Route Thames Valley: Windsor, Henley & Marlow Branch Lines - Feedback Thread

Like I’ve said what makes this route interesting, is the operational quirks of the branches if anything.

Every branch is unique and it’s nice to change ends after a couple of minutes and return and complete full end to end runs on all branches.

At Bourne End, it was brilliant watching the two units depart the station at the same time!





The Maidenhead to Marlow branch is definitely my favourite for scenery!

 

They gave us the option to turn off scenario markers, no reason as to why a similar thing can't be done with the route hopping marker

 

Route hopping markers and Scenario markers should simply be on the same toggle. I would assume most people, either don't mind seeing both visible in the scenery OR they would rather see neither.
Since I am still advocating for some more route hopping points to be added to several routes, I agree this needs to be addressed.

 

For scenario creator, there's apparently no option to add services coming and going off route at any of the mainline stations. I'd love to add something like a Western thundering through non stop at Maidenhead.

 

So when are we gonna get the patch and route mastery.

 

A lot of the feedback on the visuals concerns stuff that is pretty far outside the cab or third person 'driving' view. So they're not really a problem imo.

 

Hi incrediblehannes, sorry for the tag again. The issue regarding the 165 on GWE seems to occur when you start a service with the 165 from Thames valley. This issue results in other 166/165s being 3 or 2 car units which is incorrect. I have tried spawning on foot and this issue doesn't occur, same when I start a Hat service. Hope the information I have mention is useful.

 

It’ll come when it’s ready.

Off topic but, I think an idea for DTG would be to include potential patch/updates on the Roadmap (I know they do to an extent with some updates) as then it would stop the constant questions all the time and then at least “if it’s not on the roadmap” then we know there’s no plans or active work being done on a patch.

 

The drawback being that this will also create new expectations. If they are not met, there will be yet more complaining. Personally I like to be surprised by a patch now and then

 

Any updates on whether the mastery has been fixed so you can see what you need to do to unlock it?

The fact it does not appear on Dovetail Live maybe suggests it partly a DTG fix required?

 

It is, they'll probably add it after rebuilding their website tomorrow.

 

Still not added to mastery i beginning to wonder if there actually is one. incrediblehannes can you confirm if there is one thanks.

 

I'm finding the audio of the boats is far too loud inside the driver's cab. I can hear them even when they are quite a way from the train. Is there a way to make them less audible from inside the train?

Also a proper timetable for connecting AI trains that represent real-world services would be a big improvement for immersion.

Otherwise it's a very nice little route

 

Mastery is now live

 

I can see I have achieved it on the tracker, but when you go to activate the tile there is no option to do so. This means it doesn't appear at Windsor when you spawn there. A bit more fixing to do I think.

 

Reset the game and will appear when you go back in.

 

Restarted the game and now it's even more broken as it says I haven't achieved the mastery when I have completed all 5 scenarios.

 

Click on and off mastery. It's got a UI bug they've never fixed. It'll show as completed after a while lol

 

You have to do it again after the mastery was brought online.

 

No announcements toward windsor and Eton central, but going towards Slough, they work

 

On PS5, at a random scenario or timetable, after loading a save game there is hardly any traction. Only a reset sim physics gets it fixed.

 

Both signals T3542 (on approach to Slough) and T3572 (on approach to Maidenhead) show a green aspect BUT sound the AWS warning horn. Unless there are some missing warning boards surely a green aspect should ping the AWS bell?

 

Since the Medway Valley Line in TSW6 doesn’t have a Sunday schedule (and I can’t even try to create a mod because the TSW editor doesn’t work on Linux), I operate trains on the Thames Valley: Windsor, Henley & Marlow Branch Lines on Sundays.

In my opinion, this Thames Valley: Windsor, Henley & Marlow Branch Lines DLC isn't bad, though—like any other TSW expansion—it requires you to turn a blind eye to numerous inaccuracies and flaws. It's not a deal breaker, though. In any case, fortunately, the pros outweigh the cons.

Here are three things that bother me the most when it comes to enjoying this DLC:

1. The light in the Class 165 cab is hopeless. It’s far too bright. The cab’s brightness doesn’t adjust properly to changes in external lighting. In many cases, the cab looks like an overexposed photograph. I would very much like this to be fixed, because whilst it isn’t particularly noticeable in summer in daylight, in autumn and winter, when I’ll mainly be driving after dark or during twilight, the overexposed brightness of the cab will be very harsh on the eyes.

2. Train Guard. As I’ve learnt, there shouldn’t be any on the two branch lines at all, as they are DOO-type lines. Their presence in the cab is an eyesore and spoils the immersion when I want to operate the train realistically in DOO mode. If the presence of the train guard is linked to the train model, we should be given two variants: one with a train guard and one without. And on the branch line where a train guard is actually present, that train guard does nothing but sit there. Worse still, every time the direction changes, a different train guard appears in the cab, which ruins the sense of realism.

3. Route-hopping cones. For goodness’ sake, hide them somewhere behind the stairs or behind a piece of platform infrastructure so they don’t spoil the beautifully crafted scenery.

