Stepford Connect

Stepford Connect
Stepford Connect's rolling stock in numerical order as of V1.10.13
Operator Information
Operation Start	25 November 2017
Operator Code	CN, SC
Minimum Price	Free
Maximum Price	3,000 Points + 200 Experience
Operations
Trains	22 current trains 3 former trains
Stations Called At	47 stations
Routes	38 routes
Depots	11 depots 5 sidings
Map

Stepford Connect, sometimes simply referred to as Connect, operates rail services to various districts around Stepford County, such as Benton, Leighton, Morganstown, Whitefield, Berrily, Stepford Airport, Llyn-by-the-Sea and Willowfield. A full journey on the main line, which runs from Stepford Central to Llyn-by-the-Sea using route R024 takes around 44 minutes to complete, which is the second longest route in the game, behind RO36, from Willowfield to Llyn-by-the-Sea.

The operator is classified as commuter rail as the intent of the services is to deliver passengers to and from major centres, indicated by the current routes, rather than being a link for intermediate stations in between some large areas like regional rail. The trains on this route reach a maximum speed of 110 MPH, and a minimum of 75 MPH, with the average being 100 MPH.

As part of a renewed franchise from 1 May 2020, this operator is now branded as Stepford Connect and bears a  bright blue (#009EE1)  colour scheme, courtesy of rail management system Transport For Stepford. Prior to the renewal, the brand was simply Connect and bore a  dark turquoise (#008F9C)  colour scheme.

History

2017

• 25th November: Services commenced, exclusively using Class 700 units, from Stepford Town (now Stepford Central) to Port Benton. Services to Stepford Airport Central began next, providing a direct link between the city and the then under-construction airport. Coxly Depot was constructed to alleviate the overcrowded Benton Depot, alongside the introduction of Class 333 units for more frequent service.
• 29th November: Class 321 units were introduced to run new services to Winstree.
• 4th December: The Connect franchise was renewed to include the WaterLine route sub-franchise. Class 357 and Class 387 units were also introduced,
• 6th December: Class 350 units were introduced. Stepford Airport Parkway received an overhaul.
• 8th December: Stepford Airport Central received an overhaul.
• 11th December: Some Class 700 units were painted into a special livery to celebrate Christmas, and Class 185 units were introduced on 13 December.
• 12th December: Bodin received an upgrade.
• 13th December: Class 185 units were introduced into service.
• 18th December: All Class 387 units were taken out of service to be repainted into the WaterLine livery, and were replaced by Class 377 units.
• 19th December: Benton Bridge received a new station façade.
• 25th December: Class 720 units were introduced.

2018

• 1st January: Class 170 units were introduced.
• 9th January: Benton was rebuilt once more to allow more trains to enter and increase capacity.
• 21st April: All Class 700 units were replaced by Class 707 units, Winstree and Winstree Depot were demolished and rebuilt as Leighton Stepford Road and Leighton Depot. Rocket Parade station was constructed in-between Water Newton and Leighton Stepford Road, and services to Leighton City commenced. St Helens Bridge was rebuilt and became a terminus for trains from Leighton City.
• 10th May: Class 380/0 and /1 units were introduced.
• 15th July: All Class 321 units were painted into a revised livery.
• 4th August: Class 365 units were proposed to be introduced.
• 31st December: Version 1.1 released, services to Stepford Victoria, Berrily, Morganstown, and Edgemead commenced, and Class 68 locomotives hauling Mark 3 coaches were introduced. The entrance leading to Platforms 11 through 15 at Stepford Central was also opened.

2019

• 28th April: Version 1.2 released, services to Stepford United Football Club and Whitefield commenced.
• 6th May: Three Million Update released, Class 331/0 and /1 units were introduced.
• 14th May: Class 158 units entered service, being the first train with Next Generation doors and interiors on the fleet.
• 29th May: All Class 185 units were upgraded with the same tech from the Class 158 units.
• 8th June: All Class 377 units were upgraded.
• 5th July: All Class 350 and Class 357 units were upgraded.
• 9th July: Class 458/5 units were introduced, already equipped with Next Generation doors and interiors.
• 29th July: All Class 707 units were upgraded.
• 7th August: All Class 68 and Mark 3 units were upgraded.
• 14th August: Class 458/0 units were introduced, already equipped with Next Generation doors and interiors.
• 31st August: All Class 170 units were upgraded.
• 17th December: Services to Westwyvern and Llyn-by-the-Sea commenced.

