West Coast Main Line: Trent Valley From All Aboard Studios

I don't think era popularity comes into it, it's more a choice made for convenience by DTG. The last DTG-produced route that wasn't set in the past ten years was Northern Trans-Pennine, released eight and a half years ago [Correction: actually it was Spirit of Steam in 2022, I thought it was older than that.]

I don't recall them ever asking customers what they'd like in the game other than the recent question about remasters in the survey, so of course if you only sell modern-era routes then it's easy to say 100% of your paying customers want modern-era. It's a good job we have JT taking care of the 80s for us. I'd like to see some 90s and early 2000s routes appear but as far as I'm aware the only reason we ever got a 90s route was because of a licensing issue that forced Rivet to backdate it.

JB

 

I don't care what era it is, the main thing is an interesting route and trains.

We have the southern half of the WCML with a modern timetable, and the northern half with an old timetable.

the ideal would be to combine the WCML routes (London - Crew and Crew - Glasgow) and create separate timetables for them.

 

for me variety is the important thing, Id get equally as bored if every UK release was slam door 70's or early 80's BR blue just as quickly as if every route was an electrostar. Thats why Ive brought content from every country featured in TSW to date.

For others they only want to drive things that they are familiar with in real life whether thats trains from their childhood or modern DMU's.

Its a broad church and everyone is entitled to their preference and to air that preference in the forums, what isnt ok is ridiculding those with a different opinion to your own.

 

So this was posted on their Facebook page a few hours ago. My interpretation of it is that none of the Crewe services will be driveable. Or am I just misreading it because the chart suggests the "stops" aren't playable since the green icons are labelled as "playable"? Am I missing something or is this just another case of poor communication?

 

It took me a second to figure out what they’re communicating, so I think your Chester Class 805 services, Manchester and Liverpool Class 390 services and the Blackpool and Liverpool 807 services are drivable from end to end. Everything else is either only partially drivable or AI only. Do many Avanti services make their way around the Stoke loop?

 

Yes that's what I initially assumed would be the case, until I saw this chart which explicitly indicates that the driveable parts are shown in green (and therefore by deduction not green = not driveable).

If they're driveable from end to end surely you'd have the whole service in green and something to indicate "pass" and "stop"? I suspect I won't be the only one interpreting this way so it would be good of them to clarify.

 

The black background with white dot indicates where the service stops, if there is a green with the arrow, that means the service is playable, it's not as clear because Crewe and Stafford are next to each other in the order of stations, but I assume that if a service is stopping at Crewe and then has a green line after Stafford, then it is driveable from Crewe.

 

Yes I can read the legend, thanks. The problem is they've defined a colour for "playable" and then not used it properly in the chart.

 

It is a tad confusing... Think they should have used green dots to clarify where a player service calls, rather than white for everything.

 

So can you understand it or not?
You say you don’t understand it; Fair enough it’s very poorly designed. Someone explains it and then you respond a tad bit sarcastically.

 

You're just misreading it it.... Chester services are drivable from end to end starting at Crewe then stopping at Stafford then non-stop to MK.

Next one same again but with an additional stop at Nuneaton.

Next one Drivable non stop from Nuneaton to MK AI only from RTV to Atherton.


Etc, etc.....

 

So what is the stopping patterns for the 350s.

 

The chart clearly says it's only for the AWC services nothing more.




The actual post it was put out with on FB was as follows but that wasn't added by the person who posted it on here.....



TRENT VALLEY LINE – AVANTI WEST COAST STOPPING PATTERNS
Today we're taking a closer look at the planned Avanti West Coast service patterns featured on the Trent Valley Line.
This diagram focuses exclusively on Avanti West Coast operations, showcasing how Class 390 Pendolino, Class 807 & Class 805 services interact across the route, from fast intercity expresses to services making calls at key Trent Valley stations.
The chart highlights:
Driveable Avanti West Coast services
Scheduled station stops
AI-operated services
Sections not served by that particular service pattern
With a mix of express workings, stopping services and occasional diagrams, Avanti West Coast brings plenty of operational variety to the Trent Valley Line timetable.
This is just one part of the wider route experience, with additional operators and traffic details to be revealed in future updates.
Which Avanti service will be your first run when the route arrives?

 

Yea i know that I was just asking in general sorry.

 

Yes, I think it would be clearer if they had put a green background for the dot representing stop as well.
For anybody wondering the "fake" stops are:

• Milton Keynes on the 805 to Chester
• Milton Keynes on the Manchester via Crewe service
• Milton Keynes on the Manchester via Stoke (calling at Nuneaton)
• Milton Keynes and Crewe on the 390 to Liverpool (calling at Tamworth and Lichfield)

The 350s stop at every station except Polesworth and Wolverton every hour. Polesworth is served once a day northbound only and Wolverton is served by 350s that go via Northamton.
EDIT: I forgot the Birmingham to Liverpool services that are every 30 minutes between Stafford and Crewe

 

I imagine they will be given in a similar chart for LNW services etc.....

 

I'm not misreading it though, am I? The legend indicates the driveable parts are in green. If the Chester services are driveable end to end then why on earth are Crewe and Stafford not in green? It's only readable if you make an assumption that black = green.

 

Avanti West Coast operate 2 hourly services between London and Liverpool, and 2 hourly services in the opposite direction, 1 with the 390 stopping at Tamworth and Lichfield Trent Valley, and 1 with the 807 stopping at Crewe and Milton Keynes Central.

