I noticed that everything in TSW that falls into the British and Modern category is an EMU or DMU. (Except maybe the Class66) I thought it would be nice if we could get a modern British locomotive.So I google for Modern Britsh Locomotives, but the only things I can find are DMU / EMU and the Classic trains that we already have in TSW. So now to my question. Are there no modern locomotives in Great Britain comparable to the German DB BR 146 or 182 in passenger transport?
I think the Class 91 might be the last purpose-built British electric passenger loco' and even that was intended for double duty hauling parcel trains at night.
There’s the Class 68 which operates with Transpennine Express and Scotrail. That would be really nice. The class 91’s are still in service on passenger trains and up to about two years ago so were the class 90’s. Class 92’s and 90’s operate the sleeper services to Scotland and Class 57’s take the one to Cornwall. In Scotland the sleeper is pulled by eother a 67, 73 or 47. Class 67’s and 68’s also operate with DVT’s with chiltern railways and the 67’s are used in Wales as well for the long distance expresses. There is still quite a range of locohauled modern trains but they are mostly push-pull save for the sleeper. A line in Scotland featuring the sleeper would be awesome. Shunting and splitting it in Edinburgh then taking it over the forth bridge would be fun.
Depending on what you consider “modern”, GWE has class 43 which, while no longer on the main inter city routes, are still in service in Cornwall.
UK electric loco's are not represented at all, the most modern loco I love to drive is the 66, would be nice to have a 60, a 90, a 92, 86 & 87
I don't think there's much need for locos in passenger runs nowadays in the UK. MUs are so pervasive our system is set up for their use rather than needing run arounds or "orphaned locos"
I caught a Transport for Wales train a couple of years ago heading to Manchester that was hauled by a Class 67, the only other passenger train I’ve personally seen pulled by one of those being the Royal Train. I was expecting a DMU, so it was a nice blast from the past travelling in a Mark 2 coach. The people I were travelling with didn’t really understand why I was going on about it the whole way. Locos are normally just for freight these days.
If that's the case, why don't we have any dedicated UK freight routes. There is nothing in European or UK gameplay comparable to SPG, CRR or Cane Creek. Surely, there must be bulk freight and intermodal traffic over there. I, for one, would be interested in that kind of content.
I can't comment on the UK lines, but for Germany (as an example of Europe), the only real freight-only lines are branch lines for the most part. Branch lines like the one to the harbour on MSB for example. Almost all non-branch lines are either passenger traffic only or mixed traffic. All of the bulk or intermodal traffic you mention goes via mixed routes, the Rheinstrecke is a good example of that. As far as freight lines for UK content go, might I suggest TVL? While it does also feature commuter services, the focus is on freight runs. It is, however, not as interesting as SPG or CRR as far as gradients are concerned.
Tees Valley could have had something of the sort if it had carried on past Saltburn to the potash mine at Boulby. It'd also have created an excuse to run a Deltic should one ever appear for TSW. Mmm... Deltics.
There aren't that many dedicated routes for freight, instead they go off branch lines onto the mainline. Even one of the largest incoming multimodal freight ports in the UK (Felixstowe) is just off the coastal branches out of Ipswich, so if they did the freight routes there would be at least local passenger (probably some form of DMU) and then mainline running once they hit a main town (such as Ipswich) Another good example is the Thames Estuary where there are numerous oil, container and stone ports, all of which are very close to mainlines (C2C, North Kent lines) and then there's places like Southampton Docks, Llanwern, Newport etc which all pretty much back onto the main lines
I agree how about it's electro diesel equivalents Class 88 & 93. If added to GWE a text will warn players continue the journey on to reading please change to diesel mode also affects Class 800 & 802 Electro Diesels. Will actually occur after Heathrow Junction
Most of our freight-only lines are branches to freight terminals, and they'll be lines that were once used by passenger services. Bar lines into harbours, all our intermodal trains (btw almost all freight here is trainload now) share the track with passenger trains, so the reason we have no British freight routes is because they simply don't exist - I'm sure there's other examples but the longest freight branch I can think of is the former Ashington Blyth & Tyne route in Northumberland, branching off the ECML at Benton and runs to Lynemouth Power Station. It's soon to regain its passenger service, though.
However, I'm sure there must be some with the same balance as TVL: mostly freight, plus some local commuter stuff.
I can't think of any in the present day (maybe the GEML near Ipswich/LTSR near Grays/parts of the GOBLIN?), but certainly as you go back in time, especially to the 1970s and earlier, you get a whole lot more freight and especially going back to the 1950s and 60s there were some lines that were freight lines with some local passenger services (the old line near me would be an example), whereas now it tends to be passenger lines with freight.
Cab cars solve that problem quite neatly, while preserving the flexibility of separate coaching stock.
There’s little need for flexibility in trains used for only one purpose. Full train sets are the modern way, all self contained and built to the requirements of the customer.
I'm pretty sure the only train in the UK specifically designed for locomotive-coaches-DVT/cabcar ops was the Intercity 225. Is that correct? Nova 3 uses Class 68s which are mixed traffic, as are Class 86s and 90s, the 87s were also not specifically built for fixed formation.
I remember many, many years ago, getting on a train in London (I forget which terminus), and the car (carriage?) had little compartments and a passageway along one side. Very impractical, I suppose, and long ago on the scrap heap. Not all nostalgic though. People were smoking like crazy. I realized I'd gotten into the wrong car and there was no way to switch!
When mk3s were first introduced apparently they weren't liked much by everyone because they were open plan in both second class (TSO) and first class (TFO), which raised concerns over privacy. You were probably on a mk1, depending on if you were in first class. IIRC mk2s had open second class, and compartment first class, and mk1s were the same, but some had compartments in second.
There's Trans Pennine Express's newer NOVA fleet, class 331 and the 195 (DMU version) all the new stock replacing various commuter lines around London e.g. the class 700 family. I would also like to see more DMUs that Northern operate, old and new, including pacers and sprinters.
The last British designed and build loco was class 91 by BREL and Crewe Works. Class 68 was designed and build by Vossloh and Stadler. I'm sure we could have had more fantastic British trains and locos to talk about if UK would have supported it's rail industry instead of ruining it (Brel-Bombardier fate)
