Hello everyone, TrainGeek08 here and for my first suggestion of 2024, I am suggesting the Welsh Marches Line for TSW4 as it would be the route that brings Wales into Train Sim World Route Information: The Welsh Marches line (Welsh: Llinell y Mers), known historically as the North and West Route, is the railway line running from Newport in south-east Wales to Shrewsbury in the West Midlands region of England by way of Abergavenny, Hereford and Craven Arms and hence (by some definitions) to Crewe via Whitchurch. The line thus links the south of Wales to North West England via the Welsh Marches region, bypassing Birmingham. Through services from south-west Wales, Swansea and Cardiff to Manchester (hourly in each direction) and from Cardiff from Cardiff to Wrexham, Chester, the north coast of Wales and Anglesey (every two hours in each direction) constitute the bulk of passenger operations on the route. Route Map: Stock included in base route: The British Rail Class 175 'Coradia 1000' in TfW livery And the British Rail Class 67 'Skip' in TfW livery + Mk4 coaches in ex-LNER livery + Mk4 DVT in TfW livery Training (In Training Center): Class 67 Introduction Class 175 Introduction Mk4 DVT Introduction Scenarios: Welsh Driving Van: (Difficulty - 1) Drive this DVT from Shrewsbury to Cardiff Central with a Class 67 on the rear providing power Anglesey Express: (Difficulty - 3) Drive this Class 67 from Newport to Crewe on a snowy day which is why this service is diverting to Crewe as the line through Wrexham has been closed because of a landslide Hereford Coradia: (Difficulty - 2) Drive this TfW service from Cardiff Central to Hereford where the train will be cancelled due to an ill passenger on the train and you will drive it empty to Cardiff Canton sidings Cross-Border 175: (Difficulty - 2) Drive this Class 175 from Ludlow to Cardiff Central whilst switching countries as you travel along the Welsh Marches Line Premier Service: (Difficulty - 1) Drive the Welsh Premier from Cardiff Central to Shrewsbury, no delays are expected so the passengers can enjoy their 3-course meal in luxury Timetable: Here is the May 2019 Working Timetable for this route: (You are interested in section PB07 for the Welsh Marches Line) 2019-05 WTT PB | Network Rail Corporate Archive Potential DLC, Layers, Stations, POI & Mastery Rewards coming up on Pages 2 & 3...
Page 2: Potential DLC: The British Rail Class 197 'Civity' in TfW livery Training (In Training Center): Class 197 Introduction Scenarios: The DeCAFf Express: (Difficulty - 1) Drive this empty TfW 197 from Shrewsbury to Crewe with coffee onboard for the (diverted) loco-hauled service due to arrive bound for Cardiff Central Newport Doubler: (Difficulty - 2) Drive this Class 197 from Cardiff to Craven Arms via Newport, where you will pick up another Class 197 unit and operate as a 5-car service up to Craven Arms on a foggy day Faulty Civity: (Difficulty - 2) Drive this TfW service from Crewe to Church Stretton, where your train develops a fault, so you have to terminate the service and run empty to Shrewsbury where a fitter will attend the unit later on Timetable: Incorporated into base routes' timetable Layers: The British Rail Class 47 'Duff' (NTP/PBO) in BR Blue/Intercity Mainline/BR Large Logo liveries for railtour services along the route The British Rail Class 66 'Shed' (GWE/ECW/SEHS/RHTT/PBD/CL/EDN) in EWS/DB/DRS/ONE liveries for freight and RHTT operations on the route The British Rail Class 43 'HST' (GWE) in GWR livery for high-speed services to/from London Paddington to Hereford or Swansea And the British Rail Class 166 'Networker Turbo' (GWE) for Cardiff to Portsmouth services and other regional GWR services serving Cardiff Stations, POI & Mastery Rewards coming up on Page 3...
