In the recent roadmap stream in July, they talk about what we want updated for certain routes. And I would love to talk about the missing features that NTP could've had. Things like layers, scenery, timetable, and other things that would be a good thing to update. In this article I will talk about the things that I think need an update for NTP. Layers There are a few trains in TSW that would fit perfectly in the NTP timetable. One of the trains is the Class 31, which can substitute for passenger and freight services from the heavy freight pack. This would be a great update for both the timetable and the loco itself. Because the 31 is very underrated because it has very few services on Tees Valley, very few routes that it layers on, and is a pretty forgotten loco because it doesn't ever get mentioned once in a while. It can also substitute for the class 101 services because on Tees Valley, it hauls the class 101 for passenger services because the class 101 is known for breaking down and needs to be hauled by another loco. Also, I'm only picking the class 31 because it's BR blue livery is very similar to the trains that are in the NTP route because they're all in a BR blue. And the class 31 is one of the only locos not in NTP to be in a BR blue livery so it would make a perfect fit for the route. There's also the BR blue class 52 from Diesel Legends, and I would say it would go great in the route as well being, again, substitutes for passenger and freight services. But I didn't see it in the real life videos of Manchester Victoria in the 1980s, so I don't know it will be accurate if they were to layer on NTP. But again, it's in a BR blue livery, so it would be perfect for it to layer being one of the only locos in a BR blue livery not to be in NTP. And I only say loco for a reason, because there are two TRAINS that are in a BR blue that are not in NTP. And those are being the class 150, and the class 142. These would be the substitute layers for the class 101 to represent another generation of DMUs. In the real life videos of Manchester Victoria in the 80s I found. There were Pacers and Sprinters that were in the station as well along with some DMUs like the 101. But I don't exactly know what year that they were in the route, but I would still like to see them being in the NTP route to make the timetable stand out more. Also I would only recommend the blue class 142 to make the BR blue colors still stand out. But there's also another loco that isn't in a BR blue livery that I think would go well in the route. That being the LMS Jubilee. Now I know the age of steam has died out as time went on, but I would still absolutely love to see the Jubilee and maybe the 4F and 8F to be layers of NTP. So even if it doesn't make sense for them to be on NTP, I still recommend DTG for them to layer on NTP. Because I think it will look good. Scenery and Designs This one would be a good thing to update for NTP and other older TSW routes as well. I mean, look at ECML and NTP and compare them with any design in each route. You are missing so much content in NTP in comparison to ECML, such as food stands, posters, and boundary extensions that lead to unique things. So I would really recommend those things to be in NTP, but also make them like old advertisements kind of like the ones in Spirit of Steam and Peak Forest. But, those are just small features in the route. Some other things would also need a fix for the route to be a better look. Some of them being the snow and rain affects. Whenever I'm doing a service in a snowy condition, I would go through a station like Huddersfield and see the snow affect just stops when you enter the station. Like, literally, there's no snow in there even the ones that are falling just get cut off and never enter the station. So it would be pretty nice for a little fade of snow disappearing when it enters a station instead of just none being in the station like you're connecting two Lego sets with different ground textures. The rain affects aren't as bad themselves, but I would still kind of like for them to be somewhat updated in some way, but for now, it's fine. But another thing about the route is the lighting of the route. It's so dim and dark compared to other routes like ECML. They are so much brighter and vibrant in comparison to NTP's dim and dark lighting. I don't know if they've done it on purpose to refer to the pollutant smoke that emits from the diesels. But it's still just boring to look at and I would love for the lighting to be brighter to make the route stand out more in comparison to TSW4 routes like ECML. These are the major things that I would like to be updated, but if you see any other things in NTP that need an update or need to be fixed, please let me know. NTP's second add-on? So this is a weird one. If you don't notice it, there's a pattern for routes to have two add-ons each and no more than that. But there's also routes like SEHS where they have three add-ons, but two of them are from the expansion bundles so I'm just gonna say they don't count. But there's also routes where there are two trains in one add-on. One of them is the BR heavy freight pack with the class 40 and the class 08. So I'm trying to debate if having two additional locos in one add-on is technically like two add-ons in one add-on. But I'm still trying to think if there will be another add-on for NTP, or that was it's last one. But if it isn't its last add-on and is just one complete add-on, then I will proudly recommend another loco. But now the thing is, which loco would be NTP's second add-on? So I searched for locos in the NTP area in the 80s and found the class 25. There were also a few other locos I found in the are in that time period as well. One of which was an EMU called the class 504. But that would mean you would have to add third rail throughout the entire route, and now it won't be the same route again. I also found some other DMUs, but that's a little lame, because the class 101 kind of already is that, so it wouldn't make a great add-on. So all I was left with was the class 25. Although I don't know if there are other locos in the NTP area that existed in the 80s like a class 28, a class 57, a class 50, or a BR blue class 33. But I'm not sure and I've only found a class 25 and I think it would be a great second add-on for NTP. But the rolling stock that comes with it is a whole different story. Because I don't know any other goods that NTP needs. Maybe Aggregates? Coal? Cement? I have no idea, but I'm sure someone can find something. That's all I have for now for a better NTP. If you find anything you think needs an update, list it here or make a thread similar to this on another route. Because I love seeing older route getting remastered and feeling like a new route again.
