Airdrie to Bathgate: Suburban Glasgow Extension
22nd April 2025Airdrie to Bathgate: Suburban Glasgow Extension
UPDATE: Extended to Newbridge Junction. 2 New Stations: Livingston North and Uphall. Special thanks to Sean Gallagher for laying the track in this section. Bathgate depot is now wired.
Bathgate, what an illustrious place… ah who am I kidding, I somehow managed to make it look better here than in real life. That says everything you need to know about it.
The Airdrie to Bathgate Extension is a free extension to the payware Suburban Glasgow Northwest route, expanding the route by 15 miles and taking you through a mostly rural landscape on your way towards Bathgate. 5 new stations are included with Drumgelloch, Caldercruix, Blackridge, Armadale and Bathgate joining the roster and pushing this route further towards Edinburgh. In addition, an update adds Livingston North and Uphall pushing the route 9 miles closer to Edinburgh. In total this brings the extension to around 24 miles of new route. With new bridge assets created by MaxTracks, these stations bode a unique look compared to other standard Scotrail stations. Other landmarks include Hillend Loch, Bathgate LMD and various other scenic locations along the way.
This project started as a challenge to see how quickly I could build a route and have it look reasonable from the driving cab. The route was completed within 3-4 months and looks better than I had intended it to, but it should be emphasised that this route is intended to be viewed from the cab. Viewing it from other angles may produce unintended effects. This remains true for the extension to this extension. It took an extra month to complete.
This route has a number of requirements, all of these are essential to the route working as intended. As per usual AGDev Policy, support will not be given to those who do now own all the requirements listed below:
REQUIREMENTS:
- Suburban Glasgow Northwest + Airdrie Extension (Base Route)
- JT Common Library
- ATS Common Library
- DTG Southampton to Bournemouth
- DTG Fife Circle
- DTG Portsmouth Direct
- ATS OHLE Pack
NOTE: Looking on TSTools will show other reqs for some reason, so please ignore this listing, it does not affect the route experience.
Also included are two original scenarios, and 3 stock swapped and expanded versions of scenarios included in the original route.
SCENARIO REQUIREMENTS:
- Armstrong Powerhouse Class 321 Electric Multiple Unit Pack
- Armstrong Powerhouse Class 318 Electric Multiple Unit Pack
- Armstrong Powerhouse Class 66 Enhancement Pack + Dependencies
- Armstrong Powerhouse Class 156 Diesel Multiple Unit Pack
- MaxTracks Mk5 Sleeper Coach Pack
- MKS Class 460 + Airline Reskin (ONLY REQUIRED IN CERTAIN FREE ROAMS BUT STILL WORTH MENTIONING)
A brief reminder needs to go out about this being my first proper venture into route building without there having been any scenery there prior, so the route will not look perfect and this may show in some places. There are a number of issues known in the current release, though updates to these may not be immediate as some rely on the help of other individuals. The ones known are as follows:
- The OHLE is basic and not accurate to the route in real life
- Certain minor scenery issues
CREDITS
- Agdron – Main Route Builder
- MaxTracks – Creation of footbridge assets, platform assets and assistance in source
- Sean Gallagher – Laying the track between Livingston North, Uphall and eventually Newbridge Junction
To install: Copy the Content and Assets folder to your Railworks Directory
Enjoy
Though I don’t have the ATS library yet (costs me double what the UK gets right now LOL), I am happy to see this route done. If not for the ATS assets this could actually go on the Workshop as the stations up to and even beyond Bathgate had station signage included in the payware offering, so it seems an extension was suspected when this released, meaning those stations are valid for Workshop (unless you also changed the signage LOL).
One thing Iain did include in his freeware 2017ish route was the Cumbernauld area, which I can ascertain by the fact some UKTS scenarios existed to and from there (which adds Greenfaulds, Gartcosh, Steppes, and Robroyston). This adds some Class 385 services to the options). It would be nice to next see this extension built on. Some services go to Falkirk Grahamston (i.e. 2J73 1036 Falkirk Grahamston to Glasgow Queen Street), but those that terminate at Cumbernauld also have empty stock moves to prep for the next Glasgow Queen service through Springburn. This would provide another huge addition for service options in scenarios should you pop over to there. With Gartcosh added, maybe going down to Whifflet is a good terminus for trackage purposes?
The route wouldn’t be valid for workshop as it uses custom built assets throughout the whole route, but also the fact that I don’t want to put this route onto workshop. It will already likely be put on TSCommunity when completed and on my own site (once the site builder stops trying to force AI site builders down my throat). The Cumbernauld line is not in scope for this project, hence it’s name: “Airdrie to Bathgate”. Besides that, it is way more work which I am not willing to do at this current time, especially with the potential of this going ever so slightly further East. I’d rather keep my head screwed on and focus on what strict guidelines I’ve set out for myself than spend eons on a massive ambitious project which will never see the light of day
I was not aware you used additional custom assets. That would indeed cause problems. I do agree that the Workshop can be too limiting, but as far as Steam cares, they want anything in their Workshop to be offered by them. While I understand it, the wide array of other assets makes it too limiting, indeed. By all means stick with here and TSC, many in the Discord server browse both. =)
As for scope, yes, if you intend to continue east, please do so. I hope Cumbernauld shows up somewhere in the future as this would be a great adidtion, either from you or someone else. I’ve always wanted a full Argyle Line DLC with a custom Anderston added, as well, and we had it for free before Suburban Glasgow got split up. Would be nice to have it back on another project (again, outside the scope of this one!).
The Argyle Line does actually have a project relevant to it. If you look on Steam Workshop for the Suburban Glasgow Merge it should be in that version. Scenery up to Whifflet has been completed in that version and is done by the original creator Iain Mackay
A very nice addition to the line, thanks for all the work! (and all that’s to come appearently 😉 )
Wait, what’s coming that I haven’t heard about?
Congratulations,a really good extension. The scenery you created was very realistic, can we expect a connection thru’ to Edinburgh!!!
Dumps
is it a add on.in game.or new route?.thx
its an add on to the suburban glasgow route with airdrie, glasgow and more
Ok thx
i used to live in armadale and i always wanted the part of the line in ts and its finally came thanks so much im really exited to play it