I've applied criteria, based loosely on a fairly modern era. 1. Relatively self-contained network 2. Would work with only one new type of traction. 3. Existing tractions could layer in. 4. Realistic driving duties (i.e. not like ECML & Fire Circle). 5. Realistic size for TSW. 6. Non-linear route (i.e. must have branches)
There is no such thing as the Swansea valley lines (or at least anymore) but there was never such a thing as the newport valley lines.
I would say C2C or Merseyrail, i like the idea of routes that have a mixture of urban, coastal and rural and both routes deliver that.
I voted for Merseyrail Network (ideally the Wirral line rather than the Northern line - it's a bit more operationally interesting), Wherry Lines and the C2C network. The latter is quite a big network if you include all the branches but it shouldn't be out of the question. The North Warwickshire lines (Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa) would be another good option, with the West Midlands Trains Class 172. Inverclyde Lines (Glasgow Central to Gourock and Wemyss Bay) with a Class 380 could also be a good candidate but is quite similar to the Ayrshire Coast Line. Network style routes are definitely more favourable for me than A to B routes, especially with commuter/metro type lines.
Since its my local route, I'll be biased and say the Ayrshire coastline. Though aside from that the merseyrail network could be nice to see as well. And although operated by a handful of different stock, the argyle line could be another idea. With the 320 being the main loco as it is in real life, and maybe the 318 coming later on as a dlc
I vote C2C,Cardiff Valley Lines, Wherry Lines and Ayrshire Coast. I love Wales, but I wouldn't mind seeing something more Scottish and the "legendary" C2C in TSW.
Exeter area probably out because if set post BR we hit the FGW/GWR licensing issue. Same with Cardiff Valleys or Swansea to West Wales though that is actually quite a large network with Milford, Pembroke and Fishguard. TfW and former ATW licensing a possible stumbling block. I voted for Wherry Lines, hopefully also include the Sheringham Line. Other possibilities, more historic I have to say would be the pre-Metro Tyneside local network, South Shields, Sunderland, the Tynemouth Loop and Quayside Line. Ideal stamping ground for the Class 101 Met Camms which dominated the service for many years. Class 31, 45 and 47 layer in on main line AI at Newcastle. Another slightly vintage one which I've put in the Suggestions forum a couple of times, is the South Yorkshire coal and power network around Knottingley. Set in the early 90's would require a Class 56 (or 60) for the MGR workings. Passenger services from Leeds to Knottingley (with the odd peak working to/from Goole) would be Class 142.
Cumbrian Coast but I'm not sure how it's a network. It's really just two linear lines that meet at Barrow, with some through workings. It would be a stunning line to have in the game. Imagine if they put La'al Ratty in too as a bonus!
I voted for SE London as I'm more of the mind to go for largest and fullest fleet complements where possible, with ScotRail and Southeastern being the frontrunners there. Just gives the routes more variety and avoids issues with empty major stations and timetables, etc. If we're going with other suggestions, then it's got to be Belfast GVS to Lisburn/Bangor/Larne(/Antrim) for me - nice network, not an overly packed timetable (max one train/half hr on any route), and only two reasonably similar trains to complete the full modern Translink fleet easily (and also because NI needs representation in the game along with Wales ).
Easily Merseyrail. Given how similar a 507 would be to the 313 and 314 we already have in the sim, to me it’s still an iconic piece of traction and long overdue for TSW. Would I be correct in assuming there’s some newer units running the current route nowadays anyway?
c2c would be interesting as well save for an Aventra that I’d be well tired of after having driven it all over the Suffragette line… what other stock do they run over there?
Chiltern FTW. We've now got a 170 (although they're modified as 168/3s on Chiltern) and a Class 68 push-pull would be brilliant!
If it would be plausible with licenses, I'd really like to see Snow Hill Lines out of Birmingham, specifically the below section: A combination of Chiltern 168 Clubman (mostly express, semi-fast) and WMR 172 Turbostars (mostly stopping), along with plenty of freight and regular steam rail tours (using Tyseley motive power) from Stratford to Snow Hill using both routes in the summer on the Shakespeare Express. Regular passenger services with a variety of stopping patterns including some request stops on the stretch between Tyseley and Stratford-upon-Avon. Additionally, the Chiltern Class 68 / DVT set would be a perfect loco DLC.
Ah ok. 357 still being an Electrostar which aren’t dramatically interesting… at least it has a bigger windshield. The driving experience would be a little different.
The Blyth and Tyne line would good with biomass trains running to Lynemouth power station and with the imminent opening of the Northumberland Line (Newcastle-Ashington).
Though if we did get merseyrail, it should be in the 80s/90s to allow layering between blackpool branches at ormskirk, I don't think we have a BR route with an electric train yet either To be honest I could definitely see just trains working on this as their next TSW release
I've been cheerleading for c2c for some time. Self-contained decent length route, varied route patterns, City of London, Essex countryside, along the coast at Leigh-on-Sea to Westcliff, AI layers from SEHS and Goblin (and District Line if any routes with S7 Tube stock are released). And in the future there could be DLC of the old slam-door EMUs.
It'd more likely be one of the other, although I'd say the Northern section has the larger freight traffic with Dalston Oil terminal, Workington docks and Sellafield. Take it back to BR blue and you can include British steel freight to Workington, Albright and Wilson chemical trains (via cable which) to Whitehaven and a switch back quirky branch to the MOD dump at Broughton Moor! Apologies for the reet west Cumbria voice ower marra!
