Xc/wmr 170 Is Being Developed By Rivet Games

Not true (if you are a PC player). My BCC Extra paths mod added the ability to use the fast lines in Scenario Planner a few months ago.
See the BCC link at the bottom of my signature if you are interested

 

If they add the voyagers playable on MAC between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport (Manchester to Bournemouth)
Cardiff Central as ai (Cardiff to Edinburgh)
BCC as ai (Plymouth to Glasgow)

A good new XC route would be to have BCC and MML, as a new route for TSW6, Redditch and Bromsgrove to Birmingham New Street and Litchfield Trent Valley (WMR) and Birmingham New Street to Derby and Nottingham. (XC) with 170s to Nottingham and Voyagers to Derby. (No Leicester)

The XC 170s on BCC call at University and Birmingham New Street only right?

 

The Crewe based route being developed by a third party would also benefit from Voyagers greatly.

 

The 170 needs some serious work doing it's running sounds, though. The engine sound itself is okay but track and point audio is virtually non existent. Coasting it feels like a hovercraft floating over the rails.

It's also a cause of some dismay to see DTG greenlighting this for Rivet while the still have a huge number of issues to remedy on their various other routes. They should be held to account, not given more work to do.

 

There is no merging in TSW. How many times does stuff like this need to be stated?

 

A new route then.

 

It's a bitter sweet announcement...

Will be fantastic to see the Cross City Line get some well deserved attention and life put into it... And it's nice to see the 170 being given life outside of Fife Circle. It's nice to see XC finally coming to the game along with more WMR stock. And it will be nice to see more variety on the MML... And to have the older first gen lights on the Turbostar is a really nice little touch as I'm a big advocate of featuring sub classes of EMUs/DMUs.

However, this is Rivet we are talking about... If history teaches us anything, it's that every part of their content sounds good in theory, but how the product and content holds up is another story. Will the timetable be bodged together as usual? Will any of the ongoing issues from the previous 170 be resolved? Will the quality hold up?

I'd love to give them the benefit of the doubt, but one to many times Rivets products have not lived upto the hype or expectation and have felt quite deflated in terms of quality, bugs, and timetable.

It's a difficult one, but I think I'm going to stick to my guns until I see it 'holds up' so to speak. If it was any other developer I'd be buzzing with excitement... But their reputation proceeds them. I'm not writing it off forever, if, and thats a big if, I see it holds up, I think it'll be a nice pack that adds variety. But if its the usual quality I've come to expect from Rivet along with their bodged timetables, I'll give it a miss.

Overall the add on sounds good in theory, but how that actually translates to the game as a Rivet product is another thing...

 

So it's only layered onto Birmingham Cross City route. What about the Derby, Leicester and Nottingham route? Stock and license is definitely a move forward however Rivet aren't the best developers always issues with what they have released.

 

What services can we expect from New Street on either the WMR or XC 170’s?

I know the XC Cardiff - Nottingham, New St - Leicester / Cambridge / Stansted ones, plus a few random late night Stansted - Gloucester / Bristol ones..

How about WMR?

Also some TfW layers too - presumably the Birmingham International - Shrewsbury / Pwhelli / Aberystwyth ones?

 

I hope I am wrong but I wouldn't expect much, just what they can run up and down the BCC DLC (hence why the BCC on steam is not on sale!)..so what's that for XC Water Orton (is that station in the game?) - University while the WMR 170s run Birmingham to Hereford (the others in TT would be AI as they don't have that track laid)..They could add the XC 170 to MML DLC at least that'll add variety or layer onto the ECML but that'll be AI only unless they throw an EMR livery on it but they could have done that already with the Fife circle 170.

For Console players I get the anticipation as you'll get a new BCC TT but PC player already have this with a modded TT and the same rolling stock since the 170s already in the game and then some..

As for the XC license that's nice but doesn't mean a voyager, just look at the ECML DLC no 91, or anything out of Manchester, they have the Northern license yet all they can use from it is the 323.

