A very obvious omission from TSW compared to TSC is a representation of some London Terminals. Given the route choices in TSW, I would be very happy to see, and to purchase, an expansion pack that fits onto SEHS... “Oh, God! Not another SEHS further expansion advocate” I hear you cry. Yes, I realise there's some fatigue with SEHS. I don't envisage this one happening any time in the next year, though, I feel it could be an interesting addition sometime after that. With Thameslink services now incorporated on SEHS, a continuation of the North Kent Line from Dartford into Central London via Greenwich is an obvious contender for an extension. Elsewhere, I've said that I believe Midland Mainline South could well be the next major DTG release. Having this line start at Blackfriars would allow for duplicate asset use in my hypothetical Central London stations/North Kent Line expansion. It would act as the final stop for Thameslink services (2 tph) coming in from Rainham via Dartford. For Southeastern services coming in from Gravesend also via Dartford (2 tph), these would continue to Cannon Street. Both operators' services would pass through London Bridge after a short split in direction after Charlton. Route: Three new major Central London stations makes for an appealing DLC pack, in my view. You never know, with some time and extra impetus, DTG may even contemplate extending the BML beyond East Croydon to go via London Bridge and finish at Blackfriars. Well, we can dream, can't we…?
DTG has stated there moving away from SEHS now. And even then do we actually need an extension to another London terminal, all it does it make a more buggy and mile heavy route with the same networker and electrostar boredom.
There's hardly an overabundance of them, we only have 2 London terminals in-game. Rather than finding reasons not to go further, I feel stopping at through stations (Dartford, East Croydon, etc.) makes routes feel really incomplete. A separate expansion at a later date to add some significant stations, interesting architecture and route completion would actually make things more interesting.
We don't have 2. Brighton main line: Victoria GWE: Paddington SEHS: St pancras And underground station wise you also have Waterloo and King's cross is modeled.
Disregarding the complications of doing route extensions, I wouldn't mind seeing something like the North Kent Line or Chatham Main Line simply to add more end-to-end services to SEHS. At the moment, the only "complete" runs are the hourly St Pancras - Faversham services and a handful of morning positioning runs. Despite the general community sentiment of not wanting more southern region routes at the moment, thinking long term we're likely to end up back here at some point. Anything to give the wonderful Class 465 a longer run would be most beneficial as well.
I've said before that IF they do any other 3rd rail lines then it should be all of the North Kent lines system This would give the 465 and 700 some more room to move, they could bring the 376 Urban Electrostar into the game, add Freight and Passenger depots at Hither Green and Slade Green, and there's enough different stopping patterns to make it worthwhile There's also freight as a simple extension from the SEHS at Hoo Junction as well as onto the peninsula (that comes off the Kent Lines at Lewisham for the most part) BUT I would still prefer they create some base regional units and have another focus for a long while. There's more than enough plastic box electro units for now
Personally if they do a Southeastern metro line routes I would much rather it be set in the early 2000's to actually have a unique rolling stock variety instead of reusing the already used to death electrostars. Or atleast add a 707 for the Hayes/Mid kent line branch if they do a metro lines.
It would be nice to see them bring the class 466 to join up with the 465's that are only able to run 8 car services rather than 10 car. I think it would be needed too.
"Normal" Electrostars (377, 375) don't run on the North Kent lines. You won't see them stopping at Gravesend or Dartford very often for example The 376 uses the same shell but is a very different train, having no end gangway and a completely different internal layout and doors And the early 2000s wouldn't be the North Kent Lines using different assets if you're meaning the slam door stock. They ran the Chatham Mainline with the Networkers doing all Metro runs via Dartford (with a few an hour extending to Gillingham)
Yes, it was general Network South East protocol to remove slamdoor stock from stopping and metro services in the captial due to their slow acceleration and the increased chances of an "open door" incident the more stops they made.
Is this a part of train Sim classic London to Margate route or not? In the TSC workshop there's a branch to Tonbridge via Medway Valley Line
London to Margate should be from Victoria, but I don't know that route in TSC so it may well have some of this route in it, though I haven't seen Dartford on any TSC route The Medway Valley Line is a route from Strood to Paddock Wood. Used to occasionally go onto Tonbridge, but no longer so wouldn't go to ANY London terminus
In order to try to keep development on this extension pack proposal 'easy', there would need to be a compromise, which is to use only one of the lines. Apart from a short split after Charlton, the Southeastern Networkers and Thameslink Desiros both go via the Woolwich Line from Dartford. Trying to add the Bexleyheath Line and the Dartford Loop Line means three times the effort in creating assets and routes. Plus, I think the sim would fall over with the real world complexity. Trying to path all the services through London Bridge, where these three lines rejoin, may be too much for it. I like the idea though, especially adding in the freight element.
Not sure why you think that they'd have to create three lots of assets and routes. They could easily be all one DLC because the mileage is so low I've done the milage previously and the route is certainly very possible mileage wise, the number of stations is comparable to BML given we've already got Dartford eastward in game. Yes there are complex areas (probably more complex than any junctions we have in game right now) but hopefully DTG are up for a challenge IF they go for it
This suggestion isn't meant as a standalone pack. I'd like to see it as an extension of the SEHS Faversham and Dartford route, giving a sense of completeness by finishing at one of the three Central London stations that I listed above. By designing all of the North Kent Line routes, you'd have: Dartford to London Bridge via Charlton (12 miles + 5 additional miles for the other route Southeastern Networkers that go via Blackheath) Dartford to London Bridge via Bexleyheath (11 miles) Dartford to London Bridge via Sidcup (12 miles) That's 40 miles of assets and routes to create, which is longer than the 33-mile route between Faversham and Dartford that this supposedly 'easy' addition is supposed to be. The idea is that people can drive a Thameslink service from Rainham to Blackfriars (via Charlton and Greenwich) and Southeastern services from Faversham to Canon Street (via Charlton and Blackheath), rather than a simple 'your job is done' and have an AI driver take over at Dartford. Anything more than one route creates serious complexity and developer team resources that wouldn't justify the effort, in my view.
Ah, I was working on it as a standalone DLC rather than a network extension. Don't see the need to have HS1 as part of a NKL DLC That would be a pointless thing to make and likely over complicating things for less reward than necessary Just worked out the mileage required and it would be about 47 route miles, including Charing Cross and Cannon Street (didn't include for Blackfriars but that's about a mile more) and then all three NKL routes to Dartford
DTG should use that effort to prioritise other networks and mainlines , King’s Cross, Euston, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, London Waterloo, Fenchurch Street, Marleybone haven’t had a cameo in TSW
