With the recent acquirement of the Cross Country license, I thought this would be a good suggestion to expand on that, while also introducing the Class 220 Voyager / Class 221 Super Voyager to Train Sim World. Whilst a much longer route would be more desirable, based on the typical scope for route length, I feel this would be most appropriate. The Route The route would take just over an hour to complete a run from end to end, making use of the Cross Country Voyager family of trains from Sheffield in the north, to Birmingham New Street in the south, while also providing mixed stopping patterns at intermediate stations, such as Chesterfield, Burton on Trent and Tamworth, with all services calling at Derby. The route would introduce Sheffield for the first time into Train Sim World, further providing a good base for further routes down the line in the future. The route would also include the Central Rivers Bombardier Maintenance Depot (Barton Under Needwood R.S.M.D) which could provide various shunting moves and depot runs. The Services Between Sheffield and Birmingham - The full route length, there are typically three trains per hour. with their directions alternating (I.E: One hour there are two southbound services, one northbound. The next hour there are two northbound, one southbound) In addition to this, there are two services per hour running between Birmingham New Street and Derby in each direction, running half hourly - These are the services to and from Nottingham, Birmingham and Cardiff Central, and are operated by Class 170 Turbostars. These services also offer a variety of stopping patterns - with all of them calling at Burton and Tamworth, and a select few calling at Willington and Wilnecote. Route Layers As mentioned above, this route would ideally come with both the Class 220 and Class 221 Voyager and Super Voyager. But there is also the possibility for much of the existing content already available to layer in, and provide both AI only and player drivable services. XC / WMR Class 170 Pack: As previously mentioned - Providing CrossCountry services between Derby and Birmingham on the Nottingham to Birmingham and Cardiff services. The West Midlands 170 would also layer in as AI at Birmingham New Street. Midland Mainline - Class 158: The Class 158 from the Midland Mainline addon would layer in, and be drivable between Chesterfield and Sheffield in both directions, with the occasional service being playable to and from Dore and Totley. These trains operate the Liverpool to Norwich services. The Class 158 would also layer in at Derby, standing in as AI only traffic representing the Matlock and Crewe services, as well as static AI, or even playable shunting moves into and out of Etches Park. Midland Mainline - HST: The HST would layer in as playable services between Sheffield and Derby, representing the London services, in addition to the empty stock movements into and out of Etches Park. Cross City Line - Class 323: Pretty self explanatory - The Class 323s layering in at Birmingham New Street as AI for the Cross City Line services. West Coast Mainline South + Class 390: As above - Layering in at Birmingham New Street as AI services. They would also layer in at Tamworth for the West Coast Mainline services on the lower level, which run via the Trent Valley chord.
Nice suggestion, although I think the 222 should be included as well. It would very nicely tie in with a timetable upgrade to the current MML so the two routes would be "linked" together and you'd be able to drive from Birmingham to Nottingham (via a route hop at Derby).
Funnily enough, I was just thinking about this. Would be the perfect route for the Voyagers. If I'm right, Burton-on-Trent is the only station served exclusively by CrossCountry. Would be a great way to introduce a 220/221 without it needing to be a loco add-on.
https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/cross-country-sheffield-to-birmingham-new-street.88621/ For more ideas and service patterns
You'd get Northern services between Sheffield and Chesterfield too (part of Nottingham to Leeds), should a Northern DMU ever be added. (These services are normally 195s)
Good to see a couple of threads for this suggestion now. Both in great detail. This route would definitely appeal as a core route - InterCity, regional and local stuff all rolled into one. The length, and scale of the cities, probably means a branch of any kind would be out of the question - although Matlock would be sweet!
Yes, True. I didn’t mention it originally as I was focusing on what could already be added in rather than piling up a huge stock list which realistically wouldn’t be added. Similar to someone's previous suggestion for the Class 222 - I would love to see that in game, but added along with this route? No. It wouldn't make sense for the short run between Sheffield and Derby. The 222 would likely come as a loco addon for the existing MML Route, or maybe a future route out of St Pancras if one turns up.
