London Underground Bakerloo Line review ~ Train Sim World 3

The Bakerloo Line is a 14.4 mile-long rapid transit line in the UK's capital city, running from Elephant & Castle to Harrow & Wealdstone with services provided by the London Underground 1972 stock; the oldest tube trains still in regular passenger service.
This add-on was first released in August 2020 as part of the TSW2 package. While it's cool to have the London Underground (or any rapid-transit/metro system) represented in TSW, the route choice is still underwhelming due to its linear nature. Not helping the situation are the reused sounds on the 1972 stock.

[@LondonEmergency999]

To be fair to DTG, the Bakerloo line is so noisy you can barely hear the announcements while the train is moving. Sometimes they're not even on. They're half nailed the immersion :P

[@RC-pj1pr]

Haha I always find myself humming Gerry Rafferty whenever I’m around Baker St, but never do the same for ABBA when passing by Waterloo!

[@NathTrains]

8:16 It kind of is. The gap is rather obnoxious in real life...

[@Atrail_Mckinley4786]

I agree with this review. Whilst I do enjoy playing the Bakerloo line, compared to other simulators such as Openbve or World Of Subways 3, the tsw Bakerloo line is a basic rendition of the real life counterpart. From trains clipping into the platform at several stations, using incorrect sounds, no passenger announcements, basic scenery, inaccurate lighting at some stations, getting wheelslip in the tunnels when it is raining when water wouldn’t/shouldn't be able to get onto the tracks, Piccadilly Circus not having a curved platform and having massive gap sepreating the two tracks when they don't in real life and the overall linear nature of the route, it’s hard to recommend unless you are interested in metro/subway lines. DTG did actually plan to make the Piccadilly Line, but they didn't because the route was too complex or hard for them to make, hence why they made the Bakerloo line

[@DC4260Productions]

I didn't know that Piccadilly Circus had a curved platform in real life. I can't believe Dovetail left such a monumental error in the final product (there's no excuses for this sort of thing, especially if they actually went to the real station to gather reference material). Just goes to show how little they really care about making a quality product. Or at least, an accurate product. I managed to find a photograph of the real Bakerloo platforms at Piccadilly Circus (www.flickr.com/photos/mr_mikage/52582767543/in/album-72157719598873133/).

[@Atrail_Mckinley4786]

​@thetrainspotterfromtauranga769 Another error DTG made is that regents Park doesn't have a curved platform yet DTG adds a curved platform. Here are videos of the two stations to show how inaccurate the modeling of the stations are. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGG3gXeXZ72IgpYsi=2tbClZzcQ2OJhkNE kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5yrlauIh7uDqJYsi=zcLakm8DoxmuH8rE

[@DC4260Productions]

Dovetail Logic - Let's not bother adding a curve to the station that has one in real life (Piccadilly Circus), while simultaneously adding curved platforms to Regent's Park when it doesn't have them irl. I'm sure the kids and fanboys (the only people we ever seem to care about, even if only for the money) will never notice this issue. As for the dedicated railfans, they can just get banished to the shadow realm for all we care. You know, this company makes no sense to me.

[@Atrail_Mckinley4786]

@@DC4260Productions It would be nice if dovetail went back and sorted out some of that stuff, but they won't. The massive gap at waterloo station between the train and the platform is unrealistic and I've fallen onto the tracks when trying to board a train for instance. I don't get how DTG can get things like that wrong to be honest

[@motta9784]

The worst station in my opinion on the line is how they represented Paddington, you should be able to see the tunnels at both ends of both platforms, but they have put too much curvature especially on the southbound platform

[@velogoo]

Same old DTG story for me - so close yet so far, a few relatively simple improvements to gameplay, sounds etc would massively improve immersion and playability

[@Frowny13]

So I guess the bakerloo line isn’t all that good then. I played this route a few years back when we were still in the Train Sim world 2 era, and I thought it was okay but it got boring very quickly because of it’s linearity. That being said, I’m almost surprised they haven’t done a subway route since. You would’ve thought they would’ve done a New York subway route by now, as that system is almost as iconic as the London underground. Although maybe it’s best that dovetail don’t do it as they’ll probably squander it as they’ve done with a lot of other add-ons. If someone were to make a New York subway route, I think the best one to start with would be the A, C, and E lines as those all run parallel to each other, and you have multiple branches and the ability to run either express or local services. Not to mention really nice scenery in the overground sections.