 

The other question is whether they are all 4 cars or a mixture of 4 & 8 car formations. There also different routing options I believe, some run slow line all the way and others I believe run fast line between stations to overtake slower freights.

Another point is that if 8 cars how will the SDO be replicated for Rugeley on the Down?

 

I have a feeling that the Trent Valley services run on the slow lines from Nuneaton to Colwich and then the fast lines Stafford to Crewe. It's some of the Birmingham to Liverpool services that run on the slow lines between Stafford and Crewe. In fact, I just checked a small sample on OpenTrainTimes: the Trent Valley service and one of the Birmingham - Liverpool services run on the fast and and the other Birmingham to Liverpool runs on the slow on the Stafford to Crewe section.
If I remember correctly, they said that SDO had been implemented on the preview, but there were some caveats like you had to stop in the correct position.

 

Having just looked at the map it seems the only opportunity a LNWR service would get to go on the fast is between Rugeley TV and Lichfield. So I think we can accept that the LNWR services will be Slow Line only unless a different calling pattern is used on a service for whatever reason (scenario maybe?)

 

it's pretty simple. Green means playable drivable route, dot means stop. Red means AI only and white means not on route. to make the dot squares green would only make it harder to read. with 4 different colours, it's clear what is what.

 

Well I’ve read it along with others and understood it as it was intended so yes AFAIC you’re misreading it.

 

Noticed another incorrectly signalled junction in a stream this time approaching stafford from the north....110 to 40 with just double yellow to single yellow with feather. Surely should be release from red. Shame, as I think b2c was signalled mostly perfectly. As we can see from other releases, sorting out signalling afterwards is a nightmare and most likely won't be done.
May actually pass on this one, which i never thought I'd be saying, but I like running hudless and this cant really be done realistically with signalling that doesn't slow you down enough.

 

So according to Alex, there is a preview stream on Thursday at 19:00UTC

https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/week-beginning-8th-june-2026.98246/#post-1123462

 

Wrong route there chap.

 

They defined a colour to identify playable sections and then elected not to use that colour on sections that are playable. But "you and others" finding it totally unambiguous apparently holds more weight than "me and others" finding it ambiguous

 

Found on the Trent Valley EA streams…


What could this be? a teaser for AABS next route?

 

Hopefully as in Shrewsbury to Pwllheli, though I'd settle for Wolverhampton to Chester!

 

Maybe ATS are doing Shrewsbury to Nantwich…

 

Let's hope not

 

I hope so as Crewe to Shrewsbury on that bus would be a nightmare in real life!

 

There are a wide range of options from Shrewsbury, due to the fact that 2 or more stations link up with Shrewsbury from AABS releases

three options that link with other routes AABS has done.


1. Birmingham NS - Shrewsbury with the WMR Class 196 DMU
2. Crewe - Shrewsbury via Wrexham General with the TfW Class 197
3. Crewe - Shrewsbury via Nantwich with the TfW Class 197.


Third option imo, is the most likely, as it could end up being a continuation, like how Trent Valley is a continuation of WCML Birmingham - Crewe.

it could start with Crewe - Shrewsbury, then continue with Shrewsbury - Cardiff Central.

 

whilst i've long called for the rail scene to better reflect real life, having us drive the replacement buses is a step too far IMO...

 

Less than 12 hours now until console gets this. I`ve stayed up that long doing university assessments.

 

So many options for a Shrewsbury route. Be nice to have Shrewsbury in the game.

My personal preference would be a Shrewsbury - Birmingham International or Coventry route, utilising the stretch between Wolverhampton and New Street that's already in TSW.
Extending to International would also allow you to run local EMU stoppers, longer Avanti and LNWR services, as well as a nice run for the Voyagers.

 

Best bit for me about Crewe-Shrewsbury is that it opens up the possibility of TfW class 67 services…

 

That’s a great shout!

 

except there isn’t a 67 in the game and it looks nothing like an 80x unit so it’s unlikely there will be?!

 

DTG Harry Could you post an Xbox Link please

 

not showing up on the xbox store as per usual, please could a link be posted?

 

Do you mean this link?

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/st...line-london-euston-milton-keynes/9N3JHR5X7WJR

 

l thought it was just me that couldn’t find new releases on Xbox. Here is the link.

https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/st...trent-valley-milton-keynes-crewe/9nv3gkhbdx9h

 

thank you very much. dlc not appearing on the xbox store has been an issue for months, usually it resolves itself after a day or two but i’m not sure if it’s specific to tsw

 

Be interesting to see if PlayStation sales take a hit today with the game breaking bug for many PS users.

 

Off to a good start hate the fact the reduced time table cuts a good chunk of freight (the best type of service in game)

 

We’ve been thinking on the discord, and may have come to a conclusion.


The route could be Birmingham New Street - Shrewsbury via Darlaston and Smethwick.


Class 196 as a new DMU.
350 being reused again for services up to Tame Bridge Parkway and Bescot.
half of it is already in Birmingham - Crewe.
And gives AABS the opportunity to extend from Shrewsbury, to either Cardiff or Crewe, but also for the 197, as it wouldn’t need much changing from a 196, if it were added to TSW.


Seems like a possibility.

 

I will wait to see the reviews before i decide to get it

 

There wasn't a class 70 till they started making one. Which as far as I know looks nothing like a 80x.

 

Hi all…exactly how busy is the full timetable? Does it roughly match real world? (Don’t mind if the odd service is missing, just don’t want to be heading through the Trent Valley on deserted lines!)