The biggest disappointment in the Thames Valley: Windsor, Henley & Marlow Branch Lines:

The main advantage of this DLC is undoubtedly the highly detailed and dense scenery. That’s why I’m hugely disappointed with the appearance of the Windsor & Eton Central station model. That level of stylisation might be acceptable somewhere in the third or fourth plane, where players view it from a great distance. But for heaven’s sake, not in the foreground of a DLC that’s primarily marketed on the detail of its scenery!
I’m not the kind of player who runs all over the map looking for stuffed dinosaurs; I tend to stay in the driver’s cab or hang around my own train. However, I’d prefer the stations I serve to be properly modelled, rather than full of holes and sloppily cobbled together from generic objects.

Overall, I find this DLC playable and interesting. I guess I’ll be coming back to it often (on Sundays), unless Firefly Simulations releases the Sheerness Line DLC or eventually adds a simplified Sunday timetable for the Medway Valley.

 

Has anyone tried the update? Had been holding off until it dropped so tempted if it’s reasonably fixed some of the hiccups.

 

With the first patch released, a big thankyou to Johannes for addressing the scenery issues mentioned in this thread. Overall, very happy with the outcome, playing from a 1st person perspective (I just have to remember not to get too excited with camera 8)

I did find two scenery issues, that may be able to be changed, if indeed another patch is required (for whatever reason).


With some of the editing done around this bridge (just north of Shiplake), a large bush has appeared right on the track (yellow arrow). It does stick up through the floor of the class 165 DMU if you drive over it. Maybe originally it was near the wall (green arrow) ?

This is a little more critical...

Platform segment indicated (yellow arrow) has lost the ability for the player to walk on it. First noticed when I stepped out of the 165 and fell through to the ground below. Also it no longer has the trackside "E climb up" option available either.

 

PS5 Pro
Also thanks for the first patch which fixed the major inconsistencies

I'll add, I don't know if it was there from the beginning, maybe it was, but we didn't notice it, the big steel bridge in front of Windsor, I think the 35mph section, is also unevenly spread out and not completely aligned with the track axis.

 

Has anyone found that the ‘Thames Valley: Windsor, Henley & Marlow Branch Lines Add-On’ for TSW6 has disappeared following the latest PC update?
I suspect they’ve messed up the Steam IDs again. They’ve done this before with one of the updates.

 

Just for info to Johannes, there are still floating assets in Windsor station and really questionable blending between buildings etc. I think you should have your testers take a good look around.

 

Yes, it's missing for me as well

 

I've been told that this is an issue if you have the EP mod for the DLC installed. Does updating/removing the EP mod (if installed) help?

 

Yes, uninstalling the EP mod did indeed help, and the DLC is visible again in the TSW menu.
Thank you for your help!

 

I have a strange problem on the Divide and Conquer route, just as I enter Bourne station platform for the firste time. the train stops by itself, with no braking according to the HUD and no alerts. The trains just stops with quite a hard deceleration. I cannot get the train to move again, so I used the reset simulation, and this seemed to work... until I then discover that the token I have picked up at the start is now missing, so I have no token to use to change the route. I have restarted the entire scenario twice, and had exactly the same unexpected stop at the start of Bourne platform the each time. I am using the PC steam version

 

You need to be approaching the station at less than 15mph if you have safety systems on. Sounds like TPWS is being triggered

 

It is approaching less than 8 mph IIRC.

 

Thanks I was only doing 14 miles per hour,! but I have already 'solved' the problem by switching the safety systems off. But it appears that the token also vanishes if you save the game! Tried this scenario too many times now to start again yet another tme. I'll come back to it later It would be nice if there was an icon i the HUD to indictae whether you have a token/rod or not

 

I know the TPWS triggers if you are faster than 8mph going into terminus stations. Maybe try less than 8mph into Bourne.

 

I know beggars can't be choosers and I know I'm going to sound super nit-picky but this isn't a good model of the GWR 3031 'Achillies' Class replica (3041 "The Queen") that is on display at Windsor & Eton station in real life.

This is the mastery reward for Thames Valley and I have noted several issues with it.

• The locomotive should have a wheel arrangement of 4-2-0 (ooOo) not 2-6-0 (oOOO).
• The smokebox door isn't correct - It looks like it's been nicked off the preserved GWR Dukedog 9017 "Earl of Berkley". None of the original GWR Dean Singles survived past 1916 so obviously they never ran under BR.
• Wrong buffer housing and lampirons.
• For some reason, the rear of the locomotive has a bufferbeam complete with buffers and coupling.
• What are those growths either side of the smokebox?

I'm sorry for this rant, but it really annoyed me and I'm glad I've got it off my chest

 

Xbox
Strange choice of platform assets…
Passengers having a nightmare at Windsor & Eton Central.

 

That'll teach them not to step onto wet cement

 

Bought it. Noticed the scenery issues. Refunded it.

I happen to have dabbled with 3D modelling a few years ago and even sold some creations, so I know what I'm talking about. The floor at Windsor is shocking - no effort has been made to ensure all the paving tiles are sized properly. You've got sections which look normal, sections where they're all squashed, sections which are misaligned.

There's some seriously low quality model and textured assets right next to the playable area.

I know it's a one man project but genuinely where is the quality control? It feels like this was just slapped together with no care at all.

 

Bought this and found a couple of issues:

Halfway along the platform at Windsor you, as a player, fall through to track level, a bit like those unfortunate passengers in the post above.
On the Marlow Donkey scenario, it was impossible to uncouple the trains - the scenario marker was pointing to the sky, and neither button in the cabs worked.

Also, the map screen should use full names, not just "Henley" and "Windsor".