Ive learnt in the short time with TSW is not to let my expectations get too high when they announce things as the speculation train runs wild for bare minimum, re-hashed rolling stock with no extensions.

 

WMR will primarily be the hourly Birmingham-Hereford/Worcester service. This is now done by the Class 196, but it would have been class 170 at the time the timetable is set with the 323s still running the cross city services.

 

Both XC and WMR 170s call at University and Bromsgrove

 

Not to question it as I live very far from the motherland but the latest network rail map shows XC doesnt go to Bromsgrove.. did they stop in the year when the DLC was set it?

 

Currently, they go through Bromsgrove non-stop. Believe XC will call at Birmingham New Street and University

 

if XC are owned by arriva and DTG now have the XC license does that mean they have a chiltern license too?

 

If Rivet are in any way involved with an associated timetable, I’d be amazed if it turns out to be decent. Rivet timetable efforts are abysmal.

 

This news feels like when we got the Northern 323.
And when we got more miles for said 323 just this month.

The 170 is already awesome (and a fun drive on BCC thanks to PC mods).
I'm sure many will disagree, but fresh miles for an already good train is just as good as a new train.

Now lets get the 465 into Charing Cross...

 

No, in the same way that if you buy a Freddo and you now own a Freddo, you don't own a Twix

 

Having the XC HST would be less interesting as we already have an HST in game. Having both would be nice tho.

 

Not by Rivet l hope.

l am really looking forward to seeing the Class 170 by Rivet Games. They haven’t really disappointed me in the past with previous development of locomotives apart from a few deficiencies with the loco in WCL. But please no more routes from Rivet, they don’t know where to start or what they are doing and l really hope they will just stick to developing decent locomotives in the future please.

 

This timetable better not just have auto generated timings like their previous stuff. Will be funny if this comes out but the modded timetable is still more realistic. Here's to hoping it's well made, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

Unless the XC services call at Bromsgrove additionally, six minutes from New Street to Uni or back plus some AI is not going to justify a huge price tag for this.

 

Mixing up Cadbury and Mars. Oh dear...

 

Mash them together and it would probably end up being pretty tasty

 

They apparently will be calling at Bromsgrove!

I think the pack layers the 350, 390 and a TfW train too.

Pricing will be intriguing if it only adds content to the BCC route and not places like MML..

 

If you are on PC a new timetable including amongst others the XC Class 170, is available on Train Sim Community:
https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/m...1-timetables/i6311-birmingham-cross-city-2021

There is also a BCC revamped: https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/m...enery-update-foliage-lighting-fencing-clutter

and an enhancement pack: https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/m...6-birmingham-cross-city-line-enhancement-pack

 

MML is a different route by a different dev team, this pack won't update MML timetable. Not sure why people are expecting that?

 

More of a suggestion than an expectation.

 

This is such a pointless add on in my opinion. I mean it's great BCC is getting some much needed layers but it's just such a pathetically short run to drive...

It really needs to also have content on MML for me to be interested. As it stands now I'd be hesitant to spend much more than £5 on it.

 

Two things I‘m taking from this thread:
1. I‘m looking forward to BCC finally being a busy route
2. I‘m now craving chocolate

 

Twix or Freddo

 

I'd be prepared to bet that the modded timetable will have more services with more accurate timings.

 

Pretty sure BCC is set pre Covid is it not? In any case I suspect that’s the timetable they’ll use for XC, at one point prior to 2019 they were (I’m fairly sure) 2TPH at Bromsgrove.

It won’t be as stretched as MAC but there is definitely going to need to be some reality bending to get the gameplay in, especially if AWC is there.

 

I'm looking forward to this.
My concern though is the blurry textures which seem to follow the 350 & 390 around.
I'm holding off MAC because of this (and probably Cardiff too for the layers), so hopefully this can encourage DTG to get the game in order.

