Well just reading the roadmap one line in particular stood out to me just as much as the screenshots: My guess is an 86, but a 25 would be lovely. Edited title to reflect the announcement on 06/12. If it works this link should take you to some screenshots.
Just trains is just standing on business right now. they are proving once again that they are the king of third party content!
Agreed, it were this type of forward thinking most were hoping of DTG with routes like SoS or ECML, bringing DLC to supplement the route.
APT a bit limited TBH. My money on an 86 or possibly a Roarer, but as Matt notes, a Class 25 an outside possibility. "Just" take my money already.
Me being too much optimistic: the BR Class 89. I think they’ll give us the Class 90 or like said above the 86.
If they're talking about variety... I have to say I think the APT is most likely. There will never be a better route to put it on, either. If it's a 25, I hope they consider including a BR green version in the pack to use on Peak Forest.
APT was withdrawn by 1986 so wouldn’t seem likely to me. Would be great though. My money would be on a Class 86.
As many have said my money is on a 86 but my heart wants any roarer, but if given the choice i would go for a 25 all day.
What about a class 56? I'd love to see one of these in TSW. On the WCML over Shap route in TSC, a lot of the freight is done by 56s to Hardendale.
86 is the most likely, 25 is possible but really on the way out by the time this route is set, 31s took 25s work.
Yes. In the same way that all Electrostars look the same. The same way that the CIG, BIG, VEP, and CEP all look the same. The same way that the Desiros look the same. The same way the Gen 1 DMUs look the same (such as Class 101). The same way the Desiro Citys look the same. Trains tend to look the same. It's cheaper. (Mind you, I know some non-railfans who can't tell the difference between a DB BR 403 and a DB BR 430, so I think we're doing alright!)
What about something like a class 107 or a 114? Or maybe a 156? As they were just entering service in 1986
It’s billed as being for WCML, so it’s likely to be something which was running on a significant proportion of that route in the era set - so not a DMU. To be honest, I struggle to think of any realistic option other than a class 86, but I may be proved completely wrong!
I'll just point out that they don't explicitly say its for WCML north, and there just happens to be a WCML south on its way too...
WCML South wasn't officially confirmed till yesterday, don't feel it's likely they'd have gotten access early enough to already have a DLC planned for it. Also just seems odd they'd loco DLC completely divorced from their other efforts, especially when their WCML was clearly made with the idea that it would synergize with Blackpool.
I’m just going to sit in the corner and quietly wish for a Valenta CrossCountry HST in IC Executive livery. Edit: While being mindful the 86 is the most logical of the two
I`m not so sure about the 86, even though it would be nice. I would have thought the 86 would have been the "Obvious" choice to come with the route as standard. It was after all the most prolific loco on the route. I am over the moon its the 87 though. Like others, I am hoping for something a little different, like a 25 or, to go really left field, what about a 58 ? The HST`s are nice, but they are in the game already. I hope JT give us something new.
25/2 makes a lot mores sense considering how ubiquitous they were and how easy it would fit in existing/future routes.
Not the angle I was going for. Perhaps the train they are building may be something that spans eras of the two WCML sections...?
My bet would be on one of either 2 things: A) A Class 86 for their new WCML Over Shap. B) A Class 220/221 for WCML South (bare in mind Just Trains made the original 'Expert Voyager' for TSC).
The 86 would make sense and I think most likely. Especially as they would have worked many of freightliner services and would have been more common on Cross Country services. They might choose an 85 though as that would fit of course. If the route is 1989 which I'm sure I read I can't see it being a class 25 as the last ones were withdrawn in 1987. But that's assuming the DLC is for this route. It could be for Blackpool. I doubt it will be for a non-JT route.
Another possibility could be a Class 108 DMU. Rather mundane compared to an 86 but would fit in nicely on a number of other routes too.
I would certainly love to see that. Especially added to a newly revised NTP timetable. However I think it's unlikely. Unless this 104 appears I suspect in ten years time the 101 will be THE TSW first generation unit
My thought process was the 108 would be appropriate to the Morecambe branch at the time. Layer on the Lancaster to Leeds service which should be driveable to/from Carnforth. The Furness Line services that are not loco hauled or Class 142. AI on the Windermere branch in and out at Oxenholme plus the ECS moves at start and end of service to and from Preston. Also in and out of Carlisle on the Cumbrian Coast services as AI. Newcastle trains at Carlisle still generally being 101’s with maybe the odd Pacer showing up.
A Class 86 would be the most logical..........and would set us up nicely from an attempt at GEML. But, if we went a little bit further back in time, couldn't it also be a Class 50?
By time frame, unlikely to be a 25. 86 goes seriously well with the 87 and the railtour possibilities become unimaginable 370 Highly requested and would skyrocket sales, considering we already have tilting mechanisms from the 390 A 108 is a good shoot to run the branchlines to Windermere and Dumfries
I'm skeptical about it being the 86. I know people want it for realism reasons but to more casual players does it have any appeal or selling points over the superior 87? I know I probably wouldn't bother getting it. My dream would be for a Duchess or Princess Royal Pacific on railtours, but I doubt JT are touching steam if DTG aren't.
Anything is possible, though obviously a loco spanning mid-late 80s and 2020s is going to be hard to identify. My initial thought was something that pulls the sleeper service, but not sure on that now - class 73 would certainly qualify
Any chance of a Valenta HST? Would they have run the occasional cross country service up this way in this period?
Completely wrong era for the converted 73’s and they only work the non electrified portion in Scotland. In the 80’s, overnight services were hauled by Class 81 to 87, same as the daytime expresses.
Always had a soft spot for them - not at the time, admittedly, as they were pretty much the only passenger action in Workington and they bored the hell out of me back then! Nowadays I play the 101 a lot, it instantly transports me back to those heady days of depots stuffed with locos! A 108 would fit in at Carlisle, Oxenholme and Preston, not sure where else though. Come to think of it a reskinned blue 104 would work well in Preston, again not sure where else though? I guess previous posters are right though, a 25 wouldn’t fit in with the timeframe and there aren’t any other routes where it would reasonably fit at the moment either. 86 makes sense.
If the presumption that it’s going to be for both WCML’s is correct then I believe the obvious answer would be the Class 90, MK3’s and DVT. For when they were called in by Avanti to run services for them.
Maybe we’re all barking up the wrong tree here… I know JT are currently doing the Blue Era proud, but what if they’re working with WCR on something more contemporary … a 57 would work well on a lot of existing routes for railtours…
Would it not be an appropriate slam door EMU? I don’t know which ones ran on the line up there if any but it would be a new variety for TSW. Everyone so far is thinking loco but I immediately went to stopper train in my head.
There were not many EMU workings north of Crewe at that point in time. Maybe the odd 304 escaped to Preston and there might have been the odd Class 310 relief service down to Carlisle from the south. But pretty much all the local services north of Preston were DMU or the lightweight loco hauled consists to the Barrow line.
A class 90 is an outside possibility, but the 86 would better serve the desired variety of typical WCML traction that JT seek for the target 1985-88 era.
The route is set in '85 or '86 I think so certainly possible because, as I remember, 25s weren't gone until '87. I do think the 86 is more likely, but certainly could be a 25.
If it turns out to be the APT, I will explode with sheer hype! That would be a dream come true. However, I do wonder if maybe that Class 50 that was in development and put on the shelf a few years ago is going to resurface?
