Upcoming Release Master The West Midlands!

I've suggested before, but DTG needs to start building *outwards* WRT new UK routes: build where there is already stock available, so you can layer that in. With the German routes we're quite spoiled because there are 9 other trains that can layer in along with the new one that comes with each new route.

 

Each to their own, I live half a mile from Selly Oak station so the massive hospital is viewable from my garden lol. Looking forward to this!!

 

I am happy we have this route but in all honesty, a Class 172 would have been a nice inclusion, though i'm not gonna complain as the 323 and Cross city line have been requested a fair bit and i have wanted to see this line in TSW

 

I agree ,needs more traffic ,the incline there is a mix and with only this unit it will seem dead,also new street needs more if only static or ai trains.

 

ItS a CaSh GrAb

 

I'm guessing we will have the Class 66 doing the occasional freight service as well as the RHTT doing some work on the line. Just hope they turn around and say they are working on a second passenger train for the route, or worst case scenario that the Class 150 or HST are being given new liveries.

 

Despite the concerns about traffic, I'm so excited to have the Class 323 in TSW. Sounds are going to make or break this route, so fingers crossed those are right. Roll on launch day.

 

It’s sarcasm at the forums princess’s that blatantly moan on here and the social media, seems it goes over peoples heads

 

My bad, deleted it

 

Well that's a bit of a downer. Even Cathcart included the line out to Corkerhill for ECS moves. Appreciate you're not personally in charge of this but whoever drew up the specification for this route needs a kick up the proverbial for such a glaring omission. Can just about accept the fact we are not getting a West Midlands network and more than one train but it could have gone the extra distance compared to the TSC route. Most TSW routes to my knowledge include the lines to and from the depot(s) serving the area otherwise how else are you going to get ECS moves into the timetable and Journey mode, etc.

I may now join others above and scrub the idea of a Day 1 purchase and wait for it to go on sale at Easter next year.

 

No worries, I’m actually looking forward to this release as it’s a route I’m not familiar with

 

Empty from Longbridge, Four Oaks and the middle tracks of New Street

 

Exactly and they store ECS at New streets platforms overnight in some cases

 

I’m just going to keep an open mind though I am curious what Rivet are delivering into the uk.

 

Hyped for the 323 mate! Will some layers for example freight with Class 66 come?

 

Very cool! We‘re finally outside of London and not getting another Electrostar. Train and scenery both look really detailed, and having the option of two different endpoints in the south instead of simply A to B is always welcome. Let’s hope the layers prevent this from becoming another Cathcart Circle (great route, but lacking replayability because of low rolling stock variety). I sure hope some sort of depot is included, having empty stock moves greatly increases the immersion.

 

I hope the new train will be spotted hanging around the Training Center in service mode with all its friends.

 

Two!!!

 

24 new stations including one of the largest in the country, 33 miles of "virgin track" and joining up with the WCML at the top end isn't enough for you?

I'm sure people want blood nowadays

 

OOOOO A New UK Route. It actually looks really good, What's this only 60 KM(37 Miles) Moneyball has happened again. But I have faith at least in this route. Really well done so far. Just hope the sounds are actually good at least

 

100%, we need either brum to wolvo or brum to Worcester with a dmu aswell I reckon

 

I hope that’s humour, many up here don’t even dare count Manchester as near the north

 

All I can say is for this release in particular, the class 60 is barely (if at all used), the 66 would be vital at the RHTT depot at Kings Norton as I've been past everyday last week and 2 freightliner 66's + 2 rail adventure class 43's and the RHTT wagons were there so that will be useful. The class 66 would also be apt for the Corby- Margam steel, the Daventry- Wentloog tesco service, even as far as the Margam to Tees yard banked service. I don't even think the class 70 runs this route anymore because the Rugeley- Stoke Gifford runs have ceased since Rugeley- power station was demolished or shut down and Colas have rarely used the line since they were cleared to haul stock up the Lickey to cover closure on the Welsh Marches line.
It needs to include HST's, class 170/172/220 and even a class 150/1 to be running this line. Possibly even a ROG Class 37 with some dead 313's to go to Long Marston, or a 31/37 test train with some yellow carriages mk2 would be good for AI.

It all depends on the period they are setting it which in this case looks to be within the past 2-3 years based on it being WMT liveried.

 

The Class 323 looks great in the screenshots and the Cross City Line looks well done. Looking forward to it.

 

Still not the same as going on and off the actual TMD that serves the route. All I can think of is maybe the operator decided for security reasons or whatever they didn't want the depot included, though TBA that is a poor excuse and more likely the route builders simply CBA to add another 3 miles of route, mostly in tunnel to round things out a bit.

