The Croy Line is a short Suburban/Regional line between Glasgow, Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane, running for 41 miles and 23 chains. The rolling stock here in this suggestion is the Class 385 EMU and 170 DMU. A Class 43 DLC would be possible as well. Rolling Stock Class 385 The BR Class 385 EMU (AT200) is ScotRail's newest EMU. Brought in as part of the Glasgow - Edinburgh improvements - which saw the line receive electrification, and the new Class 385 for an improved service between the two cities, as well as station upgrades - most notably at Glasgow Queen Street. These units are closely related to the IET (Class 80×) and Class 395 units found across the network, being in the same family and being built in the same factories as each other. These units have also allowed for the Class 314 units to be removed from service, and for 156, 158 and 170 DMUs to be cascaded away from ScotRail. There are 70 Class 385 units in total, with 46 3-Car units (385/0) and 24 4-Car units (385/1). The latter has First Class sections. Class 170 The Class 170 'Turbostar' is one of ScotRail's main DMUs, primarily found in the Highlands, and routes towards them. Constructed between 1998 and 2005 by Bombardier/ADtranz, as the core of the Turbostar family - similar in many aspects to the Electrostar's, especially the 357 - the 170 has served operators up and down Great Britain, and ScotRail is one of those. Stations (Measurements from Glasgow Queen Street) Glasgow Queen Street Glasgow's Historic Queen Street terminus isn't one to miss the fun, with services to Edinburgh, Stirling, Inverness, Helensburgh, Fort William and more. Serving as Glasgow's second terminus, following Central, Glasgow Queen Street is a truly wonderful station. Located in the City Centre, facing onto George Square, the station, with it's magnificent arched roof and excellent new Concourse and Façade, is truly an icon of the historic influence railways have had on Glasgow's wealth and power, and a display of the upside of modern architecture - blended together in an excellent way that makes the station easily accessable, but keeps it's old character, and introduces a new one. In terms of the route we're looking at today, it serves as it's southern terminus, the end of the line, or the start, as we're doing it, I suppose. Outside of Queen Street is the Cowlairs Incline, a steep, mile and a quarter long incline, which is named after the area it's in. The incline is initially at a gradient of 1:51, then 1:43, and 1:41, before flattening out at Cowlairs Junction. The southern half of this section is the Cowlairs Tunnel as well. This dates back to 1842 (Like the station was), so you can imagine it wouldn't be very easy getting a steam train up there, never mind a HST or something. Bishopbriggs - 3.25 mi Located in Bishopbriggs, on the outside of Glasgow, this is our first station on the line, about 3¼ miles from Queen Street station. The station opened in 1842, as one of the original Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway (E&GR) Stations, which formed the line we know today as the Edinburgh - Glasgow Line (Via Falkirk High), all the stations to Croy share this trait. The station narrowly avoided the Beeching Cuts, thanks to a community campaign. In 2002, the station lost it's station building. This station is served by Croy Line services to either Dunblane or Alloa via Stirling, and this station receives no direct services to Edinburgh Waverley, with interchange at Croy or Queen Street. Lenzie - 6.25 mi Opened in 1848 as Kirkintilloch Junction, having three name changes before becoming Lenzie in 1890, this station serves the town of Lenzie, and is very similar to Bishopbriggs. It's served by the Croy Line, although it does have a limited Edinburgh service, and it's not really much more than a minor station. Croy - 11.5mi A Class 385 and a Class 43 'Inter7City' Pass each other at Croy. Croy is the final station which we share with the Edinburgh - Glasgow Line, and the centre of the Croy Line. Serving the village of Croy, the town of Kilsyth as well as parts of Cumbernauld, on one of the "New Towns" in the Region, Croy is a key interchange station, and it sees over a million passengers a year, and over Eight trains an hour, four to Glasgow, two to Edinburgh, one to Alloa and one to Stirling/Dunblane. If you feel like driving an Edinburgh - Glasgow Service on this line, this would be the start/end of it. If you feel like driving a full service on that line, check out this suggestion: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/edinburgh-glasgow.40845/ Larbert Close to Falkirk, Larbert station is situated just to the north of the Junction between the lines to Glasgow and Edinburgh. The station has two platforms, and takes around 