Not seen much chatter on this one. Johannes dropped in the roadmap that Mildmay extension will feature “licensed” South West Trains liveried AI representations of the SWT 450’s.. This is potentially quite interesting, no? SWT has previously not granted licensing, so could this be foreshadowing what may be to come in the TSW7 update? Last year GWR made a re-appearance pre-announcement and was then star of the show in TSW6 Riviera… Be interested in what the Richmond version will be livery wise… is it SWT à la Midland Mainline, SWT bright red or blue colours, or South Western Railway MTR livery
There’s definitely precedent with the GWR license resurfacing this time last year, so wouldn’t be surprised at all if we get a SW core route.
They've had the SWT license for ages IIRC. The new Portsmouth Direct Line and the SWML for TSC are fully licensed SWT routes.
If I'm right you need for every game, sometimes for every route a separate licence. It's not you have it for TSC it means it's automatically for TSW. It depends on what conditions are made for a license.
I think something that those who aren't familiar with UK railways need to remember, South West Trains hasn't existed since 2017 when the franchise was taken over by South Western Railway. Although SWT was a Stagecoach brand, I'm fairly certain it would be the DfT who own the rights to previous franchise brands which may have made acquiring it easier then SWR given DTGs good relationship with the DfT. So having SWT in the game isn't an admission of something that may be backhanded announcement of anything else... If DTG were going to do a SWML route, I'd imagine they'd aim for SWR opposed to SWT. I'm not saying that with 100% certainty, as DTG could well make a SWT route, but if they did it would have to be a route set in 2017 or earlier. It's not impossible, but it does seem unlikely given most of their modern routes are 'upto date'. Just remember SWT is a dormant brand, and SWR is the current brand. Look at MML, it is set in the past as EMT doesn't exist anymore, and is EMR now so as I said it's not impossible, but it is very unlikely. Although SWR has been in public ownership since last year, I imagine previously when it was owned privately that licencing may have been refused hence why we haven't seen it in the game and hence why SWT has been chosen for the NLL 450 AI.
Now that I think about it, it's odd this is a licenced reskin of a train never owned (afaik) by that operator, I'd have thought they'd only licence the skin for a train belonging to their fleet. Also, this seems to clash with the prior statement I remember that newly licenced content needed to be it's own DLC and not as just AI
Well wasn't the Elizabeth Line branded as just AI stock. I'm not sure if a TfL liscence would cover everything.
SWT operated Class 450s which are near enough identical in appearance to the 350s, apart from being DC only. Secondly I'm fairly certain that the 350/1 seen on WCMLS were originally destined to be Class 450s but a regulatory body stepped in and reallocated the order to Silverlink/Central trains and they become Class 350s. So they are linked, and SWT did operate Desiros, as do SWR.
very expertly expectation managed there! But there MUST be something broader… it’s a lot of effort to go to for just AI at Richmond? if it is that, then fair play for going the extra mile … but I dare to dream
Clearly just shows the level of popularity a SWT route would have through, on various threads this small announcement of a reskin has kicked off a bit of a frenzy, of which I’m guilty of too as I would love a South Western route
It would strange if they went for the license solely for a stand-in reskin - albeit very pleasing. One would suspect this will be Dovetail's work and Johannes is making the most of it. Dovetail have a license anyway for TSC and the DfT basically just give them anything they want of the dormant licenses so I'd imagine it's a case that Dovetail just haven't bothered to ask until now. The 450 is pretty similar to the 350 so a full conversion job for a potential future route wouldn't be implausible I'd think. Perhaps the reskinned 350 will be replaced come September...
Nothing really preventing the Class 700 from being chopped into a SWT red surburban 707 version either now really. Would be missing a trick there for more AI variety on Mildmay
I was always of the understanding you need one license and the licensor just needs to approve each use.
Thats nearly the same. I was pointing out that you did not have automatically the licence for all products when you have it for one product.
We did see a very similar thing with the XC license last year, we got a smaller product towards the end of TSW5 & then TSW6 launched with the Voyager. Personally though I really hope it isn’t going to be the case. We’ve had plenty of 350’s, not really going to be interested in their sister fleet. Even the 159 at this point would be meh. We need more time between all these repeating trains, and something fully fresh for a new entrance to the TSW series.
Fair comment but there is considerable traction pardon the pun behind a SW route. We have SouthEastern and Southern covered pretty extensively, a bit of Stagecoach would fit in nicely
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always advocated for SWR & it would offer a different geographic experience wherever the route would be & whilst there is a wealth of traction it’s going to be pretty predictable as to what the era would be, meaning we’d just get the Desiros. I just don’t think after 1-2 years of the same British EMU’s that we need more of them right now. All things considered though if it were a case of 450’s & 444’s coming, then Johannes likely wouldn’t need to use the livery on a 350, so probably not going to be the case.
I fully agree with the point of “recycled” traction. Fully agree. If I had a magic wand wish list an SWR route would be set in the 80s/90s/00s and would be awash with Mk1 slam door EMUs but as much as Matt loves them I think commercially thinking it’s easier to profit from already available assets, and I do respect the happy medium. Also, it seems to be far easier to have a modern day EMU function with doors and systems than an older slam door unit with multiple slamming doors passengers disembarking and embarking etc, a 12 car 4VEP operating at peak is vastly harder to replicate authentically than a 2 car 101 for example. All that being said, if DGT decide to open up the Waterloo throat out to somewhere like Woking etc using available repainted assets, with a new build 455 which ideally would be a 455/8 with flexibility for livery designer application into Southern to support scenario planner on the BML or a timetable layer; they get my vote all day long
What are our chances of something being set early 2000s with potential for a 3p to take on a slam door EMU? I don't think this is a goer, but imagine DTG decide to please everyone and set a route around the time of changeover from slam door to modern trains. I think the slam doors were directly replaced by what you still see now running, meaning those who want the feeling of modern can have it and those who want retro can have that.
