Hello all, and welcome to this suggestion. We'll take a trip down to Wales, and more specifically, the Valley Lines. Located in South Wales, and centred around Cardiff, the Valley lines are an extensive network of commuter-regional lines, and today that's what we'll be exploring. This suggestion will cover the Rhondda, Merthyr, City, Coryton and Butetown lines, for a total size of around 52 miles. Introduction Note: All information in Introduction is up to modern day. This may not reflect the suggestion. This is to fill you in about the lines, and Welsh Rail. Transport for Wales Transport for Wales is the primary operator of trains in Wales. Beginning operations on January 7, 2021 (18th October, 2018 for Keolis-Amey's TfW), Transport for Wales Rail Ltd. Is a subsidiary of the Transport Agency of the Welsh Government, also called Transport for Wales. Brought in as an Operator of Last Resort (OLR) to take over from Arriva Trains Wales, Transport for Wales have supreme control over the Welsh network, with many lines being taken over from Network Rail, and the extensive South Wales Metro project around Cardiff, TfW have significant influence over the improvement, integration and performance of their Trains, Buses and Trams. South Wales Metro The South Wales Metro is currently one of - maybe even the - largest projects in Wales, infrastructure wise. Promising to integrate the Rail and Bus networks, as well as expanding with Tram links, the South Wales Metro is there to make journeys easier and more accessable for everyone. This will also encompass the introduction of Tram-Trains such as the Class 398, Class 756 'FLIRT' Tri-Mode Units, and the Class 231 'FLIRT' Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit. This is also the largest and most extensive overhaul of South Wales' railways since construction, over 170 years ago. And this will also include the Valley lines! Which are the entire point of this suggestion. So, let's Segway back into that, shall we? City Line: Cardiff Central/QSt. - Radyr This Line is one of the Shorter ones, however features the most AI variety, and also serves for that Urban city-based operation, as opposed to running up into the Valleys, if that's what you prefer. This line is 4 miles, and 66 chains long, and is (today) operated by Class 150 and Class 153 DMUs. This also runs adjacent to the South Wales Mainline, so the HST could join this section as AI. However that's a story for another time. Vale of Glamorgan Line: Cardiff Central - Penarth Ok, I do know that this line goes to Bridgend via Barry and Cardiff Airport, however this branch to Penarth is just a short bonus, and it fits in with the length of this line fairly well. However this could be cut, easily. This line takes a sharp left turn out of Cardiff Central towards the Vale of Glamorgan, and then, after passing Grangetown, branches off to Penarth. This route is also a route for the 150. Rhondda Line: Cardiff Central - Treherbert and Merthyr Line: Cardiff Central - Merthyr and Aberdare These two lines are almost like one, with the two running alongside each other between Cardiff Central and Pontypridd (Fun Fact: Pontypridd is TfW's HQ!), before splitting up. For the route/s that I'm suggesting, this serves as the main section, with the most extensive area to stretch the - proverbial - legs of your trains. The Merthyr Line in particular, with the branch to Aberdare, and to Merthyr, for a bit more variety. Again, DMUs all the way here. Coryton Line: Cardiff Central - Coryton This line is a short line, connecting Cardiff to Coryton, via Heath Low Level, where the line seperates from the Rhymney Line. This line is around 5 miles long, and many services from here continue to Radyr through the City Line. Again, it's all DMUs here. Butetown Branch Line: Cardiff Central - Cardiff Bay It's a nice short branch line if you don't fancy anything too long, or feel like having the experience of changing cabs and shuttling back and forth. Cardiff Canton TMD On the left is the SWML, and in the background is the curve to Penarth. The home of the TfW Diesel fleet - partly featured here - Cardiff Canton TMD would be able to provide plenty of ECS options, Scenario Potential and more. Class 150/2 Transport for Wales Livery Arriva Trains Wales Debranded Livery Already featured in an (to be honest, rather poor) attempt on Rivet Games' West Cornwall Local, the Class 150/2 is also used in Wales. And the reason I think this would be good is - provided Dovetail made this - the 150 could get a second chance to actually be good. The TfW 150 - due to it no longer being the 90's, unlike Cornwall - has things that need to be changed, as well