Route Peak Forest Railway: Ambergate – Chinley & Buxton Feedback Thread

Ah, nice. Thanks. That looks exactly like what I was looking for.

 

Has anyone managed to get gold on the Buxton midland -Manchester central 09.13 local ? I keep getting silver, but I think I can improve my braking a bit.

 

Am not seeing any other active Peak Forest (feedback) thread, so I think replying to this one is the right move.

So I’ve just done the semi-fast Manchester-London service in the third Journey chapter, and it’s actually only drivable to Matlock. No biggie, I figured, because I’ve been hearing that Ambergate wasn’t a super huge station and many trains didn’t stop there. But then, my train got taken over by AI and actually stopped at Ambergate, with a full passenger boarding sequence and everything.
My question: Is there any explanation why we can’t be in control all the way to Ambergate and have to hand over to AI earlier?

 

Not sure, actually. I’m pretty sure the one time I stayed on board as a passenger after Matlock, my train did not call at Ambergate just as expected. Maybe this one was erroneously cut short for the player? There are a couple of trains in the timetable you do drive to Ambergate, as far as I remember, so I guess a mistake might have crept in.

 

If so, that mistake is very unfortunate. You can count the amount of services that end at Ambergate on one hand. In fact, there are only 4 according to WonterRail’s PDF timetable. So each playable service that would normally serve Ambergate, but is erroneously cut short at Matlock, essentially reduces the available gameplay at Ambergate in the timetable by a massive amount.

Edit: While the amount of playable services terminating at Ambergate is still quite low, I’ve discovered that the timetable service selection often displays wrong info. There are quite a few services that go all the way to Ambergate instead of terminating at Matlock like the selection screen states. The longer service durations are a good giveaway though (15-20min longer than services that actually end at Matlock). I recommend using WonterRail’s PDF timetable, which seems to have the correct data.

 

…it really is rather lovely.

 

Without a doubt.

Just a shame that…
1. It didn’t got to Derby.
2. DTG didn’t follow up with more loco/stock train packs and a better timetable.
3. It looks as if the Class 104 DMU project which would have given a boost to the route is dead as a dodo.

 

Agreed! However for me the 'golden age' of TSW was NTP and TVL where, apart from the glaring omission of Bishop Auckland in the latter, they did follow up with great loco/stock packs.

 

Of course to me the biggest shame is that the actual steam simulation was never finished. Modders could create a better timetable; they can't rework the steam simulation.

 

Maybe we'll get another update on that in the Dovetail Direct... I hope

It's just a little frustrating for me, at least, as I've been putting off playing the route properly until I can have the 'full' experience

 

How does this stack up compared to spirit of steam witch I love that route.

 

I love the route. Despite the timetable being a bit dead similar to SOS. The route is beautifully built IMO. It's got some interesting gradients and some awesome scenery. If you liked SOS I'd definitely give it a go.

The 4F has it's issues like steam physics but under 25mph it sounds great. And it does a few interesting bits and pieces

 

Did they ever update Peak Forest as promised? When an update was announced, I bought it discounted. Although I haven't got round to playing it yet.

 

…I’m sure it’s been said that it’s still in development but was removed from the Roadmap in order to manage peoples expectations, fair enough… can’t wait for it personally !

 

The only fix we ever got for PFR was lowering of safeties on the 4F. It was well and truly buried. And unfortunately I think anything promised with the 104 may have also vapourised

 

Sadly PFR was released to the usual fanfare but now lies buried in the dusty corner with all the other abandoned DLC.

As regards the 104, well with hindsight it was definitely wrong for DTG to tease it on the basis of a screen dump from a 3D modelling programme. They should have dug a bit deeper into the viability of the developer and their intentions before ever making it public.

 

No.

 

It is a shame as there is so much potential, even with the route as it is. Ok so they don't want to give us new locomotives (really need some Rats) but surely just make green reskins of the 47, 45, 40 and 37 along with the 101 and give us a busier timetable and it would make so many folks happy (myself included).

I like the route but the steam is not even close to fun to drive, add in some wurzel burning machines and for a fair few of us it will really open up