The line between Derby & Cheltenham Spa via Birmingham New Street is one of the core section of long-distance services in the country, with trains from Plymouth to Aberdeen, Edinburgh & Glasgow, Nottingham to Cardiff Central & Edinburgh to Plymouth, Paignton & Penzance. Also included with this route would be the Camp Hill Line, Worcester Shrub Hill and Foregate Street (for Southbound GW trains to Ashchurch) and Tyseley LMD, bringing the total length of this route to around 100 miles. Proposed Rolling Stock Class 158 in Great Western Railway livery This route would include the 3 car variant of the GW Class 158's, of which there is currently 6 units (which is just enough to cover the GWR locals from Cheltenham to Worcester) although 7 units have been returned to 2 car status (158952-55 & 158960-962) Class 170 in Cross Country/West Midlands Railway livery Both TOC's have 2 and 3 car variations of the Class 170 available to them, with the XC units finding use on Nottingham to Cardiff/Birmingham services as well as New St - Stansted/Cambridge/Leicester workings and the WMR units employed on New St to Worcester, Hereford & Shrewsbury services. This would do a great deal to fill up Birmingham New Street station on both this route and the Cross City route, with the 323 also layering into this line. Tyseley LMD would be included with the route because of this fleet, who spend most of their time on the Central Birmingham Depot. Class 220/221 in Cross Country livery These units have been the core of the Cross Country network since their introduction in the mid 2000's, with their service having stretched to every corner of the country at some point (yes, even the south east). All voyagers are maintained at Barton Under Needwood depot just south of Burton on Trent. Class 43 'HST' in Cross Country livery With the timetable for this route being based off the Friday diagrams of the Winter 2018/19 timetable (I know, running off the 2019 timetable with Worcestershire Parkway included, I'm a mad man), the XC HST workings would be the following: Southbound - 0611 Leeds - Plymouth (0727 Derby), 0606 Edinburgh - Plymouth (1028 Derby) 0632 Dundee - Plymouth (1228 Derby) Northbound - 1225 Plymouth - Glasgow Central (1515 Cheltenham), 1525 Plymouth - Leeds (1815 Cheltenham), 1725 Plymouth - Leeds (2015 Cheltenham) The XC HST sets are formed of 7 coaches, with 2 of these providing first class accommodation. GWR HST's would layer in to the route to provide AI traction at Worcestershire Parkway & Cheltenham Spa. The XC Fleet is maintained at Laira depot in Plymouth. Layers: Great Western Express: HST for Cheltenham - Paddington AI + 0708 from Shrub Hill to Paddington via Cheltenham. Southeastern High Speed: Class 66 for all manner of freight workings Heavy Freight Pack: 2x Class 40 for railtour from Cheltenham Spa - Birmingham New Street (re-run of 40013+145 on the Devonian Double Railtour from 28th July 2021)
Further Railtours: Steam Tour up the Lickey (3 parts): Player controlled from Worcester Shrub Hill to Cheltenham Spa NB & SB + Bromsgrove - Kings Norton NB (Landor St In - Tyseley Depot + Tyseley - Small Heath is AI) ('The Brittannia Banker'; 29th May 2010) Western Heights (4 parts): D1015 + 13x Mk1's & Mk2's from Cheltenham Spa to Kings Norton & Kings Norton - Cheltenham (appears as AI at New St in P7 heading northbound and P2 heading southbound), with an intermediate call at Barnt Green both ways.(all timings for tours from https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/) (3rd September 2005) Requires WSR for Class 52, Spirit of Steam for Mk1's Cotswold Caper (6 parts): Burton On Trent-Tamworth, Birmingham New Street-Cheltenham Spa, Cheltenham Spa-Birmingham New St, Tamworth-Burton then ECS to & fro Burton Wetmore Yard. Traction is 37668+676 T&T, with AI running from New St-Lifford Curve SB only & Water Orton-New St & Kingsbury Jn-Tamworth AI running in both directions. (29th October 2022) Requires: WCL for Class 37/5, Spirit of Steam for Mk1's
A very nice idea and thank you for providing pictures many people make suggestions and don’t bother putting effort in not only are these fabulous routes and rolling stock but also a suggestion for grossly under represented areas in tsw and is a brill idea as would be epic in that it would be a first in that your idea links East Midlands to West Midlands by virtue of Derby midland station I for 1 would definitely support this and buy
This would be good and ideal stamping ground for a classic diesel layer too - take a Peak up the Lickey on 12 Mark Ones and hear that Sulzer scream!
Not to slate your idea but apart from XC services there is nothing that performs the whole route. Surely it would be better to go from Bristol Temple Meads (or Weston-super-Mare) to Cheltenham (or Worcester?) That way you could finish a service at route end and route back? The depot at St Phillips Marsh could also be incorporated. The layering of the GWE stock would mix in well with the 3 car 158s to fill the route. Just an thought
Bring it on and this can merge with BCC as a Birmingham network route if the Camp Hill line meets BCC
I'm sorry but I've got to say it: this route would be so much better when the Peaks were on the NE/SW cross country runs rather than modern day.
