DTG Retiring Virgin Trains

[johnrossetti]

Ok, so in a nutshell, what do I need to buy, that is being withdrawn ?
Routes and Trains

Thanks John

[brysonman46]

IF they wanted to re-release the routes, at least, I'd guess the easiest would be to backdate them to the BR era.. (Personally I'd go with the sectorisation period, but that's just me...) Or do like with WCML-N/WCML over Shap, i.e. basically model the routes as they are today with modern signalling, speed limits etc but with BR era station branding and trains

Already done in Freeware (https://www.wotawallysbits.co.uk/nwc-brblue). As I said above (twice), reskin Crewe and Chester stations to remove all Virgin items, and the Virgin branded stock. An afternoon's work, and they could release the day after!

[brysonman46]

Ok, so in a nutshell, what do I need to buy, that is being withdrawn ?
Routes and Trains

Thanks John

As stated
North Wales Coastal: Crewe - Llandudno
North Wales Coastal Scenario Pack
North Wales Coastal Route Extension
Virgin Trains BR Class 390 Pendolino
Virgin Trains First Generation Pack
are the items being retired/withdrawn. so any of those that you have not already purchased.

I presume that 3rd party (such as AP) items will still work if you have the above

Nick

[johnrossetti]

Just 3 items to get then, got the routes already.

Thank you for the info. John

[rleirik]

This all seems a bit of a storm-in-a-teacup. I cannot imagine that the Holyhead route will disappear completely, and will presumably reappear without the Voyager or with a reskinned version. There are,of course, several versions of the horrible thing available elsewhere. The worse thing is the egregious use by DTG of the ghastly word "upcoming" when they mean "forthcoming". I suppose at least they haven't yet resorted to the even worse "get-go" instead of the English "start".
Robin

[IronBidder]

I wouldn't hold out much hope on any of the above thoughts about acquiring the rights.

Licence agreements are very complex and almost certainly contain clauses as to what happens if either party ceases to exist. Virgin have pressing matters to deal with such as staff transferring to new operators and legally winding up the company. The fate of a rather insignificant licence for a niche hobby is not likely to be high on their agenda.

That's an important point. If Virgin West Coast is heading for oblivion they won't be able to protect their brand. I don't know whether anyone will acquire their IP rights, but even if they do/can there doesn't seem much value in defending them. What practical value is there in a dead rail operating company's livery?

[SkylineBoy]

That's an important point. If Virgin West Coast is heading for oblivion they won't be able to protect their brand. I don't know whether anyone will acquire their IP rights, but even if they do/can there doesn't seem much value in defending them. What practical value is there in a dead rail operating company's livery?

This will very much be in relation to the Virgin brand itself which is very much alive and they are notoriusly protective of it the fact that the railway operation is to cease is irrelevant and its also worth noting that they plan to return in 2021 with an open access operation.

[rosschris10]

Ok, so in a nutshell, what do I need to buy, that is being withdrawn ?
Routes and Trains

Thanks John

As stated
North Wales Coastal: Crewe - Llandudno
North Wales Coastal Scenario Pack
North Wales Coastal Route Extension
Virgin Trains BR Class 390 Pendolino
Virgin Trains First Generation Pack
are the items being retired/withdrawn. so any of those that you have not already purchased.

I presume that 3rd party (such as AP) items will still work if you have the above

Nick

AP packs do not have the VT branding there was problems a while back with regards to that.

[brysonman46]

So the 2 Virgin Train packs will go the same way as the RSC\Class101Pack that was withdrawn. That was replaced by another BRClass101 pack. There are other loco/dmu/emus available to use in place of the Virgin ones. Of more concern is the loss of the routes, as they are the origins for many scenarios and regressions.
We will await developments, if any!

[michaelhendle]

Maybe they could reskin/paint the Virgin items back to BR Inter-City Red Stripe, that livery looked really smart on the HST's
Just a thought

[USRailFan]

Or they could do something similar to the WCML-N/WCML over Shap routes, have the modern-day trackwork, speedlimits etc but BR era station signs and stuff... The 47/8 and Mk2s from the Virgin Pack could be reskinned into ICS and bundled with it, with scenarios set just before privatisation... I dunno what DMUs would've been used in the late BR years, 156s I suppose? 158s might've been on the route already too?

[michaelhendle]

Probably all second-generation DMU's could have been seen on the route, from the humble Pacer The 150's 153,156, and 158

[xguerra]

Got an email back from DTG who consider it a legal matter and will not comment on the withdrawal.
The offer of the sale of rights was declined too, as predicted.

So that's that, for now.

[lenfish]

Got an email back from DTG who consider it a legal matter and will not comment on the withdrawal.
The offer of the sale of rights was declined too, as predicted.

So that's that, for now.

Wonder if there's a lawsuit in the works (breach of contract?) or a legal direction has been issued, that's the usual scenario for not commenting for legal reasons, as this very site knows only too well.

Regards,

Len

[RolandBP]

Ok, so in a nutshell, what do I need to buy, that is being withdrawn ?
Routes and Trains

Thanks John

As stated
North Wales Coastal: Crewe - Llandudno
North Wales Coastal Scenario Pack
North Wales Coastal Route Extension
Virgin Trains BR Class 390 Pendolino
Virgin Trains First Generation Pack
are the items being retired/withdrawn. so any of those that you have not already purchased.

I presume that 3rd party (such as AP) items will still work if you have the above

Nick

Thanks for that info, I did a check and found I did already have everything you have mentioned here.