Just Trains have said they intentionally didn't include the Windermere Branch in WCML Preston - Carlisle, due to time and performance constraints. However, the in-route track is fully laid out and only the scenery is missing. Pure speculation, but what if Just Trains are holding back the Windermere Branch until the upcoming BR class 104 DLC is released for Peak Forest? Again, I'm only speculating here.
Is the 104 not in BR Green? Unless a BR blue variant is coming? If anything, I suspect the Windermere branch *might* get added, but I doubt specifically for the 104. My guess would be something like JT are planning on adding another 1st Gen DMU
It looks like 108s were running on that branch... At least from the photos I've seen! Windermere, 05.15.1988.
Presumably the units came from Carlisle Upperby which closed in the late 80's and so were 108 sets. These then moved to Heaton and were used on the Cumbrian coast line and presumably still used on the Windermere branch.
I mean Windmere would be there as potential for an add-on is what It as thinking last night. Maybe with a new dlc unit. Improbable but possible
AFAIR from living briefly by the line in 1977 it was mainly 108's or Class 105 Cravens units. An exception was on the Easter Monday when a three car Class 101 in West Yorkshire PTE livery was drafted in, presumably for Bank Holiday loadings. We moved away from Kendal in the June of that year never to return (thank god), so can't say for certain about 104's but think they more worked south of Manchester (Buxton) or across to Blackpool than up into Cumbria. And by 1986 fairly certain the Cravens were all gone so to be totally realistic, most of the DMU services on the JT route should really be 108's.
See https://www.flickr.com/photos/16867856@N07/20999339035/ That's for one I am thinking more would have worked also over the years.
i was surprised that the 104 was tied to the PF route as an expansion as historically it only adds in a Buxton-millers dale layer plus a bit of AI at Buxton. rest of the route was loco hauled until the end i thought it would be much better layered to NTP and Blackpool as an additional timetable where you could get more from it and where it most certainly would of worked out of newton heath in both routes time frame. as for the Windermere branch the time table at the time (correct me if im wrong) was operated as an isolated timetable windermere to Oxenholme all change then return. i cannot find who at the time would of provided the DMUs for this service but this may be an interesting website to find out, https://railcar.co.uk/ as for the branch itself in TSW one of the JT moderators said in the last stream before release that extensions are not possible. then some one mentioned the Leven branch and the JT mod back tracked a little to say that it was an upgrade. i think we will see it at some point, why lay the track if your not going to do something with it. the question would be charge for it or release as a free addition. i think the latter would be the most likely but work on it as a spare time project on the back burner so to speak. remember they have the "86", a new route and upgrades to Blackpool to work on.if they do work on it, when its near ready finish and release for free. as it stands now i cannot see JT doing a 10 mile route for the 101 and 142 on a repetitive timetable and charging for it.
IIRC on the first stream JT said they were looking at adding Windermere but didn't think there was much playability with it being a single line? Something along those lines anyway.
I imagine JT won’t create a new loco like a 108 for the sole purpose of doing runs on a 10 mile branch… If the track and stations are already there, that’s setting up a potential foundation for a route extension. It’s pointing in that direction. definitely something to think about though…
But, if say they decided to do the Cumbrian Coast line out to Whitehaven (the closer terminus for some of Carlisle Platform 2 workings) they could well do the 108 to go with it, which would lend itself nicely to use on the Windermere branch. Throw in a 25 for the Cumbrian Coast light freight work and you’ve got a killer expansion pack ….
You never know the Windermere branch might be a surprise in the Christmas countdown starting next week!
