Alan Thompson Simulation Route Discussion/speculation Thread

ATS has stated that there are no plans to extend the MAC route down to Crewe.

 

That’s a real shame. It would link Crewe up for another glorious route hopping opportunity.

 

Maybe if it's there's enough demand and people asking for it maybe it could prod them to do it however they would they would need to make money off in some way or it's kinda not feasible for them perhaps if they make a new class or rolling stock for the route that would be exclusive for the so that more players would intend to purchase the route so that we could use the class 175

 

I would hope ATS have already started on their next route for TSW6 and hopefully Alan will want to be the first developer to make a route in the eastern counties.

Given their recent update of Wherry Lines for TSC, hopefully they'd do a version for TSW. Maybe a modern timetable with 755s and a transition timetable with 153, 170 and 755s. Or an Anglia era one with AI 86/2s at Norwich and a mixture of 150s, 153s, 158s and 170s.
Or Cambridge to Peterborough/Kings Lynn with a mixture of 170s, 387s and 700s set in 2018.
Or go large with new traction on the WAML or GEML.

 

Hmmm considering Manchester to Crewe was the original plan hence the name file it should be a free extension.

 

I have a feeling we wont be seeing another route from ATS, as much as I would like one, but Wherry Lines in TSW would be absolutely mega.

 

Oh, are they sticking to TSC? I must admit I've been a little absent from their facebook page for a while and I'm well out of the loop.

 

Wherry Lines for TSC was done by Armstrong Powerhouse, though, not ATS (and very nice it was too, just a shame they didn't also include Sheringham).

 

Haven't a clue to be honest, for all I know Alan might go on stream tomorrow and announce they are making a route.
Just after all of the stuff with MAC it doesn't seem entirely likely to me. Thats all.

 

ATS did an updated version for the release of the 755 pack and so they can add the Bittern Line to it in the near future. AP could have been involved though.

 

On the topic of the Wherry Lines, there was someone working on them in the editor who then stopped due to hearing they were being worked on in an official capacity. Of course that doesn't mean it's ATS doing it though

 

Well regardless of who's doing it or the era (though I would prefer Cravens DMU's and Class 31's), it would be a Day One crowd pleaser...

 

Hopefully does anyone know if it was a successful build for them in the long-run it's the only way it'll persuade them to do so

 

Wherry Lines or Peterborough to Cambridge. I know ATS did the Peterborough to Cambridge route we have Peterborough in game so I wouldn't mind that route would definitely purchase day one I would actually buy both routes that I've mentioned on day one.

 

Conjecture & speculation!

 

MAC is a really good route all be it it didn't go to crewe. id love to see it get finished to crewe at some point, but alan and ATS have done a really good job on route despite all the issues in getting it released. really hope that they do continue to do routes for TSW, they would be a credit to the game

 

It would be a shame if ATS don't make any more TSW dlc. Alan does seem far more interested in TSC though.

 

I would definitely agree that it’s more likely ATS wouldn’t do another TSW route, than they would. MAC seems like we were luckily to get that, considering the development limbo it got caught in.

That being said, I’m pretty sure I saw somewhere that ATS was looking to do a loco DLC? I’m not sure if the route builder issue there extended to rolling stock devs (though given the 323, it seems they had none for TSW anyway).

Anyway regarding Crewe, definitely a shame this blank spot exists. Between that & Bham - MK, we’re not missing a huge amount to complete a full WCML route. I think Bham - MK & Crewe - Liverpool are quite likely as routes, where as Crewe - Wilmslow is basically nothing & not worth doing as a standalone route.

IMO the only outcomes that would make sense are ATS doing a loco DLC & bundling that with a route extension (sort of the same deal as Rivet did with IOW 22), or someone else does their own version of MAC.

 

Tin foil hat time but I think Just Trains have GEML (London to Ipswich set in 2002/2003) lined-up for 2026/TSW7. It would need a DBSO for the 86/2 and two completely new "locos" (312 and 321 make most sense) which would be a lot of work, Rivet could chip-in and update their 314 as a four car 315.

Their shorter release this year has no totally new traction for a change which makes me think that they are preparing for what would be their most complex release to date next year. Setting it in 2002/2003 allows for a Class 170 appearance and the later addition of a Class 360 Desiro by DTG using the 350 as a base and even later on, a Class 90/DVT when it finally comes to TSW.

This is all hopeum of course and is a little away from the ATS chat, but related as the Eastern Counties could be where ATS go next too, maybe they could do Ipswich to Norwich (again set in 2002/03) now, which is the easier half of the GEML and gives them Norwich Station & Crown Point if they later do the Wherry Lines.

