I’d like to propose a new route for Train Sim World - Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly, featuring Northern Trains Class 323 and Class 319 EMUs. The route between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly stretches 31 miles (slightly shorter than TSW: Great Western Express at 36 miles), taking players along the 17-station route which on average takes just over an hour to complete with a max speed limit of 90mph. Snapshot: 31 Mile Route 17 Stations Northern Trains Class 323 EMU Northern Trains Class 319 EMU Era: 2015+ History: Following the completion of the full electrification between Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street, Northern Rail (now Northern Trains) started to operate 4-car Class 319 units under the “Northern Electrics” name along the line in March 2015. Today, both 4-car Class 319 and 3-car Class 323 sets can be seen running on the line. Built from 1992 through to 1996, the 323s were among the last trains to enter service before British Rail’s privatisation in the mid-1990s. They feature an unmistakable alien-like traction motor sound (video below) and have recently started to undergo refurbishments to keep them running for years to come after scrapping plans to replace them fully with the new Class 331 rolling stock. Built in two batches in 1987–88 and 1990, Northern Rail took delivery of twenty Class 319/3 units in 2015 after being handed down from Thameslink. Like the 323s, the 319s have a distinct traction motor and were also built prior to the privatisation of British Rail. Northern Trains is said to cut the Class 319 from its fleet in 2022 and replace the units with additional 319 sets from West Midlands Trains. Stations: Liverpool Lime Street Edge Hill Wavertree Technology Park Broad Green Roby Huyton Whiston Rainhill Lea Green St Helens Junction Earlestown Newton-le-Willows Patricroft Eccles (Manchester) Manchester Oxford Road Manchester Piccadilly Services don’t typically terminate at Manchester Piccadilly. The route continues a further 8 miles to Manchester Airport with five intermediate stops, including Mauldeth Road, Burnage, East Didsbury, Gatley and Heald Green. - It would of course be amazing for the TSW route to include these stops too, but I don’t know if the added length of the journey would put Dovetail off from this route. Conclusion: The 323s have always had a place in my heart. Growing up I distinctly remember the sound of the traction motor of these units as I would watch them at stations with the family. The route between Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly offers plenty of passenger transit operations that run from early morning through late at night. Mixing busy city landscapes with suburban scenes, plus the use of 80’s/90’s rolling stock will give this route a happy medium between a modern era with older units.