 

I use the Cardiff to Birmingham route semi regularly, and I'm certain sure XC have never served Bromsgrove. I can't recall a single time in the last 15 years one has had a scheduled stop there.

 

Blurry textures are the worst on the class 380 from what I've noticed. No other train has it as bad as the 380. It may be CCL causing it tbf.

 

Must be an ECS or maybe the TSW6 base UK route. Idk.

 

They definitely have, it was Bromsgrove’ primary connection prior to the Cross City Line going out there. It’s also been used since 2019 as a terminus beyond BHM due to engineering works.

The frequency im not sure on, but for a longtime Bromsgrove was well served by XC & there was a fair bit of commotion when they stopped serving it.

 

Looked into it a little further, apparently there was a limited service of two XC trains per day in each direction (morning and evening peak), which ended when Cross City trains started running there. That would explain why I'd never heard of it, as I never travelled the route during those periods.

 

Ah yeah that was it, the issue was there was a 1+ hour gap in the peak time where WMT didn’t offer a service for Bromsgrove pre electrification.

I do wonder then what the plan will be for the XC 170 on the new timetable then, 8 services to Bromsgrove with the rest to University doesn’t scream gameplay. Maybe a non passenger stop to end services, or maybe we just get the 8.

 

Is the Rivet made 170 really all that great? I’ve heard the sounds are poor.

 

I find it's just about tolerable. My recommendation would be to never use the external cameras when taking power, as the engine sounds dreadful. I'd also never drive with the window open for the same reason.

The engine actually sounds decent when listening from the interior, although the running sounds aren't great, especially at above 80mph when it sounds like there's a swarm of mosquitos in the cab with you.

Apart from the sounds, I find the rest of the train is pretty well made. It's well modelled, the sound effects for the throttle, reverser etc are good, the physics feel realistic and it's still the only train (to my knowledge) to have automatic announcements. I'd say it's better than some of Rivet's other trains like the 385.

 

As usual with Rivet locos, the model is great but the sounds are meh.

Idling sounds are pretty good but in motion it just doesn’t sound right at all with the interaction between engine and transmission. And running sounds are pretty much nonexistent.

 

It be nice if someone could step in to sort out the neglected routes/locos in game

 

The original timetable is set in late 2019. XC used to call at Bromsgrove until July 2018 when the cross city electrification was extended to Bromsgrove, so the extra WMR 323s took away the paths used by XC to stop there. There have been some local councillors who have lobbied for some of the Cardiff-Nottingham services to go back to stopping but XC say there isn't room in the timetable. Perhaps Rivet can prove them wrong lol. There's always been some room for artistic license in timetabling to increase variety with the stock available.

The other interesting thing to look out for with the XC license back in play is whether any gaps in the timetable or clues in the PIS are left that indicate that the Voyager is coming to TSW6. This happened with the Cathcart remaster where there were hints of Avanti pendolino services that were later added as a layer once TSW5 came out.

 

Even before XC, Bromsgrove was served by the Cardiff (to Somewhere) Central Trains services. When XC took over the route, it must have been continued on until more recently, and ending when electrification happened there.

Personally, I’m not fussed about the timetable blending years together, more about the gameplay and filling a realistically busy route out in full.

 

Nope. I got a 221 from aberdeen to penzance last year. And they go from glasgow through edinburgh down east coast

 

Same for me also. The sounds on the 170 scotrail are nae gid, they sound like a 314 and 170 mixed together

 

Thanks, I’m not a PC player but it’s good to know it’s fixable! Hopefully the timetable update will enable this ability on consoles too.

 

I think either way there would need to be some reality bending cause you’re not getting all the layers announced in the new TT in without it, so who knows what service pattern we’ll see.

Hopefully the new deluxe loco we get in TSW 6 is indeed a Voyager, having both of XC’s main traction in will be huge for UK content, since they will layer into most places.