The Central Line is a London Underground route, red color & east-west route between Ruslip or Ealing Broadway & White City, Hainault or Epping with 49 stations & over 46 miles [the longest route of the entire system]. It is one of only two lines on the Underground network to cross the Greater London boundary, the other being the Metropolitan line. One of London's deep-level railways traversing narrow tunnels, Central line trains are smaller than those on British main lines. The line was opened as the Central London Railway in 1900, crossing central London on an east-west axis along the central shopping street of Oxford Street to the financial centre of the City of London. It was later extended to the western suburb of Ealing. In the 1930s, plans were created to expand the route into the new suburbs, taking over steam-hauled outer-suburban routes to the borders of London & beyond to the east. These projects were mostly realized after the Second World War, when construction stopped & the unused tunnels were used as air-raid shelters and factories. However, suburban growth was limited by the Metropolitan Green Belt: of the planned expansions one (to Denham, Buckinghamshire) was cut short & the eastern terminus of Ongar ultimately closed in 1994 due to low patronage; part of this section between Epping and Ongar later became the Epping Ongar Railway. The Central line has mostly been operated by automatic train operation since a major refurbishment in the 1990s, although all trains still carry drivers. Many of its stations are of historic interest, from turn-of-the-century Central London Railway buildings in west London to post-war modernist designs on the West Ruislip & Hainault branches, as well as Victorian-era Eastern Counties Railway & Great Eastern Railway buildings east of Stratford, from when the line to Epping was a rural branch line. In terms of total passengers, the Central line is the third busiest on the Underground. In 2019, over 300 million passenger journeys were recorded on the line. As of 2013, it operated the second-most frequent service on the network, with 34 trains per hour (tph) operating for half-an-hour in the westbound direction during the morning peak, and between 27 & 30 tph during the rest of the peak. The Elizabeth line, which began most of its core operation from May 24th, 2022, provides interchanges with the Central line at Stratford, Liverpool Street, Tottenham Court Road, Ealing Broadway & Bond Street, relieving overcrowding. The route carried the 1992 Stock [full eight car set], 1962 Stock [four car formation] in the past (April 1962-November 1999). Peak-time frequency In September 2013, the frequency in the morning peak period was increased to 35 trains per hour, giving the line the most intensive train service in the UK at the time. Before that date, the Victoria line held the record with 33 trains per hour; it regained it in May 2017 with an increased frequency of 36 trains per hour (one every 100 seconds) during peak periods. Services During the off-peak, services on the Central line are grouped by branch lines: trains on the West Ruislip branch run to/from Epping, while trains to/from Ealing Broadway run on the Hainault Loop. Services at peak times are less structured, and trains can run between any two terminus stations at irregular intervals (e.g. from Ealing Broadway to Epping). Also, a loop shuttle service between Hainault & Woodford. As of January 2020, the typical off-peak service, in trains per hour (tph), is: 9 tph between West Ruislip & Epping; 3 tph between Northolt & Loughton; 3 tph between Hainault & Woodford; 6 tph between Ealing Broadway & Hainault (via Newbury Park); 3 tph between Ealing Broadway & Newbury Park; 3 tph between White City & Hainault. The above services combine to give a total of 24 trains per hour each way (one every 2 & a half minutes) in the core section between White City & Leytonstone. At peak times, the frequency increases further, with up to 35 trains per hour each way in the core section. A 24-hour Night Tube service began on the Central line on August 19th, 2016, running on Friday and Saturday nights. Night tube services are: 3 tph between Ealing Broadway & Hainault (via Newbury Park) 3 tph between White City & Loughton In 2025, this line will celebrated 125th anniversary! London Underground 1992 Stock (Central Line) at Theydon Bois The route of the Central line through the London Boroughs & the county of Essex For more info go any of these websites: https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_line_(London_Underground) https://wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_1992_Stock https://wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_1962_Stock https://tfl.gov.uk/tube/route/central https://content.tfl.gov.uk/central-line-cld-archive.pdf
Central line is something that I have been asking for and I hope that this route will finally feature in TSW5. I think a new London Underground is long overdue and this route would be all I could ask for in terms of TSW content. I want to put it out there that I would greatly appreciate any London Underground content.
