East Coastway Extension.

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by ben#4827, Aug 12, 2022.

  1. ben#4827

    ben#4827 Well-Known Member

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    Now that DTG have opened up many opportunities to connect and extend routes, one route that i think that needs completing is the East Coastway, In real life only 2 routes actually terminate at Eastbourne, hourly services from London Victoria and Ashford International, Currently in the game all the services going to Eastbourne will terminate at either Hastings or Ore, Therefore an extension would make sense.

    This extension would go to Ashford International which adds about 40 miles to the route making the total route distance pretty much 90 miles altogether including the Seaford branch.

    The rolling stock included with this extension would be the class 171 in Southern livery which will be doing Eastbourne - Ashford services on the marshlink line. The 377 would make the apperances running services originating from Brighton and London along to Hastings and Ore,

    Information about what to expect on the extension. Just after Hampden Park you will branch of towards Pevensey, you would see sights of pevensey castle. Just a few minutes after that you are racing along the seafront towards Cooden Beach. A couple of stops later you will come into the seaside town of Bexhill On Sea. The long platforms here were for holiday makers for a trip to the seaside on the weekends, On the approach into Bexhill you will pass the sight of the original Bexhill West Station, which is now an antiques shop and a Restaurant and Bar. After departing Bexhill its not long untill the sea comes into sight again and you pass the depot of the route, St Leonards T & R S M D. You will then pass the disused Platforms of St Leonards West Marina station which was closed in 1967. Youll then come across Bopeep junction where if you look down the branch you will see West St Leonards Station, you will then enter a fairly long tunnel until you reach St Leonards Warrior Square Station, this station is sandwiched between 2 tunnels, the second tunnel will lead you into Hastings tunnel which is the Terminus of the 1066 Tonbridge - Hastings line. at Ore station where most Southern services terminate, the class 171s will continue beyond Ore towards Ashford on the now non electrified line. shortly after Three Oaks Station you will pass East Sussexs least used station, Doleham. Youll then continue through the historic village of Rye where at the station one track becomes 2 as the returning service from Ashford passes you. Back on the single line and on the final approach into Ashford you will pass the Shopping outlet which has circus tent style roofs.

    Rolling stock encluded with this addon. The class 377/4 & /1 in Southern Livery, The Class 171/2 & /7, 313/2 and the class 66.

    Stations along the extension. Hampden Park, Pevensey & Westham, Pevensey Bay, Normans Bay, Cooden Beach, Collington, Bexhill, St Leonards Warrior Square, Hastings, Ore, Three Oaks, Doleham, Winchelsea, Rye, Appledoore, Ham Street, Ashford International.

    Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion and if you want DTG to finish the unfineshed route then make sure to like the post to show them that this extension is wanted.
     
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  2. brfan#9132

    brfan#9132 Active Member

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    The whole thing would need a complete rebuild
     
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  3. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Well the point is, they have shown it can be done with SEHS so pushing ECW along to Hastings, Ore or indeed Ashford should not be insurmountable. My only caveat is that I’d like to see an earlier era so you can get Thumpers in on the Marshlink services and maybe CIGs or VEPs on the Coastway.
     
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  4. matt#4801

    matt#4801 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah the only thing that would lure me into buying it would be if it was set in an earlier era.
     
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  5. Hiro Protagonist

    Hiro Protagonist Well-Known Member

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    I think too many people have latched on to what has happened with SEHS and assume that suddenly "route extensions are now possible", The important distinction to be made here is that SEHS is not a route extension, it is an overhauled version of the route. A new DLC. What I think most people want when they say "route extension" is the ability to have DLC which expands currently in-game routes, which has been ruled out on multiple occasions for the same reasons that route mergers have - because it creates the issue of having to deal with multiple timetables and multiple world environments to cater for the different combinations that players might own.

    Yes, a route can be extended, but for SEHS that change was bundled in with a base-game iteration (TSW2->TSW3) and there is no "extension" itself - it is a complete route that just so happens to be longer than the older version of that route. Full route rebuilds (involving line extensions or not) without a base-game iteration to break the link would have to either be sold as a completely new DLC (angering a lot of existing route owners, think the Chatham/Medway remake for TSC) or given away for free as an update to the route (so the only money to be made is through convincing people who didn't already own the route to now buy it), and neither is ideal. No-one will be able to play the old SEHS on TSW3 and no-one will be able to play the new SEHS on TSW2, so there is not an issue of having to have multiple configuration options. There is nothing "special" or "new" as to what has happened with the new SEHS as far as route making is concerned, there isn't some invisible ceiling that has suddenly been smashed and the flood of route extensions is now possible.
     
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  6. elarthur

    elarthur Well-Known Member

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    Yes please to this suggestion. ECW has long been in dire need of extending to Hastings, Ore and Ashford. Perhaps also with the Wivelsfield branch as well.
     
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  7. royalscot#3684

    royalscot#3684 Well-Known Member

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    Good suggestion - although I would like to see West Coastway to Chichester and the Bognor branch too. That would be a fun seaside and South Downs route and a logical extension to ECW and Brighton Main line.
     
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  8. Jay1986

    Jay1986 Well-Known Member

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    I’d be happy with a ECW expansion, but it would need to be rebuild from the ground up for TSW3 standards. So we’d be charged for a new route initially or for the TSW3 version. Which I’d gladly pay for.
     
  9. cloudyskies21

    cloudyskies21 Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely agree with this suggestion! My pictures I took yesterday of the ECW between Bexhill and St Leonards near Hastings - absolutely stunning scenery and I really want to see the Class 171 too!

    A Class 377 heads east on the Brighton-Ore service as seen here along the gorgeous coastline between Bexhill and St Leonards.
    Bexhill 1.jpg

    As seen from a pedestrian footbridge, another Ore-bound service with the Southeastern St Leonard's depot in the background.
    SL 2.jpg

    Seen from the same pedestrian footbridge as seen above, but looking west in the direction of Bexhill.
    SL 1.jpg

    A Southern Class 171 seen here at Eastbourne after arrival from Ashford.
    EB 1.jpg EB 2.jpg
     
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