Announcing the Great Northern Railway [Kings Cross]

[Kariban]

In terms of historical routes, wouldn't something like the Settle & Carlisle, set in the '20s as per Pat Daltons MSTS route be good?

Or 50s Woodhead/GCR or something. It would be good to have something bigger than Bath Green Park in a period setting route though.

[67025]

Hmm im sure people will create a huge amount of scenarios for this route ( Mr Armstrong ... Hint Hint )

[pendolinobasher]

I am looking forward to this a lot as its quite a distance between the 2 stations and can take even longer when doing an all stations stop in a 313

[class508128]

i wonder if it will have the underground bit in it from drayton park to moorgate

[firetrap1]

I wonder if this route will finally convince the remaining MSTS users to join our growing RW community, as i know many of us have played EuropeanBahn's East Coast routes (parts 1 & 2) in the past. This should be even better when we have a Railworks version!

[mjoliver1]

Just a shame that most payware routes seem to be steam or present day.

From memory we have the following UK payware routes:
IOW - Modern (although you can argue the stock is old, the route is still based in 2009)
GARL - Modern
WCML - 1990's
Doncaster - 1980's
Phorum Peninsula - Modern (as IOW, old stock but still built as now)
Bristol to Exeter - Modern
Newcastle to York Modern (clues in the name )

I would say if you exclude Doncaster as it's not really a route (though still a great addon in itself) and count the recently released Falmouth as the one look back to the past, it's safe to say everything for RW (both current and publicly announced) is modern, or in the past 20 years anyway.
So I also groaned when I saw this announcement, simply because it's yet another modern route.
And no offence intended to the producers at all, just not my thing.
Thank goodness for the freeware producers giving us somewhere decent to run our steam locos other than flipping railtours

It's an odd concept when you consider the majority of payware stock is steam and BR diesel era... how is this happening?!
Maybe a topic for another thread.

I couldn't agree more. The 60s/70's era was when major transitions occurred in steam/diesel/electric and would provide much more scope for rolling stock like LMS D10000/1, Class 24; the Brighton Belle and the Deltic (as Vern mentioned). Also, while each individual has his own preferences, I have no association with the modern UK rail era: I commuted to London back in 1966 to 1973 before moving abroad and again in 1986 to 1993 before moving off overseas once more.

Mike

[USRailFan]

WCML - 1990's

Actually it is specifically said in documentation and route information screen that WCML North is set in the 'modern' era (post-2004, but pre-2010). Why they still decided to set it in the 90s rolling-stock wise is anybody's guess...

[JCogman]

Just a guess but perhaps they couldn't get the copyright permissions from the various Train/Freight Operating Companies.

Good to hear part of Southern ECML is being produced. With regards to era, I'm glad this is going to be modern day. It is just a shame that whenever someone decides to produce a route deemed "Modern Day", it has to be shot down and criticized for being boring or not having enough scenario prospects. As has been said, perhaps a patch can be looked at in the future to take it back to pervious times.

[spikeyorks]

I wonder if this route will finally convince the remaining MSTS users to join our growing RW community, as i know many of us have played EuropeanBahn's East Coast routes (parts 1 & 2) in the past.

I doubt it. As I understand it MEP is now in the final stages of development and covers the whole of Kings X to York in one go (plus much more). I think that is slightly more mileage that what is being developed here.

Mind you there is nothing stopping someone from applying the team approach that is being developed for the Trans Pennine Route to try and recreate a more substantial chunk of the ECML in Railworks. It will take a very long time....but so has the MSTS version.

Regards

[phat2003uk]

I think reference material is a very big reason why most routes are set in the present day. I can imagine finding track, signalling and cab ride videos from 50 odd years or so ago is pretty tricky!

[Kromaatikse]

Indeed, the track layout and signalling arrangements of the Golden Age were considerably more complex than they are now. Where there is now a pair of platforms and maybe a three-aspect starter signal in each direction, there could have been a smorgasbord of semaphores, shunting discs, crossovers and sidings, all controlled by a local mechanical signalbox. While this makes things potentially a lot more interesting to operate, finding the information to model it accurately must be a nightmare. In many cases I suspect authors would have to guess at most of it using the Regulations and typical practice as a guide.

By contrast, finding detailed information about old locomotives is easier than about new ones - not least because many of them are in museums and, at least in theory, can be taken apart and poked at. New ones are in valuable revenue service and/or behind tight security in the depot, and even the manuals are effectively controlled by copyright interests.

[mjoliver1]

......... The 60s/70's era was when major transitions occurred in steam/diesel/electric and would provide much more scope for rolling stock like LMS D10000/1, Class 24; the Brighton Belle and the Deltic (as Vern mentioned). ..........

Mike

Oh, and by DELTIC I mean DP1. I can still recall as a young trainspotter, the keen anticipation followed by sheer excitement when that blue, yellow-striped monster with its American style, cyclops nose-light rumbled into Kings X. That would be a great model for RW in any event. And, I suppose I could still hope for a retro King's X route to run it and the 'Streaks'.

Mike

http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/dp1.htm

[johnmckenzie]

......... The 60s/70's era was when major transitions occurred in steam/diesel/electric and would provide much more scope for rolling stock like LMS D10000/1, Class 24; the Brighton Belle and the Deltic (as Vern mentioned). ..........

Mike

Oh, and by DELTIC I mean DP1. I can still recall as a young trainspotter, the keen anticipation followed by sheer excitement when that blue, yellow-striped monster with its American style, cyclops nose-light rumbled into Kings X. That would be a great model for RW in any event. And, I suppose I could still hope for a retro King's X route to run it and the 'Streaks'.

Mike

http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/dp1.htm

DP1.... Mmmm, lovely! Surely that's got to be worth someone developing!

[darren10000]

Bump Bump...Is there any news on this or is it Vapourware like so many things in life

Daz
73E

[Kariban]

Or 50s Woodhead/GCR or something. It would be good to have something bigger than Bath Green Park in a period setting route though.

Hmm.

Now did the observation change the state of being and thus bring about the eventuality, or was that actual prescience...