Hello everyone, and in the festive season, leading up to new years', where we look back on our year, I'm looking back further, and that's where this suggestion comes in. I'm looking back to the 1980s. Location: Glasgow, Cathcart Circle. The Cathcart Circle has been electrified since 1962. We ain't going that far back. We are staying electric. Strathclyde's network has some nice new EMUs, namely the Class 303 and 311. Let's have a look at what's included in this pack, shall we? Contents Included Units Class 303 Class 311 Class 314 Class 101 Layers Class 150 (WCL) Class 47/45 (NTP) Class 37 (TVL/WCL) Class 40 (NTP - BR:HF) Services Addressing the issue of Era Accuracy Conclusion Class 303 Class 303 at Langside Station, in SPTE Livery. The Class 303s, aka 'Blue Trains' were built between 1959 and 1961, entering service between 1960 and 1961. Introduced for the electrification of the North Clyde Line and the Cathcart Circle Lines, the 303 would be right at home on the Cathcart Circle. History of the 'Blue Trains' (in Scotland) As I said previously, the Class 303s were built between 1959 and 1961, and built at Pressed Steel's Linwood Factory. Originally, Class 303s wore this livery: Class 303 in British Rail livery, standing at Milngavie. Although that's not where "Blue Train" comes from, that dates back to initial introduction, when the trains wore a striking "Caledonian (Railway) Blue" Livery. The 303s, all 91 trainsets, wore the BR Blue/Grey, BR Blue or Transclyde Blue/Grey livery up until - at the earliest - 1984, when refurbishment works took place, which included the new Orange and Black livery, as well as the removal of asbestos insulation and new 'push button' door controls, plus new lighting in the train. The top picture of the 303 shows the newer refurbished livery. Most un-refurbished units were removed by the end of the 80s, following the Class 320's introduction to the North Clyde Line, and, following a fall in passenger numbers in Glasgow, numerous units went to Manchester. Only one came back later. Later, the 303 lived on until 2002, when they met their end. The 303s lasted for 42 years. Details: • 91 Units • 3 Cars (able to work in doubles, and with 311) • 1960 - 2002 • AWS equipped • 75mph Max Speed Role in the pack: • Passenger Services on the Circle and Branches • ECS to/from Shields Road Depot • Limited early morning and late evening/night ECS between Shields Road and Glasgow Central WCML Portals, showing up at Newton on fast lines, for the Argyle Line, heading to North Clyde Line. Fun bit of AI action*. *I'm not 100% if this happened, however all 303s were based in Shields, so it must have happened, I'd imagine. Class 311 A Class 311 unit leaves Glasgow Central for the Cathcart Circle. The Class 311, originally intended for the Inverclyde Line, but ending up becoming backup for the 303, is a (visually) similar unit, despite being built by totally seperate manufacturers (they used the same drawings, however). History of the 311 Built by Cravens in Sheffield to the Design of the Class 303, as the original manufacturers of the 303 no longer built railway units, 19 units were constructed, all in 1967. Originally, these were designated as AM11's, numbered 092-110, however the introduction of TOPS had them named 311092-110. The 311 entered service in 1967, intended for service on the Inverclyde Line, however in practise, the units ended up going around Strathclyde, following the Class 303. Following a life of service around Strathclyde's network, the Class 311's met their fate in 1990, when the Class 320 replaced them. Two units, 311903 and 311904 were repurposed by 1994 into Sandite trains, designated Class 936s (MerseyRail units also became part of this class). Following this service, which finished in 1999, the two units were useless to Railtrack. However, they didn't want to see them totally destroyed. So, they attempted to have at least one unit preserved. They succeeded. 311904 was scrapped in 2003. 311903 was donated to Summerlee, Museum of Scottish Industrial Life*, where it remains today. One carriage was scrapped, however. But two are still there. *Good museum if your interested in that kind of thing, a few steam locos and a tramway to have a look into Scotland's past. Close to two train stations as well. Details: • 19 Units • 3 Cars (able to work in doubles, and with 303) • 1967 - 1990 (1994-99 as Class 936) • AWS equipped • 75mph Max Speed 311's Role in the Pack • Passenger Services on Circle and Branches • ECS to/from Glasgow Shields Road depot • AI from Glasgow to Inverclyde Dests. (The line via Shields, that goes straight on) Class 314 314206 at Partick, headed for Dalmuir (on the Argyle Line) Oh. The 314's back. Brilliant... "but I bought the 314 with the route!" No. This 314 would be different. It would be in the (wonderful, if I may say) SPTE Orange and Black, with a totally different interior feeling and colours, and