New Modern Uk Route Suggestions For Ts Classic

Discussion in 'Route Suggestions & Proposals' started by AirbourneAlex, Sep 24, 2020.

  1. AirbourneAlex

    AirbourneAlex Well-Known Member

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    A selection of modern UK routes that would be suitable for Train Simulator:

    West Anglia Main Line

    -London Liverpool Street to Cambridge North via Chestnut, Tottenham Hale and Severn Sisters. Should include the short branch to Stansted Airport. Potential to include Lea Valley Lines (Hertford East, Enfield Town and maybe Chingford branches- possibly as a follow-on DLC like Chatham Main & Medway Valley lines). Busy double track mainline that has both potential for a wide variety of passenger and freight scenarios. Should include a Class 379 (modified from a Class 377) and maybe the new London Overground Class 710 (as a DLC which can also utilise the new WCML South Watford DC lines). Total route length: Approximately 65 miles.

    North Kent Line
    -London Charing Cross/Blackfriars/Cannon Street to Dartford/Gravesend/Gillingham/Rainham via Greenwich and Woolwich. Could include lines via Bexleyheath and Sidcup, and possibly a connection to London Victoria via Lewisham and Nunhead. Busy commuter line with lots of services, both for passenger and freight. Passes Slade Green depot, home of Southeastern's commuter fleet. Could incorporate the new London Bridge station as a modern route or be backdated to Network SouthEast days. Should include Southeastern Class 375 & Southern Class 377 for AI, Southeastern Class 465/2, 465/9 and 466 updated similar to the 465/0 and 465/1 included with Chatham Mainline. Maybe include Thameslink Class 700 and the much desired Southeastern Class 376 as a future DLC. Total route length: Approximately 50 miles.

    West Coastway Line
    -Brighton to Portsmouth Harbour via Hove, Shoreham, Chichester and Havant. Should include short branches to Bognor Regis and Littlehampton. Possibly include connection to Southampton/Eastleigh via Fareham which adds another 20 miles. A more scenic countryside line with a variety of services and many interesting landmarks. Should include Southern Class 377/1 and 377/3, possibly South West Trains Class 450 and GWR Class 166 (the latter potentially being a port over from TSW). Total route length: Approximately 45 miles.

    Tyne Valley Line
    -Carlisle to Newcastle via Hexham. Scenic countryside line that climbs and descends across the Pennines following near parallel to Hadrian's wall and passing through many unique stations. Variety of services both for fast and stopping passenger trains as well as freight. The line acts as a diversion route for the West and East Coast Main Lines which could give some interesting scenario potential. Possibly include Carlisle Kingsmoor Yard, Tyne Yard and Newcastle Heaton Depot. Should include Northern Class 142 & 158, East Coast HST and DB Class 66 with MFA wagons. Total route length: Approximately 60 miles.

    London to Shoeburyness
    -Otherwise known as the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway. London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness via Basildon and Southend. Should include the loop lines via Rainham (Essex), Ockendon and Tilbury Town for a longer, network style route. Busy commuter route with freight around Tilbury docks. Should include c2c Class 357 and Freightliner Class 66. Total route length: Approximately 70 miles.

    Wikipedia articles exist for all these routes if you're curious to know more or to find route maps.

    Branding: Not too fussed if Licencing can be obtained- Both West Coastway and North Kent line TOCs already have licencing agreements with DTG. West Anglia Main Line could use the existing London Overground license and Greater Anglia/c2c trains could be unbranded (just with the dark blue doors which still looks ok). Tyne Valley Line could use unbranded Northern livery which itself is accurate when the new Northern franchise took over (many trains were debranded in reality).

    Thoughts?

    (Not sure how to create a poll on here, it would be interesting to see how popular these routes appear against one another!).
     
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  2. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    A couple there that would interest me, the North Kent and West Coastway but I'd prefer them backdated to 1950/60s when there was more infrastructure and more variety of stock. The West Coastway had steam services to Plymouth, 4CORS and BILs plied the route, much more scope for local goods traffic. Generally more to do operationally.

    Gotta go...........:)
     
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  3. AirbourneAlex

    AirbourneAlex Well-Known Member

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    We already have 1950s/60s routes for the other big three (WLoS, Weardale and Teesdale, Riviera in the Fifties), so maybe time for something southern region in the official DLC catalog?
     
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  4. hugosteele12

    hugosteele12 New Member

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    i would love to see the west coastway line you suggested its my dream ever since I've had train simulator and also a Weymouth line too
     
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  5. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    West Coastway and Newcastle to Carlisle would interest me the most out of those although it would be good to see a line out of Charing Cross.

    We have had so many modern third rail routes it would be good to see one backdated at least to NSE days to run slam door trains on.
     
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  6. AirbourneAlex

    AirbourneAlex Well-Known Member

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    Well it should be quite easy to do; already having station models for Brighton and Havant-Portsmouth Harbour, and already having the rolling stock with licenses.

    I might write up another post for route extensions/rebuilds as I'd quite like to see an extension to Weymouth too, along with an upgraded WCML North and maybe a Ramsgate extension to the Chatham Mainline. Although all my proposals probably would add up to another decade's worth of UK routes!
     