So long as it's set back in the 1962 stock era and when the Ongar section was still open, yes please. Modern day with ATO, no thank you. Would rather drive Thomas!
To me, the ATO would be a vital part of the route. I would be happy for it to be set in manual era so long as the route looks the same as it currently does and as long as it features the iconic 1992 stock trains which are going to be refurbished so remembering these trains would be amazing.
I'd really would love this however DTG would have to make sure the whole route of the central line is playable in game
I agree however they do need to make a better quality, longer route in which could be set at a reasonable yet higher price
All the branches would be including even the shuttle between Hainault and Woodford to offer variation and increase the fun of the route. However, I would never stop playing the Central Line no matter what as it is such a special route to me and I hope it gets recreated shortly and it would be even better if they did it during the ATO period. For me, it needs to be modern as I only play modern, London based routes
46 miles, 49 stations.... DTG won't make that, the asset development costs/time for so many stations would not make the route viable. Bakerloo is 14 miles long with 25 stations, the development cost was balanced by having a short route. Longer routes are viable because [speaking generically] they incorporate decent stretches of countryside, that are relatively fast to put in place, with very low asset costs as vegetation and lineside assets already exist in the game. Just Trains West Coast Main Line North has over 90 miles of track, but only 8 stations, the length is balanced by having less urban areas to develop, and less custom station assets.
Thanks for letting us know. That is a great shame as this would be the most desirable route for me but hopefully they can make the Metropolitan line or another London Underground route. To be honest, it doesn't seem as if DTG are willing to make another Underground route in London which is rather annoying
Epping to Bank would give a mixture of Underground and Ground Level stations over two routes. Journey time would be around 45 mins.
All good points, but don’t forget that a sizeable chunk of this would be in tunnels, with little scenery between stations. That would be the comparable part to balance the density of the above-ground sections. If anyone does it, I’d imagine it would be a third-party who would take it on as a passion project, rather than DTG themselves.
placing stations and associated tunnel walkways for an underground route is technically more complicated than sticking a station asset on some flat terrain. 49 stations would take considerable resource to make as they are all different. Light baking for underground is also a thing that takes time. you are correct, there are no houses and terrain to place, but underground routes have challenges that eat up that time differently. There are alot more signals on an underground route, than a Network Rail one, they take longer to implement too. As time progresses and the community become more skilled with the editor tools maybe its something we will see.
I hadn’t considered those aspects.. and I suppose to support that would be how well detailed certain routes are getting - both from DTG and third parties. There’s an expectation externally too that even deep level tunnels need details, realism and something to ‘notice’.
Not long enough in my opinion. Time to get the full route or at least 1 branch with an additional fee for the other branches. They could also charge more for future expansions
I would love to see the central line come tsw5 I think it would make a route to have its has been a while since the last underground route the bakerloo line
I totally agree and the quality of the Bakerloo line was below par therefore another Underground line would be redemption for TSW. The advancements in quality of the routes would make this the best route in the game. I dream of having it as it is my favourite route
I think this would be the best "Tube" line for TSW as you have all manner of scenery along the way and a relatively short part of the route is in tunnel in the centre of London. I do wonder whether the lack of short shifts would put DTG off. Most journeys are 1h 20m one way and given the shear number of stops could be a pretty exhausting doing a there and back trip. That would be my only concern, the beauty of the Metropolitan and Piccadilly is the faster sections. Central is a little stop-start.
I believe that it would be easily possible to do shorter routes. There is great variations. Often trains go to White City and the shuttle between Hainault and Woodford would be useful. Additionally, they occasionally go to North Acton and Marble Arch as well as Leytonstone. Furthermore, the variation of destinations would make it incredible. But love your point and agree that this route would be the best. Metropolitan and picadilly would still be incredible and a day one buy
I remember back when I traveled on the line regularly in the 80s and early 90s that there used to be scheduled starters from Liverpool Street westbound and you'd see a few terminating at White City on the board but usually only if there's a problem. A TSW version would definitely need a few of those shorter runs. Does that shuttle still run between Hainault and Woodford? I know there was a plan to just run some of the Loughton terminators to Hainult via the top bit of the loop, so all stations had direct services to London. Last time I went on that I sat in the middle pre-1938 standard stock carriage within the 1960 units. It must have been pre-1994 as I changed again at Epping and went on to an event at North Weald. That Epping to Ongar section was just bizarre. Sitting on a tube train in some of the most unspoiled countryside around London.
