Try service 1C86 on the Riviera line with the Class 802 for a beautiful evening cruise with a few surprises on the way. Run it in September for some gorgeous god ray sunset. Spoiler: Spoiler A pair of 158s depart and arrive to an off map destination as you are waiting for your turn. Encounter a whole lot of traffic along your way including 2 oncoming railtours (Diesel legends required).
Definite SPAD potential on this run if you're not careful. If you are a completist there is a matching service for this on Frankfurt-Fulda that starts as a brief ECS move into Frankfurt and then you start the service from Frankfurt to Hanau.
Starting to work through the rail tours on Airedale and Wharfdale. So far I've enjoyed the Staycation Express which requires the HST Farewell pack. Both Part 1 (10.23) and Part 2 (16.41) are great, but Part 2 from Skipton to Leeds is a particular highlight: Spoiler The view from Skipton for the first few miles is very scenic especially if you run it in early autumn during golden hour. Soon during rush hour you are stuck behind a 331 stopping service to Bradford meaning you are meandering through the countryside at no more than 30mph for a long stretch including having to stop for at least one red until your path clears to race into Leeds and just make it on time as this railtour must have factored in a lot of timetable padding for fitting between a busy period.
So many nice runs on Bahnstecke Nürnberg - Würzburg. Traffic is everywhere and it seems rare to get a clean ICE run. This one was especially nice for me. ICE 821 Essen Hbf to München Hbf at 22:02 with the DB BR 403 The night lighting on this route is gorgeous. The run is relatively routine until: Spoiler: Run it before reading this . . . you get caught behind another ICE that is chasing a freight. This makes for an interesting LZB exit. The freight pulls over at Siegelsdorf, just in time for you and the ICE ahead to catch up to an RE 10 service. SPAD potential. Remarkably, it is possible to only be 5 minutes late!
