This suggestion is inspired by what could possibly be for me, the most anticipated thing coming to TSW next year and that is the remastered West Somerset Railway, announced during the December roadmap update. For those who maybe aren't that familiar with it, this is an upcoming free update to the existing West Somerset Railway route, and from what we've seen, this isn't just your typical 'give this route the new lighting, skies and other TSW3+ features such as what we've seen with Boston-Providence, Sherman Hill & Nahverkehr Dresden'. While this route is getting those features, it is all receiving so much more such as updated scenery, working water & coal facilities, new tidal effects and most importantly, a brand new steam gala timetable, using the content from Peak Forest, The Flying Scotsman & WCL Steam Railtour pack, along with AI GWR HST services around Norton Fitzwarren and a shuttle services using the WCL Class 150. Now as cool as all that sounds, this did get me wondering. All of that you just heard requires additional content from other add-ons in TSW. What if we could take this a step further... What if we could give West Somerset Railway it's own dedicated steam pack. Featuring various steam locos that have actually served as residents of this railway. I feel like it's a subject that has come up before, but now this route getting remastered, I feel it couldn't be a better time to finally give this route some steam locos of it's own rather than having to rely on other routes. So if we're going to do a steam pack, what are we going to include in it? Well firstly, in order to actually make it work without messing up what was already established, this would have to come with a further additional timetable, again based on a steam gala timetable. But this timetable wouldn't just direct copy that one, as I feel like it could have some unique services of it's own. I won't go too much into detail about this for now, as we don't know that timetable for sure yet, and I don't just want to suggest stuff without actually having tired out something that hasn't come out yet. As for the locos, I feel like we could have two steam locos come with this pack. One is new and other is reused from what is already available. Since this route is set around 2017/18, I feel like it would only be fitting to include engines that were operating on this route around that time. The result is the following: LMS Fowler Class 4F 0-6-0 No. 44422 This was an obvious choice, as not only it is an engine that already exists in TSW, but was once a resident of this railway, and a mastery reward for this route had a 4F being unloaded at Dunster. As for the engine here, it would be based on 44422, which was based here between 2016 & 2019 (Originally part of a 25 year contract, before it was terminated in early 2019, with the engine now based at the Churnet Valley Railway). But while a suitable choice for this pack, it's not really 'star-of-the-show' material, which leads me to main engine of this entire suggestion... GWR 6959 Modified Hall Class 4-6-0 No. 6960 'Raveningham Hall' To be honest, it could only be Raveningham Hall to lead this pack, not only was it one of the railways flagship locos around that time, but it was also included in the original WSR route released on TS Classic, so it's only fitting that we come full circle as have this loco be the lead steam loco of this pack and this route in general. The engine itself operated during on this line between 2011 & 2018, but was moved to the Severn Valley Railway after weight restrictions put in place in 2019 prevented it from operating here. It would subsequently stay there until it's boiler ticket expired in 2021. But since this route is again set during the 2017/18 time, it makes sense to include it here. Obviously both locos would be utilised on the new dedicated timetable made for this pack (along with other steam engines from the current TSW roster), but I also want to propose several new pieces of rolling stock to also come with the pack, to help further enhance it and make it really stand out. Firstly, along with using the existing coaching stock, this pack would also bring some new Quantock Belle Mk1 coaching stock (painted in the Pullman style livery, as they were around that time). Along with that, this would also have some wagons to make up a demonstration freight consist. Some possibilities could include: GWR Ballast Wagon WD 5 Plank Wagon BR Standard Van GWR Toad Brake Van I'm sure this list could easily be expanded further, but those are the ones I could think up for now. It was mainly based on a realistic assumption based on what's already available in TSW right now, while trying to give them a unique spin, as well as adding one new piece in the form of the toad brake van. It also might be worth using some of the existing wagon stock from the likes of Spirit of Steam/NTP Heavy Freight Pack to add further variety here. So that's the West Somerset Steam Pack. certainly a lot that could come with it, but I feel like a pack like this is the final piece that this route is missing in order to make it fully complete. Plus, some of rolling stock options (such as a lead loco Raveningham Hall) could open the door to new steam route opportunities by having a loco from the GWR, as well adding further variety to TSW currently limited steam offerings. So you what do you think of this? Is there anything you would like to see in a pack like this? Or do you feel like something can be done differently here? If so, feel free to let me know in the replies down below. Image Sources https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/44422-lms-4422-br-44422/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_6959_Class_6960_Raveningham_Hall https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BR_Mark_1_FO_3108_at_Wiliton.JPG https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minehead_-_GWR_Diagram_P15_ballast_wagon_80669.JPG http://www.seiryu.org.uk/ppp/wsr-40s-18.html https://www.flickr.com/photos/camperdown/33351154958 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GWR_AA20_Toad_114751_at_Minehead.JPG
I have the sinking feeling they don’t know how to. Otherwise we wouldn’t have got Flying Scotsman in the dire state it is.
