As title suggests - there is a sale on JT website and I'm thinking of picking up Wessex mainline extension. What do you people think about the route? I also do have all of AP packs listed on the page so scenarios running would not be a problem either. I am a big fan JT routes on TS Classics - started from their Midland mainline and various extensions.
That’s a fictional route, still it’s far better than some developers efforts on resembling real routes.
I would be careful unreservedly recommending every route JT currently sell. While their more recent work (Derby - Sheffield onwards) is excellent, even at full price, I'd be a bit more cautious unreservedly recommending their older routes. While all are competent and playable, their art style isn't up to modern standards and I'd only recommend them in a sale, unless you have a particular interest in the route.
Well I picked it up yesterday and and did one scenario with Class 166, I must say the route itself looks quite good - regular JT Standards (From Midland mainline onwards). You also get upgraded class 166 which is a bonus, Not AP standards by all means - but makes Class 166 drivable.
Indeed - The older routes from JT I was never really a big fan of. Scottish ECML is good example - that route is so old that today if I do a scenario on it, I can barely make to the next station before quitting. The only reason why I bought it is because of assets requirements for third party route. However from Midland mainline (Sheffield to Derby) onwards - JT have really improved the quality and attention to detail in their routes. Track upgrades, detailed lineside vegetation and stations ..etc. It is much more enjoyable/immersive to drive. I don't know why they didn't complete the section between Bedford - Leicester.
But it is not. The track layouts were wrong with very sharp points going in to Sidings. At one location is a return loop with a single platform. I have only seen that on a London Underground with a return Loop for ECS and on Tram Routes. The Depot at the south end had crazy track layouts - somebody said it had changed but I have not put it back on. A colour light followed by another Strange track layout A return loop with sharp radius curves and nowhere for a train to overtake
749006 I believe the sharp radii and some other problems were corrected, but like you I've not re-installed after the update, so can't confirm. But if you accept it as an imaginary route and you can still have some fun with it.
Things certainly improved 100 fold once Mark Walker & Thomas Harrison joined the map building team, I'm sure there are other great team members too like the 3D asset modeller (who's name I can't recall and for which I sincerely apologise), but track laying accuracy and asset placing attention to detail falls mostly on Mark & Toms shoulders as far as I'm aware.
