Route Riviera Line: Exeter – Plymouth & Paignton (incl. Class 150 & 802) - Feedback

Indeed. NTA to PLY is not as scenic from the cab as sitting in the train and of course what you can see is hindered by the accurate depiction of Network Rail’s linear forest! In some respects going to Exmouth (and maybe Crediton too) would have created more of a Devon Metro feel to the route. Not to mention self containing the service and allowing a bit of delay to build up on the single track sections.

 

I tend to use the external camera on the Plymouth to Newton Abbott section to make the most of it - the scenery is very well done imo, just harder to appreciate it from the cab view.

 

I've gone back to Shap, a route I thought I was ready to abandon.

Riviera is a nice route, but I've come to realise its not the sort to play every day - 60mph for an hour in a 125mph train gets boring very quickly.

 

I don't think the route is quiet though, particularly if you're layered up. On the core section, you'll see, per hour

1 IET to Plymouth
1 Voyager to Plymouth
2 locals to Paignton
0.5 IET/HST to Plymouth
~0.5 IET/Voyager to Paignton
Irregular freight, engineering, railtours, RHTT, ECS

That's a train every 10-12 mins on average, with lots of variety of train. There are certainly much quieter routes.

 

I don’t think you can say the route is quiet when it’s almost a 1:1 representation of the working timetable. Not all services are overtaken at Dawlish Warren, because they simply just don’t in reality.

I love the contrast of the slower and faster bits of the route, and while Newton Abbot-Plymouth doesn’t have the breathtaking scenery of the first half of the route, I’ve loved learning the gradients of Dainton and Rattery, knowing when to coast / apply power and keep on the brake. It’s a good challenge. I really, really hope we revisit this part of the UK, whether it’s a bit more of the Cornish Mainline, for example Plymouth-Liskeard with the Gunnislake / Looe branches included.

The only criticisms that people can see is that route is doing exactly what it is in reality. That’s the service level, they are the speed limits and that’s what the scenery is like. You can’t blame DTG for that, other than building the route in the first place. It’s still my favourite, and will take a lot to knock it off its perch now.

 

There’s much quieter routes, I grant you of that.

it does feel like this is a route that has been based off the winter not summer timetable. But, perhaps that is just me being more unfamiliar with it than I think I am.

the fact there’s no HST to Paignton (I know Castle Class HST has been there) and that there are no Class 47 rail tours is a bit disappointing.

it is a good route. It’s a shame though that the only TSW6 competition it has is Birmingham Crewe which is considerably worse!!!

 

Are the timetables not somewhat seasonal? Certainly in terms of services outside the regular service pattern. And there are a few Paignton trains from both Paddington and Birmingham which suggests summer services.

 

There are though, granted it uses the WSR 47

 

Wasn’t aware. Had thought they’d use 47484 or one of the others.

 

Yeah, it's an example of how successful that pack was that it doesn't even get layered into a very Brunel route. I'm surprised there's not substitution with the many 47s though.

 

I do love this route as it holds a great deal of nostalgia for me, serving in the south west in the 90’s. I can’t help but agree with you though on the motive power. Some old BR stuff including a class 50 would’ve been really special. There seems to be an obsession with the 800’s at the minute. Also the Exmouth Branch would’ve added a great deal more to this route.

 

And not just in TSW either. Having warmed up to them since their introduction it's annoying starting to see them sprout up everywhere.

At least the 802 is more fun to drive than the 801 due to the route.

 

One thing I would like to see in future updates to the route is more 166 services subbing for Class 150's considering they now make up the majority of services.

On a lovely autumnal day it just doesn't get any better than this!

 

Nice shots, you must have a PC mode on that 166!

 

Class 802

The remote tail light indicators are not linked to the remote tail lights at all and just light up when the front cab's are on.

 

It seems as though the bug with the invisible walls at the side of the track when using external cameras has been fixed

 

Sure is nice not to have the sea disappearing at Dawlish Warren anymore

 

Does the 802 have cruise control

 

No.

 

Ok thanks what about irl tho.

 

I believe so, yes.

 

Thanks for info.

 

Anyone else got missing layers despite owning the content needed? Specifically the content for the cl52 railtour, the one for the cl40 and apparently im missing the aggregate pack and wcmls

 

For the Class 52, do you have both the Diesel Legends add on and the Class 52 West Somerset add on?

 

yes ive got the blue 52 along with the 31 and 45 also got the wsr and the red 52, i bought the 86 along with the carriages thinking that would solve it

 

OK, so navigating the layer selector:
Class 52 railtours: Western Sunrise - West Somerset Class 52, West Somerset route, ECML (Mk2A carriages, which also require Flying Scotsman I think). Western Pilgrim - Diesel Legends (think GWE is also needed for this), Class 86 (Mk2F and RMB), Preston-Carlisle
Class 40: BR Heavy Freight Pack, NTP, Preston-Carlisle, Class 86
Class 66 Aggregates - WCMLS, SEHS
Class 66 Clay - PGA, WCMLS

Think I've interpreted that right.

 

Ahh theres a few things on there that mine does not show so that must be why im not able to select any, i don’t own ecml or flying scotsman and preston-carlisle i shall get them in the sale. Thanks for your help

 

Good evening everyone,

I have tried 3 times to complete 2C07 from the 802 journey mode and every time, it locks its brakes at dawlish upon stopping, needing to reset physics. Once doing that it derails in the tunnel just before teignmouth.

 

Have you tried that service via regular timetable?

Journey mode can do some odd things sometimes.

 

did you by accident put the hill brake on ? it's a toggle on this train

 

Certain that I didn’t, I don’t think I was pressing any buttons.

 

Not tried it in regular service mode yet.

 

Felt sure there would be at least a few fixes for the 802 and 220 in this latest patch.

How wrong I was!!

 

I thought that as well

 

Improvements

150/2:

XSX

When applying brakes on the 150/2, there should not be a brake hiss sound. Although this sounds like it would hiss in real life, they really don’t hiss when brakes are applied step by step. If so, very quiet and pretty much not catchable. ( as my role involves being around 150’s!)

also another thing I want to mention which I did a while back but still hasn’t been fixed: when releasing the brakes on the 150, the brake hiss should occur pretty much INSTANTLY! Not 2 seconds afterwards!

Exterior model improvements:

the cardan shaft/camshaft on the 150/2 is still not animated when it should be spinning, like the 101 and 153. When CCN came out, I believe it was mentioned in an article that both the 150 and 153 would have animated cardan shafts however, the 150 is yet still to see this.

it’s a unique feature to see as you get to see the engine working! As a matter of fact, I was stood by a cardan shaft on a 150 a little while back at my sidings, got a video of it spinning away in idle with it’s distinctive hum!