The Sunshine Coast Line

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by TomGardinerUK, Mar 4, 2020.

  1. TomGardinerUK

    TomGardinerUK New Member

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    Perhaps someone has already suggested this route, but if not - here I am!

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    The Sunshine Coast Line is a route I'd admire and adore to see in Train Sim World, it's yet to even be made a route on Train Simulator, every route connecting to this line is available on TS, except this one.

    The route spans across a history of over 150 years, connecting the oldest recorded town of Britain, known as Colchester, to the once greatly popular seaside towns of Walton-On-The-Naze and Clacton-On-Sea. They're not as popular today but they still somewhat manage to thrive.

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    Walton on the Naze railway station in 1963.

    The current train operator for the line, considering it's in East Anglia, is Greater Anglia - who you may know to be introducing a new fleet of Stadler bi-mode trains (Class 745 & Class 755s). Someday these trains would work great for a modern route for TSW, perhaps Ipswich to London Liverpool Street is an option, but I'd rather love to see these utilised in the route I'm suggesting, once operational.

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    In terms of The Sunshine Coast Line, addition of this route to Train Sim World would add not only modern realism but also some lovely nods to past railway history. The line currently operates with these trains:

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    Class 321 - entered service in 1988, often referred too as "dusty bin" - below is a refurbished version of the Class 321, known as the Renatus. More commonly seen nowadays through the most part of Greater Anglia's routes.
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    Class 360 - these entered service in 2003, they are drive-able on the GEML London-Ipswich route on Train Simulator, and would be amazing to drive on Train Sim World, the sound of these trains as they depart from the station will add to something I'll miss once they're replaced by the Stadler 755s. I believe they are or were on other major routes, such as London Heathrow. These trains more commonly operate for the Clacton-on-Sea to London Liverpool Street service, but are used often from Walton-on-the-Naze to Colchester.

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    The Class 321 & Class 360 are the line's current, most common trains, but the line does have a classic past of trains too. For example:

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    Class 312 - slam doors, operated by First Great Eastern, went into service in 1975, lasting just short of 30 years (ending service in 2004), my earliest memory of trains as a kid. The train kind of resembles a Class 101, somewhat. (see below)
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    Below: Class 313 - these are still in service at the present and have been since 1976, however, they're no longer in service on the Sunshine Coast Line. It's this class that was the infamous train which caused an incident at Walton-on-the-Naze on 12th August 1987.

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    Below: Class 313 in Anglia livery, Chaos at Walton-on-the-Naze in 1987 as a Class 313 drives into the station toilets, there were thankfully no fatalities, but the driver and some passengers were injured as a result. An interesting thing to read up on - I have family who witnessed the whole thing.

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    I'm sure DTG could delve more into the route and it's train history more than I have, but it's history serving more than 150 years really does make it worth it. I know it probably wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea for a route, but I can imagine lots of scenarios that would work, depending on whether it be past or modern.
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    This steam locomotive known as the Tornado, served the route for an entire day, a few years back, to mark Walton's station turning 150 years old.

    The stations on the Sunshine Coast Line include the following:
    Colchester (commonly referred too as North Station)
    Colchester Town
    Hythe
    Wivenhoe
    Alresford
    Great Bentley
    Weeley
    Thorpe-Le-Soken
    Clacton-on-Sea (the next connecting, terminus station for those who do not change at Thorpe for services to Walton)
    Kirby Cross
    Frinton-on-Sea
    Walton-on-the-Naze


    If you want to read up on the history of these stations, I'd suggest starting with Walton.

    The likelihood on ever seeing the route on either games is slim, but I just wanted to express my desire to see it happen, and admiration for the line. I hoped that someone else would be familiar with or want to see it?
    If you need any more information, I'm happy to get it for you. What I'd give to DTG to drive a Class 321 from Walton to Colchester - there was a simulator a long time ago that did actually have this. Shame TS hasn't got it yet.
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2020
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  2. Trim

    Trim Active Member

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    309s!
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    They were far nicer with the wrap-round windows, but I can't find any good photographs. I always liked the 2-car unit pantograph right at the front of a 10-coach train. 6 coaches to Clacton and 4 to Walton-on-the-Naze, I think it was, dividing at Thorpe-le-Soken (and re-combining in the opposite direction). Most units were 4-car, some having buffet cars.

    Colchester Town was Colchester St. Botolph's back then.
     
  3. TomGardinerUK

    TomGardinerUK New Member

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    Ah yes! Another fantastic class. I never got to ride one but I've seen these for sure. Thorpe-Le-Soken used to thrive with these!
     
  4. Wivenswold

    Wivenswold Well-Known Member

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    My local line, I've said many times that I'd love this as an extension to the GEML.

    My preference would be early nineties with classes 309/312/321. Though ultra-modern with Aventras, Flirts and Renatus 321s would be ace too. The Bi-mode Flirts would be useful for the Wherry Lines and the West Anglia, Breckland Line and Ipswich to Peterborough routes that are all in development.

    Nice presentation too, good history guide.
     
  5. Wivenswold

    Wivenswold Well-Known Member

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    I should add that the Bi-modes aren't planned for service on the Clacton line, however, there's a surplus of 4 car units after a few cuts in the original plan, as one senior GA person said to me "so you never know". They will be diagrammed for a few services on the GEML though.
     
  6. Wivenswold

    Wivenswold Well-Known Member

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    Word from GA drivers is that the Aventras are a beast to drive. That driving position for a start, compare that windscreen with the ones on the 385s! So yes, the 720s can't come soon enough to TS and TSW2. Minor engineering to the model and you've got 345s and 710s too.

    The 755s go to Clacton for maintenance only, they can't go to Bombardier at Ilford so Clacton is back-up to Crown Point. I'd love to know whether the 745s are cleared down to Clacton. I'd commute to London again if a Flirt turned up every morning.
     
  7. formulabee#1362

    formulabee#1362 Well-Known Member

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    Ye, there is are two depots on this route, Colchester north station and Clacton c s d.

    Brilliant suggestion and would be a day one purchase for me, because I have many fond memories of me as a toddler going up to Walton on a class 360.

    Note I do have a lot of bias for this line as it’s one of my local railway lines!

    Also some of my many pics of 321’s
    4CE8B9E7-546E-4380-AA19-FF96B1049CEE.jpeg AFC4F897-A3B8-47F8-ADB4-567D42489ADF.jpeg 486224D9-FF00-424C-BC9F-E7DAF22E5943.jpeg 6CE08E94-D062-4C02-B687-F3AA844EB820.png
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2021

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