Route Riviera Line: Exeter – Plymouth & Paignton (incl. Class 150 & 802) - Feedback

Indeed. NTA to PLY is not as scenic from the cab as sitting in the train and of course what you can see is hindered by the accurate depiction of Network Rail’s linear forest! In some respects going to Exmouth (and maybe Crediton too) would have created more of a Devon Metro feel to the route. Not to mention self containing the service and allowing a bit of delay to build up on the single track sections.

 

I tend to use the external camera on the Plymouth to Newton Abbott section to make the most of it - the scenery is very well done imo, just harder to appreciate it from the cab view.

 

I've gone back to Shap, a route I thought I was ready to abandon.

Riviera is a nice route, but I've come to realise its not the sort to play every day - 60mph for an hour in a 125mph train gets boring very quickly.

 

I don't think the route is quiet though, particularly if you're layered up. On the core section, you'll see, per hour

1 IET to Plymouth
1 Voyager to Plymouth
2 locals to Paignton
0.5 IET/HST to Plymouth
~0.5 IET/Voyager to Paignton
Irregular freight, engineering, railtours, RHTT, ECS

That's a train every 10-12 mins on average, with lots of variety of train. There are certainly much quieter routes.

 

I don’t think you can say the route is quiet when it’s almost a 1:1 representation of the working timetable. Not all services are overtaken at Dawlish Warren, because they simply just don’t in reality.

I love the contrast of the slower and faster bits of the route, and while Newton Abbot-Plymouth doesn’t have the breathtaking scenery of the first half of the route, I’ve loved learning the gradients of Dainton and Rattery, knowing when to coast / apply power and keep on the brake. It’s a good challenge. I really, really hope we revisit this part of the UK, whether it’s a bit more of the Cornish Mainline, for example Plymouth-Liskeard with the Gunnislake / Looe branches included.

The only criticisms that people can see is that route is doing exactly what it is in reality. That’s the service level, they are the speed limits and that’s what the scenery is like. You can’t blame DTG for that, other than building the route in the first place. It’s still my favourite, and will take a lot to knock it off its perch now.

 

There’s much quieter routes, I grant you of that.

it does feel like this is a route that has been based off the winter not summer timetable. But, perhaps that is just me being more unfamiliar with it than I think I am.

the fact there’s no HST to Paignton (I know Castle Class HST has been there) and that there are no Class 47 rail tours is a bit disappointing.

it is a good route. It’s a shame though that the only TSW6 competition it has is Birmingham Crewe which is considerably worse!!!

 

Are the timetables not somewhat seasonal? Certainly in terms of services outside the regular service pattern. And there are a few Paignton trains from both Paddington and Birmingham which suggests summer services.

 

There are though, granted it uses the WSR 47

 

Wasn’t aware. Had thought they’d use 47484 or one of the others.

 

Yeah, it's an example of how successful that pack was that it doesn't even get layered into a very Brunel route. I'm surprised there's not substitution with the many 47s though.

 

I do love this route as it holds a great deal of nostalgia for me, serving in the south west in the 90’s. I can’t help but agree with you though on the motive power. Some old BR stuff including a class 50 would’ve been really special. There seems to be an obsession with the 800’s at the minute. Also the Exmouth Branch would’ve added a great deal more to this route.

 

And not just in TSW either. Having warmed up to them since their introduction it's annoying starting to see them sprout up everywhere.

At least the 802 is more fun to drive than the 801 due to the route.

 

One thing I would like to see in future updates to the route is more 166 services subbing for Class 150's considering they now make up the majority of services.

On a lovely autumnal day it just doesn't get any better than this!

 

Nice shots, you must have a PC mode on that 166!

 

Class 802

The remote tail light indicators are not linked to the remote tail lights at all and just light up when the front cab's are on.