[@DC4260Productions]

Any NYC subway route would be fine by me, as long as it isn't just the 42nd Street Shuttle. The only line on that network that I'm even vaguely familiar with is the 7, due entirely to World of Subways 4.

[@Frowny13]

If you ever go to New York, you should seriously check out all the other fascinating locations on the subway. It's a great system.

[@Atrail_Mckinley4786]

I hope they never make a nyc subway route. They would mess it up so badly

[@laurentyves9538]

I noticed that one advertisement on the bakerloo line was by a real company, I don't know if that company really sponsored

[@TB76Returns]

Really, I was never super interested in this route, even in TSW2. I would of preferred the Victoria line with the 2009 stock, something nice and modern. I scarcely touch this route really nowdays. Oh and 8:16, Mind the Gap indeed!

[@DC4260Productions]

Personally, I think the Victoria Line wouldn't be a good choice for a TSW route, because the 2009 stock uses ATO (and the entire passenger-carrying section is underground).

[@TB76Returns]

@@DC4260ProductionsWell yeah you're right, in that case, the Jubilee Line

[@seandacosta]

@@TB76Returnsthat also uses ATO

[@benniethai7829]

I was going to buy the add on but after this review I won’t, however the London commuter route by Dovetail is very good and easy to use. The Southern network is filled with realistic routes and timetables. Yes ! I have slowed down at several local stations and they are spot on 🎉

[@wenlongan9527]

I wonder if you can still hear the rain sounds in the tunnels?

[@MegaTrainlover]

The biggest disappointment for me on the route was the lack of curved platforms at Piccadilly Circus. Also the lack of announcements are annoying too.

[@ricardoo9978]

I think World of Subways vol. 3 was absolutely spot on compared to the bakerloo line. The announcements are such a disappointment when it comes to TSW. I don't think such a big effort to make it, and it adds a lot to the game play

[@giovannij8514]

I wonder if the 1972 stock and the 1938 stock are friends or not.

[@LondonEmergency999]

Also, another thing that bugs me is the doors all closing in time with one another, when on the real units they're very out of sync and you always hear slamming for a few seconds as they all shut independently from one another. They're also far too clean on the outside, and need the obligatory sanded paint surface on the front where graffiti was removed and missing white vinal on the side revealing the black layer of paint beneath.

[@DC4260Productions]

I've seen footage of the real 1972 stock, and not all of the units are anywhere near as clean as they are in TSW. Perhaps TfL didn't want the weathered units to appear in the game.

[@flox1514]

I like this addon and should get more subways

[@Aleksandar6ix]

It would be better if you could actually see something in the tunnels and hear the subway announcements. What's tough is not being able to see what's coming in the tunnels. But I do indeed miss WoS3, which was the reason I picked up TSW to begin with

[@TheSimulatorGuy2003]

I bought train sim world 2 for 11$ and got all three base routes

[@LC25av]

Now buy tsw4

[@LorenstaubHD]

I got it for free

[@StrikeEagle78]

Congratulations! You bought the best version of this game. The next couple of iterations are DTG garbage at its best.

[@thisis_mudchute]

@@StrikeEagle78tsw5 is the best (thats only because it's free)

[@EuropeanRailfanAlt]

I bought TSW2 back in 2021 for 5€, then upgraded to TSW5 in September with the free starter pack

[@clairehislop5873]

Wonder if World of Subways would make the Glasgow Subway route (btw I know Train Simulator has it)

[@Steamteamrailworks88]

(Trying not to include Underground Ernie references)

[@DC4260Productions]

That was something I had considered, but I thought it would be too predictable.

[@clairehislop5873]

Childhood memories of that show😅

[@melbournetransport15]

Would it be possible to use another rolling stock on the tube? Say off the rails

[@DC4260Productions]

I've never tried it myself, because the only trains that fit in the tunnels are the 1938 and 1972 stock. You could use 'off the rails' in the scenario planner to run a London Overground train north of Queens Park, as they do in real life.

[@MyUnoriginalUsername]

Yeah up can drive trains that don't fit in the tunnels, getting in and out of the train can cause issues though

[@AdamsTrains]

If there was a tube line you wanted Dovetail to add, what would it be?

[@DC4260Productions]

Piccadilly or Central.

[@seandacosta]

@@DC4260ProductionsCentral line uses ATO, so it wouldn’t be possible (most likely)