticking along, and I'm certainly hoping we'll be over the metaphorical hill soon. We've had a few delays with the models themselves, but things are progressing well.
That’s great to hear. Looking forward to thrashing the beast up and down PFR, plus hopefully a layer on Blackpool.
Great news take your time with it it will be worth the wait I really like peak Forrest just now one of my favourite routes so this will fit the bill nicely I love the old style dmus
This is one of the best sentences I have read for a while; it made me smile more than the last few roadmaps have! As said above it is much preferred time is taken to get a close to perfection as is possible with something like this, and as you may have gathered I really am looking forward to this, when it is ready to appear.
Very glad to hear this. I love PFR but it could really use the additional traffic with the DMU and added freight cars.
I can’t imagine you’re allowed to say, but have you got any info on how the timetable will be reworked? Just because a big criticism of mine when the route came, besides lack of ai steaming, was the lacking of shed movements to/from services like shunting or banking, Southbound freight and banking services from rowsley to the peak forest summit, of which was done for heavy coal trains going north. I had lots of criticisms of the entire timetable ranging from lack of loco movements as a whole to the very patterned approach of the timetable, but besides the services that your new wagons and Class 104 will fill, those were my biggest faults with the timetable. If you can’t say anything just yet though I’d understand.
I know what you mean. For those of us interested in historical UK routes and traction it's slim-pickings these days, so a post like that one from st-lucas is worth several road maps! Great to hear that the 104 is progressing well - it's going to be my most anticipated loco/unit DLC for a long time.
Yes, right now it's my only anticipated loco/unit dlc. Nothing else currently on the Roadmap is remotely interesting.
I'm hoping there will be a detailed dive of the timetable in an article in the near future. However I have a copy of a suitable freight working timetable, and have been doing my best to recreate that as well as I can. There's some limitations with TSW, but I'm hoping it'll be an enjoyable experience. There's certainly a lot more going on compared to the base timetable.
I’m glad that you are giving it a proper go, especially since the original is not great at all, no offence to DTG or the team that produced the timetable within the DLC, but the timetable not only lacks lots of services (like Rowsley banking, Southbound freight etc.) but also just common sense itself. Sheds in the steam days were crammed full of steam locos on every single lane of the sheds, whereas the sheds are so lacking in the DLC. And what’s up with locos like the 4f that start their service in a siding, do their shunting and then sit in that siding for 3 or 4 hours and redo the service? Locos would have been dispatched from sheds and back to their sheds after their duty, and usually turned via turntable so that they would face forward for the journey back. There’s just a noticeable lack of thought behind the logic of a steam worked timetable. Glad your doing a detailed working of it, this will defo be a first day buy
By the way, was wondering wether locos would be changed to show ai steam sounds when they set off or go up hills? Might be a bit out of the question if it’s a core thing, sorry to pile on
Any changes to the steam locos would be way out of scope for us. We're bringing the Class 104 and wagons to the route, alongside remastering the timetable. Anything else would be beyond what we have planned.
That sounds amazing. I’m far more of a freight than passenger person and I found the freight side of SoS and PFR severely lacking (though PFR was of course a step in the right direction). I’m very excited to see what you come up with.
That’s completely fine, I had a feeling that was far out of scope for what was said, just wanted to be clear. I think you’ll do a great job anyway, with the new wagons and the 104 it should open up lots more possibilities for freight consists anyway, and also make the passenger timetable more realistic. Looking forward to seeing this come out
I was lead to believe that the pack would also come with a Class 40, but I can't remember if that was speculation or me misreading things.
Never been mentioned officially. I don't even think I have seen it speculated as this were the 45s' territory.
Just in case there's anyone who hasn't a clue what everyone's talking about, here is... The complete and comprehensive history of Peak headcode boxes Who would have thought such a thing existed.
I would say you and me outside now to resolve this like men, but I've just made myself a nice cup of tea so wouldn't want it to get cold. We'll have to just agree to disagree!
Sorry I'm late to the party but WOW.... freight as well? With the 45? I'd love to hear more about that! Makes it a LOT more likely to buy from my perspective because the idea of early diesel on the SoS and PFR are music to my ears, especially freight! It's been a pity those routes haven't been utilized more. Sorry you're not having more luck, but I still with you the best and look forward to your project!
To be fair, I think the bit about the 45 is something we’ve made up! I haven’t heard any mention of it from the developers. As far as I know, they’re adding the 104, plus creating some more schedules for the steam locos already on the route.
For the benefit of doubt, the pack includes the Class 104 and two wagons to expand the freight on the route.
Eh, perhaps. It would fit the timeframe though. Steam was on it's way out by the time the 104s were being built and then used which was what 30 years? So, it's just reasonable that the line would be set in the little-used early diesel era rather than steam. The steam locos were basically gone by the mid-60s so having only the 104 and steam limits the route to about 1960-1965...but even then the 45 would STILL fit in because it was produced then. It's a LOT easier to just add an existing loco to a route, so while making a new timetable, why not add it since it fits in the time period perfectly? I haven't heard a date set for the route so.... why not be optimistic? ;-)
Oh well that's disappointing, but are the wagons new or imported from existing stock on other routes? Are any substitutions being considered as well? I guess just the PFR and SOS for actual time period, but Glossop and NTP maybe? Or sub some diesel in for those steam engines ;-) Alright I'm just jazzing now. Good luck on the project.
I will take the blame for your hopes of a 45 being raised! The reason they can't just layer in the existing one is that we currently have a 45/1 with the marker lights, as they were in the 80s, however back in '63 Peaks were in a different condition, in more of a 45/0 form, but with vac only brakes and one of the various forms of headcode boxes. Sure I have missed something, but long story short the Peak would need various (some quite large) tweaks and new livery to fit onto PFR in the timetable. I have been told that they were just as, if not more common on the expresses than kettles at this time so definitely fit in. A 45/0 for PFR would be something I would pay a fiver or even a tenner for!
Thank you. That does clear it up. Guess that means we're SOL. Ah well, the 104 looks interesting and some new rolling stock would be nice. Maybe someone could develop a "Diesel Legends" style pack for the SOS or PFR routes. That time period of transition is just a personal fascination of mine, although UK locos are a new discovery since getting into TSW 4 in the past few months. I don't know that we have the appropriate rolling stock to do it "off the shelf" so to speak given what you've pointed out and what was actually on each rail line. It's off topic for here I suppose which should focus on the 104 project. Maybe I'll run it up the flagpole under Suggestions and see who salutes.
Both are completely new. As far as I'm aware (and happy to be corrected), there's no current locos that are suitable for layers or substitutions. Whilst there are the same classes of loco in game, the BR Green conditions are different to the ones already represented, It's also my understanding that the substitution system only works with formations of the same number of vehicles. So a single diesel loco could not sub for a steam engine and tender.
New rolling stock is always good! Curious. What does a tender count as? Another engine? Or a rail car? I get that they're not the right sub-models and modifications. Even liveries seem to spawn "new locos" in TSW so I get it.