So, there's officially no UK TSW2 route on the way (unless I've really not been paying attention), who wants some totally inconsequential fun and try to guess where TSW2 will go next? This is not what you want necessarily, just where and what you think is likely or could be a reasonable prospect for the game (i.e. not the whole of the ECML), I'm going pretty much equidistant in the gap between current UK routes and reckon it'll be Cambridge to Peterborough (Anglia 150/2s, new Class 170 and 365s - for the bit up to March). Based in 2003 before the 156s returned. Fills a bit of the wide gap that covers Wales, the Midlands and East Anglia at the moment. 170 would be a really useful model to have in the game too.
Dear God, what a boring stretch of countryside that is! I'm thinking (a part of) Glasgow-Edinburgh, with Class 380s or 385s that can layer into Cathcart as AI trains.
I. Will. Die. On. This. Hill. (I've stopped caring about era now) https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/route-durham-coast-line-uk.32045/ Honestly, I think (and rather hope) that it'll be a northern route, hopefully a modern (or at least post-Sprinter/Pacer) one, or a Welsh route (assuming they've finally secured the TfW license).
Cambridge to Peterborough is unlike, and set in 2003 is near-impossible. Glasgow to Edinburgh is highly requested though, but since the 385s are very new DTG may not be able to get a license for it. Really though, there's no point speculating. We just don't know.
I'd love the South West Mainline, especially any part that features the area around Southampton Central and Eastleigh. Plenty of passenger rail, and plenty of freight, too.
I wouldn't mind a modern(ish) Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool Lime Street via Warrington Central Line. Stock potential: 2010+ - Northern Class 142 - Northern Class 150 - Northern Class 156 - First TransPennine Express Class 185 - East Midlands Trains Class 156 - East Midlands Trains Class 158 2019+ - Northern Class 195 - Northern Class 150 - Northern Class 156 - East Midlands Railway Class 156 - East Midlands Railway Class 158
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Euston to Milton Keynes with the 390 and 350. I'm sick and tired of people saying it's too long, it's around the same length as BML and Matt himself said routes are gradually getting longer. Either that or a Welsh route, we're long overdue one. I'd personally love the South Wales Mainline.
Even as a US member, I'd love to see the Pendolino & Desiro units. I've played around a smidge on TS20xx with them, and would love to see them here in all their glory (or maybe anything from the ECML to be exact).
If actually the LMC Easter Egg in Cornwall was actually a teaser for the next british route, and given the fact that Tilting Trains are coming, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. [ Also it's funny how it says 1985, that's right after APT-P's second entry into passenger service in 1984 is it not? Given how the Easter Egg on the BRD train ticket turned out to be true, I would bet on an APT-P London Euston-Milton Keynes Central. Not sure how they would complement that, except for an early british electric, but that would mean we are getting 2 brand new trains... which would be highly unusual. I wonder if they can use some of the BR Blue diesels instead?
More Class 150 action and couple to a 156 158 & Turbostar 170 BSI Couplers 171 doesn't count due to it being designed to MU with BML & ECW 377 Calder Valley Line Manchester Victoria to Leeds City via Halifax & Bradford
I'm not sure why Cambridge to Peterborough in 2003 would be difficult. It's quite a nice ride as anyone with the ATS version in legacy Train Simulator will know, very little traffic aside from the bit at both ends and only having a small selection of the actual stock at the time hasn't been a problem on other routes. The open air section of the Bakerloo Line being a perfect case. Let's also not forget that Matt P has said that they can't easily splice routes together at the moment, so it will be stand-alone sections on the next few releases at least. "Up north" already has 2 releases (3 if you count Scotland). Going by traditional BR Regions we have LMR 1, North Eastern 1, Eastern 0, Western 3, Southern 3, Scottish 1. Wales was traditionally half Western, half LMR but I agree we should have something from the land of song, posh toast and the Super Furry Animals.
Any dip into to the West Coast Mainline would likely need 2 new bits of rolling stock, 1985 is interesting and yes the APT did have a bit of a swansong before they were all withdrawn. A remote section of the WCML would be best at putting a tilting train through its paces so Preston to Carlisle or Carlisle to Scotland with an 86 (perfect for passenger and freight) would be my guess. Wasn't Settle to Carlisle reprieved in 1985? I know it was down for closure from the 60s to the 80s due to the cost of repairing the many beautiful bridges and viaducts along the line.
