Maybe the wrong image was attached? But the "I wonder what else we'll see today" foreshadows the Class 700...
Ah OK, it was leaked recently, when the Loco Add-Ons Bundle 2 came out, only word I'll say is Thameslink
Not even a could at this point, it's blindingly obvious that it's coming but you still see NPCs saying "iTs nOt oN tHe RoAdMaP" or "iTs JuST sPeCuLiaTiOn"
Ok so what's the fascination of the class 700/0? It's another EMU running part of a route which already has plenty of add ons and similar services. I get it's something new but I don't get all the love this train gets. Anyone care to fill me in please?
Ughhh! Don’t you hate it when you wait all morning to see something then get bowled? Typical! Oh well Happy April Fool’s Day, folks, tune into next Roadmap on April 4th and we’ll see about having a very early first look at the Thameslink Class 700/0, due for TSW3 this Summer! Hentis
I’m not a massive fan of modern plastic units, but how about more variety, more services (busier timetable), snd more potential layers for existing and future routes? I’m all for increased immersion.
Very early preview... Out this summer.... So we've gone from things being added to the roadmap last minute to social media getting spammed with teasers months in advance. Why couldn't they have teased details of MML or even Ambergate? Both of these are due before the 700 aren't they?
About the only advantage I can see of the 700 is the wide forward view, but I won’t be dropping it in my shopping cart on Day One or even Day Sixty for that matter. A nice 4CEP or VEP as a retro layer, however would have been a different matter. The only thing that might redeem the 700 is if it has a good traditional DC traction whine but I suspect being a modern plastic unit it will be like the Electrostar with a vague electrical hum audible in the cab.
For me at least modern/3rd gen EMUs tend to be quite ugly or boring, rigid, weird, like the FLIRTs, Aventras, Electrostars (ofc), 385, 196, 332 etc. But the 700 bucks that trend imho, with those sweeping edges of the fairings blending seamlessly into the front without compromising on the attractive big window (that isn't too big), with no gangway, beam or extra wiper to ruin how clean it looks, the Desiro square wide body to reign in the flamboyant front (if it was tapered it wouldn't look balanced), and that slick wide face that suits any livery integration of the warning yellow, largely because of the illusion created by the the flat surface under the window being pushed back, so it looks a bit modest, classier, less ostentatious yet still maintaining an impressive presence thanks to the cheek like protrusions. Now the 717 is an example of how to ruin a solid design, that thing is ugly as sin, the front is too busy and the face is wider & brought forward to accommodate certain things so everything gets thrown off. Like it's bursting at the seams, I don't think even the yellow could save it. That and I don't like this new idea of ditching the yellow, the 777 with a black front for instance, everything just blends in to this faceless entity with lights on it, from the side it looks good. Though I will say the the 345 with the Elizabeth livery suits it rather well. This has been an apparent love letter to the 700, thank you. lol
Looks like I see this happening for the train SEH first and then BML due to it having slots there These videos of 700/0 on Thameslink BML services date to 2016 I wonder if the sounds are better than the original train simulator classic which was comprised of 395 AC 444 DC
I see where you're coming from here. For a modern commuter unit the 700 looks rather attractive actually.
See I travel on ECW, WCW and BML all the time and I'm not sure myself. Like I see the 700 and think "Ooh its a 700" and have travelled on them a few times. But I sort of got swept up in the wave of "a 700 would be amazing", but the more I think about it the more I'm not sure why either. I think it'll add some good and realistic layers, it looks okay and will be a nice break from the electrostars but I can't put my finger on a specific reason to love it, like I can with steam engines and some older stuff which almost has a nice old smell/feel to it which I love.
For TSW at least the 700 is fantastic because: - Can complement some of the best and existing UK routes/timetables, namely London Commuter and SEHS to make them even more busier and better, plus more variety and freshness, in turn equaling more gameplay in the long-term. - With the 700 dual-voltage, it means more routes including some of the most popular like ECML and MML, thus would feel like a proper network both north and south of the Thames. - I personally love the sounds of the 700. - Complements a lot of other existing locos already with TSW, thus less chance of having new routes that are either empty, one-loco routes or both.
The 80x class is still the most interesting and attractive third gen emu, hitachi did everything right with that design. The aventras (some of them) are quite attractive but nothing tops the class 80x and maybe the 390s
717s are so hideous, thank you i thought i was the only one that thought this, 387s are not too ugly imo
Walking by the Toothill (Swindon) railway path last week, saw one of the TfW “Metro” Flirts go by on a Canton to Swindon test run and I was quite taken by it. Pictures on Wikipedia seem to indicate relatively comfortable interiors, too. So I could actually go with a South Wales “Metro” route that used these, Newport to Maesteg maybe.
Agreed, for high speed units they do look good, clean, balanced proportion, kept the lights outside the window lines offering seamless integration of the yellow, especially sharp with GWR green, looks fetching in the Avanti concept too; I agree on the 390s as well, they got character, good light arrangement & driving car length. Now for my little 395 tirade (since we're talking high speed EMUs), the thing is just meh, like a clunky bastard child of the forementioned units, the way the window curves down is kinda ugly to me, headlights are awkward, and the driving cars are too short. Now if it leaned into having bulbous heavy features more like this model; I'd like it a lot more. Even something as simple as greatly reducing the window curve would fix it, like these examples I whipped up; (And the original) Not a fan of the 'bib' of yellow on these things, cuts the flow of the streamlined shape but it's a step up in getting rid of the yellow on the side bumps. Though the livery overall is pretty dull. So that's one thing but lowering the lights would make it even better like in my concepts, improving the balance of the nose, making it a little less obnoxious. 80X doesn't have this problem 'cause it's slightly sharper. Well despite the dribble I'm spouting here, I suppose it really boils down to the livery and how it compliments body detail & directs your eyes.
800s are very much the most attractive looking trains we have now, but of all time it goes to the APT or the 91 in its IC Swallow livery
True for both, the Class 93 is a looker too. Came across this hitachi concept, it's got the bumps like 395 but the lights & nose similar to an 800, like a perfected Javelin.