2020

• 22nd February: All Class 321, Class 331, Class 465, and Class 720 units were upgraded, and Faymere Green TMD was built between Faymere and Westercoast. The platforms at Stepford Central, Stepford High Street, and Benton received new decor. The entrance to Whitefield was rebuilt, and all platforms received new decor, with platform three being extended.
• 4th March: All Class 707 units were upgraded with Next Generation V2 doors and interiors.
• 11th March: All Class 333 units were upgraded with the same tech from the Class 707 units.
• 18th March: Stepford Central was rebuilt to increase capacity and discard aging infrastructure.
• 1st May: The Connect franchise was renewed to no longer include WaterLine, and was passed onto Transport For Stepford. All Class 380/0 and 380/1 units were upgraded with NGv2 doors and interiors, and became the first trains to bear the new branding introduced with the franchise renewal.
• 2nd May: Plans were revealed to retrofit all Class 170, Class 331, Class 350, Class 357, Class 377 and Class 465 units with the new branding.
• 25th May: Plans were revealed to upgrade Coxly station.
• 30th May: Plans were revealed to upgrade Stepford Victoria station.
• 2nd June: Plans were revealed to retrofit the Stepford Connect Headquarters with new branding.
• 6th June: Plans were revealed to upgrade all Class 720 units with Next Generation V2 doors and interiors and new branding.
• 16th June: Plans were revealed to introduce Class 730/1 units and new signalling equipment.
• 19th June: Plans were revealed to retrofit all Class 158 and Class 185 units with new branding.
• 22nd June: Plans were revealed and executed to commence services to Willowfield and Beechley, as well as the retrofitting of all Class 331/1 units in a Pride variant of the new livery. All Class 321, Class 333, Class 458 and Class 707 units were retrofitted with new seating and a new livery. Many Stepford Connect stations were refurbished. They include Stepford Victoria, Financial Quarter, City Hospital, Stepford Central, Stepford High Street, and Stepford UFC. All the stations west of Stepford High Street received a new station sign and Class 730 units was added to the fleet. R037 and R038 were also added.
• 14th August: Plans were revealed to remodel all Class 377 units to the mesh models. The Class 387 was also featured in the sneak peek.
• 27th September: Plans were revealed to open a previously abandoned station, Upper Staploe, to the public.
• 7th October: A sneak peek of an upgrade to Benton was revealed.
• 29th October: Stations and scenery from Benton to Leighton Stepford Road and the Morganstown Branch were upgraded. Upper Staploe opened and the remodelled Class 377 units were also introduced.

2021

• 1st January: The Class 68 received a new livery, most of the trains (except the Class 68s' Mark 3 coaches) had scrolling PISes, with the Class 331 receiving full-colour displays and the Class 707, 720 and 730 receiving monochrome displays, the Class 333 received a new door opening sound and the Class 357, Class 377 and Class 458 got a new horn.
• 19th February: R040 (Edgemead <> Llyn-by-the-Sea) was added.
• 28th March: Plans were revealed to remodel all Class 357 units to the mesh models.
• 2nd April: The remodelled Class 357 is introduced.
• 3rd July: Plans were revealed for the remodelling of the Class 333 units to the mesh models.
• 4th July: Plans were revealed for the remodelling of the Class 170 units to the mesh models.
• 7th July: The mesh Class 170 and 333 units are introduced, along with the Class 168 being introduced on services.
• 11th October: Plans were revealed for the remodelling of the Class 730 units to the mesh models.
• 14th November: Plans were revealed for the remodelling of the Class 720 units to the mesh models.
• 4th December: Plans were revealed for the introduction of a meshed Class 444 unit models.
• 5th December: The mesh Class 720 and 730 units are introduced, along with the Class 444 being introduced on services. Leighton West was also added into the network. Further updates to stations and scenery around the area from Rocket Parade to Leighton City, Westercoast and Millcastle Racecourse, as well as Elsemere Junction, Port Benton, Morganstown Docks, and the Whitefield Branch (except Stepford High Street). Financial Quarter and Stepford East were given minor upgrades. Berrily is given step-free access from the concourse. Schedules were also modified, with some routes being given the 1XXX headcode.
• 18th December: Version 1.8.1 released, with sound upgrades for the Classes 185, 350, 380, 444, 707, 720 and 730.