Depending on the route age, we’ll past or present there’s a fair amount of historic freight or newer network rail stuff at white or I believe. Incidentally if this was planned and made with correct time tables this could become part of a modular joining route of ECML and freight into the midlands as well as the trains from Cambridge to Birmingham etc
LMC has been one of the reg plates since those cars were made for Tees Valley - I suppose they were at the time planning to build Liverpool - Manchester (?) at some point but for some reason (probably licensing) they couldn't. I wonder, perhaps, if it'll be an early electrification route.
Hopefully c2c with the Class 387 and a new class 357. Plenty of freight and busy commuter railway. Runs alongside the DLR and District line for a bit. Even better if in NSE times with slam door 302s, 308s, 310s and 312s I can dream
I'd agree with that number plate theory if it actually read LMK, not LMC. it seems a bit of a stretch to think that LMC means London to Milton Keynes. Also on a personal level it would break my heart to see that my most wanted route for TSW2 gets announced for a time period I don't care for. That's subjective of course though. I'd still love to see the APT in TSW2 though, I feel like it would be more suited to the Northern section of the WCML where the line is more curvy. That's what I normally think of when I think of the APT and it's where we'd be able to get the best appreciation for it capabilities.
Right. Completely forgot about Liverpool to Machester. Still even without it I still believe WCML is one of the most realistic guesses for a British route, maybe not the next one, but not too far. Mine was just a guess anyway, I generally don't tend too take these things too seriously but it makes sense in my mind. Once tilting trains are developed it just makes sense to release the most popular ones to get a return on the investment, those include the ICE-T, Acela and the APT-P/Class 390 (possibly double timetable like GWB in GWE in the future?) Who knows?
It's definitely going to be The Merioneth and Llantisilly Railway Traction Company with Ivor the Engine.
I'd rather they did a branch of the WCML, such as Crewe - Manchester (conveniently I did another suggestion for it ) rather than a part of the mainline, which wouldn't necessarily be a satisfying length, not at the moment anyway. Crewe - Manchester is also a popular suggestion in the suggestions forum it seems.
This 100%. A nineties or early naughties era LTS even if it just had 312s and 357s would be my top pick out of any route, anywhere. It really is the perfect size for a Train Sim, has different, interesting environments and can easily be a stand-alone product. It's a huge shame that the TS version that's been widely seen on FB will likely never see a release.
It isn't too long (apart from people who suggest it goes to Birmingham). The main problem is that it would require three new types of trains at the minimum (Classes 350, 378, 390). So I don't see it happening until we at least get another route first featuring a Desiro and a 378 (to layer on). And that doesn't even include freight, which the WCML has a great diversity of. I.e. too many trains to model for one route when DTG seemingly have trouble modelling new trains as it stands already.
My predictions: 1). ECML South (Either King's Cross to Peterborough without branches or King's Cross to Stevenage with branches). With Class 387/1 and Class 801 (the Class 801 being the 'new' train). 2). West Highland Line Extension (Fort William to Mallaig - Possibly made by Rivet since they made the one in TS). With Class 37/4 and Class 156 (Possibly Regional Railways era again since Rivet has a licensing allergy). 3). A steam-era route like Somerset and Dorset or a GWR main line like Exeter to Paignton. With a Black Five and a BR Green Class 37 and 47 for the former, Castle Class + Pannier Tank and BR Maroon Class 52 for the latter.
You could cut a corner by having WCMLs set in, say, 2009. Then the 313 can be used on the Slow lines south of Watford, then 350 and the tilting 390. I think that's more than do-able. I think Euston to Rugby is about as far as TSW2 could go right now, though I do remember Matt saying the only big limitation on route length is the amount of time it takes to make and that as they have more and more assets in their library, the more likely longer routes will become.
I don't think the 378 would be needed. I wouldn't be upset if it wasn't included, although obviously I'd prefer it if it was. If they had the WCML on Bakerloo completely devoid of life then I could easily see the Watford DC lines similarly empty (although I'd expect Bakerloo layers south of Harrow and Wealdstone).
Even then the 313 would need to be remodelled to LO spec with a completely different interior, non-refurbished cab with dual voltage and a pantograph reinstated. If they were to build another route, such as North + West London Lines, then a Class 378 could feature there and be layered on. Any included freight possibly too, such as a Freightliner Class 66 with FSA/FTA wagons. A Class 450 included with a South West Trains route has reuse potential as a Class 350 (with some interior changes for certain subclasses and some minor cab adjustments, but otherwise largely the same). Remember that DTG tend to include only one new train per route and others are either reused and modified from existing content or layered on. Going to Rugby may also require the Northampton loop, which essentially doubles the distance from Milton Keynes by about 40 miles. ECML South is a good guess because most services can be replicated with just two train types (Class 387 and 801). There's layering potential should a Class 700 appear at some point. There isn't much freight and what there is (largely ballast trains) can be layered on from the ECW Class 66. A retro pack would also be possible, with a Class 313 and 365 reusing elements from the ECW 313 and SE 465. The Class 801 has many reuse possibilities on other routes such as a Class 800 on a GWR Exeter to Plymouth/Paignton route or layering onto a Edinburgh to Dundee/Fife Circle route. (I'm getting a bit carried away now...)
