Route Extension Proposals: Great Western Express

I propose that several of the small branch lines of of the existing Great Western Express route are built. Why? They won't take very long to make with just a few stops off the main line however could add quite a lot of variety to services on the route and also keep the route fresh whilst we wait for even more new routes.

Greenford Branch

Adding in the Greenford branch would add 4 new stations to the route splitting off after West Ealing. This would mean the existing implemented Paddington - Greenford service mode scenarios could be driven in their entirety and not just the short section on the Great Western Mainline which can be done in other services.

Heathrow Branch

The Heathrow branch would probably be the most popular extension to the route as it would enable the addition of Heathrow Express & Heathrow Connect (soon to become Crossrail) services to be added onto the route adding more rolling stock variety with Class 360's, Class 332's and eventually Class 345.

Winsor & Eton Central Branch

The smallest branch line off of the existing route adding just one more station however still adding extra service variety with shuttles between Windsor & Slough and even some through services in the peaks. You may think buying one station extra would be silly but for a small price (maybe £0.99) this could be a worthwhile extension to the route or it could alternatively be bundled in with another branch line.

Marlow Branch

Nicknamed 'The Marlow Donkey' because of a steam train previously operating exclusively on this small branch line the Marlow branch branching off at Maidenhead would add a shuttle service to the route and up until recently occasional through services to Paddington. This branch is also interesting in the fact that trains have to reverse at Bourne End if they're continuing onwards to Marlow.

The Henley-on-Thames Branch

The Henley Branch is another branch line this time splitting off shortly after Twyford. Again this branch usually runs as a shuttle between Twyford and Henley with some peak hour through workings to Paddington.

This concludes my route extension proposals and I hope it is considered by Dovetail Games in the future and that others would be interested in this like me particularly in the short term to keep content fresh awaiting new routes to be added. Thank you for reading and if you have any feedback or questions please don't hesitate to leave them below.

 

Yes, I want this. This would add a lot of variety to GWE.

DTG, you should seriously consider this.

 

Agreed with you, I suggested it in another post :
Dlc Extensions

- with the add of the class 165/1 for the thames branches
- with GWR class 387/1 Electrostar on the main line electrified part between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington with completing the electrified part (like in Paddington station)
- The 2 freight branch lines (Brentford branch line + Staines and West Drayton Railway) with other engine and freight car type (why not a class 08 and 67) and may be other freight compagnies

 

Ah I must've overlooked it as it's in the feature proposals rather than route proposals

 

Completely agree, however I'd prefer it all as one DLC pack (rather than the suggested paying for each branch separately). I'd happily pay for one DLC with all those extensions, a GWE Extras, as it were. I'd love to see this, DTG please add it to your list of considerations!

 

GWE: Branchlines.

As I said, I'd really enjoy this.

 

An extension of the GWR would really be a good DLC. It would enable a lot of various smaller passenger services and freight services along the branch routes, giving the possibility to create dozens of new scenarios (a scenario editor would be very useful...). Instead of just driving between London and Reading as we usually do now, sometimes as a passenger and sometimes as a freight service, we could complete varied services between these smaller branch stations.
I'm really looking forward to see an extension of the GWR coming.

 

Also agreeing on branch lines to be added. I love the GWE DLC, but the route is already feeling a little stale as there is so little variety in destinations. A few small branch lines would be perfect.

 

smart thinking!
You forgot Reading to Newbury, missing a highly popular town for the race course (Newbury Racecourse station), home of Vodafone. I believe your ideas are AMAZING!!!!!!!! These small sparks of railway would create a whole new level of freedom. gg dlc so much that you cant hold in the joy

 

Going through the other proposals, I think this needs to happen the most. I hope DTG are taking note...

 

my main issue, if it can even be called that - is the whole "spotting" watching AI idea they have is currently flawed. Obviously over time it will pick up, but the fact I know every train I see right now is GWR (on track and in stations) makes just watching the world go by feel rather plain.

I support this idea, as hopefully it would also aid in adding extra companies such as airport connect etc to be seen.


good suggestion OP.

 

I'd definitely love to see GWE extended and fleshed out more before DTG turn their focus toward another route

 

I wouldn't say I forgot Reading westwards - I was just focusing on the branches off of the existing Great Western Main Line. This however would also be a nice addition.
P.S. sorry for the late reply - keep forgetting to check my forum notifications!

 

Agreed! In my opinion there's lots of work to be done to GWE before it can be considered a "final" release.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_332

Are you also limited in Licensing with Heathrow Connect? According to this article the Heathrow Express trains were replaced with Heathrow Connect trains for a short time in 2016.

 

I would be okay with unbranded trains. Even if you're not allowed to use the company's branding you can still get close, see the 350 of WCML Trent Valley for example.

How about Crossr... Elizabeth Line? As of May 2018, the current Heathrow Connect services between Paddington and Heathrow airport will transfer to TfL Rail (Elizabeth Line) which will be operated with brand-new Bombardier-built Aventra's, Class 345. You have already worked with TfL in the past (for the 378's) so this might be easier than working with Heathrow?

 

Interesting to note about the Greenford branch: in preparation for Crossrail a new platform has been built at West Ealing (platform 5) where all trains from the Greenford branch terminate. In real life there are no more through services to Paddington, except for a single move (to get trains to/from the depot?).

 

Keep in mind that GWR is set in a particular timeframe when work on Crossrail is only starting. The addition of branch lines would need to be set against the same timeframe to remain consistent.

I don't mind a few unbranded trains as a last resort. Sounds are a bit trickier; everyone is a stickler for proper sounds. As you've done the Class 350 before for TS20xx, you should already have sounds for it which you could use for Heathrow Connect. You could possibly apply those to Heathrow Express if they seem to fit; so to speak.

