South Wales' extensive selection of DMUs, locos, rolling stock and freight make the South Wales Valleys and mainline ideal in terms of variety of scenarios, routes and services. Rolling Stock, Locos & Units On the commuter services you'd have an extensive variety of different units, including: - Class 142s and Class 143s - Class 150/2 - Class 153 - Class 769 For mainline duties: - Class 43 HST - Class 158 - Class 170 - Class 175 - Class 165 - Class 150 And for freight you'd be able to drive classic locos including: - Class 37 (also used during winter periods to haul commuter services from Cardiff to Rhymney) - Class 47 - Class 66 - Class 50 Routes South Wales has a rich history and variety when it comes to its commuter services. You have probably the shortest service on the UK network, Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay, which takes only 3-4 minutes each direction and runs every 12 minutes. A flat, easy to navigate route that would be an ideal setting for a tutorial on the Class 153, 142, 143 or 150 units. Comparatively you have the 1hr 30mim Merthyr Tydfil to Barry Island service, running from the historic Welsh town of Merthyr through beautiful scenic Valleys and countryside, all the way to the South Wales coast. With steeper grades along with the variety of locations and stops, this would be a bit more of a challenge. Rhymney to Penarth, again winding down from the Welsh Valleys to another one of South Wales coastal towns. For the mainline you've got the Cardiff Central to Ebbw Vale service using the Class 170, which takes just under an hour. You'd travel along the mainline towards Newport until you vear left near Alexandria Dock Sidings. Swansea to Newport via the London Paddington service, using either the iconic Class 43 HST or the Hitachi Class 800. You could even do something like with Legends of the Great Western and have different time period versions of the routes and timetables, allowing for further expansion on the available units and locos used in the region. We've had multiple routes set in England, in different decades, now with Cathcart we can add Scotland to the list. I think Wales should definitely be looked at as a new addition in the future.
Excellent idea there is another way of adding HST & Class 66 is have GWML London Paddington to reading layer both here. Class 800/802 Standard. Tees Valley Line gives Class 37 layer here the same route gives class 20 rail tour.
Also the ebbw valley line was reopened in the late nougties. Would love to see the South Wales network
Swansea to Bristol Parkway (About 60 miles) would be a good route because it mixes the high speed line from Bristol to Cardiff via Newport and then the commuter runs from Cardiff to Swansea via Port Talbot as well as freight trains around the Tata Steelworks in Port Talbot
I very much support your point, but if the route is really implemented, it would be best. However, I think the route is not Siswan to Bristol. With DTG's current capabilities, Siswan may go to Cardiff, or from Cardiff to Bristol.