2022

• 19th February: The mesh Class 380 was revealed.
• 25th February: The mesh Class 707 was revealed.
• 26th February: The brand-new Class 717 was revealed.
• 27th February: Version 1.8.2 released. This update included the mesh update of the Class 185, Class 707 and the introduction of the Class 717 and the new free route, R045, replacing R009's status of free route. The aforementioned route now costs 300 Points. Also, the Class 158 receives a new horn sound. Later that same day, Version 1.8.3 was released, featuring the anticipated Class 380 upgrade.
• 23rd April: The mesh Class 458/5 was revealed to the public.
• 24th April: A sneak peek of the NGv3 upgrade to both variants of the Class 458 and the addition of a footbridge at Westercoast was released.
• 25th April: Version 1.8.4 was released, upgrading the Class 458 to NGv3 and the addition of a footbridge and a new spawn at Westercoast.
• 22nd May: A sneak peek of the NGv3 upgrade of the Class 331 and a double Class 195 was released, both on Stepford Connect.
• 25th May: Version 1.9.1 released, NGv3 upgrade to Class 331 units and new double Class 195/2 units introduced.
• 2nd June: Version 1.9.2 released, a second NGv3 upgrade to the Class 377 units and OHLE and platform curvature upgrades at Stepford East station.
• 27th August: R046 from Stepford Victoria to Airport Terminal 2 was introduced, as well as an overhaul of City Hospital and an upgrade to Coxly and its Station and Bypass sidings.
• 18th October: The meshed Class 360 joins Stepford Connect (in normal livery and 50 million visits livery) along with the Class 350 getting an upgrade to NGv3.

2023

• 6th March: Version 1.10.4 released, with a rebuilt Angel Pass and an upgrade to Stepford Victoria's platforms and concourse.
• 2nd April: Version 1.10.7 released, with a revamped St Helens Bridge station, and two new routes: R047 and R048, going from St Helens Bridge to Port Benton and Airport Terminal 2 respectively.
• 2nd November: Version 1.10.10 released, with a NGv3 upgrade to the Class 68 and Mark 3 Coaches.
• 17th November: Version 1.10.12 released, with the addition of the Class 365 and the removal of the Class 465.
• 25th November: Version 1.10.13 released, with a NGv3 upgrade to the Class 158, with a double variant added to it.