Anything north of London - I kinda expect the usual trio to appear. ECML, MML, WCML.....Although I doubt we will get KX to Peterborough, more like London Stevenage.....London Luton
I forgot about it, yes with the new lettering it would. I was still thinking with the old codes (now it's the first letter of the departure station and first and last of arrival), so most likely.
LMC means Leeds Manchester. Nothing to see here, move along I was merely indicating that the registration plates use the three letter acronyms from many of the released routes and I just love this little touch from the team
It’s more likely to be Leeds-Manchester as that is one of the routes already in the game, like the other number plates.
My hope is with upcoming steam routes we will get more uk classic locos. There are many nice suggestions like cl25, cl03, cl56 grid, cl73. Time will tell, i guess they will announce something quite soon. To be honest im also wondering what rivet is gonna announce for tsw 2.
Sure, but a reason to develope classic stock. I suggested the grid for tees valley line. The class 25 would fit in a steam era or ntp , also suggested.
I wouldn't be all that surprised if we ended up with a Northern route or a Scottish Route (slight bias there). The North hasn't had a route since TSW2020, and Scotland was really well received (so it seems) after Cathcart, and after it's release suggestions for Scottish Routes became common for a few weeks. Edinburgh - Glasgow; A Classic on TS that has significantly changed, WHL: Fort William - Mallaig; A beautiful line in Scotland's Highlands, and Liverpool - Manchester, another TS Classic. Those are my guesses
I think West Highland out to Mallaig has got to be favourite. Would be nice with a 27 to accompany the steam, though I expect they will re-use the 37 again.
Liverpool to Manchester (or any ideal modern northern route for that matter) would be welcome but I think obtaining the various licenses for the TOCs used would be the barrier there (based on that we haven't had any branded northern content in either TSW or TS before). I hope I'm proved wrong though.
I'd imagine that - considering their close partnership with the DfT that Northern could be a bit more likely, either that or they could do Serco-Abellio's Debranded livery.
i don’t think length would be the issue, it’s more that DTG would need to create 2 (at least) brand new train sets, I definitely wouldn’t expect both a desiro and a 390 to come with one pack.
In the early days, routes quite often came with two trains. And they were all new back then! Sandpatch - AC4400CW, GP38-2 and SD40-2 GWE - 166 and HST WSR - 47 and 09 RSN - 143 and 185 (and Dosto) NTP - 45 and 101 TVL - 08 and 37 SEHS - 375/9 and 395 Notably, the routes with high speed and commuter options (GWE and SEHS) have both come with two. Plus, if they sort the 350, there might be something in the setup that they could reuse to give us the much-requested Scotrail 380.
Two new trains with a route isn't excessive or unprecedented in TSW2. SKA came with the ICE3 and 442 (which was a ground-up new train, not a rework of the RT 1442); Sand Patch with GP38, SD40 and AC4400. Although, yes, it's more typical to do one new one and one mod of an existing one, as with Clinchfield, Munchen and SEHS. Part of the calculation is future utility: how often would DTG be able to re-use this (in modded form as needed)? The Pendolino has quite a bit of re-use potential, and the Desiro family is found everywhere (incl. Germany)
Yes but you’re going back literally years there, we just aren’t getting 2 completely new units with routes anymore. Every new route that’s had 2 trains since TSW 2 released has consisted of one completely new unit & one modified unit. We have nothing in TSW close to either a 390 or a 350, it’s just not comparable to DLC where the included stock was very similar to something we have already seen. Feel free to get your hopes up about a sizeable section of the WCML with 2 brand new pieces of rolling stock, but realistically that’s a pipe dream. We are much more likely to see a route solely consisting of a 350 or other desiro, then later see a WCML section with the 390.
Not happening. DTG refuse to release unbranded content for TSW and as Greater Anglia do not give licenses for their brand, it's not going to happen.
Unless we were to get London to Bedford with the new EMR liveried Class 360s, or even Heathrow Connect services for GWE (as far as Hayes & Harlington). Both unlikely but I wouldn't completely rule it out.