Edinburgh - Dundee Modern

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by tubespotter, May 14, 2022.

  1. tubespotter

    tubespotter Member

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    Race along the idyllic Scottish coast or soar across the famous Forth Bridge in Train Sim World 2: Edinburgh - Dundee.

    A crucial need for TSW2 routes is to break the 40-50mi route barrier, even if it meant increasing the price. A route I feel would satisfy this need and a whole host of other needs for TSW.

    History


    The line between Edinburgh and Dundee was opened in 1847 by the Edinburgh and Northern Railway and was historic in the fact it was the first line to cross the imposing natural barrier of the Forth. By 1862, the line was absorbed by the North British Railway (NBR), who directly competed with the growing Caledonian Railway. The line features two of the most iconic British railway bridges: the Forth and Tay bridges located near Edinburgh and Dundee respectively. In 1923, the NBR was absorbed into the London Northeastern Railway before the nationalisation of the rail network in 1948.

    Stations, main features and route length

    Coming in at around 59mi and 14ch, the line from Edinburgh to Dundee features 18 stations and connections to various main lines and branches. Stations include, from north to south, Edinburgh Waverley, Haymarket, South Gyle, Edinburgh Gateway, Dalmeny, North Queensferry, Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay, Aberdour, Burntisland, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy, Markinch, Ladybank, Springfield, Cupar, Leuchars and Dundee. Prominent features include, from north to south, Haymarket Depot, Edinburgh Airport, Forth Bridge, Thornton Jcns and the Tay Bridge.

    Rolling stock and service patterns

    Services are predominantly operated by Scotrail with their fleet of Class 170 DMUs and their short form 2+5 and 2+4 HST sets. Scotrail also works Class 158 DMUs on slower services to Glenrothes with Thornton via Dumfermline. The line also semi-regular services from London operated by LNER with their high-speed Class 800 BMUs. The area sees occasional Cross Country workings in the early morning and late evening from Plymouth towards Aberdeen. These are typically operated by Class 220
    and 221 Voyager DMUs.

    Class 170 DMU (SR)
    -1Axx Edinburgh to Aberdeen (1tph)
    -1Lxx Edinburgh to Arbroath (1tph)
    -2Lxx Edinburgh to Dundee (3tpd in late evening)

    Class 158 DMU (SR)
    -2Gxx Edinburgh to Glenrothes (1tph)
    -2Kxx Edinburgh to Glenrothes via Kirkcaldy (1tpd)

    Scotrail Inter7City HST (SR)
    -Substitutes in on 1Axx workings from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, usually (3tpd)

    Class 800 BMU (GR)
    -1Wxx Kings Cross to Aberdeen (3tpd)

    Class 220/221 (XC)
    -1Sxx Plymouth to Aberdeen (2tpd)

    The route in TSW2 would likely feature the Class 170 DMU and Class 158 DMU working their services on the line. Future DLCs could include a SR 2+5 HST set.

    Summary

    Train Sim World 2: Edinburgh to Dundee features:
    -Class 170 DMU in Scotrail livery with several high-speed services to run
    -Class 158 DMU in Scotrail livery with many stopping services to work
    -The iconic Forth and Tay bridges
    -The beautiful Scottish coast
    -18 highly detailed stations including Edinburgh Waverley and Dundee
    -Nearly 60 highly detailed route miles

    Route map
    upload_2022-5-14_10-44-18.png


    I am aware that this would be quite ambitious project but it the length and detail could really be a selling point and useful to bring TSW2 back to having consistently high quality content if done properly
     
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  2. KatiaBLR

    KatiaBLR Well-Known Member

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    100% would love to see this.

    There's been a few suggestions for this Edinburgh - Dundee route now, and I agree with setting it in the modern era with a great selection of traction options.

    The scenery alone would be worth it on this route, and it's probably just in the range mileage-wise to be possible.

    If anyone at dtg reads these suggestions, please give this one serious consideration!
     
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  3. Ant Craft

    Ant Craft Well-Known Member

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    Would love to see this added to TSW, along with the Voyagers too at some point. This route was what got me into train sim, along the Brighton Mainline, when I watched Squirrel's video on those routes a long time ago now, probably coming up on the best part of a decade or so now. So it'd be great to get this line in TSW, especially since we already have the BML now, Bias aside, it's also a beautiful stretch of track, and would be the 2nd route in Scotland, which would be great, as all areas of the UK deserve more recognition inside TSW. Of course, the scenery would have to have a lot of care and attention put into it, but it'd be well worth it in the end, and if it was done really well, I could see it being many people's favourite route in TSW, just for scenery alone as you said. Services would be a little lacking on the route, but could definitely be bulked up with freight traffic too (not sure what frequency of trains there is for freight, but I think the line sees fairly regular freight traffic).
     
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  4. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Well there is a chance this could be the JT route, given they did the route for TSC, albeit some time ago.

    Era wise I would prefer BR Blue, more scope for freight, with 26's and 27's on load 4 or 5 Mark Ones, 40's and 47's on the Aberdeen trains etc.
     
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  5. tubespotter

    tubespotter Member

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    I'd love to see some of those older Scottish region locos in the game. BR Blue freight at the moment in TSW2 is fairly lacking, the only "proper" freight route is probably NTP with the HFP
     
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  6. driverwoods#1787

    driverwoods#1787 Well-Known Member

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    Cover Art Tom Connell LNER Class 800 on the Forth Bridge
     
  7. TSW Nathan

    TSW Nathan Well-Known Member

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    I would love to see this. This should have been in tsw from the very start
     
  8. TSW Nathan

    TSW Nathan Well-Known Member

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    I only want the modern version though
     
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