Is It Worth Getting Tsc When You Already Have Tsw ?

As new items only get installed when I buy them it is easier to keep on top of things.
Not sure about doing the "clickety-clack" as I never remove all my DLC as I won't have anything to play.

I tried a DLC that I had never used as it came with a Year package - Norfolk Southern N-Line Route - set off in a Free Roam and after 10 mins I was bored of a slow single track route - back to being unticked and not used.

 

Long story, but I had to install from scratch, also desired a fast game.
I'm a happy panda now - I always felt TSC UI was designed with 5-10 DLC in mind and now it's sort of proven.
Fast loading, fast menus, easy to find scenarios, assets while building, I could even build QD consists.
That's why I kept nagging Steve to do something about it. Maybe they will, their changes go beyond the log (list).

 

Yeah, I don't bother removing anything either. The game takes the same amount of time to load, though if I have a massive change in the scenario list it might take a bit longer on load.

 

Turn on, make a coffee then you should be ready to run your scenario. Who runs a train without making a coffee for the cab!

 

Does grabbing a soda count?

 

Like I said... the game takes 2 minutes to load. Not the end of the world. I'm only interested in the British stuff anyway, so it won't be getting much bigger than it already is. As others have said as well... with the British stuff, there are so many dependents that removing one thing inevitably means breaking something else, so I really can't be bothered for the sake of saving one minute or something.

 

Don’t be silly. You will just get the controls all sticky

 

oh yea, are there different versions of the euston to birmingham (WCML south) route?

 

There are 2 WCML-S routes for TSC; the DTG one and the freeware version available at ATS. This freeware route was originally built by photons66, tweaked a little by members of UKTS and then finished off by Alex55.
Scenarios aren't interchangeable though, and there isn't that many about for the freeware route.

 

The free one existed LONG before the payware one did, having versions on UKTS. I still have the v4 download of the route and a scenario pack (likely the same v5.3 scenarios now), as well as a download of v3 of Devon Rails before it merged with Railways of Devon and Cornwall to form BHBP and scenarios for Devon Rails as well. The freeware also incorporates the Northampton Loop, which the payware doesn't, and also includes the Bakerloo to Elephant and Castle if memory serves.

 

Yeah, that's why I wrote

".....originally built by photons66, tweaked a little by members of UKTS..."

 

Duly noted.

 

Answering the original question TSC if you have TSW - Depends what you want from the sim, for me I wanted to drive an 86/87/90 up & down the WCML either in part or whole! TSC with it has to be said a fair investment in DTG & other providers has allowed me to do this in its entirety! I hate to think what its cost me to be able to head north out of Euston with an 87 or Pendolino & arrive at Glasgow!

Obviously this journey is split over several routes but there are a handful of scenarios that join up to cover the whole journey.

Waiting for DTG to add any part of the WCML thats not in the steam ere is like waiting for my lottery win & should we ever get any modern part of the WCML in TSW I can see it being filled with CL66's & probably another EMU that will probably not be a 390.

 

Too bad such a thing would not have a financial windfall.

WCML is a lovely route, though the section from Carlisle to Carstairs can be quite yawn-inducing as well. I know we have the very end of the route at Glasgow Central with the circle lines there. Would love to see more, myself, especially since I think the entire thing exists in TSC in some form (even the Northampton Loop on the freeware version, and maybe it will get attached to the payware someday by someone) and TSW is basically the next frontier to conquer for it.

 

What WCML have you bought for the entire WCML? And actually has DTG themselves been making any new content for TSC at all in recent times? cuz I thought most of the time they are focusing on TSW.

 

In terms of detailing and all that. Which is better? Does the freeware one come with any train at all? or is it just purely the route itself?

 

The entire WCML (and ECML, and GWML) is available as a route merge so you'll need to buy multiple routes to get it. Available on Steam are Glasgow to Carlisle, Carlisle to Preston, Stafford to Rugby and Birmingham to London. Other parts are available elsewhere.