Page 3: (Principal) Stations: Crewe: Crewe railway station serves the railway town of Crewe, in Cheshire, England. It opened in 1837 and is one of the most historically significant railway stations in the world. Crewe station is a major junction on the West Coast Main Line and serves as a rail gateway for North West England. It is 158 miles north of London Euston and 243 miles south of Glasgow Central. It is located at the point where the lines to Manchester Piccadilly and North Wales diverge from this route, and is the last major station before the branch to Liverpool Lime Street diverges. It is also served by lines to Stoke-on-Trent and Shrewsbury. Crewe railway station has twelve platforms and a modern passenger entrance containing a bookshop and ticket office. Passengers access the platforms via a footbridge, stairs and lifts. The platform buildings, which date from the 19th century, contain two bookshops, bars, buffets and waiting rooms. The last major expenditure on the station took place in 1984-1985 when the track layout was remodelled and the station facilities were updated. Shrewsbury: Shrewsbury railway station is in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. Built in 1848, it was designated a grade II listed building in 1969. The station is 43 miles (69 km) north west of Birmingham New Street. Many services starting at or passing through the station are bound for Wales, and it is a key hub for its operator, Transport for Wales. Services are also provided by Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Railway. Hereford: Hereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, in Herefordshire, England. Managed by Transport for Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny, is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line and also has an hourly West Midlands Trains service from Birmingham New Street. The station has four platforms for passenger trains and two additional relief lines for goods services. Accorded 'Secure Station' status in 2004, the station has a staffed ticket office (signposted as a "Travel Centre"), self-service ticket machines, a café and indoor waiting rooms. Automated ticket barriers have been in operation since 28 February 2006. Newport (South Wales): Newport (Welsh: Gorsaf Rheilffordd Casnewydd) is the second-busiest railway station in Wales, after Cardiff Central). It is situated in Newport city centre and 158 miles 50 chains (255.3 km) from London Paddington, via Stroud. The station was originally opened in 1850 by the South Wales Railway Company and was greatly expanded in 1928. A new station building was built in 2010, with four full size platforms to facilitate new Great Western Railway 10-car Intercity Express Programme trains. The station is owned by Network Rail and managed by Transport for Wales Rail. The main station entrance is located on Queensway, connected by Station Approach to the High Street; there is a further entrance adjoined to the National Car Parks site at its rear, reached from Devon Place. Cardiff Central: Cardiff Central (Welsh: Caerdydd Canolog) is a major station on the South Wales Main Line. It is located in the capital of Wales, Cardiff, 170 miles 30 chains (274 km) down the line from London Paddington, via Stroud. It is one of the city's two urban rail network hubs, along with Cardiff Queen Street. Opened in 1850 as Cardiff station, it was renamed Cardiff General in 1924 and then Cardiff Central in 1973. The station is sited at Central Square, in Cardiff city centre. The Grade II listed building is managed by Transport for Wales Rail, and is both the largest and busiest station in Wales. Cardiff Central is one of twenty railway stations in the city and one of two in the city centre, serving as a hub for the Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes. It is an interchange for services between South Wales, West Wales and North Wales, as well as other major British cities. Transport for Wales Rail operates services to most destinations in Wales and to Manchester, while CrossCountry operates trains to Gloucester, Birmingham and Nottingham. Great Western Railway runs all inter-city services between London Paddington and Swansea via Bristol, as well as some regional services to Bath, Taunton and Portsmouth via Southampton. Points of Interest (POI): Crewe Diesel Depot (home of Locomotive Services Limited (LSL)): Crewe Diesel Depot is a former diesel-electric locomotive traction maintenance depot, formerly Crewe Diesel Traction Maintenance Depot or Crewe Diesel TMD, situated to the south of and visible from Crewe railway station. Built in 1958 by British Railways it was used as a maintenance facility for the diesel locomotives that were at the time replacing steam traction across the national rail network. Following the privatisation of British Rail depot ownership transferred to EWS, now DB Schenker and continued as a base for diesel traction, latterly becoming a facility for storing surplus rolling stock. In 2014 ownership transferred to Locomotive Services Limited who have been and are continuing to renovate the site. Crewe Gresty Bridge: Crewe Gresty Lane TMD (officially Gresty Bridge TMD) is a traction maintenance depot in Crewe, Cheshire, England. The depot is situated on the southern side of the line to Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury Abbey: The Abbey Church of the Holy Cross (commonly known as Shrewsbury Abbey) is an ancient foundation in Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire, England. The Abbey was founded in 1083 as a Benedictine monastery by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery. It grew to be one of the most important and influential abbeys in England, and an important centre of pilgrimage. Although much of the Abbey was destroyed in the 16th century, the nave survived as a parish church, and today serves as the mother church for the Parish of Holy Cross. The Abbey is a Grade I listed building and is a member of the Greater Churches Group.