800,000 passengers per year. Most long-distance and Intercity services skip this station, with limited Peak-hours services. Stirling The largest station on this route (in terms of platforms, and excluding Queen Street low level), Stirling is the city's only station, sitting in the centre, with the Castle visible on the top of the hill, and the Forthside bridge crossing over the station. Opened in 1848, Stirling gradually grew over time into the station it is today, with the Caledonian Railway rebuilding significant amounts of the station - particularly the station buildings - in 1913. The Station has recieved InterCity and Sleeper connections for years, and was even the terminus of a London - Stirling Motorail service, until 1989. Today the station has Nine platforms and serves 2.5 million passengers per year. (2019/20) Bridge of Allan Sitting in the town of the same name to the north of Stirling, Bridge of Allan is a small and simple station. The original station opened in 1848 and remained open until 1965. Twenty years later in 1985, the current station opened on a new site to the south, bringing the railway back to the town. Dunblane The Terminus for many services on the Croy Line, as well as a calling point for services to Edinburgh, Perth, Inverness, Aberdeen, etc. as well as LNER (1tpd), Caledonian Sleeper and Inter7City services. The station has three platforms, with one being used for terminating Croy Line services, and the others as through platform towards Perth or Stirling. The station recently (2014) also received a new footbridge with lifts installed - with the original being re-erected at Bridge of Dun station, on the Caledonian Railway (Brechin) - a heritage railway. Alloa The sole station on the Alloa Branch, this station opened in May of 2008 - the original having been closed in 1968, and is located in the centre of the town. The station was originally opened as part of the Stirling and Dunfermline Railway, now known as the Kincardine Line. The end of freight on the Line to Dunfermline has seen proposals arise for the line to re-open to passengers, however until that is seen as viable, Alloa will remain alone at the end of it's little branch. Services Player Driveable 2tph • Glasgow QS - (Croy) Edinburgh Waverley Stops; Glasgow QS, Croy... {Class 385} 1tph • Glasgow QS - Alloa Stops; Bishopbriggs, Lenzie, Croy, Larbert, Stirling. {Class 385} 1tph • Glasgow QS - Stirling (Dunblane* every 2 hours) Stops; Bishopbriggs, Lenzie, Croy, Larbert. {Class 385} 2tph • Edinburgh Waverley (Larbert) - Dunblane Stops; ...Larbert, Stirling, Bridge of Allan. {Class 385} 1tph • Glasgow QS - (Stirling/Dunblane) Aberdeen Stops; Stirling, Dunblane (Limited)... {Class 170} 5tpd • Glasgow QS - (Dunblane) Inverness Stops; Larbert (1tpd), Stirling, Dunblane... {Class 170 - I think} AI Services 2tph • Edinburgh - Glasgow QS via Falkirk High {Class 385} 1tph • Glasgow QS - Anniesland {Class 170} 2tph • Glasgow QS - Edinburgh via Cumbernauld {Class 385} Conclusion Despite being short, this route would be a good way to return to Scotland - it has a mix of Electric and Diesel power - something we've yet to see in TSW (in terms of the UK, not including layers), and also takes on Glasgow Queen Street, instead of Central. Let me know what you think, and, as always, thanks for reading.
It should go to Perth and be set in 1978 so we can thrash the 40 up the bank out of Queen Street. Throw in a Class 26 or Class 27 and maybe finally some sleeping cars so you can run the 2330 Queen Street to Inverness as far as Perth and join it to the portion from Edinburgh, vice versa in the morning.
I hope you're right, it feels like a decent time to flip back to Scotland, considering we've had another electrostar/3rd rail route with BML, and Steam brings Northern England back into the game (albeit in the 50's).
It might be a nice route but Lincolnshire, most of Yorkshire, The Midlands, East Anglia and many other areas in England haven't been covered. However I do agree that Cathcart doesn't do Scotland justice.
Excellent idea and I wonder if Cathcart Circle can give Class 314s as layer here or not? Third Party wise this can be done by Rivet Games since it passes by Stirling Railway station.
Would be excellent if they done this but extended it to Edinburgh Waverley. So could have Edinburgh to Glasgow as well as Edinburgh & Glasgow to Stirling.
How about adding in Grangemouth for some freight and shunting? The original Edinburgh to Glasgow route from TSC includes this. I agree it would be better to include Edinburgh if able, with Stirling as a possible branch.
I was considering (when writing this) merging my previous Edinburgh - Glasgow suggestion into this one, and adding the Falkirk Grahamston line into it. Judging by the responses it may be worthwhile.
