There is more info in the December Roadmap, but I will be nice and list them. Total of 384 services with 107 playable Playable wsr flying scotsman: semi stopping services peak forest (all 3 steam locos): required to run main services wcl: 150 Taunton shuttle services Turns into ai only on mainline wcl steam railtour: winter service with festive jubilee + mk1s + 47 AI br heavy freight pack Tees valley class 20 gwe hst for mainline traffic ntp rog 37/7 rhtt sehs wsr 33 wsr 52
The disappointing thing is the West Somerset was a Great Western Railway branch line to 1948 and then a British Railways Western region branch line utilising ex GWR locomotives from 1948 to the 1960s and we have not a single GWR locomotive in game. While I am very appreciative of all of the hard work that Dovetail have put into this update and can’t wait for its release, the fact that the Steam Gala will feature 3 ex-LMS locomotives (Fowler 4F, Jubilee, 8F), 1 ex-LNER (Flying Scotsman) with no GWR representation is disappointing. i have no issue whatsoever in purchasing any and all British steam locomotives that are released on TSW4 regardless of which of the Big 4 produced them, or indeed pre grouping or BR post 1948, but the fact that we have a GWR branch line in game about to receive an exciting new update means the line is crying out for some GWR native motive power.
Yes although not ideal for the WSR, a famous loco City of Truro would be good. Hasn't run for a while, perhaps use video recordings to get the sound, most likely a pipe dream. Good for the West Cornwall Local route. More suitable would be a pannier, could work on the WCL branch too. Small or large prairie tank A grange , manor , or hall would be ok on WSR and WCL routes. Or 7300 mogul, or the new build 78th saint.
It's not so much an official DTG update rather a labour of love by one of their employees, Liam, in his spare time. So whilst it would be nice to have a GWR loco I deem it next to impossible sadly. Probably the closest we will get is a repainted ringer.
And to do a GWR loco justice, they would really have to pull their socks up. Even just to the standard of the Grange in TSC which I think comes with Exeter to Kingswear. Quite superb!
Here are the locomotives WSR actually owns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rolling_stock_preserved_on_the_West_Somerset_Railway
I’m a long time player (and by long I mean 2010) of TSC on the PC that has recently moved over to TSW4 on the PS5 due to health reasons, at the moment I have severely restricted mobility due to a serious illness am unable to access my study on the first floor of the house where the PC is based. On TSC I have a very large number of British steam locomotives and routes I have accumulated over the years. While there are clearly major issues with steam operation on TSW4, its still good fun and graphically it blows TSC out of the water, I enjoy it very much despite the fact its not a proper simulation at present. Thanks for the tip though !
HI Andy A great list there. I must admit to having a vested interest in this subject, I am a member of the Great Western Society and a volunteer at Didcot, part of the non operational locomotives team (the locos currently that do not have a boiler ticket), with a special working affinity to 6998 Burton Agnes Hall (delivered in Jan 1949 to BR). I’m often found on the running plate of a variety of locos in the Didcot shed cloth and paraffin in hand from anything from a 56xx to 5051 Drysllwyn Castle (Earl Bathurst). Unfortunately I am not able to attend at the present due to ill health and miss it greatly. I am a confirmed GWR nut in every way, but really am a lover of steam regardless of what company built the loco, where it operated etc, I find those who don’t like other Big Four companies or who take a dislike to certain locomotive classes hard to fathom. For the WSR I think a suitable pairing would be a 7800 Class Manor (with 7828 Odney Manor currently in service and 7822 Foxcote Manor under overhaul) and a 4500 Small Prairie or 5100 Large Prairie, based on locos operational on the line or recently so and particularly as the update features a timetable for a steam gala. My wife and I spent 4 days at the 2023 WSR Steam Gala and had a wonderful time, it’s our favourite heritage railway and we took advantage of the onboard catering for cooked breakfast each morning and cream tea each afternoon. Bliss ! Last years gala featured the following locomotives :- 7828 Odney Manor 7822 Foxcote Manor (non operational but at Minehead for the evening photography session we took part in) 7812 Erlestoke Manor 34027 Taw Valley (wartime Southern black, fictional livery on an unrebuilt but looked great all the same) 5199 Large Prairie 9466 Pannier 2999 Lady of Legend, Saint Class WSR Mogul 9351 For TSW4 we have Flying Scotsman, Jubilee Class, 4F and the 8F, it would be fantastic to be able to add in a 7800 and 51xx
I have to admit, my knowledge of trains is as a passenger (I should say was, as I have learned a lot from TSW and this community). So as I have no idea how a real steam train should feel in terms of physics or anything, I enjoy it very much, and it's more satisfying to operate than the majority of trains in the sim with more involved.
I would like to build steam trains in the game but not until they fix the awful physics first I have many of those GWR models in my "quiver" but until TSW shows me it can actually make it worthwhile, I'm not going to invest the time with them
Couldn't someone in the community in theory fix the steam physics as I assume its simugraph etc and in theory people can do it?