Rolling Stock

Current

Class Number	Image	Top Speed (mph)	Price (Points)	Carriages	Manufacturer	Train Family	Date Put Into Service	Date converted to NG	Date converted to NGv3	Routes Operated On
Diesel multiple-units										R001 R002 R003 R004 R005 R006 R007 R008 R009 R020 R021 R022 R023 R024 R025 R027 R028 R029 R030 R031 R032 R033 R034 R035 R037 R038 R039 R040 R041 R042 R043 R044 R045 R046 R047 R048
Class 158		90	1,500	2 (/9) 3 (/0) 4 (/7)	BREL	Express Sprinter	14 May 2019		25 November 2023
Class 168		100	1,500	4	Adtranz and Bombardier	Turbostar	7 July 2021
Class 170			1,500	3	Adtranz and Bombardier	Turbostar	1 January 2018	31 August 2019	7 July 2021
Class 185			1,500	3	Siemens	Desiro	13 December 2017	29 May 2019	27 February 2022
Class 195			500 (Requires purchasing Class 331 first)	4	CAF	Civity	25 May 2022
Electric multiple-units
Class 321		100	1,500	4	BREL	Mark 3	29 November 2017	22 February 2020	Not Meshed
Class 331				3 (/0) 4 (/1)	CAF	Civity	6 May 2019		25 May 2022
Class 333			1,500	4	Siemens and CAF	N/A	30 November 2017	11 March 2020	7 July 2021
Class 350		110	1,500	4	Siemens	Desiro	6 December 2017	5 July 2019	19 October 2022
Class 357		100	Free	4	Adtranz and Bombardier	Electrostar	4 December 2017		2 April 2021
Class 360			1,500	4	Siemens	Desiro	18 October 2022
Class 365			1,500		ABB	Networker	17 November 2023
Class 377			1,500	5	Bombardier	Electrostar	18 December 2017	8 June 2019	29 October 2020 (2 June 2022 remeshed)
Class 380			1,500	3 (/0) 4 (/1)	Siemens	Desiro	11 May 2018	1 May 2020	27 February 2022
Class 444			2,500	5	Siemens	Desiro	5 December 2021			27 routes
Class 458/0			Unlocks with /5	4	Alstom	Juniper	29 July 2019		7 July 2021	R001 R002 R003 R004 R005 R006 R007 R008 R009 R020 R021 R022 R023 R024 R025 R027 R028 R029 R030 R031 R032 R033 R034 R035 R037 R038 R039 R040 R041 R042 R043 R044 R045 R046 R047 R048
Class 458/5		75	1,500	5	Alstom	Juniper	14 August 2019
Class 707		100	300	5	Siemens	Desiro City	21 April 2018	20 July 2019	27 February 2022
Class 717		85	500	6	Siemens	Desiro City	27 February 2022
Class 720		100	1,500	5	Bombardier	Aventra	29 January 2018	22 February 2020	5 December 2021
Class 730/1		110	1,500	5	Bombardier and Alstom	Aventra	23 June 2020
Locomotive hauled stock										27 routes
Class 68		100	3,000	3	Vossloh and Stadler	UKLight	31 December 2018	8 August 2019	2 November 2023
Mark 3A		N/A	Included with Class 68	N/A	BREL	Mark 3

Former

Class Number	Image	Top Speed (mph)	Price	Carriages	Manufacturer	Train Family	Date Put Into Service	Date Withdrawn From Service	Routes Operated On	Fate
Electric multiple-units
Class 700		100	Free	6	Siemens	Desiro City	25 November 2017	21 April 2018	All routes (at that time)	Withdrawn and replaced by Class 707
Class 387		110	45 Robux	4	Bombardier	Electrostar	4 December 2017	18 December 2017		Transferred to Waterline on the 21st December 2017
Class 465		75	1,500	4	BREL, ABB and Metro-Cammell	Networker	30 November 2017	17 November 2023	All routes except R026 and R036 (at that time)	Withdrawn and replaced by Class 365

Future

• Class 156
• Class 385

Proposed

• None at the moment.

Train Models

Train Models	NGv1	NGv2 (CSG Model)	NGv3 (Mesh Model)
Percentage	5% of fleet	0% of fleet	95% of fleet
Number	1	0	19

*Main train and variants are considered one train.

Depots

Current

• Willowfield Mainline & Station Depot
• Stepford Depot (C1 & C2)
• Woodhead Lane NB & SB Depot
• Berrily Depot
• Benton Depot
• Farleigh Depot (Road 11 & 17)
• Leighton Depot
• Faymere Green NB & SB Depot
• Northshore Depot

Former

• Bodin Depot
• Coxly Depot
• Winstree Depot

Future

• None at the moment.

Sidings

Current

• Beechley Sidings
• Whitefield Siding
• Coxly Station Siding
• Coxly Bypass Siding
• Hampton Hargate Siding

Former

• Whitefield Lido Siding
• Edgemead Siding

Future

• None at the moment.

Stations

The map below is interactive: click the stations to see the pages.

