The full Reading to Taunton line is 97 miles so would think that would be a bit much for the devs to make, so I'm suggesting this line as far as Westbury (which is 55 miles) but also including the line to Basingstoke (+14 miles) bringing the total route coverage to 69 miles. Motive Power: Motive power on this route idealy should be the Class 800, Class 387 and a reworked Class 166. Don't tell me that's asking too much since the Class 800 and 387 would just be altered from existing models, and the Class 166 would hopefully recieve the same treatment as the Thames Valley Class 165 (more funcionality). The reasons to include two commuter units is simply because the Basingstoke branch (what the 166 would mainly work on) isn't electrified so the Class 387 would run the commuter services on the electfrified section. Stations: - Reading - Reading West - Reading Green Park (this station wouldn't exist if the route was set prior to May 2023) - Mortimer - Bramley - Basingstoke - Theale - Aldermaston - Midgham - Thatcham - Newbury racecourse - Newbury - Kintbury - Hungerfood - Bedwyn - Pewsey - Westbury Stations in bold mean services start or terminate there Main services: Class 800: - Services from London to the west country between Reading and Westbury and vice versa - Ai at Reading for the GWML to Swindon, Oxford and Bristol and London Class 387: - Services between Reading and Newbury, some continuing off the map to London - Ai at Reading for the GWML to Didcot Parkway and London - Empty Stock moves at Reading Class 166: - Services between Reading and Basingstoke - Services between Newbury and Bedwyn - Ai at Reading for the North Downs line to Redhill and Gatwick Airport - Ai at Westbury for services to Portsmouth Harbour, Salisbury, Bristol and Frome Timetable layers: - The Class 220 driveable between Reading and Basingstoke for the Bournemouth to Manchester services - The Class 220 Ai at Reading for services to Newcastle and back - The Class 802 with the same services as the Class 800 - The Class 165 with the same services as the Class 166 - The Class 66 on intermodal traffic between Basingstoke and Reading - The Class 66 on various aggragette and enginerrs traffic between Reading and Westbury - The Class 66 for shunting at Westbury - The reskinned Heathrow Express 387 for stock moves at Reading - The reskinned SWT 350 Ai at Reading for Waterloo - Reading traffic - The reskinned SWT 350 Ai at Basingstoke for SWML traffic - The EMT Class 158 for the limited (normally Sunday only) Salisbury to Reading service between Basingstoke and Reading - The EMT Class 158 Ai at Basingstoke for SWML/West of England mainline traffic
I used to live in this area as a child, so yes please. Many fond memories of watching the express trains fly through a level crossing on the route and not being able to understand why my parents hated being made to stop. That and hearing them fly by whilst walking round a lake that we use to visit a lot. (And also the not so nice memory of falling off my bicycle at said lake and getting a really bloody knee because I was too busy watching a dog because I used to be scared of them and I didn't want it to come near me) Plus the ability to do a power changeover at Newbury in the 802 (Not to be that guy but you spelt "Hungerford" wrong)