 

That's a good point.

Armstrong Powerhouse have already made good recordings for Greater Anglia's 360, maybe DTG can license those and apply them to a GWR/HC 360?

 

You know, I was thinking about suggesting Armstrong Powerhouse as a source of sound but I'm not sure how DTG would feel about that.

 

unbranded is fine - assuming people will one day get the tools to paint.

sounds are tricky - but Id love to see something different in Paddington, just a case of something not GWR, im not bashing GWR, I love it - but "spotting" is abut plain as currently we know every train is the same, dark green etc.

It might annoy the OCD in me for screenshots having unbranded trains, but thats for us to fix at a later date right?

 

I'm fine with unbranded. There are always solutions and I think there are some good ideas going around as to make repaints more availble. Fingers crossed for Steam workshop repaints! But I think the extra possibilities added is far worth it despite not having an actual company logo. Something is always better than nothing (But something is not always better than something else, mind you. I still think Heathrow is worth it over other things.)

 

Longford Express?

or a generic "Airport Connect" in a similar looking scheme?

 

Still don't get why some companys don't want the free ads that it brings with it.. i mean if all can see there brand in game it can only be a good thing right? Its not like this game destroy there trains.

 

plus they must know skinners will add them in - why fight it haha

F1 teams do the same - fight it only for modders to add them, Ferrari are abit hardline on it but that doesnt stop people, if anything the Assetto Corsa devs stated to carry on.

 

They fight it because there are legal implications arising out of it. There will very likely never be a category on the Steam Workshop for TSW for reskins because that would imply DTG are endorsing copyright infringement, leaving themselves vulnerable to a lawsuit.

It sounds mad but it's the world we live in. Of course third party websites could, and do in the case of TS20xx, host reskins but DTG can't be held liable for the actions of a third party on a third party platform.

 

I don't think most operating companies see it as free advertising and instead just look at it from how much Dovetail will pay them either upfront or on a royalty basis for the use of their brand.

 

Yes, and i find that simply wrong.. If i go to england i know now how to get from london to reading and with what company

 

youll still be able to download skins - just a case of making it easy peasy

 

DTG can always make you agree that by putting something on workshop, it is your responsability to deal with copyright. Have you seen the truck sim workshop? By that logic, SCS software are the biggest supporters of copyright infringement on Steam. Almost nothing there is not using a brand SCS has, and SCS has not been shut down, nor has workshop. Other games do the same thing, so no reason DTG can't.

 

The route could even go that tiny bit further into Didcot, the next stop for many HST’s. This would allow you to be able to actually continue after Reading, and be able to drive more than one stop.

 

GWE already includes several large and largely neglected yard areas. How about extending freight service into them via a series of shunting-related scenarios or services instead of just whizzing through them? The two scenarios already available for the '66 are well done, but I cannot imagine that I'm the only TSW fan who likes shunting operations. Look at it this way: few additional assets (in the form of more freight wagons), lots more activity. What's not to like?

 

more static hoppers too - like the West World scenario

 

Agreed, there should be more freight scenarios. Also more EWS/DB Cargo locos should be added along with extra wagons to increase variety in freight trains.

 

Unbranded is better than nothing. As long as it's well made in every other way then I'm happy. Thanks for your kind words regarding my proposal. Much appreciated.

 

Yes, I second that, unbranded is already better than nothing. Plus, when creator tools arrive, users will be able to create their own liveries (I assume?). So, I'd love to see Heathrow Express, unbranded or not!

 

The route could be extended to Oxford to allow you to take the turbo's on a longer/Limited stopping services and the hst's on the Hereford and Worcester express services. Also providing more freight workings to Hinksey yard.

 

I want this DLC so bad, I wish I could upvote it twice!

 

As mentioned above, since Heathrow Express/Connect is going to be under Crossrail/TfL soon (which you guys supposedly have an agreement with), would it be a better idea to jump ahead a year and just have the class 345's with Elizabeth Line branding? It would also leave this route open to expansion Eastward into London, which would be really interesting to see.

Regarding sounds however, what's DTG's relationship with Siemens/CAF? Assuming they have units similar to the class 332 undergoing construction/testing, wouldn't it be possible to go to them for the sounds? Likewise for Bombardier and the 345's

 

This wouldn't work as Great Western Express is set in 2015 when the Crossrail route was still under construction

 

I get that that's when the current release is set, but IIRC, Dovetail said it's just set there because that's when they started the route and all the research was done, implying that they could update it to another year, say 2018, if wanted

 

Yeah I think if DTG were to push that “no we won’t do that because the route is in 2015” would be a really bad excuse. That’s the kind of excuse that makes you want to say “are you really euphimizing that you just don’t want to do it?” Same goes for the hump yard in Cumberland, except that’s the other way around; the route is set a few years in the past, but DTG would still use the excuse that CSX has stopped using that hump yard this year in order to justify not putting it in CSX Heavy Haul.

 

The only problem is it is almost a whole new route. Massive changes have been made. Load of bridges have been pulled down at stations because they were too low, and the whole line would have to be electrified. This then means a class 800 and class 387. Crossrail also isn’t coming to Reading till December 2019

 

I would really like to see some branch lines in TSW GWE. It would add a lot more game play into the route and would mean the route isnt just a A to B line. I feel like driving between Paddington and Reading all the time gets boring very quickly as you see the same scenery all the time.
I would definitely be happy with a extension to the GWE

 

The Whole GWR Network would be Great

 

The whole GWR network would take far too long to create and I believe it would be better just to create the branch lines along the current Great Western Express route.

 

not if they do it in parts like the next one will be those branches then so on so on i would pay for individual expantions to GWE if they did do it that way