Current

• Willowfield (♿︎)
• Hemdon Park (♿︎, southbound only)
• Beechley (♿︎)
• Stepford Victoria (♿︎)
• Financial Quarter (♿︎)
• City Hospital (♿︎)
• Stepford Central (♿︎)
• Stepford East (♿︎)
• Stepford High Street (♿︎)
• Whitefield Lido (♿︎)
• Stepford United Football Club (♿︎)
• Woodhead Lane (♿︎)
• Houghton Rake* (♿︎)
• Whitefield (♿︎)
• St Helens Bridge (♿︎)
• New Harrow* (♿︎)
• Elsemere Pond* (♿︎)
• Elsemere Junction (♿︎)
• Berrily (♿︎)
• East Berrily (♿︎)
• Beaulieu Park (♿︎)
• Morganstown (♿︎)
• Angel Pass (♿︎)
• Bodin (♿︎)
• Coxly (♿︎)
• Benton (♿︎)
• Port Benton (♿︎)
• Benton Bridge (♿︎)
• Stepford Airport Parkway (♿︎)
• Stepford Airport Central (♿︎)
• Airport Terminal 2 (♿︎)
• Hampton Hargate (♿︎)
• Upper Staploe* (♿︎)
• Water Newton
• Rocket Parade (♿︎)
• Leighton Stepford Road (♿︎)
• Leighton City (♿︎)
• Leighton West (♿︎)
• Edgemead (♿︎)
• Faymere (♿︎)
• Westercoast (♿︎)
• Millcastle Racecourse* (♿︎)
• Millcastle (♿︎)
• Westwyvern (♿︎)
• Starryloch* (♿︎)
• Northshore (♿︎)
• Llyn-by-the-Sea (♿︎)

* = Limited-service station

Former

• Winstree (♿︎)

Future

• None at the moment.

Trivia

• This is the first operator in SCR and is therefore the oldest operator in the whole game.
• This operator has the biggest fleet and operates to the most stations in the game. It also has the most routes (with 38 out of 69) in the game.
• This is the only operator with more than one Electrostar train in its fleet.
• This operator has the most spawning locations as well as depots.
• Some of the stations were originally purposed to be on Metro which was later cancelled.
  • The stations were soon transferred to Connect instead with the exceptions of the Metro Loop stations (excluding Stepford Victoria Branch stations).
• In V1.5, the Class 380 was the only train with the new livery on this operator, with the other trains receiving the new livery in V1.6.
• Waterline was a former part of this operator and some believe that Stepford Express is currently part of this operator too, although this has never been confirmed or denied.
• This operator, along with Waterline, were the last operators to see their trains upgraded to NGv1.
• Prior to V1.9, this was the only operator without a hub or base for all routes.
  • However, after the aforementioned update, Stepford Express began to stop at Newry and Newry Harbour, making it the second operator without a hub.
• It is the only operator to serve all Network Rail stations before they receive the Transport For Stepford sign in V1.6.
  • As of V1.10.1, Stepford Connect is the only operator to serve all Transport For Stepford owned stations.
• There are still remnants of the old Connect branding hidden around the map, such as station colour schemes at Whitefield Lido (prior to V1.8) and Ashlan Park (prior to V1.9.1).
• Prior to V1.10, this was the only operator where no trains in the fleet can operate on every single route, due to 2 of the routes (R026 and R036) being exclusive to Class 68 and Class 444, while these trains are banned from operating on a number of other routes as well.
  • But as of V1.10, AirLink is also the operator where no trains in the fleet can operate on every single route, with the addition of the Class 345, which is exclusive to run on R060.
• Excluding variants, all trains costs 1,500 points except the Class 68 (3,000 points + 200 experience), Class 357 (Free), Class 707 (300 points), Class 717 (500 points) and the Class 444 (2,500 points).
• Stepford Connect operates two of the shortest routes in the game, this is Edgemead to Leighton West (R041) and Leighton City to Leighton West (R043) with a total of 2 stops respectively.
  • Before V1.8, the shortest route in the game was Stepford Victoria to Beechley (R029) with a total of 3 stops.
• Prior to V1.8.2, R009 was also a free route. With the release of the aforementioned version, R045 was added and replaced R009's status of free route, which costs 300 points.
• Since V1.10, Stepford Connect is the only operator that does not have any named routes.
• The livery of this operator has been criticised on some trains to wrap around to the front of the train, making it difficult to see at night. Examples include the Class 717 and Class 730.