I decided to have a go with adding trains in as layers, to make New Street appear more realistic. Has anyone else done this on BCC or other routes?
If only DTG see the sense in doing it too... It'd certainly enhance BCC and give it the edge it needs to bring it to life.
Because it's not easy to do. They have to put the services in, test it, fix any bugs and release it. If there's also no space for them, they also have to remake the timetable which is also more work
Because they're TSW3 routes, WCML is a TSW5 route. The timetables for them weren't designed for the extra traffic as it didn't exist at the time they were made. A new timetable for each route needs to be done to include the new rolling stock.
BCC is the obvious choice for me to get an extended 'network type' version, which would make it a TSW6 core release route, much like SEHS was for TSW3. I'd guess we may get one or two routes between then and now that will likely have modern locos that would be a good fit for other New Street services and layers, which will only lead to a much more enhanced and realistic epicentre. Makes sense to me and I think would be welcomed by most. BML and SEHS definitely feel more life like in their diverse range of services and busy patches.
To be fair with the route hopping features now and the 390 is a great asset as Birmingham new street is a great interchange hub for all different service's
You'll only ever see the 350 & 390's layered into this route is if it gets remastered or if a modder is secretly working away on a timetable, same goes for the 390 on the Man Picc-Glossop route
They were made long before WCMLS, I believe a complete new timetable would need to be made which isn't a five minute job.
I'm keeping my eyes peeled & thanks the class 710 announcement mod, livery pack & signage mod is what I currently have right now it really brings out the gameplay experience a lot
I would love to see layers added in for BCC. It's one of the more polished and detailed routes they've ever done, and it would be nice to see more variety along it, especially now we have more stock available to populate New Street. I can see a Class 730 DLC being popular and adding an extra train we can use with it and layering into the WCML as well. However, I'm also not naive and realize that a lot of these layers would probably not even run on old Gen consoles, so I doubt DTG themselves would do something like that. Our best bet is a modder or maybe a DLC for those of you on console.
Where would they run though? We only have BCC. New Street to Bromsgrove is the only section which would have seen the loco's in operation apart from some freight on the top end of the cross city line. Class 101's would not have been regular performers on the cross city line as they used Suburban DMU's.
I do have to bring up something. I remember back when DTG Protagonist was still around for all the streams, he mentioned that Birmingham New Street wouldn't be empty for too long. I think it does suggest that DTG were aware of a potential future WCML-based DLC in the works. If that was a case of saying it just for the sake of it then fair enough, but if they did have an inkling that the 350 or 390 or both would be making a future appearance in the reasonable future they may have thought about including the space for them on the TT. Just a thought.
strange that DTG added the 390 and 350 onto Cathcart Circle at Glasgow Central but forgot about Picadilly for the 390, and New Street for the 350 and 390s...
The cathcart circle line with the 390/350 was a new timetable that came out when they knew about the WCML. Not really that strange.
They built the Cathcart timetable for the remaster with space available for the 350 and 390 as WCML would've been in development at the time. They couldn't do that with BCC as they weren't developing a WCML route then.
With the AT route imminent (not going to Crewe aside and providing an obvious link, but that's for another conspiracy thread) and the trend towards linked routes, could we not be looking at a potential new Birmingham- Crewe route to fill that emptiness?
I've done it a few times but not been on BCC for months and more than likely won't unless more AI layers are added.
Their timetable devs don't always have the time to do everything. Timetables are already really complex to create and edit and the devs also have other projects. Nice to have but won't always happen.
BCC is certainly a route I'd love to return to as its really well made and modelled. The reason I've kept away from it is because of how quiet and desolate the whole route is. It's a really pity because the West Midlands 323 is a superb unit as is the route. Birmingham New Street is really off putting with how quiet it is. My fear is, DTG might leave it a little late and by the time they revisit the route or add AI layers players just won't be interested at all with other upcoming routes appealing to them more. Look at GOBLIN line for example... it set a good standard as a short commuter route... and ATS upcoming Mancheser Commuter route. These two routes alone could knock any future interest in BCC, and BCC has more mileage, and potential to offer but the lack of AI really let's it down...
I wouldn't say the whole route is quiet. The timetable on the route is frequent as in real life and you are regularly passing other cross city services. Certainly New Street is quiet and you are missing some WMR and CC services between New Street and Barnt Green/Bromsgrove but on an average run you might only pass one or two of these. Cross City has a few different service patterns and a choice of two routes at the southern end, so not all the services are the same. In terms of other playable services you would only really get any between New Street and Bromsgrove which wouldn't really add anything. An extension to Worcester or Hereford with a 170 or if necessary one of the new DMU's (196 or 197 I forget with the seats designed for punishment not comfort) would be great but sadly I see little likelihood of that happening.
Yeah I suspect the only way this gets done is through one of the following: - A remaster replacing the 323 with the 730 (sort of like Island Line 2022) and adding in new AI layers around Birmingham - A new route centred around Birmingham New Street. Routes to Crewe, Milton Keynes, Worcester/Hereford, and maybe even Liverpool have all been mentioned as suggestions. Personally I really liked the idea of the Liverpool one as an ambitious core route for next year (posted in the suggestions forum). The midlands definitely has more potential for routes as Chiltern Mainline has had a lot of love in the suggestions forum too.
If a ‘new’ West Midlands route was made, and it was something like Coventry to Wolverhampton, would the timetable for that route essentially be (fairly easily) duplicated for an update to the Cross City route? Two separate routes, but the same timetable?