would also feel more... new, being introduced in 1979. I'm going to skip the history lesson, mostly because the 314 already exists in game, so it's not really a brand new concept for TSW, unlike it's pals here. Details: • 16 Units • 3 Cars (able to work in doubles) • 1979- 2019 • AWS equipped • 70mph Max Speed Role in the Pack: • Passenger services on Circle and Branches • ECS to/from Shields Road Depot • AI from Glasgow to WCML Portal • AI from Glasgow to Inverclyde (Limited) • Argyle Line AI at Newton Class 101 Like the 314, I won't say all too much about the 101, as we've seen it plenty already, and I don't want to bore anyone. They entered service in 1958 (in Scotland) and stayed here until 1997. Some units wore the SPTE Livery, shown above. Others retained BR Blue/Grey (like what we have in game) Pretty much it. Details: • 19 Units • 2, 3 and 4 Cars • 1956 - 2003 • Basic Safety Systems equipped • 70mph Max Speed Role in this pack • Limited Circle and Branch services • AI to Paisley Canal (the line that diverges at Shields Road, which the Turnback siding is on) • AI on Glasgow Southwestern Line - Passes over Neilston Branch - Passes under Circle - Shares tracks from Pollockshields to Glasgow • AI ECS coming to/from Ayr (Via Inverclyde/Ayrshire Portal) Layers Class 150 (West Cornwall Local) The Class 150 could be a bit of AI at Glasgow Central, either heading to the Glasgow Southwestern Line or heading off into some other portal. Class 47 (Northern Transpennine) Slightly shoehorned, but I feel it's worth it: • AI InterCity/Express services at Glasgow, just to the Portal • Fast Services past Newton (Only remotely appropriate stock for InterCity, and actually in any passenger livery. Although a reskin would be nice if it came to this add-on (hint)) Class 37 (Tees Valley Line) Using Wagons from West Cornwall Local • AI Freight services on tracks that go over line outside Glasgow Central, and along the section parallel to the Depot (Limited). • Takes the place of the 66 Engineering Layer on Cathcart currently. Empty Carriages from Newton to Glasgow. Class 40 (NTP: BR Heavy Freight Pack) AI Freight services on tracks that go over line outside Glasgow Central, and along the section parallel to the Depot. Services The Timetable on the Circle and Branches will not be as busy as in-game right now. I'm throwing that out there. It won't be. However, the following will benefit greatly: • Glasgow Central + Approach: - Class 37, 40, 47, 101, 150, 303, 311 and 314s all in and/or around the Station's approach • Inverclyde/Ayrshire Tracks, and Paisley Canal Line - Classes 303, 311 and 101s going as AI (the former two to Inverclyde, 101 to Paisley Canal) - The 314 into Shields Depot. • Pollockshields Area - Class 303, 311 and 314s on Circle and Branches - Class 101 on Diesel Lines • Newton - Player services to Glasgow via Circle (303, 311, 314) - AI Stopping to/from Glasgow and Argyle Line destinations (leaves map at either side of station) - AI Passing by (Class 47) Era Innaccuracy? Yes. I'm afraid so. And it's not just a case of changing some signage. Glasgow Central has extra platforms (the ones under the arch, I can't remember the numbers), of course, Signage and Colours have changed, Kirkhill had a building up on the ramp, until the late 1990s. So, that's something I'm not too bothered by, despite the immersion being impacted. Conclusion Despite the previous issue, I think these classic - they truly are classics of the Suburban network of Glasgow and Strathclyde - trains would make truly wonderful fits in TSW. We'd have the chance to see a (slightly innaccurate for the trains, mind you) Glasgow Central in it's true, Vibrant self. Cathcart - as much as I love it, as the first (and hopefully not last) Scottish route of TSW - I often get bored of. This, I doubt I would with this. As always, Thanks for Reading And a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!
Having just bought Cathcart in the sale, would love to do this in a 303 (or 311) and have more variety of trains generally in Glasgow Central.
Wonderfully detailed suggestion, would love to have some 1st Generation Overhead units in the game (even if I'd rather have some East Anglian ones ). Would certainly make for some interesting gameplay on the route I think, not sure anyone would play the modern version if there's a verion with 4 trains and AI layers to go with though.
There aren't DMUs at Shields Road. It opened in 1967 for the sole purpose to maintain the 303 and 311s - the core of the electric fleet at the time.
Thank you for telling me about this since my thinking was that it's a mixed Electric and Diesel facility.
I would definately love to see this. I think it would work better on the Cathcart Circle route than it did on the GWML.
I would love this, it's defiantly the best way too add more trains to an already amazing route and a bit of orange would be nice to see as well
