I've had the 4-cig for years and never bothered getting the 4-vep as I felt it was essentially the same thing (I'm not a rivet-counter). I got the 4-vep last night as it was only sale for like 84p so I thought yeah why not. I'm still not convinced it isn't a 4-vep with a different number on the body. Can anybody explain how they look, sound and act different as far as the game is concerned? I also mean proper differences not something like there are 7 rivets under the cab instead of 6....
CIGs were mainly used as Fast or Express services. VEPS were used for mainline stopping services. VEPS had more open carriages with doors to each seating bay for quicker passenger loading. Hence smaller windows and more doors. Traveled on VEPS many times and they were draughty with all those doors.
They don't sound any different in the game because the traction equipment and motors are identical. As Cat said the work they did in real life was different The 4-Cig was an express unit designed for fast running and limited stops and with 2+2 interior seating https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briti...ail_CIG_Class_421_Standard_Class_Interior.jpg The 4-Vep was a stopping train unit and with a 2+3 seating layout https://photos.smugmug.com/Trains/2004/Southern-Slam-Midland-HST/i-cCQ3xcP/0/966d7c82/XL/Picture 183-XL.jpg
The default sounds for those units aren't the best. The sound pack from AP made them sound heaps better - sadly said sound pack no longer exists - I have a hunch that there's a new enhancement pack in the making.
EnCORe! I'd rather AP made a total revamp of the CIGs and VEPs and REPs and TCs. Also an unrefurbished CEP.
I think you might be in luck. Usually when AP withdraw a sound pack, it usually means that an EP or rollingstock pack is in development. The 421/422/423 models are quite old and could do with an update, but they are certainly fun to drive in the sim.
Yep, when they withdraw a sound pack it means something is in the offing. I thing AP could produce a lot of other slam door stock using their Mk1 coaches as a base. Here's hoping.
If they were to use the Mk1 stock as a base then we might get the 4-Rep and 4-TC which were converted from Mk1s I really used to like the 4-Rep units - the most powerful sets on the Southern if not BR https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_432
I saw an interview with Mr Armstrong on a YouTube channel, and he has a thing for southern slam door stock, so it's likely.
A 4-Rep was only 4 Cars so yes a lot of horsepower. On a Waterloo - Weymouth service they were normally 12 coaches - 4-TC+4-TC+4-Rep At Bournemouth a Class 33/1 was attached to the front and that took one or two of the 4-TC sets fwd to Weymouth. Quite interesting to do a railtour with a 4-Rep - http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/871004se.htm https://www.bloodandcustard.com/BR-3TC-4TC-4REP-Bournemouth-1966.html
That would be interesting. Don't normally see a lot of Richard on social media, although he has his own channel on YT with clips of various stock (loads of 37 workings on it). Quite a few taken during his trips to the Wherries as well.
I wouldn't blame him if he were to take that path to be fair - as long as he leaves us with a functioning class 165/166 I remember a third party developer exchanging with an especially angry individual on an FB comment thread, asking them to re-send their query via a contact form but without the F and C words (the individual was ranting that they hadn't had a response to their expletives for a couple of hours; sounds hardly surprising really).
Is that accessible to see now? Sorry I am too old to know much about streaming or where to access it - is it later uploaded to YouTube, or is that it gone forever if you've missed it.
Yeah, you can watch/listen now. Although this is the Twitch link (rather than YT): https://www.twitch.tv/videos/941954959 (you don't need an account) Richard joins from about 2 hours and 4 mins onwards, and is later joined by Jordy and Nicholas who are heavily involved in most stock pack productions. Thanks for the tip Andy - it was interesting.
It is amazing how entitled and non-self aware some people are! I am still surprised we haven't seen a up to date class 165/166 with the amount of suitable routes for one. I still wonder if a comprehensive class 47 pack won't appear at some point. I would love AP to make some first generation DMU's but he doesn't seem to keen on the idea.
Most of what Richard (AP) does is to release DLC of trains that still exist that way he can visit the trains and get measurements and if possible sound recordings. Ok asking for a lot of stuff that we are missing like early AC MUs and DMUs that have not been made yet but if you can only see pictures of what you are making then it is difficult
Haha, yes. I think some people do view the internet as a manners bypass. Regarding the 165/166, in the Twitch stream Richard Armstrong mentioned the lack of usable routes for it by what we might expect today. The Western Mainlines are a bit thin on detail by 2020s standards (and stutter an awful lot at the London end), and he sniggered somewhat at the prospect of using the very shaky Chiltern Mainline with its low FPS and terrible stutter at places that break all senses of immersion. So I see his point entirely, but obviously I'd buy the turbo if a good version ever existed, since they're migrating further west towards Bristol and Cardiff these days, and the Aylesbury - Harrow-on-the-Hill section of the addition to the CML works a bit better. But scenario potential without using parts of the WML for at least some of them isn't the best.
