I'm going to add my suggestion for the Cotswold Line, particularly the section between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill. Not the most 'well-known' route but a couple of single track sections add variety, there is plenty of nice scenery and station stops, and if it were set in about 2017-18 we already have the GWR HST's and 166's that ran on the line. There'd also be room for the 800 IET (nudge-nudge!) as they started running on the line around that time IIRC. Very little in the way of freight, but some simple 'engineering work' runs could be added for fun as well as some ECS moves to/from Long Marston. Railtours often run up and down the line too, so there is opportunity for layering these services in as we have seen on ECW and SEHS etc Brief route description: Departing Oxford to the north, through various sidings and stabling areas. Four running lines reduce to two after the Chiltern line diverges to the right, then at Wolvercote Junction the Cotswold Line diverges to the left and we begin a single-track run to Charlbury, via an intermediate stop at Hanborough. Two other stations - Combe and Finstock - see one train each direction per day on this section, so would add some variety. After Charlbury, we return to twin track and through some more smaller and lesser-used stations (Ascot-under-Wychwood and Shipton) before Kingham and then Moreton-in-Marsh. Some trains terminate/originate here, particularly earlier or later in the day, so an opportunity for some variety in the length of a run is possible. Onward then to Evesham, passing Honeybourne where the branch up to Long Marston diverges and adds some potential for some ECS runs. Beyond Evesham we return to single track westbound through Pershore and up to the new Worcestershire Parkway station, where the north/south cross country route passes underneath us and uses the other platforms. Then finally into Worcester Shrub Hill, a natural ending point for our route. Here the line splits with the WMT services running up to Birmingham and the GWR services continuing to Great Malvern/Hereford. I will admit to having a natural bias on this one, as it is my local line, but I still think it would be an interesting addition!
I too have a bias for this line and would welcome it. Representing it after the double tracking would be best.
Good suggestion, someone else put forward the Class 180 in another thread and would be ideal main traction for a more modern version of the route. Operationally of course, setting the route prior to the redoubling could make life more interesting when there are delays - as happened in real life!
