Riviera Route & Xc Class 220 Voyager Announced

The section coming to TSW6 is not electrified and neither are the sections between Exeter and Bristol or Plymouth to Penzance. I think the only other main GWR routes that aren't electrified are the lines to Oxford (from the TSC route) and the Golden Valley Line towards Gloucester, Cheltenham and Worcester, but those routes are covered by the Class 800.

The Riviera Line is probably top of my list for routes, having travelled on it several times on railtours, so glad it's coming to TSW6. Also cool to finally have the Voyager, given just how many different routes it can be layered onto (I see I'm the roadmap article there's a picture of one at Brighton, as they used to run between Manchester and Brighton and used to pass one going to college, until they stopped it shortly after I started).

The main thing I'm looking forward to is driving Flying Scotsman and the Jubilee over the route, especially along the sea wall and over the South Devon banks of Dainton, Rattery and Hemerdon.

 

Let’s not forget how

a contender for one of those upcoming Rivet TT packs like the WMR/XC 170 one. They’re usually always packaged with a ‘new’ loco!

 

I think this one's going to be a wait and watch for me especially after the WCMLS last year. Although after watching the dev diary I just can't help feeling like there's just something on the scenery that feels a little CCN at the moment. Don't get me wrong some of CCN scenery was actually quite good, but there are the odd places like Whitchurch which were a horror show. Will definitely be keeping my eyes on the previews and the initial feedback from the pre orders!

Although I will say I'm glad we've stepped away from the modern EMU this year. And I am looking forward to seeing the new 150 which has apparently had better feedback from the Beta Testers than the CCN version did

 

I don’t want to reveal too much but Tyler has done a really good job of the timetable for this route. There’s lots to layer on and a variety of trains to drive and see. I’ve had a lot of fun with this route.

What makes it even better is that it feels like two routes in one, with the Paignton Branch and mainline to Plymouth included, which is great as you can choose what you feeling like driving.

It feels like we haven’t had to compromise with one or the other this time round, unlike previous routes we’ve had.

 

I'm expecting this to be scenario for the release.

 

Tyler done a smashing job on his entry into the game with the XC 170 pack for BCC.

I'm glad someone who has experience in the game and on the development side is already complimenting the UK content, it does give me hope for this years release, and certainly edging me closer to purchasing the Riveria and the Class 220 on release date.

This would seem to suggest that DTG have had a 'word in their shell like' with Rivet behind the scenes to pull their socks up, and by hiring Tyler (who I am already very impressed with their work) may suggest we see overall quality improvement in Rivets products going forward. I'm starting to see this years release through a more positive lense, opposed to a pessimistic one, since Tyler is involved and yourself have good words to say about it.

From the screenshots I've seen the scenery does look really good, and complete change compared to last years offering. It is starting to look quite positive.

 

That's mental. Cannot believe people under the train.

 

I suspect the driver had indicated that the brakes were on, there's a bit of editing in there.

 

Didn’t GWR have pacers on this route?

Hope the 150s are not modelled after the Regional Railways one from WCL, but rather the one from CCC.

 

Yes, initially in the mid 80's there was a fleet of 142's at Exeter for local services but these were soon deemed unsuitable and old heritage units - mainly 108's were drafted in to replace them. Under FGW the Pacers once again made a comeback running alongside the 150's and 153's but at the time this route is set, had all gone.

 

idk if they can make tilting possible

 

With Rivet being involved in this route, and it was previously mentioned that Rivet are planning more timetable gameplay packs, what are the odds one of those is a modern West Cornwell Local timetable with the 802 and 220 too?

 

I won’t be buying them until the WCL gets some rework done to it.
Bring it up to TSW6 standards and extend it to Plymouth. It would be a nice touch using the route hopping feature to then drive up to Exeter.

 

Sorry if already asked and answered. With the GWE hst and 166 layer into this route. Thats if they ever travelled the route. Thanks

 

Confirmed that both will layer in, plus some freight and railtours

 

Excellent news, much prefer the Network South East Turbos to the 150s. The 165/166s have 29 units based at Bristol and 150s have 19 examples based at Exeter so I suspect the 165/166s are more common on the longer distance stoppers in that area. Also great to have the HSTs.

Thankfully the days of DLC routes having one type of rolling stock are behind us now there's a bigger library of traction.

 

166’s need to reflect the absolutely knackered state they are in. Travelled on one from Bristol Parkway to Bath the other week. The refurbished seats were hard as a rock even worse than the Cucumbers. Whole thing shook and vibrated with a horrible high pitched whine (PA feedback?) from the ceiling area when under power. Albeit the engine sound is still very nice but don’t think I would want to travel all the way to Weymouth on it!

 

Will certainly be interesting to see how they work the timetable, the 150 is abit odd to throw in over a 166 or even 158. Given how substitution works it’s not like the 166 will sub over a 150 TT if that’s what they’ve done - unless the majority of Paignton services aren’t there without the 166 layer.

 

I'm wondering, since I'm still not entirely sure what HSTs there will be in the timetable. If there's full length ones it would be strange, since they never ran together with the 166/165s here. IIRC there was over a year gap between the longer HSTs leaving and 166s arriving.

 

I'm also interested regarding the HST services. I'll be happy with short sets without the sliding doors to be honest. Thrashing up and down gradients in an HST with much less weight because of only having 4 cars will be a lot of fun.