The freeware one has more route mileage but it isn't as nicely done, and has no trains. You will need to spend a lot to get the route working, and for a good Pendolino you'll need to get the payware WCML anyway. The payware WCML-S also includes the 221, 350, 377, 378 and 66 (the latter being a separate DLC pack that has scenarios for the GEML). The 221 isn't as good as the Just Trains one (although the JT one does not have the Avanti livery variants by default), the 390 is pretty good but is improved significantly by the AP sound pack and Major Wales revamp pack, the 350 is not compatible with the AP EP (you need the extended Portsmouth Direct Line to get it), the 377 is not compatible with the AP EP (you'll need one of the Chatham Main Line routes for that), the 378 has broken sounds IIRC, and the 66 can be improved with the AP EP.

 

Oh, there is a merge now? I knew it was different journeys and was always possible during the last few years with ATS having Missing Link between Preston and...Stafford? Rugby? Maybe it's Birmingham since DTG ends there?

NOTE: I have removed an incorrect statement from this post that I thought was accurate when I posted it. Future posts refer to it.

 

The Trent Valley route is the WCML, the Coventry-Birmingham-Wolverhampton section is the secondary route.

 

Wrong. The main part of the WCML is via Litchfield, Tamworth and Nuneaton that is part of WCML-Trent Valley

"The core route of the WCML runs from London to Glasgow for 400 miles and was opened from 1837 to 1881.
With additional lines deviating to Northampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh

 

Hold on. I'm not from the UK, so it's possible I could be wrong. But what is the Birmingham route if the Trent Valley route is the main line? I thought Birmingham New Street WAS the main route! (Heck, the DTG route goes there, so it made sense to me.)

That said, the letter coding on the map does change. I am looking for this. now

EDIT:: Ah, it seems to be called the Birmingham Loop Line. All this time I thought that was the main route and Trent Valley was the diversion. I learned something.

 

The west coast main line main route runs from Glasgow to London. Main points are Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Stafford, Wigan north western, Warrington bank quay, rugby Milton Keynes and London.
The Birmingham new street, Liverpool line street and Manchester Piccadilly are branches of the west coast main line if that makes sense

 

Yeah, I knew that Manchester and Liverpool branched off. I always thought Birmingham New Street was the main line being the 11th busiest station in the UK or something like that. I thought it must be the main line, it's the busier area...nope, I am wrong.

 

Nope it’s a seperate branch that’s why you have the 2 options from Glasgow to London one takes 4hours 10 minutes the other 5hours 15

 

The West Coast Main Line is a network of related routes. Exactly what it consists of has varied at different times and with different operational groupings. This map may help to explain what it is generally considered to be.

 

Yup, there is that Birmingham route that is marked as the Birmingham Loop Line. Easy to make the mistake of that being the main route, whereas the others - with the exception of the Northampton Loop and Stoke-on-Trent - are obvious branches off the line and taking another route entirely. I recall seeing Manchester to Crewe on the timetables I've looked at, as well, but never considered it WCML.

And yeah, what is considered part of the route can vary. The Argyle Line is another example. There are multiple paths for that one as well, but the main part takes you from Rutherford to Exhibition Centre; on either side of that stretch, you can have various places to go..

 

Way off topic again.

 

Yup and getting sick and tired of these topics going off topic constantly and it’s the same people.

I saw it mentioned on ATS about the WCML extension they are doing. Must be getting close now that talks are appearing again. Would love DTG or someone to do an update to WCML north and Shap to get it on par with the WCML south they done.

 

okay just one last question, if i got any route questions i will probs ask in another thread. If i want to go from london to liverpool what route i need to get

 

I believe the merges should cover that as well but I'm not certain.

It's quite cheeky to complain about off topic posts when you yourself were engaging in a very off-topic argument in another thread. I think it's best to leave the moderating to the moderators.

 

You wouldn’t be able to do that in one run. Alan Thomson simulations have the WCML midlands route which covers Liverpool line street and parts of the WCML that has its own requirements and you woukd need a subscription to access the route

 

Wait i need a subscription????? is there anyway i can permanently get a route of a WCML to liverpool without needing to pay a million pounds per month.

