South Western Expressways to Reading Electric - V1.0
The Berks and Hants
Version without OHLE also available
This new route by Martin Masterson adds the 40 mile section from Pewsey to Reading,onto the existing South Western Expressways Route. This means that the long awaited opportunity to drive across a number of routes from Paddington to Penzance,via Newbury is finally possible!
The SWE To Reading Electric route is based in 2019/20 and features the newly installed OHLE from Reading to Newbury followed by the remaining extension onwards to Pewsey where it joins the original South Western Expressways route.
Introduction to Martin Masterson:
My interest in railways has been from a very early age and I still have and run a large OO layout in the loft. In the past 25 years I have built live steam locomotives to run at my local model engineering club track in both 5” and 71/4” gauge along with traction engines up to 1/3 scale.
I was told about Train Simulator back in June 2017 and after looking at a few YouTube videos I decided To give it a try. It was much better than I had expected and the bug well and truly bit hard.
As I spend 4 weeks holiday a year in Devon and make day trips by train to Teignmouth from Paddington I wanted to reproduce the trip on TS. That is when I found I could not drive the normal route to Devon via the Berks and Hants because of the missing 40 miles between Reading and Pewsey. After contacting Just Trains to ask if it was going to be added and looking/asking on the forums it became obvious the only way forward was to build it myself.
On YouTube I found a wealth of information on building routes so I started the build In early September 2018. I lost the first 4 to 5 weeks of work when I decided to use the new 64 bit editor but that turned out good as the first build was a standalone route but the second build Was an extension the Just Trains South Western Expressways starting at Pewsey working along to Reading. I can’t say I found route building easy at the start, learning as you go never is but you just have to stick with it. 15 months later I hope you enjoy the drive to the West Country. Future plans may include adding OHLE down to Newbury and other improvements to the original route, I have already added gradient smoothing Pewsey to Exeter.
I have had a lot of help and encouragement along the way, Simon from RDC offered good advice in the early months of the build and I am not sure how I came to talk to Alex 55, Andy who built WCML South, who has become a very good friend and always willing to help and advise even at 2am! Thanks Andy.
My thanks to my route testers :-
Michael Christopher
Jamie Hunter (GWR driver on the real route)
Thanks also to :-
Callum Green
Matthew Lee Hancox
Thomas Harrison
Mark Walker
NOTE: You can have both versions of the SWE To Reading route installed,as well as the original South Western Expressways. They are all separate routes.
The Berks and Hants
Version without OHLE also available
This new route by Martin Masterson adds the 40 mile section from Pewsey to Reading,onto the existing South Western Expressways Route. This means that the long awaited opportunity to drive across a number of routes from Paddington to Penzance,via Newbury is finally possible!
The SWE To Reading Electric route is based in 2019/20 and features the newly installed OHLE from Reading to Newbury followed by the remaining extension onwards to Pewsey where it joins the original South Western Expressways route.
Introduction to Martin Masterson:
My interest in railways has been from a very early age and I still have and run a large OO layout in the loft. In the past 25 years I have built live steam locomotives to run at my local model engineering club track in both 5” and 71/4” gauge along with traction engines up to 1/3 scale.
I was told about Train Simulator back in June 2017 and after looking at a few YouTube videos I decided To give it a try. It was much better than I had expected and the bug well and truly bit hard.
As I spend 4 weeks holiday a year in Devon and make day trips by train to Teignmouth from Paddington I wanted to reproduce the trip on TS. That is when I found I could not drive the normal route to Devon via the Berks and Hants because of the missing 40 miles between Reading and Pewsey. After contacting Just Trains to ask if it was going to be added and looking/asking on the forums it became obvious the only way forward was to build it myself.
On YouTube I found a wealth of information on building routes so I started the build In early September 2018. I lost the first 4 to 5 weeks of work when I decided to use the new 64 bit editor but that turned out good as the first build was a standalone route but the second build Was an extension the Just Trains South Western Expressways starting at Pewsey working along to Reading. I can’t say I found route building easy at the start, learning as you go never is but you just have to stick with it. 15 months later I hope you enjoy the drive to the West Country. Future plans may include adding OHLE down to Newbury and other improvements to the original route, I have already added gradient smoothing Pewsey to Exeter.
I have had a lot of help and encouragement along the way, Simon from RDC offered good advice in the early months of the build and I am not sure how I came to talk to Alex 55, Andy who built WCML South, who has become a very good friend and always willing to help and advise even at 2am! Thanks Andy.
My thanks to my route testers :-
Michael Christopher
Jamie Hunter (GWR driver on the real route)
Thanks also to :-
Callum Green
Matthew Lee Hancox
Thomas Harrison
Mark Walker
NOTE: You can have both versions of the SWE To Reading route installed,as well as the original South Western Expressways. They are all separate routes.
Requirements
The full list of requirements is at the bottom of the page,and in the linked manual
Changes from original route to electrified version:
Below is a list of changes that have been carried out on the original route to update it with OHLE.
- OHLE added from Reading to Newbury
- Cosmetic track changes around Reading (minor)
- Signal cages fitted around Reading
- Bridges adjusted for extra height to allow passage of OHLE where applicable
- Platforms extended at Reading,Reading West and Aldermaston
- Disused track now removed at Hungerford as per real life
- Crossover removed at Savernake as per real life
- Repeater signal added on Newbury Footbridge
- OHLE signage added around Newbury Racecourse
- Minor scenery changes fitting with the route update (related to OHLE,such as Newbury sub station)
Along the route:
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Reading to ThealeFrom Reading with it's bustling station,we head south and pass Reading West and Southcote Junction before arriving into the Industrial town of Theale,with its array of terminals for aggregates and oil traffic. Theale has a 3 platform station and features a number of sidings,ideal for scenario creation and shunting.
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Theale to Newbury
Between Theale and Newbury the line heads through Aldermaston,Midgham and Thatcham,whilst also passing the site of the Ufton Nervet derailment,which took place in November 2004. The memorial garden here is included as a mark of respect to the 7 people that tragically lost their lives as a result of the crash.
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Newbury to BedwynBetween Newbury and Bedwyn the line passes through the towns of Kintbury and Hungerford,whilst running parralel with the Kennet and Avon Canal throughout,providing some very scenic screenshot opportunities along the way!
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Bedwyn to Pewsey
Probably the most scenic section of this run,climbing from the town of Bedwyn,where there's a turnback siding for Class 166's to Reading and London,up past the famous Crofton Pumping Station to Savernake Summit before dropping down the hill to Pewsey,where Martin's section gives way to the original South Western Expressways.
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Route Requirements:
Requirements for this route
Payware:
Train Simulator 2020
Just Trains – South Western Expressways
Just Trains – Western Mainlines
Bristol to Cardiff
Bristol to Exeter (Link is to JT version,but it’s also on on Steam)
Brighton Mainline
Riviera Line
European Asset and Loco Pack (Not needed if you owned Train Sim prior to Sept 2012)
Just Trains Common Library (Included with all JT routes released since December 2015,newer routes have more assets)
Just Trains – Newcastle to Edinburgh
North Somerset
Alan Thomson Sim - OHLE Pack
Freeware:
VP Grass Pack V2
All UKTS Free Asset Packs on the linked page
Chris Trains - NS Station and Object Scenery
All requirements considered essential for intended experience.