If this is really selling for the "new" price of £29.99 rather than the standard £24.99 with 10% off for a pre-order, then I will be even less inclined to patronise it on Day 1. Looking like a copy and paste of the TSC effort which also means I want to hear what the 323 sounds like first.

 

What will be the price for the route

 

TBC but as it's being billed as a "Starter Pack" these were going for £29.99, though there ought to be a lower price for existing TSW3 owners. In truth though I would say given the limited route, not even a depot and one train this should be going for £19.99, no more.

 

Sounds great! Finally a relatively modern uk emu that’s not an electrostar

One thing though - it needs more than one train

 

By the way, this is a relatively short route set in a new area of the UK, featuring just one EMU, a type that hasn’t been in the game yet. Sounds quite familiar, a lot like a certain other “CCL”. I wonder how well received that one was?

 

Well received actually, big attention to detail and quite fun to traverse the different routes on the CCL.

 

Course not but that leads to me saying that you don't need to purchase it if you don't wish to eat it, likewise with this DLC. (Just don't eat it)

 

I'm also originally from Selly Oak, and look forward to this too. Traveled on this line many times as a child. I can just about remember the old DMUs

 

IF it turns out to be just 323s and little else and new street is quiet then I think I'd wait for a sale too tbh. I really want this route but £25 for what might be a damp sqiub is a hard sell

 

I have to say this pretty much sums up my view aswell. Whilst the route and 323 look great I am concerned that, due to lack of services, we will once again end up with an all green light A-B run significantly lacking in immersion and replay value.

Whilst no one can reasonably expect New Street to be as busy as it is in real life, it will be dead with only a 323, certain sections of the route (such as the fast lines between Longbridge and Kings Norton) will also be empty.

DTG got it spot on with the recent TSW3 SEHS and before that BML (unfortunately SoS suffered from the same quiet timetable and lack of immersion).

I understand that DTG maybe don’t have the budget or resource to include additional trains (and if they did would need to recoup their costs through increased prices) but maybe considering the choice of route more carefully would avoid these issues. E.g Birmingham Moor Street to Stratford with a 172 would be much more realistic as, for much of the route from Tyseley South Junction, all the services are in the hands of 172s (with the exception of the Bearley branch).

 

Not sure what your point is . I found out quite a bit from that video and I’m sure many others did as well

 

Would've been nice to have it set in the past in one respect because they could've maybe incorporated Longbridge stock moves...

 

100% agree and they already had the beginnings of such around London with GWE, BML, ECW, and SEHS. But, the "no more SE/London/Electrostar" brigade has gotten very loud lately.

As a non-Brit it's frustrating because i'd prefer a more cohesive and busier network- the location of which isn't super important to me personally.

 

What the loco looks like , what the route looks like , the cab ect

 

Heck yeah!

 

Overpriced whatever the price….if you can wait a while a buy it in a sale and save yourself some money!

 

But does one want to look at Birmingham?

 

I agree and for Lickey Incline unassisted services needs a Class 60 due to it trading horsepower for tractive force 105k lbf vs 91k lbf class 66 unless there is a version of Class 66 that can match Class 60 tractive effort.

 

Yep although that’s a benefit of the real world having a unified rail network with common branding.

UK privatization and multiple companies mean even if there is a train/loco that makes sense it won’t make sense unless they re-do it in a different livery inside/out. I.e I think the HST goes to Birmingham in real life but as a Crosscountry branded train, not the GWR currently in game. So the choices would be to either layer in GWR which would annoy some people as not being realistic, have nothing which annoys other people since the station seems dead, or make an entire new train just for an AI service which doesn’t seem like something DTG would do.

 

XC have recently repainted a powercar in the InterCity Executive livery.

 

Maybe Southeast England or South of London may be a better term to use

 

Yes actually, as I was born there

 

I agree this is a shame and would spoil the immersion.

 

Really looking forward to this route. Not really concerned about only having the Class 323 as this unit is what you would see the majority of the time on the route anyway. Other new stock wouldn't really make sense as their practical use is far more limited.

In fairness we still have large stock gaps on other routes, e.g. no Thameslink on London Commuter, Eurostar on SEHS etc.

 

Well I 'm looking forward to it. Five Ways was my local station for a couple of years in the days of DMUs.
Looking forward to attacking Lickey in some classic traction in Scenario Planner.

 

What could redeemm this route to a Day 1 purchase is a proper classic traction layer as was used to enhance WCL. As it is I suspect DTG already eyeing a similar style Legends pack, similar to that done for GWE.