My answer to the player survey question about what route would you really like to be included. I believe it comes in longer than any route in the game at the moment (it would be about 70 miles in total) but as this is the suggestions forum I would suggest finding a way to make it work, because I feel it has a lot of potential due to diversity of service types and lengths, being a 'network' route, and using very popular DLC requests (such as the Class 800) as its rolling stock. It is deliberately designed not to be merged with the existing GWE in order to allow more the 800s to appear, although it could make use of some GWE assets for substitution/layering (the Turbos have ended up here after being displaced from Thames Valley services). There are three lines included in this route: the Great Western Main Line (GWML) from Bristol to Swindon, the Wessex Main Line (WML) from Bathampton Jn to Westbury, and the Chippenham to Trowbridge Line Thingley Junction to Bradford Junction. The route would be set in present day (early 2019?)* and would come with two passenger trains. The Class 800, often requested as DLC for GWE, would operate along the GWML from Bristol to Swindon, calling at Bath Spa and Chippenham en route. 'Play value' would be improved by these trains changing over from diesel to electric between Chippenham and Swindon. The class 158 would operate various local and regional services between Bristol and Westbury (calling at Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon, and Trowbridge), as well as from Swindon to Westbury, calling at Chippenham and Trowbridge. The class 166 from GWE could sub into 158 services. All services operated by GWR. There are a few options for freight. One option is to have a Class 59 included in the base game, hauling stone trains from Westbury (which is adjacent to a large yard and near to several quarries) to destinations beyond Bristol and Swindon, and to the Aggregate Industries (formerly Foster Yeoman) depot at Wooton Bassett (between Chippenham and Swindon). A class 70 provides potential for future DLC, licenses permitting. Alternatively, the two could be combined into a BR Heavy Freight Pack style DLC. GWE could provide a Class 66 and freightliner wagons for an additional freight layer. Railtours also run through this region on a number of routes, often Westbury - Swindon via Melksham or Westbury to Bath and Bristol via the WML. Bath and Bristol are usually the destinations for tours using this route, and it is common for railtours passing through Bristol to change locomotive there. Additional features include: - Box Tunnel, the longest rail tunnel in the world when it opened in 1841 - Sydney Gardens - "piece of deliberate railway theatre by Brunel without parallel" - The Dundas Aqueduct and Avoncliff Aqueduct - Potential AI traffic: Class 800 at Westbury (Paddington - South West) and Swindon (Paddington - South Wales, or Gloucestershire and the Midlands); from Temple Meads Class 158 (or 166 if the player owns GWE) on local services and shortened HST* (from GWE) on services to the South West - A complete branch service from Swindon-Westbury, with reversals at each end (including the bay platform at Swindon). Does anybody know whether you can see the White Horse from one of these routes? If so that would be a feature to add to the above list. *2+4 sets can be used in scenario planner. While the HST 'Castle' sets have now been refurbished to include sliding doors, slam door stock remained in use until 2019 due to delays in this programme.