 

my only hope for a crewe extension was that all aboard come together with ATS and both help each other if a viable deal could be set up. all aboard have done most of the heavy work at the crewe end in terms of asset creation and could be used in both routes as they fit more or less the same time frame. maybe extend out to hazel grove as well, would give you another short commuter route to play with in full (well sort of from piccadilly).

i know its stepping way from the ATS chat but i think JT will stay up north for a route. not saying that they couldn't assist with a DBSO or new livery's for the both the 86s, like the TfW 142 but they seem to be a north west based team and do a lot of on site research which may be too far to travel for them.

 

They've gone all over the country in TSC, so I don't think they will stick to the North West, especially as there will diminishing returns. My 3 TSW mates are all nonplussed about Preston to Crewe, Ive already said I'm not going to get their next installment of a line from Preston as I'm bored with routes in an area that holds no personal interest until it's heavily discounted (for the 86/4). They will have to diversify their releases eventually.

 

Ditto here. Will probably be the first of their routes I wait for a sale, at least 20% off. The passenger ops will be largely the same and it doesn’t look like they’re bringing in the much needed Mark 3 sleeping cars. 86/4 just a retread of the one we already got and the freight ops not enough to hold together for what is likely to be a £33 release.

 

i could be wrong here but the TSC routes but weren't the ones further south done by 3rd party's released under JT banner or with some JT assistance. TBF i didn't play any of there south western stuff so i couldn't comment, but did have a keen following of the weekly updates following the MML routes which from the work put into it, it looks like they have visited every location on each of the routes, not just track side but their attention to detail in the buildings that you see distant and listing it all in the manual, that in its self is a lot of ground work. i know one member is from blackpool but its just a theory i may be right or wrong on it.

 

Going by their output, one of them must be from Preston.

We should be able to go to all of the destinations that Preston has to offer by TSW9. Or it might be renamed "Train Sim London Midlands" by then.

 

Surely there can't be that many routes from Preston left to do!

 

I think the Burnley and Colne line is what remains.

 

I reckon they’ll shift over to Crewe as their next pivot point. They’ll probably get as many routes out of that as they can out of Preston.

That being said, hopefully they’ll continue North from Carlisle. We still need a good border route for Scotland & whilst it’s not previously been in JT’s remit, some local lines around Scotland in the 80’s would be pretty nice.

Personally though I’m more concerned with rolling stock than geography when it comes to JT. I’m worried their 86 release, combined with nothing particularly new in their upcoming route, may be a tryout at locking new stock into separate packs & just including previous stuff with the routes.

JT certainly offer up higher quality stock than any other UK content, but if we’re paying £33 for routes then £20 for stock, I’m not going to be on board for much longer. If they want to keep both separate then they’ll need to go back to default content prices as a minimum.

Obviously I’m critically speculating here.

 

Did you forget the 86 came with a set of new coaches which is probably the reason why it was £20 instead of 11.99, same for TSG’s pack it came with the train and new coaches

 

Most, if not all loco packs come with wagons or coaches. In any case though my post wasn’t about the £20 pack was sufficient value, rather if route DLC’s will have less focus on providing new rolling stock & relegating it to separate packs.

 

And Bradford/Leeds via Burnley Manchester Road and Hebden Bridge, and Manchester via Bolton - both of which would be very practical and interesting routes to do, with lots of available rolling stock for their 1980s era.

 

JT went to Crewe for a reason.

Chsnces are they'll either go west and venture into Wales, or east to somewhere else.

 

JT doing the North Wales Coast would definitely interest me more than another route out of Preston. Or all aboard studios might have their eye on it, which means we might get an Avanti 221!

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what was running up the North Wales Coast in the 1980s?

 

JT have a bit of a rep over in the TSC corner for creating routes but forcing separate stock pack purchases. The Metropolitan Line was an example of that - to run the route decently you need to buy the S7+1 and S8 packs additionally which outside a deep sale made it prohibitively expensive. Their Chiltern Line got pulled from Steam, not sure if that was due to a similar situation. Think some of their MML stuff uses default old Kuju or Railworks items to get you started but if you want a better selection you need to ante up. I also hope that's not something they will try on with TSW and either Matt P or whoever sets the pricing policy will stamp on anything like that.

