It's already been mentioned twice on these forums but GWR works services to Redhill with the 166s. That might change soon, but at the time this route may be set, 166s should be there as AI and driveable to Gatwick for fun. Naturally, this should come in only if the user has Great Western Express. Undriveable but useful AI traffic like this, I think, should prevail to make routes busier. It was certainly lively in TS1 routes like Portsmouth Direct Line and Brighton Mainline again. If there are going to be Electrostars going out portals in the London area too, it makes sense to introduce the most amount of temporally accurate rolling stock if you can. I would imagine the moment SW stock or a SN 455 arrives, it would appear in BML at Clapham. But the 166s don't just run to Redhill, they go to Gatwick Airport as well. To fill the timetable up with more driveable services that you can select in menu, the 166 is a realistic candidate while there are still Thameslink trains and other but rarer appearances missing. Pretty much, to summarise, the Class 166s are a realistic fit for this stretch from Redhill to Gatwick. It's about 10 to 12 minutes worth of journey time, which is a third of the HST gameplay time offered by one service on GWE. It must be substantial. I know it is for Reading to Gatwick commuters in reality. It's an opportunity to see GWR stock be used again properly without the scenario editor. Personally, I want to see this. I don't know about anyone else.
This should work and at some point it should load up for you GWML without going to the main menu instead you just stay on the train to boot up Great Western Express. You end up approaching reading on the Southside of the Station or Northside of Reading Station then proceed into the depot to which you can turn around and become local Reading to Paddington Station.
I suppose this is true now. But East Coastway is set in 2019 or earlier, at which point the Class 166s were in service on the North Downs line. So if London to Brighton is set in 2019, the Class 166s have a fitting place as they worked the line into at least late summer 2019. At this time, GX 387s were being used on the Southern ECW line through to 2020 while the airport was being worked on.
Half of people don't even know the differences between a 166 and a 165 anyway. So if it was based in early 2020, it wouldn't really be an immersion breaker. A class 165/1 and 166 would offer the same gameplay in TSW2 besides formations.
At the same time... this is not an opportunity for DTGs to do a scandalous renumbering attempt without a model change and overhaul.
Sounds good and if you stay in class 165/1 coupled to class 166 on BML once you reach Redhill there might be an option to load up GWML for you. The screen should say do you wish to continue to Reading Yes or No? If yes is chosen you appear on the Southern corner of Reading Station where the North Downs line meets with GWML from London Paddington Station then you drive the train into a GWML Platforms at Reading to which you can turn around for Gatwick Airport or become a local Reading to Paddington Service from your inbound Redhill/Gatwick Airport service. Dependent if you own GWML London Paddington Station to Reading and Rush Hour Route Bundle Brighton Main Line On the other hand no option gives you the choice of Continue Journey Continue Free Roam and Return to Main Menu.