[1] It is located to the east of Shrewsbury town centre, near the English Bridge, and is surrounded by a triangular area which is today referred to as Abbey Foregate. Severn Bridge Junction Signal Box: Severn Bridge Junction is the area of railway lines just south east of Shrewsbury railway station, in Shropshire, England. It is controlled by a mechanical interlocked signal box of the same name, which is the largest operational mechanical signal box in the world. The Network Rail signalling area code is 'SBJ.' Wentloog Container Terminal: Located between Cardiff and Newport, and in a non-protected but designated green belt to allow for definition between the two cities, the area has been subjected to a series of planned light industrial developments. These include warehouses and other facilities, including a rail freight container terminal operated by Freightliner Group. Cardiff Canton Depot: Cardiff Canton TMD (Welsh: Depo Cynnal a Chadw Treganna Caerdydd) is a diesel locomotive traction maintenance depot in Cardiff, Wales. Its depot code is CF. It is operated by Transport for Wales. The depot is used by Transport for Wales fleet and some Cross Country Class 170s. In steam days the depot was called Cardiff Canton and its shed code was 86C. It was built in 1882 as the main maintenance base for the South Wales Railway and the major Welsh engineering base for the Great Western Railway (GWR). After nationalisation in 1948 it was a heavy overhaul base for British Railways. After privatisation in the mid-1990s the depot became a joint Arriva Trains Wales and English Welsh & Scottish facility. The EWS depot closed as a maintenance centre from 10 December 2005, but EWS' successor DB Cargo UK still uses the depot for long-term storage and occasional stabling. Mastery Rewards: Stage 1 - 12 Landscape-Themed Decals for use in the Livery Editor Stage 2 - You will see Welsh flags at the Welsh stations on St David's Day and English flags at the English stations on St George's Day I hope you have enjoyed this suggestion, if you have, put your thoughts below as per usual, I've been TrainGeek08 as always, enjoy the rest of your day and goodbye
Thanks, I agree with this. I think that Wales (and Northern Ireland to an extent) deserves to be in TSW as much as England and Scotland are represented currently, so many great lines in Wales that could be made for this game
Great route awful traction I would love it in the late 70s with rats (class 25) as that would be absolutely hellfire
This would be a smashing route to have, it’d also be cool to help with reference photos as I’m local to the section between Crewe and Shrewsbury. It’d also provide a huge contrast between the fully modernised SWML and the rural, unelectrified WML with a good distance between stations for highspeed running without becoming tedious, and then the section from Shrewsbury to Crewe with differing stopping patterns and the build up to the WCML at Crewe. With the bonus of adding AI TfW traffic at BHM on the BCC route. Like I say a great suggestion with huge rolling stock possibilities. Loads of wagons could layer in such as the BAA/ FKA/ HKA (in lieu of a HHA) and the 801 from PBD re-liveried into GWR even if unrealistic. Sorry about the huge rant, it’s just an excellent suggestion and one I’d advocate highly for.
Fair enough, I totally respect that Any BR Blue diesel route is hellfire, look at Blackpool Branches as an example
No worries at all Nice to hear you are local to the route, I'm sure DTG or the developer whom makes this route wouldn't mind Any freight wagons would layer and also the 801 could pretend to be a GWR Class 802 or Class 800 to work alongside the HSTs in their final years of GWR mainline work before they were retired in 2019
Yes please, or even the period when 33’s operated the main passenger service, along with the occasional Duff and all sorts of motive power on freight - route could be the one to finally give us a Class 56, for the Llanwern to Dee Marsh steel traffic. Realistically, Cardiff or Newport to Hereford or maybe Shrewsbury more in keeping with DTG’s route length policy but any section of the “North and West” would be welcome.
Yeah, looking at how long a TfW service takes to get from Crewe to Cardiff (just under 3 hours), scaling it back to Newport at the southern end and Shrewsbury at the northern end still captures the scenic part of the route through the Welsh Marches
Oh yes if they did not do it with rats my second choice would be cromptons and if it was up to me I would do Hereford to Shrewsbury as it is a reasonable distance and is the most scenic and hilly part of the line
Abergavenny to Shrewsbury so you also get Llanvihangel Bank, given DTG are not averse to starting or ending routes at odd locations!
Good point but at that point you may as well go to Newport or Cardiff but as you said I would not put it past dtg to start/finish at a two platform station
This would be the ideal option. As someone from Shrewsbury, I'd very much like to see my hometown in the game as well!
I agree, a route would ideally end at two big stations e.g. Cardiff or Shrewsbury than a station like Abergavenny or Ludlow
No, Voyagers do not operate on the Welsh Marches unfortunately, glad you enjoyed the suggestion though
I would love to see this, Wales isn't shown in the game yet and it has some of the most beautiful railway scenery in the country. Crewe is such a big name in the railway and a DVT would be awesome, as well as a different loco that isn't the 66.
Cheers, Crewe is a fantastic station and is one if the UK's biggest names in the railway along with York, Swindon etc. I really do think DTG should consider developing a new locomotive for use on freight work instead of the Class 66, which has 8 or 9 different versions since GWE came out in TSW(1)
Bring it on to the game and in TSC this was merged to South Wales Coast route this must form a Network with that route common origin point Swansea