 

Sorry slightly misunderstood probably due to lack of sleep (damn storm Amy) anyways I think it’s too soon to guess about that, I think they are expanding freight stock and updating it so they have it ready for the next route which could be a perfect mix of freight and passenger services.

either way I’m still going to buy anything they release for tsw because they know how to make so amazing quality stuff.

hope for sleeper stock in the next route or maybe we will find out during October’s roadmap because we only saw the very start of development

 

We need about a dozen Eastern Region DLCs to balance things up between the big 2.

 

Yes their TSC history is what feeds my concerns really.

Honestly I wouldn’t mind paying for their rolling stock packs if they’re varied enough from the route packs, but so far I’m not really convinced by the methodology I’m seeing.

The 86 really should have been the primary loco for overshap, then the 87 as a DLC. Just for accuracy alone it would have made more sense.

Then for the upcoming route the 86 could have still been included, but alongside a new piece of stock such as a freight loco. Again this would lend itself to accuracy given the next route has a good potential for freight.

Instead we’ve got this really odd partition in where the 86 hasn’t really worked out as great gameplay value for overshap, and now we’re getting one anyway with the upcoming route, so as it stands the value of a standalone £20 loco pack is in a grey area.

 

Quick question but do you think the reason why we are getting the 86/4 is because the community openly complained about it not being in the game after the announcement of the class 86/2?, just a little theory I’m starting to think of

 

If they went back to pre 60s then there’s always the Southport line.

 

Not likely.

Chances are their new route was already in production by the time they announced the 86/2.

 

I think we’re getting the /4 just because that & the /2 are really the only 2 operational classes of 86 that existed in this timeframe.

Again though this is potentially a blunder caused by the 86/2 pack. We could have had the /2’s working Intercity & /4’s working freight, but they’ve cornered themselves in with the /2 locked to a DLC pack.

Given how they are clearly focused on this mainline in this era, it boggles my mind that they locked the primary workhorse behind a separate DLC.

 

I don’t think ATS & AAS are on good terms considering some of the devs at AAS split from ATS due to disagreements discussed by some devs prior, even then ATS still have no plans to extend the route to Crewe & it looks very unlikely they’ll make TSW DLC again.

 

Thank the topic gods, we’re actually back to talking about ATS and not what Just Trains are doing.

I don’t know why ATS would suddenly just stop making TSW content after one route. It makes no sense. Where has that notion come from? Did Alan say he isn’t doing more or is it all tin hat stuff?

 

At the time of the release of MAC he was saying they had loco DLC in the pipeline and they’re clearly adding the Voyager to the route at the moment since it “leaked” early so TSW is still being worked on.

 

I didn't see a reply to this apologies for more off topic mischief.

The 40 (pre 85), 45, 47 and 101 would all be suitable for an 80's North Wales coast.

Maybe the 31 too, class 37's I am sure.

A 25, 104 and 108 would all be candidates to be included or as DLC.

 

thanks i was not aware of that, its a real shame really with all thats been said and done

 

Also the class 08.

In addition, interestingly, the class 33 had regular scheduled work on Bangor - Cardiff (via Crewe) services in the mid-80s. Perhaps the loco in TSW which there is the least opportunity to drive on existing routes? It’s limited to the odd special and pottering around on preserved railways. I’d love to have the opportunity to put it to some proper work, as it’s actually a well made loco.

 

Yes I had forgotten about the class 33. I agree it needs somewhere to stretch its bogies.

 

The Class 33 is one of the better diesels in TSW. JT are updating the Class 20 which was already very good, so hopefully someone will give the 33 a similar treatment.

 

in the recent updates to the MML they have swapped out the old AP 142 and 43 packs for the new ones which will require you buying the new ones or swapping them out. bit of a pain from the JT side there. i did email AP and ask if owners of the previous packs would be upgraded, unfortunately not.

its not on every scenario but it would of been nice if they could of released them separate to the full update for those that haven't got the new packs.

 

Definitely 25s and 31s. I have a core memory of getting to sit in the secondman's seat of (I'm fairly sure) a 25 at Bangor during a stop - I got to toot the horn lol. Couldn't have been more than 4 or 5, so 85 or 86. Not sure when the 37/4s took over most of the Regional Railways stuff. 156s were on the route from new, followed by 158s. Even young me knew they were evil.

Still lots of loco-haulage down the coast well into the 90s (think the 37/4s lasted beyond 2000 even but I'd moved away by then). Sometimes the London-Holyheads still had the 86/87 tucked in behind the 47. There's photo evidence of a 90 making it to Bangor before someone at control realised it wasn't cleared for the route.