Originally opened in 1887 by the Malmesbury Railway Company, the Malmesbury Branch Line ran to the Cotswold town of Malmesbury in Wiltshire. The construction of the line was partially funded by the Great Western Railway and the line was fully absorbed by the GWR in 1880.

This very atmospheric Train Simulator route is set during the British Railways era, a couple of years after the GWR was nationalised in 1948. BR was quick to try and close the branch, with passenger services finishing in late 1951 and the branch completely closing in 1962. It's a relatively short route at 3 3/4 miles in length but is very accurate and has over 100 custom assets.

The route portrays the run-down bucolic atmosphere of this country branch line during the last few years of steam and features many custom assets, including landmarks around Malmesbury as well as the overwhelming majority of the railway structures, helping to capture the atmosphere of the time and place.

Included with the route is a GWR Diagram AA3 'Toad' brake van - No. 17501 'R. U. Malmesbury' which was the dedicated branch van from the late 1930s into the 1950s. There’s also a generic version included which has a selection of typical numbers that will automatically be generated when placed. A Guard’s view is available and will switch you to a view from the veranda - useful when propelling a train as well as giving you a nice view of the scenery!

The route is supplied with five scenarios covering passenger services, freight trains and mixed trains utilising default Train Simulator items.

If you purchased Train Simulator after 20th September 2012 then you will require the European Loco & Asset Pack (available to purchase via Steam) for the route to display correctly.

Malmesbury Branch also requires the Riviera Line in the Fifties add-on (available to purchase from Steam) to work correctly.

ROUTE FEATURES

• 3 ¾ mile highly atmospheric route
• Very detailed period scenery along the whole of the route
• Includes five Standard scenarios and one Free Roam scenario
• Route is Quick Drive enabled

STATIONS

• Malmesbury
• Little Somerford
• Great Somerford Halt (disused)

ROLLING STOCK

• GWR Diagram AA3 'Toad' brake van with guard’s view

CUSTOM BUILT BUILDINGS AND POINTS OF INTEREST

• Malmesbury combined water tower and coal stage
• Somerford viaduct
• Cattle dock
• Signal box
• Engine shed
• Malmesbury station
• Little Somerford station
• Malmesbury Abbey
• Landmarks around Malmesbury
• Little Somerford village
• Kingsmead crossing
• Kingsmead
• Maunditts Park farm
• Malmesbury tunnel
• Bridges 33 and 34
• Lover's Lane crossing
• Baskerville cutting
• 0ver 100 custom, period objects used throughout including trees, bridges and accurate structures for the line
• ¾-mile Kingsmead siding complete with Great Somerford Halt

SCENARIOS

Standard scenarios

The route comes with several scenarios covering passenger services, freight trains and mixed trains:

Scenario 1: Afternoon Trip to Malmesbury
This scenario involves running a summer afternoon passenger service from Little Somerford to Malmesbury. Once at Malmesbury, a run around is required before bringing the return working back.

Stock: 57XX Pannier Tank and a couple of coaches
Weather: Clear and sunny.
Duration: Approximately 25 mins.

Scenario 2: Mixed Train to Malmesbury
This scenario involves taking the morning mixed freight/passenger service to Malmesbury. Once at Malmesbury some shunting is required to position the wagons in the yard. Once the wagons have been positioned, it's time for a swift run back to Little Somerford with the return passenger working. The timings are quite tight so you may need to be liberal with the regulator!

Stock: 57XX Pannier Tank, two coaches, a few wagons and the branch brake van
Weather: Sunny with showers
Duration: Approximately 30 mins.

Scenario 3: Winter Freight
This scenario takes place on a cold and foggy morning. With visibility highly restricted you’ll be tasked with taking the morning freight to Malmesbury, shunting it into the yard and bringing back any outgoing wagons to Little Somerford. The rails will be icy and the signals obscured by the fog, so great care will have to be taken!

Stock: 57XX pannier tank, a few wagons and the branch brake van
Weather: Dull, snowy, icy and foggy!
Duration: Approximately 35 mins.

Scenario 4: Shunting the Pickup Freight
On a blustery autumn afternoon, bring a pickup freight across Somerford Viaduct and into Little Somerford station. Once you’re at the station the wagons will need marshalling in the yard. Plan your shunting moves carefully and don’t get distracted by the traffic passing on the adjacent tracks. Remember to keep an eye on the signals as Train Simulator signalling doesn’t quite function prototypically and you may need to [Ctrl]+[TAB]/[TAB] to pass some signals during shunting.

Stock: 68XX Grange, a long train of wagons and a guard’s van
Weather: Stormy!
Duration: Approximately 30 mins.

Scenario 5: Siphons for Scrap

This scenario takes place on a pleasant summer’s morning. Some Siphon vans have been in store at Great Somerford and the time has come for them to be taken to Swindon for scrapping. With a Brake Third coach in tow, you’ll head down to Kingsmead Crossing, where you’ll throw the points and head along Kingsmead Siding. Once at Great Somerford you’ll add the Siphons to your train before running down to Malmesbury to run around and head back up to Little Somerford. Quite a bit of shunting is required as you need to keep the Brake Third at the rear of the train to act as a brake van.

Stock: 57XX, Brake Third and milk Siphons
Weather: Clear and pleasant
Duration: Approximately 50 mins.

Free Roam scenario

As this is a Free Roam scenario you must remember to ensure that the route has been set correctly to avoid being directed into sidings or derailed on junctions set against the train.

Summer Free Roam

Click on a train and take it for a drive!