Hello! Welcome to my first suggestion for 2022.. Today I suggest the section of the GWML (Great Western Mainline) between Bath Spa and Swindon. The Route. The route between Bath Spa and Swindon is around 33 miles of mainly countryside. I would like to see this route set in the late 70s/early 80s. I picked this route for historical reasons:- A) Bath is home to the famous Roman Baths. A very famous British tourist attraction B) Swindon is home of the original GWR (1835 - 1948) C) The Great Western Mainline was Isambard Kingdom Brunel's first railway line. Stations include: Bath Spa Chippenham Swindon Rolling Stock BR Class 43 Valenta HST - BR Blue BR Class 117 DMU - BR Blue Layers: Diesel Legends of the Great Western BR Class 31 Northern Transpennine NTP Heavy Freight Pack Class 37/5 (TVL and possibly WCL)
I would think DTG could manage Bristol TM to Swindon as that would only add 12 miles. Otherwise it ends up as a route from nowhere to nowhere!
Agree it would be better off going to Bristol, or even include the lines from Bath and Chippenham to Westbury to create a network.
Or throw in Filton Bank up to Parkway and via Badminton so you have both routes to Swindon. Set the era right, you could have the coal trains coming up from Avonmouth towards Didcot Power Station and the empties going back.
I don't think it should be a classic route, personally I'm bored of the classic routes, especially on the GWML, I think the route should be a modern day route, Bristol TM - Westbury/Swindon, with Class 800 IETs for Swindon and Class 166s (Or maybe even a 158 and modern 150). I think that would be so much more exciting, you could even include the branch line from Westbury to Chippenham.
Alternatively have it set in the era where the Diesel legends pack contents would look correct. Did the Class 101 ever run in this area?
Modern or nothing! We have too much old stuff, to the point it’s boring now, like the electrostars. 800s, 802s, 166s, 158s, yes please!
Fairly certain 117's didn't operate between Bath and Swindon. There was no local service as there were no local stations post Breeching. The Bristol allocated 117's ( and almost identical 118's) would have turned right at Bathampton Junction and headed down the Avon Valley towards Westbury - a picturesque route. I would suggest adding a Class 50 with air conditioned Mark 2 D/E/F stock which would have been appropriate for most of the 80's.
Towards the latter end of heritage DMU's, the Bath Road fleet were 108's. Mainly power trailer sets but a couple of power twins (B398 and B399 IIRC). The latter were often pinched to cover for 150's or 155's when something failed or just short of sets. And actually the classic era would be perfect for this route, particularly if we got a Paxman HST. You can keep the Japanese Knotweed!
3 old routes. Everything else is modern, already explained this before, I don't get why people think there are so many historic routes.
I mean, all 3 have a 101. Some variation would be nice, or in an old but not ancient era like WCL, but no more 101s, 45s, 37s, 47s etc