⚠️ [ALPHA] Siemens Desiro UK Expansion: Class 360 & Class 450

DEVELOPMENT STATUS: EARLY ALPHA
This expansion pack is currently in active alpha development. Geometry, cab controls, sounds, and texture mapping are work-in-progress and subject to frequent updates. Expect placeholder elements while coach interiors and coupling systems are finalized!

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Following up on the Desiro City fleet (700/707/717), we are stepping back to the legendary first-generation Siemens Desiro UK family that revolutionized British regional rail in the early 2000s.

This pack brings two iconic, distinct configurations to life: the sleek, aerodynamic Class 360 overhead AC express unit, and the rugged, gangway-fronted Class 450 third-rail commuter workhorse.

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⚡ The Trains in Development

🔵 British Rail Class 360 — The East Anglian / Midland Express

• Real-Life Role: Originally built for First Great Eastern (later Greater Anglia) to operate $100\text{ mph}$ fast services out of London Liverpool Street to Clacton, Ipswich, and Colchester. Later refurbished and cascaded to East Midlands Railway (EMR Connect) for electric services between St Pancras and Corby.
• Distinct Exterior Styling: Unlike the 450, the Class 360 features a sleek, full-width aerodynamic cab front without an end corridor gangway.
• Traction & Roof Detail:
  • Dedicated $25\text{ kV AC}$ single-arm high-speed Brecknell Willis pantograph mounted atop the intermediate Trailer Pantograph (TPO) car.
  • Recessed roof well housing high-voltage vacuum circuit breakers (VCB) and roof conduits.
• Coach-by-Coach Interior Layout:
  • DMSO (Driving Motor): Spacious forward cab with wrap-around desk, original Siemens analogue gauges mixed with early digital display units, and an adjacent dedicated First Class compartment with plush 2+1 seating.
  • PTSO (Pantograph Trailer): Fitted with the iconic curved PRM-compliant universal accessible toilet pod and adjacent priority seating bays.
  • TSO (Trailer Standard Open): Dense 2+2 regional express seating with overhead parcel shelves and deep luggage stacks.

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🔴 British Rail Class 450 — The South West Commuter Backbone

• Real-Life Role: The quintessential South West Trains / South Western Railway outer-suburban unit. Runs heavily coupled services out of London Waterloo across Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire down to Portsmouth Harbour, Southampton, Basingstoke, and Alton.
• Distinct Exterior Styling: Built with flat-faced cab ends featuring full operational gangway connections, allowing passengers and crew to walk between multiple coupled 4-car units.
• Traction & Roof Detail:
  • Pure $750\text{ V DC}$ third-rail collection shoes modeled on the bogies.
  • Clean, continuous roofline without high-voltage equipment, complete with authentic air conditioning modules and exhaust grilles.
• Coach-by-Coach Interior Layout:
  • DMSO (Driving Motor Standard): Authentic 450 driver desk complete with AWS flower, DRA switch, and gangway viewing mirrors.
  • Suburban 3+2 Seating: Replicating the high-density peak-commuter layout in authentic SWT blue/swirl or SWR moquettes.
  • Accessibility & Multi-Use Coach: Mid-rake coach with dedicated wide-aisle wheelchair positions, emergency call buttons, companion seats, and cycle storage straps.
  • First Class Section: Partitioned section featuring wider 2+2 seating, reading lights, and anti-macassars.

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🚧 Current Alpha Roadmap & Progress

Feature	Class 360 Status	Class 450 Status
Exterior 3D Shell	🟢 Complete	🟢 Complete
Bogies & Shoe Gear	🟢 Complete	🟢 Complete
Roof & Pantograph	🟡 Rigging In Progress	🟢 Complete (Clean Roof)
Cab Desks & Glazing	🟡 Texturing Desk	🟡 Modeling Gangway Door
Interiors (Standard)	🟡 Seating Layout Placed	🟡 Seating Layout Placed
Accessible Toilet Pod	🔴 In Modeling Queue	🔴 In Modeling Queue
Coupling / Gangways	N/A (Solid Aerodynamic Nose)	🟡 Gangway Bellows in Rigging
Audio & Traction Motors	🔴 Placeholder Desiro Sounds	🔴 Placeholder Desiro Sounds

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🛠️ Testing & Feedback

Because this pack is in Alpha, your feedback on scaling, seat alignments, and texture accuracy is vital!

• Report any model clipping, missing faces, or bounding box glitches in our Discord tracker.
• If you have reference photos of the cab desks or toilet modules, feel free to drop them in the dev channel to help finalize the interior detailing.