Blast to the past along the WCML with classic British AC traction in the iconic BR Class 86/2 from Just Trains. Approximate release times: 1000 BST PlayStation & Xbox, 1600 BST Epic Games, 1800 BST Steam on Tuesday 15th July BR Class 86/2 This Add-on brings additional challenges to the stunning WCML: Preston - Carlisle route, as well as all-new variety in the form of British Rail’s Mk2F coaches. The Class 86 entered service in the mid-1960s after years of testing different designs to run on the newly electrified West Coast Main Line. Over time, a revision to the suspension was undertaken to solve issues of rough riding and track wear, these changes resulted in what became known as the Class 86/2 subclass. In more recent years, both the Class 87 and Class 86 have seen some international service in Europe, predominantly in Bulgaria, where some are still used on freight trains under various operators. Players can utilise Free Roam to take these locomotives beyond their home tracks or on UK rail tours on other British TSW routes. Operating the Class 86 in-game will be a challenge for new and existing players on WCML Preston – Carlisle. Just Trains have produced a Class 86 Manual to outline specific changes and operations. The Class 86 has a fully accessible engine room and a detailed, weathered cab. It also comes in two liveries: BR Blue and Intercity Executive with specific details implemented on individual locomotives, such as those on ‘City of Coventry’ detailed in the March Roadmap. Mk2F Coaches & Mk1 RMB Also included in the pack are Mk2F Coaches, in BSO, TSO and FO variants. The feature coach of the Class 86/2 is the much-requested BR Mk1 RMB Buffet Car. When you enter the RMB, make your way to the Buffet area where behind the operating roller shutter you will see a fully stocked area with a great variety of top-quality (curly) sandwiches, fresh (yesterday) Pork Pies (in two sizes), bags of crisps, bottles of soft drinks with flavours such as Apple, Orange, and Berry! All these are ready for your delectation served to you by the friendly and helpful Steward. Timetable services and additional gameplay Both the Class 86 and Mk2 Coaches will substitute into the current WCML: Preston – Carlisle timetable in place of some Class 87-hauled services. The timetable for WCML: Preston – Carlisle has Class 87 services running cross-country trains across the route. These services will be substituted by Class 86 locomotives as would have been the case during the period. As the Class 86/2 was not a common feature on freight services, these will all continue to be Class 87 hauled. 5 new Scenarios will also be available to play on the route, ranging from a football Special out of the map to a run to Wembley to represent England playing against Scotland during April 1986. Others including a delayed service requires some rerouting and the southbound express bound for London requires some assistance... can you take on the challenge? Players keen on making use of the Mk1 RMB will be able to do so in Formation Designer, along with the Mk2F Coaches and the Class 86 with these coaches can be spawned in Free Roam. Train Sim World 5: Class 86/2 & Mk2F Coaches is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Epic Games Store, and Steam for £19.99 / €24.99 / $24.99. You can learn more in Just Trains' Development Blog entries If you missed the preview streams, you can go back and watch both the Just Trains Preview and the Railfan TV preview. West Coast Main Line: Preston – Carlisle Just Trains’ latest route for Train Sim World is the longest UK route ever developed! Thrash both the electric Class 87 and diesel Class 47 up Shap Summit across almost 100 miles of northwest tracks between Preston and Carlisle. Class 101 DMU and Class 08 shunting services are also included, with layered services and AI featuring for players with Just Trains’ other route Add-on: Blackpool Branches and other Train Sim World Add-ons like Flying Scotsman and Northern Trans-Pennine. The WCML: Preston - Carlisle route also unlocks additional Class 87 rail tour services for the recently released Manchester Airport Commuter route Add-on. Xbox players with Game Pass Ultimate can also get 10% off selected Add-ons. Additional Class 87 liveries Players with WCML: Preston – Carlisle also received some additional liveries as part of a recent patch update. You can read the full details for this route and others in the Patch Notes. The additional liveries include two variations of the existing intercity executive, one with red buffers and one which is heavily weathered as well as another two variations with an extended yellow panel at the front with black and red buffers and finally one variation with a full yellow front with black numbers and decals. The Class 86 loco Add-on is not required in order to receive these additional Class 87 liveries. Find out more about Train Sim World 5 by following @trainsimworld on Twitter/X, Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.
I was going to buy but I’ve decided it’s too expensive for what I would get from it right now. Let’s compare… £33 for the long detailed route, the Class 87 and all the rolling stock, plus the entire timetable using all the great trains - excellent value. £20 for just the Class 86 and the rolling stock and no new services - not enough value. It just doesn’t compute. Sorry JT peeps, it’s a great loco but it’s too high a price. I am waiting for a lower price (a sale) or better value (say if the loco has more extra gameplay in future routes).
New train, new coaches, new driving experience, realistic loco allocations. (The latter is often sought but then people complain when it actually happens. Ironic.) Unfortunately, I won't be able to touch it until at least Friday. But you can guarantee I will get it some point.
Come on. No one is saying that loco allocations shouldn't be realistic. But "more realistic loco allocations" on it's own isn't the strongest argument to sell a loco pack on, at least not for anyone but the hardcore fans. It could be the thing that makes me buy an otherwise-average pack, but not one that has no new timetable services at all, a higher-than-usual price, and a loco that's pretty similar to the one it replaces.
I have no doubt this would be an excellent loco, but I agree with the above sentiment around value. The 142 & 87 were also excellent & already at a great level of quality, but they also had really good routes attached to them for not much more money. £20 just seems a bizarre price point when compared to those. I can’t help but wonder if I’d feel the same if they’d ‘correctly’ done the 86 as the base loco for WCML, then done the 87 as a DLC unit, potentially adding more services & also there may have been room to include the 87/1. Paying equal to 2/3 of the route cost to get a correct loco allocation is just too much to stomach. Ultimately I find the 86 DLC to be quite unfortunate, it’s too much money to correct the rolling stock allocation & the 87 just seems like it would make for a better stand alone product.
The price covers: the loco, the coaches that come with it, and the quality. I'll get more enjoyment from this alone than I ever have from entire routes (which are more expensive) such as Cardiff City or Fife Circle. And, while the 86 and 87 are similar, they're completely different. One has less power and a lower top speed. So the driving experience of each will be completely different. Those reasons are why I see the price as justified: a high quality loco, some extra coaches (brand new to TSW altogether), realistic loco allocations for the actual services they ran in real life. And I can use them anywhere I want.