 

Thankfully for you it is not a million pounds per month. An Alan Thomson sim subscription is 32,99 a year. When your subscription is finished after 1 year you can still play the route as it’s installed on your sim. The only thing you don’t have access to after the year is expired is any future updates to the route. And if you had to reinstall the route you wouldn’t be able to it would require you to take out an annual sub again.

 

ATS also has a lot of free scenarios. I have also generated a map of TSC routes with links to sub pages with more details. When open check menu on top left.

https://sites.google.com/view/trainsimulatorcontent/uk-routes

 

Love this thanks Kilt

 

You cannot get the entire route because it has not been released in one go.

London to Rugby & Birmingham is WCML-South and is currently £4.99
https://store.steampowered.com/app/..._South_London_Euston__Birmingham_Route_AddOn/

Rugby to Stafford is WCML - Trent Valley and is £12.49
https://store.steampowered.com/app/325954/Train_Simulator_WCML_Trent_Valley_Route_AddOn/

Preston to Carlisle is WCML over Shap and is £12.49
https://store.steampowered.com/app/...r_West_Coast_Main_Line_Over_Shap_Route_AddOn/

Carlisle to Glasgow is WCML - North and is only £3.99
https://store.steampowered.com/app/24083/Train_Simulator_West_Coast_Main_Line_North_Route_AddOn/

Even if you get the WCML - Missing Link from ATS that covers Birmingham - Stafford - Crewe - Preston you still need to buy the routes above via Steam and the prices are because of the SALE that is on until 11 July.

 

If it was one million pounds I think I can honestly say no one would buy it.

 

to be fair does the ATS WCML missing link have regular updates even? Apart from maybe a few bug fixes here and there? 32 pounds is not easy for me because thats 320 HKD in my money. I can spend that amount of money on more TSW/TSC steam DLCs.

 

I would expect the next ATS WCML update to be a next step integration similar to the current ATS ECML where it is currently possible to drive from London Kings Cross all the way to Edinburgh non stop. This is something TSW is nowhere close to being capable to do. For the 1 year subscription you will also have access to the full ECML integration and a boat load of subscription only scenarios.

 

Huh? That needs correcting

 

As no drivers in Real Life do the entire run from Glasgow to London as one trip do you need the complete route in one?

Easy to do a Glasgow - Carlisle and a Carlisle - Preston run just using the default routes.
Also there are more scenarios for separate routes than the joined up route.

 

As far as I am aware you cannot drive from Preston to Birmingham without ATS? Since Liverpool is also in this area it might be something to consider. I also have the ATS Chatmoss lines as well (Liverpool to Manchester)

 

Ahhhh but they do one driver has done it

 

Only because it was a special record run - normally a swap is done at Preston

 

That is correct -
But how many people need the full WCML as a single route in the game?

How many scenarios exist for the combined route compared with the separate routes which are easier to manage.

 

This route carries lines which do not exist in other DLCs. There are also scenarios which come with. I think I currently have about 20 scenarios from this content. Some free some paid. It is a nice route as an independent route.

 

The question is whether the route can be managed by the average user. It may be more beneficial to branch off the sections so that scenarios made for those sections can still be run on a less skilled PC.

Example: Western Mainlines full route runs using only the South Devon or Cornish sections can be run on the smaller routes provided no trains go off those maps to other portals and stations.

 

I am more or so doing this for competition sake? Or maybe so I kinda just wanted to thrash the class 90 all over the WCML (and terms of traction you see, i personally see WCML have more compared to say ECML). And being a guy that lives in the boring south with boring traction i always wanted to mess around on the WCML and overall WCML route helps me achive that, at least I hope.
But yea tbh, if bugs aren't a huge problems and not much regular update goes to the missing link then i might consider it may be worth 32 pounds a year.

 

But that driver was route trained and licensed to do the full run and i am sure he wont be the only one. I have a friend who drives for Avanti and not all crew changes take place at preston he is based in Polmadie and he can go beyond preston to warrington.

 

Of course it is worth getting if you're a railfan, as it simply offers 100x more than TSW.