This one for when Age Of Steam comes out but theres nothing like getting in early The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs from around 18 miles Pickering to Grosmont with 3 intermediate stations. There is then a 6 mile extension along Network Rail tracks to the seaside town of Whitby. At the southern end you have Pickering a double platform station small yard and turntable. Beyond Pickering is the carriage works and sidings before the line becomes single track fpr the run up to Grosmont save the stations of Levisham & Goathland. Next up is Levisham which again has 2 platforms and is used as passing place. Theres then the request stop of Newton Dale which is nothing more than a request stop and wooden platform. The last intermediate station is Goathland, which is famous for appearing in the Harry Potter Movies, again this is a 2 platform station with coal staithes along side and some camping coaches and is again a passing place. Prior to arrival in Grosmont there are the engine sheds with numerous locomotives in varying states of restoration. Straight after the sheds the line runs through one of the oldest railway tunnels in the world before arriving into Grosmont. Grosmont actually has 3 platforms, 2 for the NYR & 1 for the Network Rail Service on the Esk Valley line between Whitby to Middlesborough. This 3rd platform is on a 45degree (aprox) to the NYR platforms. The line then runs the final 6 miles into Whitby which has recently been extended to restore the 2nd platform to allow additional NYR trains to serve it. Steam Locos So basically virtually any preserved UK steam locomotive wouldnt look out of place on this line as the list of rolling stock to travel this line is extensive including LNER A4 Sir Nigel Gresley, LMS, SR locos, GWR and War Department 2-10-0 and BR Standard Types A full(ish) list can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...the_North_Yorkshire_Moors_Railway#Operational Diesel Locos The railway also has use of a number of preserved diesel locos some of which are already included in TSW, BR Class 08 & BR Class 37 along with a Class 24 in the past. We've also got prototypical use of the Class 101 DMU's on quieter days. Then we can see Class 150's on the Esk Valley section depending on the period the route would be set in. Carriages a mixed lot mostly LNER teak and BR Mk1's if memory serves me correctly. Possible Scenarios Other than usual passenger timetable services we've also Steam & Diesel galas along with Santa Specials and in the past Im certain its seem Thomas the Tank Engine days as well. Theres also the possiblity of running heritage freight services for TV/Movie productions if we stretch reality a little. Some images Goathland Station (wikipedia) A4s on shed during an LNER Gala Weekend. (wikipedia) Pickering Station during a 1940's war time weekend back in 2013 https://www.hello-yorkshire.co.uk/blog/11-13-october-pickering-war-weekend-2013/ NYR Steam across the Yorkshire Moors. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...22495/-1:p/?albumid=-150&type=0&category=-150 I really do think this would be an ideal opener for the Age of Steam on TSW as it would allow a variety of mainline steam & utilise existing Diesel Locos in a prototypical setting.
One thing I forgot to add is that is has a good gradient profile which would be challenging yet achievable for novice steam drivers which given I envisage we'd all be novices at driving steam on TSW would be a good introduction.
Whilst I like this idea for when steam is introduced in TSW2, I can't see it happening. NYMR doesn't like to licence their brand which is why it is only available as a 3rd party route and branded as the Pickering-Whitby heritage line in Train Simulator on PC.