as the interior, such as the PIS Display, for example. This would form the majority of services, working with the Class 143, speaking of which: Class 143 Shown here in the livery advertising the departure of the Class 143, the 143 wore the Arrive Trains Wales livery - however, it was debranded (as far as I know). Alongside the 150, this forms the bulk of the services on this route. Layers Class 43 (Layer from GWE) The Class 43 - as featured in Great Western Express - would layer as AI for the South Wales Mainline, and serves as GWR's Main Intercity unit, for this time. Class 166 (from GWE) This unit represents more of GWR's local side, and, also being featured in Great Western Express, this could join the mix around Cardiff. More on that in a bit. Potential DLCs Class 153 Primarily operating on the Cardiff Bay (Butetown Branch), and City/Coryton Lines, along with the 143, on the latter. (Based on the previous TfW franchise) Stations Merthyr Line 30mi 20ch • 20 Stations (10 Unique) Cardiff Central Cardiff Queen Street Cathays Llandaf Radyr Taffs Well Treforest Estate Treforest Pontypridd Abercynon -------------------------------------------- (To Aberdare) Penrhiwceiber Mountain Ash Fernhill Cwmbach Aberdare -------------------------------------------- (To Merthyr) Quakers Yard Merthyr Vale Troed-y-rhiw Pentre-bach Merthyr Rhondda Line 23mi 20ch • 19 Stations (10 Unique) Cardiff Central Cardiff Queen Street Cathays Llandaf Radyr Taffs Well Treforest Estate Treforest Pontypridd Trehafod Porth Dinas Rhondda Tonypandy Llwynpia Ystrad Rhondda Ton Pentre Treorchy Ynyswen Treherbert City Line 4mi 66ch (7.8km) • 7 Stations (4 Unique) Cardiff Queen Street Cardiff Central Ninian Park Waun-gron Park Fairwater Danescourt Radyr Coryton Line + Heath HL for Rhymney Line 5mi 37ch • 8/9 Stations (6/7 Unique) Cardiff Central Cardiff Queen Street Heath Low Level -------------------------------------------- Heath High Level (Rhymney Line services) -------------------------------------------- Ty Glas Birxhgrove Rhwibina Whitchurch Coryton Butetown Branch Line 1mi 6ch • 3 Stations (1 Unique) Cardiff Queen Street Cardiff Central Cardiff Bay Penarth Branch 2mi 67ch • 5 Stations (3 Unique) Cardiff Queen Street Cardiff Central Grangetown Dingle Road Penarth Map of the Routes: And, for a sense of size: Rhymney Line 4tph • Penarth & Bargoed and Rhymney (1tph, Starts/Ends at Heath HL) Calling at: All Stations Class 143, Class 150. Merthyr Line - Vale of Glamorgan Line 1tph • Bridgend (Starts/Ends at Grangetown) - Aberdare Calling at: All Stations except Trefforest Estate. Class 143, Class 150. 1tph • Barry Island (Starts/Ends at Grangetown) - Aberdare Calling at: All Stations except Trefforest Estate Class 150, Class 143 1tph • Barry Island (Starts/Ends at Grangetown) - Merthyr Tydfil Calling at: All Stations Class 150, Class 143 Rhondda Line 2tph • Cardiff Central - Treherbert Calling at: All Stations except Trefforest Estate • Class 150, Class 143 City & Coryton Lines 2tph • Radyr - Coryton Calling at: All Stations, via Cardiff Central and Queen Street Class 143, {Class 153} Butetown Branch Line 5tph • Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay Calling at: [Shuttle] • Class 150, 143, {153} AI Only Cardiff Central (and SWML) 1tph to/from London Paddington GWR • Class 43 HST (I presume) 1tph to/from Swansea and London Paddington GWR • Class 43 HST (I presume) 1tph to/from Portsmouth Harbour GWR • Class 166 1tph to/from Taunton GWR • Class 43 (out of era) or 166 (for lack of 158) 8tpd to/from Holyhead TFW • Class 150 (For lack of 175) 1tp2h to/from Swansea TFW • Class 150, Class 153 1tph to/from Maesteg and Cheltenham Spa TFW • Class 150, Class 153 4tpd to/from Fishguard Harbour and Gloucester TFW • Class 150 1tph to/from Ebbw Vale Town TFW • Class 150, Class 153 Conclusion Wales is - similar to Scotland - a truly wonderful country/place, and it deserves representation in Train Sim World. The Valley Lines, despite their rural nature, can have plenty of trains to see - especially at Cardiff Central - and these lines could offer a nice change of pace from the 3rd Rail Electrostars, and have a (good) Class 150, and a Pacer. What's not to like? As usual, Thanks for Reading
Looking at the fact you're including TfW trains, the HST would only really fit in as a 2+4 'Castle' set.
Excellent idea and for DLC Transport for Wales listed Class 231 Tri Mode multiple-unit Class 756 DEMU and the Tram Train Class 398 in addition to Class 153 Sprinter for the Valley Lines. Now the question is this for the Class 150/2 will that be a new model or reuse West Cornwall Class 150/2 Shell then updated to include transport for Wales seats.
