West Coast Main Line: Crewe - Preston

Following our previous look at the Class 47/3 we now begin to take a glimpse at the freight operations that will be carried out by this and the Class 20 locomotives in the upcoming West Coast Main Line: Crewe to Preston route from Just Trains.

In this development update we focus on the “Merry Go Round” coal trains and their constant cycle from Pit to Power Station. The term Merry Go Round came about in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s when Power Stations such as Fiddlers Ferry opened, requiring a high intensity input of coal to keep the national grid online. Merry Go Round trains utilise circular tracks at Power Stations such as Fiddlers Ferry meaning that they never have to stop once they depart the colliery, and can, operations willing complete an entire round trip to the power station without stopping, hence the “Merry Go Round” (MGR) term that these trains received.

In the WCML Crewe to Preston route these operations are fully covered, with through trains from Healey Mills and the Yorkshire Coalfield entering the route via Newton-Le-Willows supplemented by the more operationally intense workings from our featured collieries at Bickershaw and Parkside.

Bickershaw Colliery is the first one that we’ll take a look at. This four mile branch leaves the West Coast Main Line with a trailing junction to the south heading off at Wigan Springs Branch. By 1986 this colliery had seen a downturn with just a single line leading to the loader and a cripple siding connecting, which was used to dump faulty HAA hoppers for collection by trip workings at a later date so that repairs could be enacted. The lack of a run round loop meant that trains serving Bickershaw were top and tailed, most commonly by pairs of Class 20’s in this era, with locomotives added/removed at Wigan Springs Branch during the reversal. From Springs Branch the trains would head south along the Up Goods, crossing under the WCML via Bamfurlong Flyunder before climbing up the other side to join the main line for onward transit to Warrington.

Parkside Colliery was in reality more of a spur off the Chat Moss line just east of Newton-Le-Willows, connecting in via two loops on the approach. A run round loop was in use at Parkside during this era meaning that trains could use just a single loco, though again pairs of Class 20’s were commonplace. Upon departure from Parkside these loaded trains would travel via Earlestown before linking up with the WCML at Winwick Junction for the short run into Warrington.

These trains, once they arrived in the MSC Sidings at Warrington were faced with an interesting task to reach the line to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, which goes east to west directly under Warrington Bank Quay station. Whilst some trains saw the locomotive run round in MSC sidings, others saw a pilot attached to the rear for onward haulage for around a mile to Latchford Sidings, where another reversal took place to access Fiddlers Ferry itself. During the mid-1980’s this pilot was occasionally a Class 08 shunter, which was certainly put to the test hauling 45 loaded HAA hoppers and two dead locomotives on the rear, this is the scene we have chosen to portray in some of our operations, though there are a variety which do double run rounds at both MSC Sidings and Latchford, thus adding to timetable complexity!

From Latchford it’s a quick four mile run to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, where trains can unload without coming to a stop by using slow speed control to deliver their black gold at a controlled speed of 0.5mph. By utilising the circular route around the Power Station these trains can then rejoin the main line and head back to Latchford to do it all again!

We’re excited to share more details on these trains and more with a focused blog on Warrington to follow at a later date, a pure hive of activity during the 1980’s with trains in all directions, for now, here’s a selection of screenshots showing the MGR trains in action.

Welcome to the next Development Update covering the West Coast Main Line: Crewe - Preston route. This is a lengthy one. Enjoy.

The Just Trains Team have been working to develop the Class 47/3 for our upcoming Crewe-Preston route for Train Sim World 6. The Class 47/3’s were specifically intended for hauling freight services and they’ll be put to work across a variety of services in our upcoming route. These locomotives will take up work on Merry-Go-Round Coal Trains to and from Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, whilst also working up to 75mph on Freightliner container trains, this isn’t the limit of their use however, these versatile locomotives were regularly seen on just about any type of freight train in the 1980’s. .

We have also represented their appearance occasionally on passenger services, something that BR were reluctant to do, given their lack of Electric Train Supply equipment, however, much like in real life the best laid plans didn’t always work out and we have simulated rare appearances of Class 47/3’s on passenger services, so you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled when a diesel hauled passenger service is scheduled to arrive!

We have worked extensively to create the Class 47/3 in Train Sim World 6, with a number of new features included to accurately simulate the subclass in all their glory. Key among these features is the new Slow Speed Control. This feature was fitted to the Class 47/3’s to enable them to work coal trains from pit to power station, without the need for stopping or constant adjustment of the power controls. As a result, when you arrive at Fiddlers Ferry Power Station you will be able to switch on the SSC and relax whilst your train navigates its way through the unloader at a steady 1.5mph, supplying black gold to the National Grid! Of course, you’ll need to keep a close eye on those creep control AKA Toton Signals, to ensure that you have permission to continue!

Additionally, we have also taken the opportunity to apply a number of other changes to the Class 47/3 to enhance the overall experience when using the locomotive in game. Below is a summary of the changes you can expect to see along with a list of featured variants:

Class 47/3 Exterior Art Changes and enhancements:

• Class 47 model altered to create class 47/3 subclass, including general improvements across the board
• Full exterior remap (UV’s) and retextured from the ground up, including high detail weathering across the variants included with the pack
• Plated headcode panel remodel (both ends)
• Boiler Exhaust Removed, plate added to cover
• Slow Speed Control box added to axle box
• ETS equipment removed from bufferbeam
• Brush Built Specific details, including tail lights rotated horizontal and large centre support on bufferbeam

New Exterior Variants (where applicable):

• High Intensity Headlight correctly removed from applicable locos for 1986
• Larger Centre Tanks on applicable locos
• Cantrail stripe represented on each loco accurately for the period
• Flush ends for applicable locomotives, usually as a result of accident damage
• Depot Specific markings for Thornaby, Stratford and Tinsley locomotives
• New nameplates
• Featured liveries – BR Blue, BR Blue (Stratford), BR Blue (Thornaby) and Railfreight Grey

Cab art changes/ enhancements:

• Class 47 cab model altered to accurately represent class 47/3 subclass, along with general improvements and era corrections
• Full cab remap (UV’s) and retextured from the ground up

Cab Bulkhead:

• TPWS Isolator removed
• AWS Air Horn added
• Slow Speed Control On/Off Switch added
• New Door Open/Close animations

Drivers Desk:

• Drivers switch bank proportion and layout corrected
• Tail Light Switch proportion and layout corrected
• Correct straight air brake control added
• Correct drivers fault panel added
• Train Heat buttons removed
• Anti Slip button removed
• Fire Bell test button added
• Overload reset button added
• Correct gauges added
• Slow Speed Control added (Speed set switch and gauge)
• Window heat strips and stickers added
• Headcode “porthole” added

Audio Changes and enhancements:

• Introduction of new audio, along with upgrading existing sounds

Exterior:

• Alternate idle sound
• Edited startup and shutdown
• New Rail Joints
• New Turbo

Cab:

• Full set of new cab interior sounds including startup and shutdown
• New Fire bell
• Working DSD with DVD
• New switch sounds
• New triple pump

We hope that update has given you an insightful look at what we have been working on regarding the Class 47/3/. We also invite you to view this selection of WIP screenshots showing off the Class 47/3. Looking very nice too!

That's it for now. We hope to bring you more on the latest route progress, soon.

Welcome the In Development page for our upcoming TSW 6 route Crewe - Preston.

We'll be bringing you some updates in the coming weeks for now here are the introductory screenshots.

We have way more to show you covering all areas of the route. Look out for future updates.