I like the beauty of the variety in the route. Additionally, the Hainault- Woodford shuttle operates every 20 minutes
How would you feel if it was based in 1993 with a mix of 1962 and 1992 stock? Maybe with an additional 1992 stock timetable for a more modern feel. I've not been along the Central Line for a while but apart from Stratford, I don't think it's changed much in the last 30 years.
I would like just the 1992 Stock timetable in a modern time with an option to drive in ATO. They could do what they did with Bakerloo line and add a loco add on for the 62 for players like yourself
that was a great suggestion to put central line in tsw5 it can also replace the 1972 stock in the great western express remaster
Though it's a while to go. By the time TSW15 is released, the line could have a variant of the TS2024 stock Likewise the Bakerloo by TSW12. I fancy driving though tunnels in this beauty. Coming to a Piccadilly Line station near you later this year.
Yes, known locally as TS2024, it's likely that the Bakerloo and Central Line units will have different year identifiers even though there will be only be small differences, such as train length. I love those floating cars, I wonder whether the ride in them is really smooth.
I completely agree. Additionally they could layer onto the Central line platforms at Stratford for the upcoming Mildmay Line
There is also going to be a refurbishment to the current 1992 stock so it would be great if DTG could include both variants
yeah I dont even know why they would put the 1972 stock to represent the Central line in the tsw5 great western remaster
They should try over 30 stations: Ealing Broadway to Hainault & Woodford including a shuttle service.
I think that would still be a great part of the route and if it had popularity which I am sure it would then they could get a paid DLC extension
Nah, we have enough arbitrarily-reduced routes. I'd rather lose the underground section than the stretch out to Epping.
My favourite bit is the Underground. What I would say is would be that they would need to make the whole route with all branches
They would have to do a full route I'm kinda getting sick of DTG not doing a "Full Route" & having a weird terminus'. I'd rather have a different line if it's only a part route. But there's a lot of the central line that does go to surface levels which will be fun to play and the transition to the underground, lots of ai traffic at Ealing Broadway too!!
I agree, this would be amazing. Real life 1992 stock at Leytonstone which would be visible from the Suffragette line aswell. My favourite route for sure and dream for it to come.
I struggle to see what other British route tsw6 would get except another tube line, they’ve been requested to death for years now. My preference would be central or district
That would be my two preferences as well in the order of Central then district. Third would be picadilly or metropolitan and I agree the Underground is massively overdue so hopefully one will be on the cards shortly
I would just like to see any underground routes on TSW. I really enjoy the Bakerloo Line, but it can get boring too. I hope they update the Bakerloo Line in the future with the new trains and extension that is currently in the pipeline.
Visited London today and ended up on the central, district, Victoria and Piccadilly lines. 4 very different lines and the central would be far and wide my preference. Further spaced rural tracks as well as the densely packed section through the city of London
They should 100% add it for the central line anniversery would make perfect sense for it to come to tsw
We’ve already had a manual tube line, so an ATO route, or at least one which is partially automatic such as the metropolitan would be a welcome change. The only other fully manual line is the Piccadilly, which I think would be too similar to the Bakerloo
Yes but it’s boring, barely qualifies as simulation. I bought Glasgow Subway for TSC and apart from driving to and from the depot it’s literally open doors, close doors, push start button, rinse and repeat. At least a 70’s or early 80’s iteration of the route would give the contrast between the hustle and bustle of the Tube under Oxford Street, to the quiet backwater of the Ongar branch.
There’s several tsw routes which use lzb for part of all of it, and they’ve all been received fairly well. Besides, even though it’s automatic you’ll never go more than 3 or 4 minutes without something to do
I think the Bakerloo line wasn't done justice so another Underground route would be great to make amends. Nevertheless, it is still an absolutely incredible route which is one of if not my favourite route.
I would much rather have modern content with ATO as an option for all players or a manual route if it is too controversial. Central line with ATO would be the best though in my opinion.