I completely understand your position on this, and at the same time disappointed that Dovetail have failed to progress this to this point. I am a customer of yours on TSC and would be absolutely delighted to see your first rate creations in TSW4. Oh to see a GWR 2884 thundering down the GWR mainline or an unrebuilt Battle of Britain steaming through the Kent countryside. I sincerely hope to see your work in TSW4 in the future, and not too distant future I hope, I’ll certainly be buying all products released
We are still waiting some sort of official response from DTG to the assertion on Discord from someone claiming to be a DTG/TSW employee that further steam traction refinement or development in TSW is dead. The senior management team seemingly having vanished since the week before Christmas (i.e. now nearly a month) certainly not helping the game's cause.
bless you I wish you a healthy and speedy recovery. You are totally right graphic wise TSW is the better sim. I Do hope DTG can get the steam locos to the same level of operation in TsW then it would be incredible. So glad to hear you can still enjoy your hobby on the ps5 whilst not being able to access your pc. Just goes to show the benefit of having train sim world in console. Look after yourself and wishing you a speedy recovery.
Hello 4073 Caerphilly Castle I hope your health improves soon, and you're able to volunteer again. A 2800 freight loco is another I just thought of, a bit overkill for the WSR maybe. Would be good with large freight train though. There's so many different steam locos to choose from I pretty much like anything with a boiler Did the Shakespeare express years back Rood Ashton Hall for £15 along the north Warwickshire line. A few ago a friend of mine travelled on the Shakespeare Exp, he was in the vestibule about to video out the window, but was told to go back to his seat. Doesn't sound like much fun anymore, health and safety nowadays I expect. I haven't been to the SVR since the 90s, at the north end of Bewdley station I recall a small sign that read " diesel noises must be kept to a minimum"
That's both interesting and disappointing at the same time. Out of interest is it more difficult in general to produce a locomotive for TSW4 than it is to TSC? (I'm dabbling with route building but, at the moment, this seems a lot harder).
The Steam Gala is just a bonus to go along with the 'labour-of-love' remaster. It's there to give the WSR and existing steam locos extra usage in the game. A GWR loco would need a [proper] GWR route.
WSR - surveyed by Brunel in 1856 - amalgamated in the the Great Western Railway in 1876, remaining part of the GWR for 72 years until the railways were nationalised (part technically moving over in 1921 in company terms) - a GWR branch line for 72 years - BR Western region branch line for 23 years until its closure in 1971 It’s very much a proper GWR route…… The WSR is a heritage railway that runs largely GWR locomotives and very much keeps the GWR heritage at the forefront of the railway. Take a look at every station, the fixtures and fittings and infrastructure are painted in GWR Light stone and dark stone (similar to terracotta & a pinkish orange). The only station not painted in GWR colours was Washford, as it was leased to the Somerset & Dorset joint railway group, but they had their lease terminated a while ago and Washford was taken over again by the WSR and repainted to a GWR colour scheme during summer 2023. While the SDJR were using Washford it had a Southern colour scheme of Green and white/cream, which it how it appears in game. If Steam Sounds Supreme decide to get involved, and they posted here the other day they would need assurances from DTG that it would be worth their while to do so, they already have a great stable of GWR motive power for TSC :- 2800 Class 2884 Class 2251 Collett Goods 4200/5205 2-8-0 tank 7200 2-8-2 tank 7800 Manor Class I’m keeping everything crossed !
"Proper GWR route" as in a Period GWR route, not a short heritage spur which, in TSW's rendition, is used almost entirely for diesel operations.
While I appreciate everyone likes different locos, I can't agree with the moaning on this forum. In railway preservation it isn't the Reigon of locos that matters anymore, look at the SVR for example: A stanier mogul, A BR standard 4 and a West Country Class Pacific on an ex. GWR line. To accurately simulate 21st century preservation, variation is required. And I don't see whats wrong with having some Midland region locos and an Eastern region. Looking at preservation as wider topic, this is what holds loco society's and railways back. What should actually come into consideration is: A. Wether the loco is the right size for the line. (So not a 9F for a tiny 1 mile line and not a pug for the SVR) and B. Does it have enough power for the coaching stock on the line? If the SVR only restored GWR locos it would spend more money and many locos would spend time out of service when they could be in active service. The moaning is typical armchair enthusiasm. We should be instead asking DTG for a more reasonable upgrade to the Existing locos than asking for 5 more classes of GWR locos, which is a silly thing I see so many asking for.