Personally I think that is a slightly odd bit of reasoning on his part. There are plenty of suitable routes. They work down to Penzance, they work up to Cheltenham and I assume there are still some in the Thames valley plus obviously there are the opportunities to use them on older period scenarios. South Wales Coastal (a very nicely detailed route) Riviera Line (getting on a little but hardly an appalling route and it has featured in other AP offerings) WML Paddington to Oxford/Bristol/Cardiff/Exeter (stuttering on routes isn't exactly a new thing on TS1 it isn't the worse route) WML Bicester extension (perfectly acceptable) WML South Devon Mainline and Paignton extension (I have the stand alone SDM and it seems fine to me) WML Cornish Mainline (this is well up to standards I would have said) The Chiltern line Marylebone to Snow Hill (a perfectly good route) The Chiltern line to Aylesbury (looks a perfectly good route I don't own it yet partly due to the lack of a decent class 165) South Western Expressways, I don't know if they run on part of this route, but it isn't a bad route either Yes some of these might be getting a little dated but I am sure people still use them. Some probably still use the original GWML from 2007, I use the BR blue workshop version mainly as there isn't much in the way of BR period routes. Also a lot of people own freeware routes and make their own scenarios which gives more route to use which they purchase payware stock for, I have plenty of freeware routes and obviously the vast majority of stock is payware. The railways of Devon and Cornwall The Birmingham to Bristol route extended These are both eminently suitable. If he thinks there are a lack of routes he is misguided, I would argue there are several more routes for the class 165/166 than some of his other releases. I have seen the class 165/166 often suggested as a model users would like to see released, I suspect it would sell very well indeed. He could package some scenarios for the Cornish Mainline and South Wales Coastal if he thinks the other routes are not up to scratch and those that wish to use them on other routes via the scenario editor can do so! Caledonia Works make steam engines, many very obscure, most there are no suitable payware routes for at all, yet they seem to do well.
I didn't know the Turbos were working the Cornish Mainline these days. I'm still setting up my GWR scenarios with Sprinters So I'll stand corrected. Even using the Cornish, SWC, SWEX and SDM there is more potential for real-life scenarios than I thought, and perhaps than Richard thinks too (although for a fair amount of us the Chiltern Mainline seems to run very poorly at the London and Brum ends). There is a lot of scope for change and its effects on business models of those developing for the old simulator, fortunately. ATS are/is close to some route and scenario developers and put a few punters AP's way, so who knows. They were talking on the stream a lot about silent majorities and their purchasing habits (something we're all pretty aware of), versus those of us who talk in communities. So I will have to assume they know a lot more than me despite the number of times I see the 165/166 mentioned, but... I would love a Turbo
The Class 166 Dmus are not permitted beyond Plymouth station according to the Network Rail WR Sectional Appendix
Oh okay. I am certain when I was at Cardiff a year ago or so there was one working a Penzance service.
Don't add your class 166's to your scenarios yet, it seems I may well be wrong about the Cornish mainline.
That is possible but it might have been a set swap en route. Before privatisation I was the Guard on a Manchester - Cardiff service with a 304 emu The inbound train was late and the 304 covered the section to Crewe and it was a 155 fwd to Cardiff
I loved the class 304's, used to travel on them a lot around Birmingham. I might be imagining things regarding the class 166, there were certainly quite a few around Cardiff but it seems that they may only go as far as Taunton, I was certain but the Network Rail sectional appendix won't be wrong. I definitely remember seeing 150001 or 150002 arrive on a service to Penzance as I remember thinking fancy going all that way in a Sprinter and then remembering that when they were new they were often working long distance trains.
Staying near Liskeard my wife an I went for a train ride to Penzance and as we waited a HST arrived with a Paddington service - it departed and the Bristol - Penzance arrived with a 150/2 But at least it had some tables and a 2+2 seating arrangement like a 158 - a Wessex unit.
I really shouldn't have watched that. I had a vision of Alan Thomson as a genteel, Rev Awdry like character; now he seems to be like a Johnny Rotten of the Train Sim community My illusions lie shattered! They do say you shouldn't get too close to your heroes
I seem to recall seeing they go as far as Taunton from Cardiff, although I may be wrong on that. The traction has been quite well documented online although I haven't checked it recently. Alan definitely defies the stereotypes of a railway enthusiast with his beers and his rollies, but I think there's room for someone to shake up those perceptions a little. The presence of him and AP does seem to irritate a small number of the old UKTS regulars (although by no means that many of them), but if it were left up to the self-appointed "old guard" we'd still be driving units that sound like pigs fighting under a blanket, and look like pixelated vomit. I still struggle to understand why a community with a shared interest can be so politicised and fractured at times, it's fair to say I suppose it must come down to business models and perceptions of profiteering. But OpenBVE is a thing!
So glad I wasn’t drinking coffee when I read this! Who are the mods and who are the rockers? Certainly Mr Armstrong, purveyor of quality DLC, does fit the mold of a genteel Rev Awdry!
