Great Western Railway & Heathrow

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by William Stowe, Nov 4, 2021.

  1. William Stowe

    William Stowe Member

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    This route would run from Reading to Paddington And Paddington to the Heathrow Terminals. This route would consist of 38 Miles of track, which would be operated by 3 Train companies (Heathrow Express, GWR,
    & TFL Rail). This would connect Paddington to Heathrow and could use the London Paddington to Reading already in the game, but the stations just need a little bit updating. Also the Heathrow Branch would need to be added on just after Hayes & Harlington.

    Routes GWR (Returning) :
    London Paddington - Cardiff Central (800)
    London Paddington - Swansea (800)
    London Paddington - Bristol Temple Meads (800)
    London Paddington - Exeter St Davids (800)
    London Paddington - Plymouth (800)
    London Paddington - Penzance (800)
    London Paddington - Oxford (800)
    London Paddington - Great Malvern (800)
    London Paddington - Bedwyn (800)
    London Paddington - Cheltenham Spa (800)
    London Paddington - Didcot Parkway (387)

    Routes Heathrow Express (Returning) :
    London Paddington - Heathrow Terminal 5 (387)

    Routes TFL Rail (Returning) :
    London Paddington - Reading ()345
    London Paddington - Heathrow Terminal 4 (345)
    London Paddington - Hayes & Harlington (345)

    Rolling Stock

    Class 345
    [​IMG]

    Class 387 (Heathrow Express)
    [​IMG]

    Class 387 (GWR)
    [​IMG]

    Class 800 (GWR)
    [​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. Yoinkermcskoinker

    Yoinkermcskoinker Well-Known Member

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    2494FD4E-3EB7-4AB4-B1A6-E080A21F1B08.jpeg
    You’re in luck! This route is already in the game, -the Heathrow lines
     
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  3. Rybnicki

    Rybnicki Well-Known Member

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    Which stations need updating? The route was released as modern-day a few years ago and Reading is post-modernisation.
     
  4. First capital connect

    First capital connect Well-Known Member

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    If updates are needed to stations it would probably be minor things
    And overhead lines would need to be modelled
     
  5. fabdiva

    fabdiva Well-Known Member

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    West Ealing and Acton Mainline have been rebuilt as part of the Crossrail works - both new buildings opened this year. Quite a few other stations have had new bridges with lifts for Step Free access. Paddington has a new low level station which TfL Rail will be moving in to in 6 months time.

    Also the Elephant in the room is Heathrow - Good luck getting approval to model the tunnels.
     
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  6. driverwoods#1787

    driverwoods#1787 Well-Known Member

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    Let me see a Modernized GWML London Paddington to Reading with 25kv 50hz Overhead Contact System active including the existing Hayes & Harlington Area. Class 800 should have special paint too like 800 008 Pride the trainbow of GWE followed by 800 321 Yellow Mask paint coupler doors.
     
  7. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Heathrow airport owns the spur line from Hayes & Harlington into the airport and won't give a license to anyone to model it.
    GWR now run the HEx trains, but again the franchise is given by Heathrow, so unlikely to license

    The remainder of the route could be updated but it's unlikely to happen. GWE is one of those "always stuck in time and space" routes that won't be altered. There are other places to be made
     
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  8. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    I think there is probably more enthusiasm to see GWML extended westwards or the Thames Valley branches added than an ultra modern makeover. As explained we are unlikely to ever see Heathrow in there, also not sure what Crossrail stance on licensing would be.
     
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  9. fabdiva

    fabdiva Well-Known Member

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    It would probably be nice to be remade in a few years time, once all the construction and Lizard line upgrades are completed but I don't get the rush for a remake
     
  10. 43050

    43050 Well-Known Member

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    I’m not being funny but I wouldn’t pay for a *new route* that is identical to the old one with exception of a bit more catenary and a few new station buildings, with rolling stock that we either already have in game (class 387), stock that in 6 months will use it’s intended new routing (class 345) and a unit that could be incorporated into a whole new route (class 800 derivatives)

    Unless… it brings something totally new (Thames Branches, extension to the west etc,)
     
