East Coast Main Line South + Northern City Line Description: Stevenage to London King's Cross including the Moorgate branch from Finsbury Park. Length approximately 35 miles with 22 stations. Could include the Hertford Loop for extra mileage (+ 25 miles, 12 stations). Very busy and iconic UK main line. Lots of service patterns with a broad range of suitable rolling stock. Many interesting stations to explore. Multiple landmarks to look out for. Varied scenery including tunnels and a viaduct. Points of Interest: Welwyn Viaduct Welwyn Garden City carriage sidings Bounds Green maintenance depot Hornsey maintenance depot Hornsey freight yard Moorgate branch Power changeover at Drayton Park Emirates Stadium Alexandra Palace London King's Cross station If set between late 1990's and late 2010's: Class 313 for stopping services between Welwyn Garden City and Moorgate. Class 365 for semi-fast services between Stevenage and London King's Cross. Class 91 + Mk4 sets for express services between Stevenage and King's Cross. Class 43 + Mk3 sets for additional express services. If set in present day: Class 717 for stopping services between Welwyn Garden City and Moorgate. Class 387 for semi-fast services between Stevenage and London King's Cross. Class 801 for express services between Stevenage and King's Cross. (Plus possibility to layer in Class 700 Thameslink services if made for another route). Possible timetable: Express: 8 trains per hour between Stevenage and King's Cross (only around 2 per hour stop at Stevenage). Semi-fast: 6 trains per hour (services bound for Peterborough and Cambridge calling at some intermediate stops). Stopping: 4 trains per hour between Welwyn Garden City and Moorgate (some terminate at King's Cross during peak times). Freight: Several trains per day between Stevenage and Hornsey (usually for aggregates). Gameplay: Choice between short, fast intercity services or slower commuter services. Possibility of a very busy timetable with freight and empty stock movements to the depots at Hornsey and Bounds Green. The Moorgate branch has a very different atmosphere to the rest of the route being a former underground line and requiring a power changeover at Drayton Park before entering the tunnels. Including the branch gives additional gameplay potential making up for having a shorter stretch of main line, whilst giving a new area to explore that wasn't featured on the older TS version. Route: The line starts off at King's Cross in a very urban environment before passing through various tunnels and joining up with other lines heading northbound. Once out of London the line becomes more rural but still very busy, passing through many commuter stations. At Welwyn the line goes momentarily double track from four as it squeezes across the viaduct, ultimately ending at the town of Stevenage serving as the first stop for expresses. Trains: If set between 2018-2019 then a broad range of rolling stock can be realistically represented, including the Class 717 replacing the Class 313, the Class 387 replacing the 365 and the Class 801 replacing IC125 and IC225 services. Some of these share elements to trains already featured in other routes potentially making reuse of existing parts possible. It also gives the opportunity to feature completely new trains such as the Class 91 and the much requested Class 800 series.
The suggested route is very short, 35 miles is a bit short, 50 miles is more reasonable, 50-70 miles is normal, and 70-100 miles is a challenge. 100-200 miles DTG?
Why not make it like what it is in train simulator 21 the sister game which is London to Peterborough including Class 801 25kv 50hz version of Class 800 Electro Diesel. The dedicated scenario for it is The 801 at 8:01. Class 313 for ECML is simply an ECW Class 313 with a pantograph combined with 750v DC Third rail Top Contact.
I agree it seems a bit short but come my expectations of routes we've seen for TSW this seems a reasonable length (don't forget the stopping services would still take over an hour to drive).
The Class 313 used on the ECML are actually the Class 313/0 which includes a different unrefurbished cab and a different interior, plus retaining dual voltage unlike the Southern Class 313/2 which were modified heavily for use on 3rd rail only coastal services.
Thank you for telling me about this and the way that DTG is going to make Class 313/0 for ECML and Northern City Line is Modifying ECW Class 313/2 for ECML Class 313/0. If you are looking for what is the American equivalent of 313/0 319, 377,717,700,710,378 & 387 it's the Metro-North M8.
Me personally I prefer this option. After seeing GCC, it proves that Smaller Routes can be good as well. Plus 50 miles (if we're in including the branch) is quite good by TSW Standards.
