The airedale and wharfedale lines is a commuter route operated by Northern based in West yorkshire and a bit of North yorkshire connecting the towns and cities of Leeds, Bradford, Ilkley and skipton. This route should be based in present day and have a small section going to neville hill depot where the rolling stock will be kept. The whole route (including neville hill depot section and Junctions connecting the two lines) is 43 miles which dtg are more than capable of doing. The route (ignore the keithley and worth valley railway, it's a heritage railway which connects the airedale line) I am pretty sure the top speed of the route is 90mph. Rolling stock Class 333-more information here Class 331-more information here Services The class 331 and 333 do the same services, But I don't know if they have certain times every day assigned to a certain train or if it's random. (all services listed do the same stops the other way) Bradford forster square to Leeds-This is the only service that stops at Kirkstall forge. Calls at Frizinghall, Shipley, Apperley Bridge, Kirkstall Forge and Leeds. This service is 25 minutes long and each service is every 30 minutes. Bradford Forster square to Skipton-Calls at Frizinghall, Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley, Crossflatts, Keighley, Steeton and Silsden, Cononley and Skipton. This service is 39 minutes and each service is every hour. Bradford Forster square to ilkley-Calls at Frizinghall, Shipley, Baildon, Guiseley, Menston, Burley in wharfedale, Ben rhydding and ilkley. The service is 27 minutes long and each service is every hour. Leeds to Skipton-Calls at Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley, Crossflatts, Keithley, Steeton and Silsden, Cononley and Skipton. This service is 43 minutes long and is every 30 minutes. ilkley to Leeds-Calls at Ben rhydding, Burley in wharfedale, Menston, guiseley and Leeds. This service takes 28 minutes and each service is every 30 minutes. A few services going in and out of neville hill depot. Potential scenarios Airedale power cut-take a service from leeds to skipton while avoiding a failed ole section. (50 minutes) Morning start-up -Bring the Class 331 into service from neville hill depot and do the first service of the day to ilkley. (35 minutes) Airedale and Wharfedale stopper-Start a service at Bradford Forster square and travel to ilkley, then to leeds and back to Bradford forster square. (1 hour, 30 minutes) And I'll leave the rest to dtg. Here is a cab ride from skipton to leeds on a class 800 (yes, lner does go to skipton)
Just looked at Bingley for freight runs and there's a few each day which can stop at Neville Hill Up Sidings, Skipton Down slow sidings, Kirkstall Up loop, Whitehall Junction, and or Leeds, ie there's some decent possibilities for getting some good freight involved as well
Maybe the Class 66 from either Great western express or East coastway could layer onto this route and have a few freight services going up and down the airedale line to those sidings and maybe a few shunting services too.
Excellent idea and there can be a downloadable content called Airedale Valley Train pack comes with Class 37 EWS Freight LMS 4F Mk1 coaches Sprinter Class 158 153 combined for the Leeds Skipton Lancaster services via Settle. Since this route is actually the Southern portion of Leeds City to Carlisle Citadel railway line via Settle Layers Steam railtour WCML Liverpool Crewe Freight East coastway GWML Class 66 for retro locomotives West Cornwall Tees Valley Line & Huddersfield Line