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  11. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Maybe in the case you're stating what you're "paying for" is two new trains (80x and 345) and the links to Paddington low level, the new stations etc
    In fairness to your comment the scenery and track laying are the simpler aspects of building a route, with station assets, signalling etc being the more complex parts of route building, and of course, two new trains and a rebuild of an existing one (the interiors of the HEx 387s are very much different from the Southern ones)
     
  12. 43050

    43050 Well-Known Member

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    I’d be more than happy to pay for the new trains, I just think that getting the 800 into the game would be better on a new route or as a standalone DLC. If it were elsewhere we could have it working on both diesel and electric. The 345 would be better suited to the complete Crossrail route rather than another frozen in time version where the route stops short of the completed line. (I know all the routes are frozen in time in some respect) and I have driven Paddington to Reading so many times (GWE and Legends) it just gets annoying on a high speed run to have to leave the cab at Reading every time.
     
  13. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    If the 800 was in the game on any route this would be possible (if DTG would reskin the darn thing)
    "complete Crossrail route"? There are between two and four "routes" on the network in practice depending on where things start and terminate, but it would be good to have the 345 running anywhere it runs rather than limiting ourselves to something which may never come

    This is why I don't like high speed "greenlight" runs. Over in a few minutes, and I end up only paying attention when it's something other than "ping!"
     
  14. 43050

    43050 Well-Known Member

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    Totally agree
     
  15. 59321747

    59321747 Well-Known Member

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    Why? If the airport is used for military purposes, a permit will not be obtained, which is normal. But it cannot be used for civilian purposes, which is not easy to understand. Even if the game can be made 100% with airports and branch lines, it is still a game.
     
  16. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Don't know, try asking the airport owners...
     
  17. 59321747

    59321747 Well-Known Member

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    Is the price of DTG too low? Or does the boss look down on this little money?
     
  18. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Who says it comes down to price? There could be many reasons the company that owns the airport and route don't want to license it
     
  19. 59321747

    59321747 Well-Known Member

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    Haha, too many complications may be involved.
     
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  20. Rybnicki

    Rybnicki Well-Known Member

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    Could be security, could be a very tight control of image rights, could just be they don't want to. I'd guess likely the first of these.
     
  21. fabdiva

    fabdiva Well-Known Member

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    I suspect trying to take the number of reference photos needed to model the stations would attract the attention of Airport Security and probably Plod - Airports are restricted areas in UK law so if the airport isn't interested then good luck modelling it
     
  22. dhekelian

    dhekelian Well-Known Member

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    I'd rather see the rest of the GWR line be made. Cardiff to Didcot but don't see it happening.
     
  23. elaineedwards2013

    elaineedwards2013 Well-Known Member

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    1. Even if this was not added. I still would have loved to see the old Class 332 Heathrow Express.
    2. upload_2021-11-5_20-43-59.jpeg
     
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  24. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Yeah but people like landmarks (and airports) and neither Didcot nor Cardiff are renowned for those... I doubt many outside of the rugby fraternity could pick out the Principality Stadium from a lineup of stadia
     
  25. dhekelian

    dhekelian Well-Known Member

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    All the Bridges and Tunnels built by Brunel don't count as landmarks? Have you seen the Severn Tunnel?
     
  26. Rybnicki

    Rybnicki Well-Known Member

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    Depending on the era, you've got the Power Station and steam museum at Didcot, the station buildings at BTM and Swindon, then I'm struggling. The tunnel under the Severn is an engineering marvel but it's not really something to look at, being a dark tunnel and all. Doesn't mean I don't want this route but it's not a stunner.
     
  27. dhekelian

    dhekelian Well-Known Member

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    How dare you! hahaha. I agree you may not be able to look inside but the fact you travel through it and know it is there and links South Wales to England is surely worth being recognised as a landmark than say an ugly building can no? For me I'd rather look at the engineering side rather than buildings.
     
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  28. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Are any of those IN Didcot or IN Cardiff?
    And yes, been through the tunnel many times when I was living in Cardiff and Cwmbran, but again, the tunnel is not IN Cardiff (or Didcot)

    And to be honest, although the tunnel is definitely a RAILWAY feature not too many would be able to pick the Severn Tunnel out of a line up of tunnels, so really not a "landmark" in the way the Shard, Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty etc would be
     
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