Xc/wmr 170 Is Being Developed By Rivet Games

Yes, XC use both class 220 and 221s but the 221s have the tilt isolated on the XC units.
XC also recently obtained some ex-avanti 221s.

 

Long story short Cross-country couldn't afford the maintenance cost for tilting trains. Avanti could.

 

Not strictly... I believe it was more the fact that XCs 220s and 221s didn't really make as much use of the EPS areas as the Virgin/Avanti Voyagers, so to cut back maintenance costs the tilting ability was removed. Not because they couldn't afford it, but because it didn't make economical sense to maintain the part of the units that didn't really offer much benefit in the grand scheme of things. Where as Virgin/Avanti could make more of the EPS areas as they run on larger sections of the WCMLS.

I stand to be corrected though.

 

Both!

 

Don't be greedy

 

I know.

 

Only thing I'll say about that is even if we are getting a 220/221 Matt would say the same thing as to not give anything away about tsw6

 

If we do get voyagers don't let rivet anywhere near them. They've ruined enough locos

 

A XC voyager will come with the new TSW6 passenger setup. That being the train's already packed to capacity and people standing in the aisles and vestibules. Ticket check mode will involve you not bothering...

 

And smellovision when the rancid retention toilets start backing up!

 

not sure if it’s been noted already, but this shot shows two two-car units, so both 3 and 2-car versions are to be expected in the pack. Hopefully confirmation of this across both liveries will come soon.

 

One would hope that because the route is already made and ready to go, that this gives Rivet enough time to actually make a full 1:1 scale timetable to match the route...

 

I live in hope that rivet are using this dlc as a way to grow their confidence in making busy timetables with varied stock.

BCC was already a pretty great route imo, just lacking the layers. This has the potential to punch way above its weight if they get the timetable right.

 

It certainly has potential, and I'd hope that because Rivet have had the route built already that they can focus their energy into building a thorough 1:1 scale timetable... However, this is Rivet, I won't set my self up for disappointment by expecting to much.

Although I'd genuinely like to be proven wrong in this case.

 

Nice to see a 2 car formation since the fife circle 170 doesn't let you do that in formation editor for some reason

 

There’s supposed to be a more in-depth article coming soon from DTG / Rivet regarding the timetable update, which is a good omen. They’ve also emphasised on having a ‘busy Birmingham’ which with all the possible layers currently would be harder to get wrong than right..

 

They said the same about WCMLS and that wasn't near enough busy... This is what I mean about placing expectations on things until we see it in the flesh so to speak.

Sincerely want to be proven wrong, but those of us that are seasoned players should sit on the fence, keep our expectations low, and wait to see what Rivet can do with this.

We shall have to wait and see!

 

Agree! The sceptic in me remembers the Fife Circle preview stream too vividly still. The optimist is banking on how the forum / modders / general TSW community came together to encourage those WCMLS changes..

 

I'm bothered by this set from Rivet - it turns out a couple of people are making the XC/WMR CL170, and the rest is making the route (British-Scottish) for TSW6, as was the case with the WCML for TSW5?

 

What do you mean ‘it turns out’ - did Rivet post something somewhere?

 

Instead of checking tickets, you'll be settling arguments about who had which seat booked from where...

 

I think they thankfully have chosen a route which it would be extremely difficult to make the timetable worse with the layers etc IMO. Which isn't a bad thing on their end. Hopefully

 

Assuming they copy the existing TT & add to it, the only way it could be worse is if they break it. For all the issues Ive had with Rivet though I don’t think messy signalling was one of them, but then their TT’s have never really been busy enough for it to be.

 

Maybe I'm biased because I love 170s, but I'm actually pretty interested in this pack, I just hope they get used elsewhere and don't end up stuck on Birmingham Cross City, particularly the XC one.

 

I mean the WMR class 170 is definitely stopping at bromsgrove right? So like a solid 25 minute service? That’s cool.

