Riviera Route & Xc Class 220 Voyager Announced

Since curiosity got the better of me, I fired up TSC and played the Riviera Line. A nice run with a GWR 150 Exeter-Paignton. I have to say, even in TSC it’s stood the test of time and still looks brilliant.

So I think we are in for a real treat in TSW. This isn’t a stop-start commuter route or fast paced express 125 mph line. This is a route famed for the scenery more than anything else, so usually while I’d say the timetable and what you actually see from the cab is most important, I think this time scenery is everything and judging by some of the teaser shots we’ve seen, DTG have got it spot on. I had to do a double take with one or two of them as they looked so good.

 

They haven’t missed a trick. They just haven’t included it because they’ve already got the Paignton branch.

 

After WCMLS I’ll definitely reserve judgment of the scenery until I’m hands on, but the concept here is great overall. The core pick this year for the UK really surprised me, I was expecting another AC 125MPH straight liner, but no we got a nice varied route which I don’t think we’ve come close to since SEHS.

Personally I’d have opted to at least go back just a few years to FGW days & reuse the HST, but add in a 143, along with the 150 & 221. I think if DTG were going to break away from doing the usual X sells best so we’re doing that, they could have gone all the way & not keep it ultra modern.

Still, between the 150 & 220 (curios why they went for that instead of the 221, would have been more accurate), across both lines it’ll certainly make a nice change to the norm we’ve been seeing with UK lines lately.

Added bonus to get a longer diesel route too, thrashing awaits.

 

Think I may have mentioned, Ben Elias (the guy who does some of Don Coffey’s stuff) recently uploaded an Exeter to Penzance cab ride on YouTube, taken from the NR NMT HST, including thrash cam in the engine room. Absolutely superb watch and a real appetiser for the upcoming route.

 

I actually want to learn to use the editor to make a FGW timetable now lol.

Considering we'd have the 142, 150, 153, 158 and 165/166 running some services along with the HSTs it would be plenty of fun!!

 

Marsh Barton reopened in the Summer of 2023 and is in the DLC. So unless TSW technology has changed, the 802 wont sub in or out for the HST so (imo) it will be getting dedicated services.

 

I would not be surprised if the route was planned further than Plymouth, and through the editor you can find the unfinished or cut parts of the route)

 

That's what gwe remastered is for

 

I would say probably not. The first terminating point west of Plymouth would be Liskeard (for the Looe Branch) which is 20 miles or so extra and just a small wayside station really, then all the way to Par. Many GWR and most Cross Country services terminate at Plymouth which makes it a logical place to stop.

 

I think the two natural end points of this route make perfect sense. As OldVern says, there not really anywhere else that would have made sense. If it had gone to Liskeard people would have wanted Looe, Liskeard would have been a strange place to terminate anyway.

I’m not going to complain and say oh well Gunnislake should have been included. In my opinion we’ve got plenty and what we do have makes complete sense!

 

Plenty of scope later for an East Cornwall Local, Plymouth to Newquay with the Gunnislake and Looe Branches!

 

Well we will have to see the irony not lost on fact uk route shoved to back of queue not getting preview till night before early access starts so we’ll have to wait and see if it case of third time Lucky for 150 to AP IRL standards

 

It’s always the same, US first & UK last, pretty sure they know the ones people want to see most & least. Show off the UK first & I bet the viewer count will be lower on the next 2.

The real irony is that the UK is the last to be shown but usually the route itself is in the worst state of the 3.

 

Just installed Western Mainlines on TSC for another taster of the route and created my own scenario in the 802, while the Plymouth to Newton Abbot section hasn’t got the sandy beaches and crashing waves, it’s a lot more challenging with the gradients and you will have to watch your speed, in the 802 Dainton, Rattery and Hemerdon bank can be tackled with ease but could be a challenge in the 150!

 

Rivet have been involved in building this route.

 

Can't wait for there to be 0 AI traffic and cra.p scenery everywhere!

 

That would be amazing, especially if the Golant freight branch was included.

 

Here we go

Funny, everyone was gushing over the screenshots and the route. Now just wait for the backlash, it’s the same route in the screenshots that everyone has loved nothing has changed just because Rivet are involved. So what is it now, those screenshots are no good anymore?!

Are all those people now going to backtrack now they know Rivet are involved, is it suddenly a bad route all of a sudden, despite just a few hours ago being brilliant!

 

I've never gushed over the screenshots.

I have repeatedly posted about the missing running sound on rivets Fife circle DLC which they broke on the first patch which have been ignored by both dtg and rivet. We had a vague promise a few months ago that they might get fixed with the release of the XC 170 dlc for BML but that never materialised and even those running sounds are virtually non-existent.

Let's also not forget what happened last year with WCML.

 

Yeah I kind of expected that, I spotted a Rivet bus asset in a video shot they showed in the direct, and it really looked like a Rivet route from the video clips. But I'm not just going to hate on it because of Rivets name, although maybe I should. I've lost all trust in anything that anybody from DTG has to say about any route before it releases (obviously they are trying to sell it to us so they will say its amazing even if its the worst route ever) but I do have some hope from the screenshots that I have seen. It does look promising. That can all change when the preview stream happens however. I just need this one to be good.
I mean... They are not completely incapable of creating a good route. They have built a lot of bad quality routes though, we all know this.