It's interesting to see that 4 electric networks are topping the charts. It perhaps supports the recent focus on modern electric routes by DTG. While it's not a scientific survey perhaps this is useful feedback for DTG. Shhh DTG Alex DM me if you want me to be your covert market research guy.
Am I a broken record? Probably. But on the subject of Cardiff Valley lines I will once again say, pop this in late 2000s to early 2010s with Pacers and Sprinters doing the rounds.
Im not gonna vote since devs are releasing their dlcs rather shortsighted. For me its 300% clear, the fife circle should have been an extension of edinburg glasgow just for immersion reasons. But they are not even capable of populating an empty depot with trains... Some players might disagree but for TSW, routes are just too much a-b. And the rare chances of network based choices are getting screwd up by examples of Rivets last release.
Yes, of the options this would be my preferred DLC if it's to be a diesel affair. How about late 80s/early 90s? Pacers, Sprinters and Derby Class 116s for a bit of slamdoor retro variety?
You're entitled not to vote for your reasons, but like not voting in elections, not giving your opinion reduces your chances of ever being heard. I don't think there's a good reason to have merged Fife Circle with Edinburgh - Glasgow from an operational point of view, if anything, Fife Circle should have gone up to Dundee rather than finish your driving duty at a tiny station. I don't think many will disagree that TSW routes are mostly a-b.
I wasn’t too sure on many so I voted a line in the part of the country where I live (North East Coast) and Glasgow to Ayr, a Scottish coast with a big terminal like Glasgow sounds quite nice. Edit: though I’m not actually sure what the north east coast line at Whitley bay is, I know of the Tyne and Wear metro up there and then theirs the ECML what sort of bypasses it, not sure about anything else. (Tyne and wear metro would be well good but 60 stations would probably be not accomplished with how long stations currently take to do)
Bear in mind that just because electric routes are the most popular in this poll it doesn't necessarily mean that it's because they are electric - obviously in the real world the routes that get electrified are usually the busiest ones...
Merseyrail Third Rail game play around Liverpool special Livery Class 777 Eurovision and it should be set in 2023 to have a scenario for passengers to reach Eurovision venue. Wherry Lines Diesel action and includes Cravens Arms
As long as it is not in the modern, 3rd rail, SE Electrostar genre (include the LO in this too) all of those would be nice enough to have. I went with Exeter area, Wherry lines and Leeds area.
Well, you did specify in your original post that all of the options you’d provided were modern, so it’s not a great surprise that all of the options topping the chart are modern… In the ‘How Many?’ thread doing a similar thing with traction, new and old options are provided, and old is winning out in every category. I don’t think it’s specifically that people only want older stock - it’s just that they want a variety, and at the moment all they get from DTG are modern EMUs. In terms of EMUs v DMUs, I think if they’re going to be modern, it doesn’t make a lot of difference really. They’re very similar to drive and look very similar either way. I suspect people are therefore taking their decision on the basis of the network, rather than the traction. Some of the older EMUs and DMUs have very interesting control systems which add a lot to the driving experience. While it doesn’t bother me whether it’s A-B or a network, I do like the concept of routes where the whole journey is included - or at least the whole section which a single Driver would drive in real life - rather than just driving a very short mid-section of a train’s journey, which isn’t very satisfying.
I kept it loosely as modern in the abstract and so there weren't several options for each network but if anyone wants to throw in an older version of a network they feel would work, be my guest.
Set them all at least 30, though preferably 40 years in the past every single option would be a great one to have!
Trouble is some of the options I wouldn't mind set in the past whereas others I would only prefer modern day. Wherry Lines set in the 1980's with a Class 105 and layers for the BR Blue content we already have could work quite nicely, but I would also quite happily take it with a Class 755. Airedale Lines however would need to be modern as I most associate that route with the Class 333.
Most journeys and services are point a-b, but that doesn't have to be the case with DLC. MML is "point a to b or c" for example. Hence the OP. Picking sections of one route is easier than finding a self-contained smallish network that would offer a more complex range of services. Kind of the opposite to GOBLIN (though I do love what DTG did with that route).
I don’t know if this is a “small network” but the GEML with the Southend, braintree, harwich and Walton branches
While I would love to have Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria & Walton (I assume you're including Southminster & Clacton with those, the GEML up to at least Manningtree (for the Harwich branch) and Braintree. We're looking at something that's beyond the capabilities of DTG and TSW. It would take ages to make, would likely be quite laggy and possibly too large a DLC for consoles. I really do applaud your optimism but, leaving aside the licensing issue with Greater Anglia, this would not only be the most ambitious and complex route for TSW but would also need a clean sweep of brand new traction because the only "locos" in TSW that have appeared on GEML are the 31,37,47 & more recently 66s. Even with the modern era, DTG would be making classes 345, 720 and 745s. I would love to be wrong, but it's unlikely unless TSW has a big boost in sales and DTG can expand their operation.
I voted in the London Overground lines as we only have a solitary 13 mile snippet at the moment which is good, more please. Outside London a Welsh route would be neat. Ideally with mountain scenery, or the Wherry Lines in Norfolk, an old fav of mine from TSC.