 

As they didn’t go through the trouble to get an XC license just for a 170.
A good XC route would be one that use both 170 and voyagers. Maybe Cardiff to Birmingham even though the voyagers are 1 train per weekday or Birmingham to Derby & Nottingham

Are there any other XC routes that use both?

 

Birmingham to Bristol would be better for the Voyagers and then the 170s could run as far as Gloucester. Other than that and the Birmingham to Derby route I don't think there are any other routes that use both.

 

is doncaster to brum possible on TSW6. It would link up ECML MML AND BCC. run time for a 220/221 of about 1.30

 

Birmingham to Sheffield so that the PC Editor project of Doncaster and Sheffield railyards can fill in the blank!

 

I'm excited about this announcement and the new DLC from Rivet. It would be a real treat if the Class 170 supporting the suspension function came with it.

 

The most important thing is that the timetable should be true to life and realistic. Not a computer calculated catastrophe based on AI train performance in game. They should also ensure each service gives 1-2 minutes set up time at the start so you’re not dashing around like a blue-arsed fly before you have to set off.

 

It'd be a real treat if the 170 also had running sounds which didn't get removed a few months after it launches, long after the refund window which then get completely ignored by rivet and dovetail just like they've done with Fife circle.

 

What happened?

 

See the last few pages of this thread: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/fife-circle-feedback-thread.80074/

And also this one: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/class-170-running-sound.92724/ which until this morning was in general discussion until someone from dtg moved it to the issues forum without even a hint of a response.

Buyer beware if you pay for anything by rivet. What you get at launch may be broken in a subsequent patch never to be fixed again!

 

Could the new timetable be backdated slightly so using pre electrification to bromsgrove services with 323s going to Redditch or turning at Bromsgrove meaning you get actual XC stopping services but with creative licence on the 390 and 350 liveries present?

 

Given the dumpster fire that was the original WCMLS timetable, I would hope DTG devs are compiling the new timetable for BCC. No guarantee of course, but do they really want another bunch of upset customers and costly remedial dev time?

 

I really hope lessons were learned after that backlash, but I’m not overly confident they have. I’m surprised Rivet are still allowed anywhere near TSW let alone on a DTG route that works well as of now.

 

Preview stream confirmed for Thursday. Presumably not far off.

 

Ballsy. I can’t imagine it would be anything less than decent if they’re running a stream on it - although I suppose all new content gets a stream nowadays!?

 

I’ll be avoiding this for a while. As is already said, the running sounds are still missing on the existing 170 so that needs to be fixed first. Then there is the question about how good the timetable will be given Rivet’s less than good reputation in this area.

It’s not a pack I need, so can afford to wait and see. Rivet have a lot of reputation building to do, they could go a long way by fixing some existing issues first.

Given that there are already mods for PC that cover most of this pack (and work pretty well) can’t see a lot of value for me.

 

I'll definitely be keeping my eyes on the preview! I think the fiasco with Rivet has just left a poor taste in a lot of people's mouths unfortunately. Between most of the content and the way they treated people here and on their own forums.

Which is a shame because they can do it when they do try. And I do hope they're able to turn it around and deliver a good product. As it's a Unit and timetable dlc Hopefully they'll be able to get it to a good standard before release as I feel like the best Rivet products need a good release.

 

Once upon a time basically everything got a preview and release stream. Those were good times.

 

Now that the gwr licence is reconfirmed that would also allow for 165/6, plus gwr reskins of 800s and 158s on the line through glos. If they were really brave and added Worcester as well as Gloucester that would really be something

 

Sorry can I just check when was the licence confirmed?

 

In the roadmap of May :

 

Reading the article DTG published about the developer working on the timetable being a modder who created his own timetables as a passion project gives me hope this timetable may actually be a good one?

 

Honestly I kinda like the sound of this addon now since it’s a passion project and it’s giving us a new timetable + subclasses!!!, so this might just the small list of river games addons in my collection

 

£13? I'm in!

Depending on community feedback, of course

 

Rivet finally have a timetable dev

 

Hopefully his next job is revamping some of the other routes TTs