A ‘short heritage spur’ ? It’s a 22 mile former branch line, including Norton Fitzwarren, with a link to Taunton where the branch line begins/began. At present only railtours come in through Taunton, the network rail link is there, and plans are one day to run into Taunton once again. It is in fact the longest heritage railway in England. It is not a spur, partial former branch line or 7 miles or so of track as per many heritage railways. It is a full former GWR branch line as I advised earlier, although the information was not referenced or referred to in your response. In railway terms a spur line is not anywhere close to being 20 odd miles long or featuring stations, 11 if Norton Fitzwarren is included. To clarify, it appears your assertion is that the WSR which is released, available to purchase, playable and about to receive a major update based upon a steam gala should not have any Great Western steam locomotives released for it by either DTG (which won’t happen anyway) or indeed by third party developers because you don’t deem the 22 miles of ex GWR branch line run as a GWR steam heritage line, with some diesels also, worthy ? Have i read that correctly ? I would suggest you refer to an earlier post of mine regarding what ran at last years WSR steam gala we attended, or perhaps have a look for yourself at the 2024 line up, you will notice its rather Swindon heavy. I assume that if, and its a very large if, the aforementioned TP Devs release 7800s etc for purchase (two are based on the WSR at present) or any other GWR loco on that basis you will inform them that they should be withdrawn them from sale ? Come on now, aside from being factually incorrect about the line itself your argument holds no water whatsoever from a logical perspective unless you are labouring under the misconception that the WSR is a ‘diesel first’ line in real life which it isn’t, based on your experience of the line through TSW and the current content. In fact I’d actually suggest a visit, the WSR is one of the jewels in the crown of British heritage railways. As an aside I’ve visited the heritage diesel groups base on the line at Williton and cabbed a 33 and their 52 and while I’m a steam enthusiast thoroughly enjoyable it was too, they are a friendly and knowledgeable bunch. If however your assertion is that wouldn’t it be marvellous if we had a period GWR DLC route available for TSW4 such as we have The Riviera Line in the 1950s for BR Western featuring ex GWR motive power in TSC, as well as TP GWR motive power to be used as and where the 4F, 8F, Jubilee & Scotsman are at present then I’d wholeheartedly agree with you. However, again there is no logic whatsoever to any argument which has been put forward by another user in response to you that customers have to wait for an entire route DLC to be written released before TP locos can be allowed to be used on the WSR when a TP developer could have loco DLC available relatively quickly as said content is already available in TSC. None. It makes no sense from a user perspective or from a commercial standpoint of the the TP dev. I’d be interested to read your suggestions on a suitable branch line or section of mainline. It would of course require TP development. Perhaps a mainline section would be more suitable to complement the GWR branch line of the WSR. As we have a 34 mile run from Paddington to Reading in TSW4 at present (Great Western Express, only 12 miles longer than the WSR but with a 125 limit rather than a 25mph one) a suitable candidate may be Swindon to Bristol Temple Meads allowing scope for parts of Swindon works to be modelled too, or indeed if the developer was feeling particularly generous a lengthy run from Reading into Bristol. There are of course many other potential candidates.
You mention the SVR, another GWR branch line, quote three locos but with respect completely fail to mention the Hall Class, 57xx, 78xx in service and the 1500 and 2800 that have just gone out of ticket, thats before we get into other GWR locos awaiting overhaul or are being returned. Virtually every heritage railway in the country runs mixed locomotive rosters, virtually all with later BR built standards, so I’m not sure to what railways you are referring to when you reference them being ‘held back’ - perhaps you can clarify ? You mention armchair enthusiasm, are you involved in anyway in the heritage or volunteering scene ? I am as per my signature, but would very much hesitate to cast any aspersions on the views of anyone not involved in the heritage scene or asking for additional content they actually want to pay for as armchair enthusiasm or moaning. Far from it. In addition, the overwhelming majority of both volunteers and paying customers may have preferences when it comes to what locomotives they enjoy, but I’ve yet to meet anyone with zero interest in any locomotives other than from one particular company. Most Heritage railways try reflect their own origins & heritage including rolling stock. I wouldn’t agree that asking for a couple of GWR locos to purchase is in any way unreasonable.
A fully fledged Steam loco DLC for a 5-year old Heritage Route DLC is too much for the little it offers.
Well, if those steam fixes ever happen. I'll be ready to throw my money at any TSW steamers you put out! I have a feeling we won't hear anything at all from DTG until the February roadmap, and even then I think it'll be all about the new content rather than concerns about the state of steam. I'll hold out hope that our voices will be heard until then though.
Recently bought TSW4 in the sale, the WSR update is very good. The Flying Scotsman on four coaches seems a bit tame, would of thought 6 coaches like the Jubilee.
Well the Flying Bank Balance is so overpowered and unrealistic performance wise, you could put 20 coaches behind it, run at 100% regulator with 50% cut off and the safety valves would still be blowing off!
That's in automatic firing, in manual firing you can empty the boiler by spinning the wheels. I much prefer the apple green single chimney Scotsman as I remember it from the 80s, sounds nicer too. But alot of enthusiasts remember the 60s version... I think a small pannier would be more suited to four coaches on the WSR.
