Evening Morning all from a very snowy South Coast! An idea for a TS route just occurred to me for a nice steam-era route. Or possibly immediately post-steam. Where to start? I think with the route itself is as good a bet as any. Regardless of era (besides being pre-1972) the route would include: The South Western Mainline as far as Southampton, via Woking, Basingstoke, Winchester and Eastleigh. The line from Pirbright Junction to Alton via Ash Vale, Aldershot and Farnham. The Mid Hants line from Alton to Winchester via Alresford. Southampton Docks Now the inclusion of other features depends on the era being depicted. I'll stick to Post-Grouping here as, to the best of my knowledge, not much had been removed by 1923. Basingstoke & Alton Light Railway Included. (Until circa 1935 - Closed 1932) Bentley - Bordon Branch (Until 1966) Brookwood - Bisley Branch (Until 1952) Brookwood Cemetery Branch (Until 1941) Southampton Terminus Station (Until 1967) Electrification at Woking (From 1937) Electrification Woking to Alton (From 1939) Electrification Woking to Southampton (From 1967) Based on the above I would put my preferred period for the route as being 1935 to 1940, with a bit of artistic licence retaining the Basingstoke & Alton. The route wouldn't please diesel fans, but 1935-40 would, I feel, give an interesting route for steam and electric enthusiasts. So, what stock to include for this version of the route? Well, from the existing pool we have: SR Maunsell N15 (SLC & RSC) SR Maunsell S15 (BMG) LSWR T9 (SLC) LSWR M7 (DT) LSWR Non-Corridor Coaches (DT) SR Maunsell Bogie Stock (MT) LSWR Road Van (Kuju) So in truth we don't have all that much available! There are other SR locos available but a lot of those (A1/A1x, E4, Adams Radial, etc...) would have been rarely, if ever, seen around this part of the world. Assuming this to be a DTG route I would strongly recommend the inclusion of the RSC N15. A Urie version might be nice to see too. As for other stock, I think some negotiation with Digital Traction to include the LSWR coaches and M7 would be in order, and some words to Matrix Trains for the Maunsell stock. Then we need an EMU, for which I suggest DTG Amends their 2-HAL to become a 2-BIL. But we're still a bit lacking - I can't decide what else to include either, and it's getting on a bit so I'll leave it here for tonight.
And have just yet another boring electrified mainline run with plastic boxes? Because the thing is the majority of the route outlined above would be that. Okay so there's the Mid Hants Railway, but almost all of the interest and the fun little branch lines to play on had gone by the end of the 1960s. I take the point but surely I'm not the only one who yearns for something more interesting for the Southern than the modern routes we have and the single steam-era route that is Southampton to Weymouth. Oh, and Hayling Island.
Here's a LSWR/Southern route that might be of interest. I don't have it so cannot vouch for it. https://steamcommunity.com/app/24010/discussions/7/1780513643849122475/
You're welcome. Also, are you aware of the Isle of Wight Network from UKTS? Set in the steam era it has all the IoW branches prior to closure. It is very well done and captures the IoW atmosphere. I should know, I lived within earshot of Cowes station and passed it on my way to school. https://members.uktrainsim.com/file...orm_country=998&form_sim=12&form_path=,oc=599
A cracking route it is too! Marvellous, and another I forgot to mention! Shame it doesn't work for me with dynamic lighting turned on.
My preferred era would be either BR Blue/Grey Days with the CEPs/BEPs CIGs VEPs REPs with the 33's 47's 50's on the Waterloo to Exeter runs or NSE era the with the CEPs/BEPs CIGs VEPs with 47's 50's 455s and 442s
At least there was still variety then! What is it though, about TS, that everyone seems to hanker for more same-old-same-old modern routes?
Usually they want to drive a complete route or a complete real life drive. Try doing a Cardiff - Nottingham in a 3 car XC 170 for example Try doing Luton - Rainham in a 70x Let alone a full ECML run... I believe it's a case of "complete the network" and keep things up to date rather than look back and have more mark 1 or steam stock.
Interesting thought. Personally I find the idea of being able to see a route as it would have been in the past more appealing than routes showing what I can see by looking out of my door. Perhaps the best compromise is to do routes which are still extant as modern routes and those which have closed as period ones?
S.E,M.34090 Like you, I prefer historical routes and rolling stock for the variety and more interesting infrastructure. Although my preferred era is post nationalisation, steam and early diesel which I can relate to because I'm old enough to remember that period. I'm sure that nostalgia is the appeal of TS to many of a certain age. However, I think that the pre Grouping era would be a small niche market with not enough demand for the likes of DTG to find it viable, I hope I'm wrong. 3rd party devs might fill the gap, I'm thinking Victorian Lad's/VL/CL/Digital Traction's excellent locos but routes are a bigger challenge. Like you, I'm a 'Southern' man and am making a fictional 1950s route set in the Kent/E Sussex area. (I know you are a LSWR fan, so it's not your manor. If you are interested take a look at my screenshots over on Steam. I should point out that I will not publish it.
Ah, I may come across as a Western Division man, my friend, but I suggest a look at my avatar if you want to know my true alignment... Yes, you are quite right I think, though pre-grouping interest is increasing thanks to the excellent products of Kris and DT. I'll go and check them now...
May I suggest creating the line during 1912? That way you can have some historical significance when you arrive at Southampton you could see titanic?