 

It's a simple case of noticing a trend with their products, and that trend being validated for every single new release.

 

What I’m saying until the mention of Rivet being involved, they are exactly the same amazing screenshots as a couple of hours ago, it’s the same route with the same layers. Nothing has changed until Rivet was mentioned. If it hadn’t had been mentioned, would people still have the same opinions?!

 

It's nothing to do with screenshots, it's about rivets consistent track record of releasing completely substandard dlc with multiple problems, none of which ever get fixed or even acknowledged either by rivet or dtg.

 

This shouldn't be surprising to anyone, Rivet have been making UK routes for DTG since WCML S

 

That’s exactly what I’ll be doing.

 

So long as DTG have complete custody and creative control over the trains - 802 and 220 - then we will just have to get by with what Rivet have served up. I just hope that somewhere within DTG some better QA and production standards are being enforced with regard to what Rivet hand over, along with some sort of temporary Preservation Crew to put the route through the wringer and fix any glaring issues before release.

 

I remember the main problem I had with WCMLS was with the timetable, the scenery being ok-ish but not the worst. Even if it is a mess, the good thing is that there's another route in which I can drive the voyager coming soon after.

 

Silly question is this a electrified route

 

No, entirely diesel.

 

Awsome

 

Why would the 221 have been more accurate? Cross Country use them completely interchangeably with the 220.

 

I think their going by CrossCountry's current formations sometimes mix both stock on some journeys.

I too thought that but Matt explained that the Class 220 is only used on the Riviera line so that's why their isn't the Class 221. But maybe come later in the future.

 

The 221’s are predominantly used out of the West Country with 220’s coming from the South. Not sure if it’s a capacity thing or if it’s just where they are stabled. In any case though the majority of XC’s out of Plymouth are 221’s (though this may be shaken up now with AWC’s cascading into XC).

Either way, it’s not like 220’s are never seen there & im more than happy to see any voyager grace TSW, also there’s far more accurate layering potential on current routes with a 220 anyway. Just found it curious Matt said the 220 was accurate for the region when it isn’t.

 

Just for hell of it, decided to look at recent data for Exeter.
Of the 20 units per day passing through (some services are 2 units, others 1).
On average 8 units were 221 and 12 were 220.

 

I find that hard to believe. I've used trains on the Plymouth to Edinburgh route for years and never once noticed a pattern to suggest that. A 220 is equally as likely as a 221.

 

This isn't the case. Yes, there are more 221s now but, more often than not, I end up on a 220. Have a look at RTT for today: the three trains in the current window at Plymouth are all 220s (singles and doubles).

 

It's a complete mix whether a 220 or 221 will turn up on West Country services in real life. Anything from a single 220, a double 220, a single 221 or a 220+221 formation is what you see in real life.

Hopefully we will get a 221 at some point for Train Sim World to mix things up a little.

 

Hopefully a refurbished version for extra flexibility.

 

Class 150 is too sterile. Where is the dust and dirt? It looks like a toy.

 

Hopefully Skyhook revisit the MML at some point and add the 220 and 170 to the timetable.

 

Hopefully with a 222 as well

 

Hmm. A lot of wishful thinking there, Vern, thinking of WCML and other precedents. Diesel is a plus, though a bit too modern for my taste.

I'll wait for the day one purchasers to offer their reviews.

Meanwhile, just the starter pack and Morristown ( built with Brandon and Joethefish's involvement ). Riviera later maybe, possibly in a sale.

 

The parts of the route out from London are electrified, but none of this part is. This makes the bimodal needed. Not living in the UK I am not sure when the wires end.

 

Coming out of Paddington, the GW electrification extends to Cardiff, Chippenham (well just east of) on the Bristol line and Newbury on the Berks and Hants. So trains between Paddington and the West Of England spend very little time running under the wires on electric power. There are currently no plans to dust off and extend the wires either!

 

they should make an awc class 221

 

Why do people keep asking about the 221 when it’s practically the same train as the 220, just with the tilting system? Cross country disabled the tilting system back in 2008. Even if we did have the 221’s it would be unrealistic having the tilting system on the route. That’s probably one of the reasons DTG opted for the 220 instead.

 

Well if it is "practically the same train" why wouldn't you add it? Knock two birds out with one stone.

My reasons for wanting the 221 (in the future):
• there are differences (not just the liveries), I love the variety it provides.
• versatility, the 221s did not only operate for XC, but VWC/AWC on the WCML.

What I am weary of happening is a situation similar to the 700/1, where there is no evidence of it ever arriving in-game. If it came with the 700/0 at least we'd have it in game, and could more accurately represent traffic on timetables (I.e. BML, ECML, ect).

 

I mean if you’re on PC I’m pretty sure someone from the modding community can replace the 0 with 1. It should be a simple fix.
I’m just happy we got a voyager in the game at all.

 

Class 220 bogies are completely different to the Class 221 , they would require remodeling.

 

Had to look this up and you’re right. Not exactly a simple copy and paste job as others have claimed.
I can see this coming as dlc content eventually though, as the demand seems high for it.