 

The HST sets will most likely be the shortened GWR 'Castle' sets in 4/5 car formations.

 

It was mentioned on another thread that the HST farewell pack will add scenarios to the Riviera Line to represent the final 2+8 services to and from Paddington in 2019 using some of the special liveries. Like others, I'd imagine the regular timetable will use the existing 2+4 slam door formation for the morning service to Exeter and back, and some ECS services between Laira and Plymouth.

 

158s are commonly used there on long distance services!
PS. Would also appreciate a nice GWR 08, think they have one at Laira, right?

They should have 5/6 of them in active service: Laira, Long Rock etc...
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_08

 

Not sure about Laura but I've definitely seen one before at Penzance

 

Yeah, this is what I'm hoping for. I drove some actual castle sets somewhat in TSC, and they are quick.

 

Will Exeter Central be on the map?

 

Nope...

 

Is that a Gronk I can hear working hard up Hemerdon Bank I wonder..?

 

I think it would have been mentioned during the announcement if it was included, although the TSW6 Q&A for this route does mention AI EMT 158's (which have an identical livery to SWT that ran those services prior to the rebranding) that run off map towards Exeter Central.

 

Not really. The livery is quite different, the interior is completely different, and the EMR ones (to my knowledge) largely have Perkins engines rather than the Cummins engines that all SWR 158s/159s have.

 

Funny since that used to be my commute! Be aware DTG won't reflect trains in anything other than pristine condition as part of their licence agreement with TOCs or just to remain in good standing with partners. The last thing you want is to lose a licence and have to withdraw a route from the store which has already happened before eg. with the San Fran route.

 

Indeed! Which is also why we are unlikely to see the 802’s referred to as “Cucumbers” in any official communication or find we have (salad) cucumbers as collectibles on the route along with the inevitable clotted cream confectionery!

 

Just looking back at the screenshots one problem I have which I hope doesn’t become consistent is the lack of trackside detail much like on CCN. It just looks plain and uninteresting and it doesn’t look good especially when comparing it to routes like MAC or even the upcoming Birmingham - Crewe route, and this isn’t helped by the ugly grey ballast and weird grass asset they keep using. I know there isn’t much they can do about it now but whenever DTG/Rivet get to the next 1st party British route they can improve.

 

The ballast definitely needs sorting, the ugly grey stuff they use that has the horrid darker grey splotching is bad enough on its own, but when it’s not even supposed to be that colour in the first place it’s an issue.

Detail will need to be great on this route. They’ll have scenery to lean on in the first half of the route between Exeter & Newton Abbot, but the stretch down to Plymouth is quite bland so will need some work on detailing. They could take a leaf from JT’s book there, they do interesting blandness very well.

 

Newton Abbot to Plymouth is quite scenic (IMHO) too, very hilly and with field patterns that need to be properly represented. I just hope Rivet haven’t been allowed to get away with repeating their “great primordial Cornish Forest” from WCL. Around South Brent and Ivybridge, the fringes of Dartmoor should also be visible.

 

I agree, but I just mean there’s nothing in the way of Dawlish seafront or Exeter City to distract from the foliage. You’re going to be going 60mph for a good 30 minutes, so they aren’t going to get away with blandness here.

Personally my favourite part of the route at this end is the approach into Plymouth, the lack of deveg & tunnel really suffocates the tracks, before it spits you out into the wider station & it’s quite atmospheric.

 

Indeed. Network Rail’s linear Forest as opposed to Rivet’s virtual one!

 

Yep, now we've been spoilt with the ultra detailed MAC route, everything else is going to have a hard job to keep up with that level of detail. Still looks ok in the screenshots, but surprised we haven't seen any new foliage assets in this sim for a while now (apart from a couple of the German routes). Even sinking some of the tree assets into the ground more would give a better variation of this stuff!

 

Im not overly impressed with the use of American style crossing barriers at Paignton. It’s not a location that your train will fly past at speed.

 

Yes I agree with this. The crossing barriers should be the full length of road and pavements

 

How about a new Western Diesels Legends pack for this route with a circa 1976 timetable - with 50s, Wizzos, 47s, 46s, 31s, 37s, milk trains etc..? The route was much more interesting then and Newton Abbot was a major shed on the route.

 

That’s an old screenshot and has since been updated and fixed appropriately.

 

Where is this photo taken? Is it free roam at Brighton or something?

 

Yea its Brighton you can see the Gatwick express in the background

 

That’s Brighton, but what’s the Voyager doing on there?

 

They road access bridge at Dawlish Warren is in the dlc isnt it? Could it be just out of shot?

 

Well I’m happy they have at last put in a decent West Country route. So there is now scope for someone to create a cl.50 and Warships into the route. Hopefully being able to add 47’s and 45’s into the route will give it some authenticity along with HST (43’s)

 

Yes, this makes TSW6 a must buy - I've loved this route since I was a kid. I just wish they'd made it in the 70s or 80s. The route is crying out for a 50 - a loco that could layer onto just about every other UK route as it's been a regular rail tour loco just about everywhere.

Today there are very few regular loco-hauled trains now, except a small amount of china clay traffic and the sleeper. And I don't think these are being simulated? Such a shame

 

Must be. Where did you find that?

 

It was in the main release page.