Suggestion: BR Class 196 – A Perfect Add-On for the Birmingham Cross City Line! Hey everyone, I think the West Midlands Railway Class 196 would be a fantastic DLC for Train Sim World 5, specifically as an add-on for the Birmingham Cross City Line! While the route is already great with the Class 323, adding the 196 would introduce diesel operations and bring more variety to the gameplay. Why the Class 196 is a Must-Have for TSW5’s Birmingham Cross City Line 1️⃣ Expands Gameplay with Diesel Operations Right now, the Birmingham Cross City Line in TSW5 is fully electric with the Class 323. The Class 196 operates on key sections of the route, particularly between Birmingham New Street and Bromsgrove, where it runs alongside the 323. Adding the 196 would diversify services, giving players the option to drive both electric and diesel traction on the same route! 2️⃣ Authenticity – The Class 196 is Used on the Route in Real Life The 196 operates WMR services from Birmingham New Street, sharing some sections of the Cross City Line before continuing toward Worcester, Hereford, or Shrewsbury. Passengers at Birmingham New Street often see the 323 and 196 side-by-side, making it a perfect addition for realism. The train is still new to the network, and adding it would make TSW5 feel more up-to-date. 3️⃣ Unique Driving Experience The Class 196 is a 4-car CAF Civity DMU, with different acceleration and braking compared to older DMUs like the 170. It has a modern, high-tech cab, giving a fresh driving experience compared to existing UK diesel stock. Diesel trains handle differently from electrics, making the 196 a great contrast to the 323, especially on gradients like the Lickey Incline near Bromsgrove! 4️⃣ Potential for AI Services and Future Route Layers If added, the Class 196 could run AI services at Birmingham New Street, making the station busier and more realistic. It could also be used in a future West Midlands-based route, like the Snow Hill Lines (Birmingham – Worcester) or Birmingham – Hereford. The 196 could be layered/substituted on other UK DMU routes, adding replayability! it would be more convenient if its a addon for the tsw5 Birmingham cross city route because its better than just creating a whole new route just for that train. How the Class 196 Could Be Implemented in TSW5 ✅ New Playable Services on the Birmingham Cross City Line Players could drive the Class 196 from Birmingham New Street to Bromsgrove, providing diesel services alongside the 323. It would introduce different stopping patterns, as the 196 often runs longer-distance services beyond the Cross City Line. It could be included as an optional timetable layer, adding variety for players. ✅ AI Traffic & Layers at Birmingham New Street the Class 196 could at least appear as AI traffic at Birmingham New Street, before the train becomes an add on for the route and becomes fully playable. ✅ Standalone Loco Add-On or Bundled with a Route? DTG could release the Class 196 as a loco DLC for Birmingham Cross City, similar to how the Class 700 was added to London Commuter but unexpectedly became an add on for the TSW5 southeastern highspeed route. Alternatively, the class 196 could come as part of a West Midlands route expansion, adding more destinations beyond Birmingham. Maybe the class 196 could be bundled with the class 730 because the class 730 also runs on the Birmingham cross city line in real life Final Thoughts The Class 196 is a highly requested train, and it fits perfectly into TSW5’s Birmingham Cross City Line. Whether as a drivable train or AI layer, it would add more variety, realism, and fun to the route. Would you like to see the Class 196 in TSW5? Let me know your thoughts!
The 700 was released for the Southeastern route. Its only available on London Commuter. via mods on PC.
Good suggestion. Hopefully this is made. Especially as Chiltern are testing some 196s on the new EWR line from Oxford to Milton Keynes and Bedford. This could add some additional AI to WCML South. Possibly even as a fill in for Marston Vale services.
yep really hope the train comes as a seprate add on so its playable, so sad that the class 196 wasnt included in the Birmingham Cross City route
Great suggestion BCC is definitely one of the most empy tsw routes considering it's a station many services pass through, it needs new trains in addition to adding the layering of the 350 and 390.
