TSW3 Launches 1st route – Birmingham Cross-City

The Cross-City Line will see players operate the Class 323 between Bromsgrove, Redditch and Lichfield via Birmingham New Street.

KENT, U.K. Nov. – Today, Thursday 17th November, sees Birmingham added to Train Sim World 3, with the launch of the UK Birmingham Starter Pack. This release, which includes the in-game Training Center and the Birmingham Cross-City Line add-on, allows new players to jump straight into Train Sim World 3, without requiring any previous Train Sim World purchases.

The route, also available separately for existing Train Sim World 3 players via the Birmingham Cross-City Line add-on, brings Britain’s second city and 37 miles of West Midlands commuter services to the game, which released back in September. Players will take the Class 323, familiar to Birmingham locals and known for its distinctive traction motor sounds, between Lichfield, Bromsgrove and Redditch and past landmarks of the region such as the Cadbury Factory at Bournville and under the famous motorway interchange ‘Spaghetti Junction’.

Along the way, a distinctly ‘Brummie’ theme sees the in-route collectibles take the form of licensed Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bars and decorative planters in the shape of the Birmingham’s bull emblem. These are hidden for players to find throughout the route, which is otherwise dressed with architecture indicative of Birmingham’s suburban and industrial landscapes and is visually very different from the game’s previous route locations in Kent, California and mid-Germany. The recent redevelopment of Birmingham University’s station – the only dedicated university station in Britain – has already been implemented into the game, meaning locals can get a feel for what the revamped station buildings will look like before it opens fully in the coming months.
 

As well as being released as Train Sim World 3’s first route add-on, Birmingham Cross-City will also be available as part of a UK Birmingham Starter Pack, which includes the Training Center and can be purchased as a standalone release, without requiring the base game. New players can use the Training Center to get to grips with their new Class 323 electric multiple unit (EMU) and explore the core game’s latest improvements, including new weather and lighting features, the dynamic weather system and beautiful volumetric skies.

Existing players with a healthy back catalogue of British Train Sim World content will also be able take advantage of other locomotives, such as the recently released RHTT ‘Railhead Treatment Train’ and those from Compatible add-ons such as the GWR Class 43 HST, Northern Trans-Pennine Mk2 Coaches and Tees Valley Line Class 37. Owning a combination of these previous add-ons introduces additional services to the Birmingham Cross-City timetable.
 

Train Sim World 3: Birmingham Cross-City add-on will also bring new challenges beyond its dense timetabling and frequent station stopping, such as taking on the Lickey Incline – Britain’s steepest, sustained main-line railway incline, which still tests the skills of today’s freight drivers in the real world.
 

Birmingham Cross-City marks the first in a number of planned route and locomotive add-ons for Train Sim World 3 – another UK route is currently being worked on by third-party developer Rivet Games. Beyond Britain, both a US route and locomotive are in the works as well as two German routes, so there’ll be plenty more machines to master in the future.
 

Developed and published by Dovetail Games, Train Sim World 3: Birmingham Cross-City add-on is now available for Windows PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles. The add-on, which requires prior purchase of Train Sim World 3, is available for purchase digitally on Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, and Microsoft Store for £29.99/€35.99/$39.99.
 

Train Sim World 3: UK Birmingham Starter Pack which includes Training Center and the Birmingham Cross-City add-on, is available as a standalone release for £29.99/€35.99*/$39.99.

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