I believe that the route is a good contender with a wide variety of services with many different sections of the route with branch lines. There are slow passenger services mixed in with the fast services. Also, the scenery of the route is varied really allowing a complex and challenging route which is pleasant to the eye. Furthermore there is a unique history which can be explored within the route!
I would second that and suggest the East Coastway from Brighton to Ashford via Lewes and Hastings. My preference would be set in the British Railways Southern Region era with 4CORs, 2BILs & 2HALs.
I agree with Mr Cat - the last thing we need is another route with a 377 in it. We have the HAL, but no suitable route for it, so why not provide one! Nice as the BR(S) era is though, I would rather see the route set immediately before the Second World War, during 1938. To my mind this year saw the most variety on the route, though that claim may fall to the war years. 1938 allows the running of electrics all the way from Brighton to Portsmouth, including Bognor and Littlehampton, but also introduces some variety with steam operation only from Portcreek and Farlington Junctions through to Southampton and Eastleigh. Also at this time, the Kemp Town branch in Brighton was still open, as was the branch line to Hayling Island (already superbly modelled as a freeware route). There was also the LOVE branch (That word has been blanked out? It should read D yke but without the space between D and y... I don't wish to rant, but I don't get why some forums blank it out now.) from LOVE Junction Halt, which closed in 1939. Now, alongside the existing HAL and a new BIL, and possibly the 4COR, we would need some steam locomotives and something for them to pull. I suggest that the existing LBSCR A1x should be included in SR Green and Wartime Black only (so as to not cause too many dents in sales of the terrier pack) alongside a new LBSCR D1 and an LBSCR C2x. This would only really see us through on the Portsmouth - Brighton section though, so I'd suggest that the Digital Traction M7 in SR Green and Black (and LSWR Coaches - SR Green Only) should be included, possibly along with a basic version of the SLC T9 in SR Green and Black. This is turning into a rather large pack... I therefore suggest that perhaps restricting it to Portsmouth - Brighton would be advisable, as that (with the branches) is the most operationally interesting section. So... in the interests of keeping new development on the route at a reasonable level Included we would have: Existing SR 2HAL EMU (SR Green, BR green as a bonus) New SR 2BIL (SR Green, SR Lined Green, BR Green, BR Blue) Existing LBSCR A1x (SR Green and SR Black only - an encouragement to buy some of the other packs) New LBSCR D1 (LBSCR Improved Engine Green, LBSCR Marsh Umber, SR Green, SR Black) Existing SR S15 (SR Green Only, no smoke deflectors - an encouragement to buy the full pack) New LBSCR C2x (LBSCR Black, SR Black, BR Black) New LBSCR Billinton Bogie Stock (LBSCR Umber, LBSCR Umber & White, SR Lined Green, BR Crimson) Existing LSWR 'Road Van' (LSWR Brown, LBSCR Grey, SR Brown) Existing IOW 5 Plank Wagon (LBSCR Grey, SR Brown) Existing 'Standard Wagons' (RCH 3, 5 and 7 Planks, 6-wheeled Milk Tanker and LMS Ventilated Van): RCH 3 Plank: SR Brown RCH 5 Plank: SR Brown, GWR Grey, LMS Grey, LNER Bauxite and Local Liveries RCH 7 Plank: SR Brown, GWR Grey, LMS Grey, LNER Bauxite and Local Liveries 6-Wheeled Milk Tanker: United Dairies Livery, SR marked chassis. LMS Ventilated Van: SR Brown and LMS GreyThat is still a lot of content to include in addition to the route, a new unit, two new locos, and a new rake of coaches, plus new liveries for existing stock. Some may question my suggestion of including pre-grouping and BR era liveries, but this is generally suggested for stock that has not appeared before. It will also be noted that I have kept the number of liveries on existing content to a minimum to encourage the purchaser to buy the full packs for those locos. However, I think that my choices are judicious as being appropriate to the route. The D1 and C2x in particular are locos that, in 1938, were very frequently seen in the area.
The Coastway route would be good. Maybe set it in early NSE times so a bit of blue traction won't look out of place. Agree with updated slammers though for selfish reasons I think the AC gap should be filled first, 302-312 cover a lot of TS route miles and would be popular.
Sigh... If you want variety then you're not going to get much of it post-1967, and not just because of a lack of steam. Freight hadn't much life left to live on the Coastway, the older SR EMU's were headed the same way. It's all very well having yet another modernish-era ex-SR Suburban Electric Route dominated by EMU's and nout else, but is it too much to ask to have something different?
