While the forthcoming Riviera and South Devon Banks route for TSW6 is a most welcome addition to the collection, it can’t be denied that ultra modern operations with GWR Class 802 Cucumbers and XC Class 220 Voyagers is not the most appealing traction to drive across it. Part of the appeal of a route like this is hauling heavy trains with just enough power to make it over the banks. So I would like to propose that DTG look fairly quickly at making a retro timetable set in an earlier era. Obviously ignoring the modern, rationalised infrastructure particularly signalling as prior to the mid 80’s most of the route was still controlled by manual signalboxes and Absolute Block. Several time periods could be considered… Early 1970’s: Internal WR loco hauled services operated by Class 52 Westerns. Inter regional services Class 45 (or 47). In reality these would likely have been steam heat Class 45/0’s or Class 46’s but hey ho. Freight Class 31 with the occasional Class 37. Local services. Well these would have to be represented by the Class 101 though not really accurate for the area and time. Additional loco could be a Class 42 or Class 43 Warship. A real crowd pleaser and they did sound slightly different to the Westerns. Also consider a Class 119 or Class 120 DMU as these would be more at home on the local services. Also need some blue/grey Mark Ones. Mid to Late 1980’s A very rich period. Internal Western Region services mostly worked by Paxman Valenta HST’s but with some residual loco hauled services. Class 47 (or Class 50 which would be an iconic addition to the DLC). Inter regional, Class 47 (occasional Class 45/1) but now Mark Two stock both aircon and non aircon. Freight largely Class 47/3 but with Class 33 on traffic from Meldon Quarry to and from the Southern. Local services a rich mix. Depending on the year, Class 155’s (could be retasked from the 153’s) on the ,longer distance Provincial Express services. Class 142 Pacers on the Exeter area services though these were displaced by heritage DMU’s mainly Class 108. Additional loco got to be the Class 50 maybe the 108 and the HST would need reworking into its earlier guise and sound set. Mid to Late 2000’s. Still HST’s on the internal FGW services apart from the overnight sleeper train. Cross Country Voyagers and HST’s on some trains. Local services a mix of 158’s covering the long distance stuff with 142’s, 143’s, 150’s and 153’s. Freight mainly Class 66, possibly Class 37 on clay workings to and from Cornwall. They could all work without any extra stock, apart maybe from blue grey Mark Ones, but even better with the additional trains.
Liam's HST Farewell Pack could give a little glimpse of the mid to late 2000s suggestion with more use of HSTs as they were when still doing services from London.
I can't say yes please nearly loudly enough. The Warships were seen around Devon several times an hour during the early 1970s. More variety in first generation dmus is desperately needed at this point, because even though the 101s got almost everywhere for the best part of 40 years, they were not the common type on many lines. First generation dmus should be easy to achieve in many classes as the vast majority were either AEC or Leyland engined which means that the physics and sounds are pretty standard with just the model building requiring time from devs. Even then, the majority simply had slight variations of the standard Derby bodywork, with a few others based heavily on the existing Mk1 coach design. It would be fantastic to begin to see the missing first generation dmus and diesel-hydraulic locomotives coming through development. The Valenta HSTs and class 50s are long overdue as well. We really need DTG and the third party developers to begin a program of loco DLC launches to fill the many gaps that still exist after all this time.
The other DMU type in the Exeter area were the B&RCW Class 118's. Very similar to the Pressed Steel Class 117 suburban DMU's which worked London and Reading area suburban services, so either type would have dual potential to represent that type of operation.
And ,I believe, the Class 122 as well. It would surely be very easy to create multiple correct classes for existing routes in parallel during development owing to the many similarities between the majority of types. Only a few were to differing designs and/or with different engines, e.g. Class 105s and Rolls Royce powered types respectively.
The Valenta HST and Class 50 option would be my choice here. I'd love another heritage DMU too, but would settle for the Skipper 142 being used instead if we got a Class 50.
Yes, I’m really struggling to understand how we have got this far without a Class 50, Class 56 and HST Valenta. With JTs Preston to Crewe also on the horizon, I would hope and expect the latter two to make an appearance sooner rather than later.
