If i remember rightly from the stream (i had to leave early so may have missed something later!), the plan currently is for the Class 801 to represent all LNER services that run entirely on electrified lines (ie they will sub in for the Class 800 to boost the timetable.. just not on services that would run on non-electrified lines.) which in my opinion makes sense if this is correct, it would mean that all current LNER services that run between the following stations would be included: London - Leeds* London - York London - Newcastle London - Edinburgh** *services that extend to/from Skipton and to/from Bradford Forster Square would be included as those lines are electified too. **services that extend to/from Stirling and to/from Glasgow Central would be included as those lines are electrified too the following LNER services would NOT be included, as they contain non-electrified sections of route that the Class 801 cannot use in real life: London - Lincoln London - Hull London - Harrogate London - Middlesbrough London - Sunderland London - Inverness London - Aberdeen Now that list might look long, but those lines actually only have a handful of services each day. As an added local knowledge piece, the final train from London to Leeds leaving at 23:33 can NOT be represented by class 801, as between Doncaster and Leeds it runs via a different, diesel-only route, every night.. that is the only London-Leeds service that does this. -- Now onto LNER AI services: on the routes that are entirely electrified, those services that use the section included between Doncaster & Peterborough should be included as AI, which would enter the map at PBO and leave at DON (and vice versa) without stopping.. there are also a handful that come from London, stop at Peterborough then run non-stop to York (passing through Doncaster without calling) and similar with only one station in the represented section called at.. and there's no reason why those services shouldn't be included here as AI too. So if you assume the current LNER timetable is to be used, and assuming that any trip that contains a section of route that would require diesel-only running will not be included, there should be the following services at launch: 49 NORTHBOUND PLAYABLE LNER SERVICES 9 AI SERVICES (58 total NORTHBOUND trains) *NOT including depot/empty moves* 47 SOUTHBOUND PLAYABLE LNER SERVICES 12 AI SERVICES (59 total SOUTHBOUND trains) *NOT including depot/empty moves* these are mostly made up of London-Leeds and London-Edinburgh services, with some terminating/starting at York or Newcastle, along with the few services starting/ending at Skipton, Bradford, Stirling and Glasgow. the calling pattern would be varied, with most Edinburgh services calling at Doncaster, Newark Northgate and Peterborough.. most Leeds services alternating between calling at Grantham only, Newark Northgate only or neither (ie non stop between Peterborough & Doncaster).. all York services will call at all stops.. and there are some subtle variants especially in early mornings and late evenings so for Class 801 services in-game, there should be in the region of 96 PLAYABLE , IN SERVICE LNER SERVICES, with an additional 21 AI, IN SERVICE LNER SERVICES.. *again this does NOT include any depot/empty moves* So again this number does NOT include any depot moves at the azuma depot near Carr, Doncaster.. i imagine they will be included but i wouldn't want to guess the number of services on this, but the above numbers involving 'in service' playable and ai trains is accurate, if you assume the parameters i have laid out previous. ** so once you add any potential depot moves, the total playable LNER services should go over 100 ** -- There should also be 13 Class 158 East Midlands Trains trips in each direction (so 26 overall) between Grantham and Peterborough as part of the Liverpool/Manchester/Sheffield/Nottingham/Norwich line. i don't know how DTG plan to do any other AI services (if at all of course) but there is potential for AI Class 158 to cross the Newark Flat Crossing over the ECML north of Newark (for trains travelling between Newark Castle & Lincoln), and the option to use Class 158 actually at Newark Northgate itself from platform 3, these services head north then east towards Lincoln. there are also 5 trips in each direction (so 10 per day) that use Class 158 EMT from Doncaster (platform 5) towards Lincoln direct and towards Spalding & Peterborough (NOT using the ECML), these could also be added as AI between Doncaster, past the Azuma depot and then off the map after Carr. finally will Class 158, there is an approx hourly service entering and leaving Grantham on services between Nottingham and Skegness, there's no reason these won't be included too. you could technically argue for a reskin class 158 in northern livery to be used as ai at Retford (low level platforms between Sheffield and Lincoln) and on ai services at Doncaster (example Sheffield - Hull/Scarborough etc), but realistically that won't happen, and in all honesty would only make a negligible difference at Retford.. it would make Doncaster feel more alive but again i'd rather be realistic and assume any Class 158 AI will be in the current EMT livery only. -- I think it's clear from this that if the class 800 was used instead of the class 801.. then every single trip from the entire LNER timetable could have been included (as playable or AI), because the class 800 can sub in for any clasa 801 trip, and run any LNER route regardless if it's electric or an electric/diesel combination. but the reasons for using class 801 have been made by DTG, and it's totally understandable, i wanted to lay out this knowledge to give an idea of what the in-game timetable *might* look like given what we know so far.. this is of course not official and we will find out just how accurate, or inaccurate, this all is in a few weeks! Katia **EDIT**: i've just had a very quick look, and it appears there are 8 LNER azuma services that use the Doncaster Carr depot (4 morning, 4 evening) that also use electrified routes only, so there is potential for 8 empty depot services to be added. There are more Azuma depot moves in real life, but these run to/from Lincoln, Hull & Harrogate, which are not electrified and therefore won't be used by Class 801. These services would be a very quick drive to/from Doncaster station to Doncaster Carr depot, taking approx. 5 minutes each. so taking this into account, this takes my estimate of the total number of PLAYABLE CLASS 801 LNER SERVICES TO 104.
The 23:33 KX-LDS with the headcode of 1D36 stays on electric power throughout the route as it goes via Wakefield Westgate to Leeds which is electrified. It is often run by a class 91 IC225 set as is service 1N36 to York. Even RailCam data and Real Time Trains show it does not divert down a non-electrified line at any point. They only divert when there are engineering works on part of the route or if an incident has taken place and they have a class 800 bi-mode unit available. As someone who lives close to the Doncaster - Leeds section I can confirm this.
