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Airedale & Wharfedale Network Gameplay Guide

Updated

This guide has been designed to help players get the most out of the Airedale & Wharfedale Network: Leeds & Bradford - Skipton & Ilkley Route Add-On. Below you will find information about the content available for this route, including links to community videos. Each of our video links demonstrate what a successful run may look like and can be used to help players having difficulty with a particular scenario.

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Route Features

  • Length: 54 miles
  • Country: UK
  • Operator: Northern/LNER
  • Stations: 19
  • Released: 15th September 2026

Locomotives

  • BR Class 331/0 and 331/1 in Northern livery
  • BR Class 801/1 and 801/2 in LNER Azuma livery 
  • BR Class 66

Training

Rail Journeys

  • Airedale & Wharfedale Lines (5 Chapters, 82 Services)

  • A Northern Trilogy (3 Chapters, 15 Services) (Northern BR Class 333 EMU Add-On)

Scenarios

Route Map

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Media

Frequently Asked Questions

What opportunities are there for freight gameplay?

There's plenty beyond the passenger network. Explore Neville Hill Depot, follow the freight-only branch towards Rylstone Quarry and head for Leeds Aggregate Terminal, making this one of Train Sim World's most varied modern British networks.

 

How were the train sounds captured?

Our audio team were able to work inside Neville Hill Depot, collaborating with Northern to capture authentic sounds and reference material for both the Class 331 and Class 333.

 

How many services are included?

Timetable Mode recreates the everyday rhythm of the railway with 260 playable services and 36 AI services included in the base route.

 

How many services are there with the Northern Class 333?

Add the Class 333 and the timetable grows to around 360 playable and 84 AI services across the route.

 

What add-ons are required for additional layers in Timetable mode?

The majority of the playable gameplay on this route is included with the base route and Northern BR Class 333 available in Deluxe Edition. However, we've taken the opportunity to spice up the timetable for players who own or purchase additional add-ons:
  • Railhead Treatment Train adds a full 5-part tour of the Skipton and Ilkley lines and some AI at Leeds.
  • West Coast Main Line: Preston - Carlisle adds four services with the Class 08 shunting wagons at Rylstone Quarry and handling diesel fuel tankers at Neville Hill.
  • Midland Main Line: Leicester - Nottingham and Derby adds a handful of HST services playable between Neville Hill Depot and Leeds, and a pair of ECS Class 158 services. The HST service in particular is anachronistic for 2025, but who can bear the thought of Neville Hill without any HSTs?! (As always, you can disable this layer in the Layer Selector menu).
  • Tees Valley Line adds a number of services with the Class 37 including an icicle patrol that runs Neville Hill - Ilkley - Shipley - Neville Hill and an overnight railtour that runs Leeds - Ilkley - Bradford Forster Square - Leeds.
  • Cargo Line Vol. 1: Petroleum adds a pair of oil trains playable between Leeds and Skipton.
  • Northern Trans-Pennine and BR Heavy Freight Pack add a Class 40 railtour playable between Leeds and Skipton.
  • West Cornwall Steam Railtour adds a Jubilee railtour playable between Leeds and Skipton.
  • Flying Scotsman adds a Flying Scotsman railtour playable between Leeds and Skipton, and a Class 66 railtour that visits Rylstone Quarry and the concrete plant at Hunslet East.
  • GWR HST Farewell Pack adds a HST railtour playable between Leeds and Skipton. Big thanks to Liam who made unbranded carriages just to represent this real tour better! It also adds static barrier coaches at Neville Hill Depot.
  • West Coast Main Line: Crewe - Preston and BR Heavy Freight Pack adds a Class 40 and Class 47 top-and-tail railtour playable between Leeds and Skipton.
  • CrossCountry BR Class 220 Voyager adds AI services at Leeds.
  • Keighley Station includes two inaccessible platforms used by a five-mile heritage railway. This is modelled and the tracks populated by Mk1 static stock (no add-ons required).

 

What add-ons will layer onto the timetable in the future?

The timetable includes layers for two trains which have been announced but not released yet. As soon as you own the train, these layers will be playable, no update needed.
  • All Aboard Studios’ Freightliner BR Class 70 provides a pair of railtour services and two engineering services, but can also be selected for substitution on all Class 66 services (except RHTT) should one be looking for a change in traffic. The Class 70 is uncommon on the Airedale and Wharfedale Lines in real life, so you won't see it on AI trains.
  • Skyhook Games’ Northern BR Class 158 operates services to Carlisle and Morecambe, playable between Leeds and Skipton. These also provide quite a bit of AI traffic at Leeds.

 

What are the most common services patterns on the network?

In this July 2025 timetable, the majority of trains on the route are Northern's fast and frequent electrics operating five service patterns:
  • 2PXX | Leeds - Bradford Forster Square (57 services)
  • 2HXX | Leeds - Skipton (72 services)
  • 2VXX | Leeds - Ilkley (74 services)
  • 2DXX | Ilkley - Bradford Forster Square (53 services)
  • 2SXX | Bradford Forster Square - Skipton (53 services)
Trains do not operate “there and back” runs, with their diagrams instead often swapping between these service patterns throughout the day, meaning even if you stick with one train, after a few hours you’re likely to have traversed the entire network.

Expansions

The following add-ons are compatible with this route and are designed to expand it with new content.

  • Northern BR Class 333 EMU Add-On (3 Scenarios, Timetable Support)

TSW Add-On Database

Please visit the Train Sim World Add-On Database for further details on this add-on, including:

  • Game Mode & Feature Support
  • Additional Layers/Requirements
  • Platform Differences
  • Gen 8 Compatibility

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