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  7. AirbourneAlex

    AirbourneAlex Well-Known Member

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    There's a 4-EPB in NSE livery, add this with a 2-EPB and NSE Class 465/466 & 423 and you've got all the stock for a great 1990's route. It shouldn't be too hard to make either, as most of the network around the South East hasn't changed considerably in the last 20-30 years (albeit for the new London Bridge, remodelled Gravesend and Ebbsfleet Intl, of which the first two are already in the sim in their original condition from South London Network and London to Faversham).
     
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  8. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    I am making a London to Brighton Scenario set in the 1990's and it seems to look right even with the Southern station signs. I don't think that route has changed a huge amount since then, although I am sure someone will burst my bubble in a moment!

    Then again I hadn't realised London Bridge had changed (I don't know the the Southern network that well) and have made a couple of NSE scenarios for the South London Network.
     
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  9. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    Apologies to the OP for going off topic but the 2D map on the original PDL Woking-Portsmouth route has track and basic geography of networks radiating from Woking and Guildford. This could be used for further expansion towards Southampton, Reading etc.
    I backdated the route from Guildford to Redhill, A pics here.

    https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198097011976/screenshots/#scrollTop=0
     
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  10. AirbourneAlex

    AirbourneAlex Well-Known Member

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    Just watched the ATS Peterborough to Cambridge preview in which mentioning a possible extension down to Liverpool Street. Hopefully that will mean we can tick the WAML off the list. North Kent Line and West Coastway Line are probably best suited for DTG whilst Tyne Valley is probably better suited for a 3rd party (in terms of rolling stock and licensing hurdles which developers like JT can overcome by using other developer's rolling stock in scenarios).
     
  11. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    I am quite surprised the Tyne Valley has never appeared, I was half expecting it back in MSTS days but it never materialised.
     
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  12. Wivenswold

    Wivenswold Well-Known Member

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    Yes, yes, yes. There's a freeware version of London to Cambridge that's nearing completion not to mention the forthcoming AP/GU Class 317/1 which looks fantastic so I'd tick that one off. There's been the threat of a freeware LTS too but the author doesn't seem to be able to stop tinkering with it. I hope I'm wrong, but it's never coming out in my opinion. So a DTG release would be welcome especially if it gave us the District Line to Tower Hill (The VDL next phase is to Tower Hill from the west which ).

    West Coastway would be excellent as would North Kent. Tyne Valley I don't know much about but given your other superb suggestions I'm happy to trust you on that.

    Good post. Nice to see do-able suggestions and a bit of detail rather than "xxxx would be good". Top fella.
     
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  13. Dougie1974

    Dougie1974 New Member

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    There's a Havant to Chichester route already, set in the 60s. Is that part of the West Coastaway Route?
     
  14. AirbourneAlex

    AirbourneAlex Well-Known Member

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    Yes, although that's only a 5 to 10 mile segment of the whole route. It would be nice to have the full 45 miles and even better if it was an official route (just so there's no dependencies unlike many freeware routes).
     
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  15. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    The one I have is from Portsmouth & Southsea to Chichester with a branch to Hayling Island. The author admits its shortcomings as it was his first published route.
     
  16. DTG Jamie

    DTG Jamie Staff Member

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    Interesting selection of routes there, what would you say is your favourite out of the 5 AirbourneAlex?
     
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  17. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    Being a Southern man I'd prefer the North Kent AND West Coastway. From DTGs point of view the Coastway would be easier to make as the geography is fairly flat and rural.

    Whichever, I'd have fun backdating either.
     
  18. hugosteele12

    hugosteele12 New Member

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    i would definitely say my favourite would be the west coastway line because everything that is suggested is so amazing with also a Weymouth extension too hopefully one of the best suggestions you talked about AirbourneAlex i know i would love to drive this routes lets hope this comes true.


     
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  19. AirbourneAlex

    AirbourneAlex Well-Known Member

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    That's a difficult decision. But from an ease of development point of view the West Coastway line would be my favourite:

    -The main rolling stock is already made (Southern Class 377 and South West Trains Class 450).
    -Some assets are already made (such as Brighton and Havant-Portsmouth stations).
    -it's both scenic and has a good variety of services (with Bognor Regis and Littlehampton branches to explore as a bonus).
    -Length is quite modest too, 45 miles direct so not too long with services taking about an hour to run the entire length.
    -Even gives the possibility to have a future extension to Southampton/Eastleigh (another 20-25 miles).
    -Fills a good gap in the network linking the Portsmouth Direct Line with the Brighton Main Line (and possibly South West Main Line).
    -Lots of other people have requested this route in the past, so it should be very popular.

    If I could chose an alternative, North Kent Line would be my second favourite ;)
     
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  20. prrsteamfan

    prrsteamfan Member

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    I'm partial to the West Coastway idea myself, the idea of that massive merge excites me already, with AI traffic going absolutely everywhere. However, I still definitely do like the potential for London to Shoeburyness, a third party rendition of the well-loved LTSR 79 Class 4-4-2s is tantalizing enough as a "what if" scenario if Thundersley was an operational mainline locomotive in the modern era.
     
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