So here we go, Out of the routes on the Roadmap it was SEHS and München-Augsburg I was looking forward to the most. Did SEHS disappoint! In a word: No So for my initial review, I drove 1F20 0955 St Pancras-Faversham, unit 395019. Positives: Class 395 Javelin Model, probably up there with the best one yet for me along with the ICE and DB 423. It really looks the part! Although can Southeastern’s livery look bad on anything?! It’s a really nice livery. Physics of 395 seem realistic. Especially the more sluggish nature on the DC lines. Class 375 livery, ok it’s just a reskinned 377, with different cab stickers/layout, but it looks good it Southeastern Blue. As usual Stations are all modelled beautifully. Signalling/Level Crossings, beautifully implemented, new LED signals/colours are fantastic! Trainbow! Well that speaks for itself, I had 19 for my trip, but it makes you want to go out trainspotting, look at the numbers and checking the liveries for it. So I think the randomness of that is excellent. Sounds: I can’t fault the 395 sounds, I’m using headphones, and can hear very very slight traction motor whine. Brake squeal, no issues, can hear fine. Change from AC to DC is noticeable. Wind noise is the only “running sound” I can really hear. Scenery. Much prefer the scenery on the “Classic” lines you do feel like you’re in Kent! Church Bell at Faversham, a nice touch! Really nice variety of services, I would like to see maybe some traffic out of Dagenham to add? Negatives: The tunnel lighting, for me the biggest issue, thankfully it’s getting fixed in a patch! The flickering/firefly effect, is slightly immersion breaking. Texture/Scenery “pop-in” grass appearing right in front of the train was another disappoint. Ballast, it still doesn’t look right. I think it actually looked better originally than now, but I’ll be in the minority for that. Timekeeping; on the Classic Lines it’s very difficult to keep to time. I lost a minute, Ebbsfleet-Gravesend, Gillingham-Rainham and Sittingbourne-Faversham arriving overall 3 late. In reality the journey takes 66 mins (with some slight padding) in game it takes 59 mins, so it’s not an issue with the 395. TrainSim-Matt can we have a look at the service mode timetable please? Overall, for me it’s a positive. 7.5-8 out of 10. It’s not perfect by any means, there is room for improvement and luckily fixes are coming, the lighting issue is the biggest one for me. And scenery a little sparse between Stratford and Ebbsfleet, except the QE2 bridge. Also the timetable is another one which hopefully can be fixed? But DTG have to be commended on listening to our feedback initially and hopefully can listen to further feedback to make more improvements. But DTG have done a really good job on a route I loved in TS Classic. So thanks to all involved. TrainSim-Matt DTG Jamie DTG Natster DTG Protagonist Here’s a few screenshots to add; The above for me is one of the highlights of the route, crossing the River Medway. Thanks for reading!
I agree with your findings, a question about the 375 audio... When you release the doors should the sound in the "cab" be louder? I would expect it to in the passenger compartment but not in the cab with all the doors closed in the cab! Bogie run sounds are nonexistent either and the track joint sounds don't knock they tinkle. Yet to try the 395.
I have just run a class 395 from Faversham to St. Pancras. Overall a positive experience. The unit is very nicely modelled, I like the clunks from the cab controls. It is quiet especially when pulling away but doesn't sound unrealistic, there are run sounds so you get the feeling of movement, track joint sounds are there but I am not sure they are entirely convincing. I did end up running one minute late by Ebbsfleet. I ran a service a 8:30am and there was plenty of AI and I kept getting yellow signals so an immersive experience. I liked the difference in performance between DC and AC mode. I had a quick run in the 375 in the tutorial activity, it seemed okay, again nicely modelled, definitely more cab sounds than the 395 but couldn't detect the run sounds so much if at all. I liked the route, nice rural feel in the classic section, I have an aunt near Rochester and it seemed to reflect the area nicely. I liked the stations. I thought HS1 was a nice contrast, I enjoyed the lofty viaducts. I couldn't find too much of fault, a few bits of foliage encroaching onto the track, the lighting in the tunnels of course but we know they are looking at them and why do we still not have tunnel and bridge sound occlusions?! Overall then, I enjoyed the drive, the route looks nice and I think I will get a lot of re-playability out of it, but as ever there are some minor niggles, mainly the tunnel lighting. The lack of tunnel and bridge sounds are my biggest complaint but I don't think we have had them in a route for TSW yet, yet we have them in TS1! By the way that fence is an affront to my architectural sensibilities, I much preferred it without one!
Just made a run. My thoughts are...it's fine. It doesn't have any real major issues that jump out at me (especially with the fencing mod). I don't have a problem with the sounds. I've never driven a 395 so I'll defer to Matt when he said that you don't hear the traction motors from the cab due to the distance and cab insulation. The scenery is...fine? In some places I probably prefer the TS1 version, especially the stretches around gravesend which look especially basic and poor. I don't think it lives up to the quality set with Munich - Augsburg, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. It's fine.
I don't think there is much to complain about (except some sounds and lighting effects). I'm really thankful for placing some rolling stock around Hoo Junction, also for introducing the Class 66 and railtour layers. It makes it all way more playable and interesting.
I'd advise trying the modded version, it makes the fence look so much better. Less like trump's wall, and more like reality. Here if you haven't seen it: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/th...fence-barrier-enhancements.34759/#post-244252
I noticed this too. It seems a lot more pronounced on this route compared to other TSW routes. No clue why...
I too had a mostly positive first impression, although I would like to wait until the first patch to create my own thread. I agree with most of what you said, the most annoying thing has to be the timetable, you can see my post about it in Off Topic here, on TSW you gain most of your time (compared to real life) between Rochester and St.P but seems like most of the DC part is accurate. About the performance of the 395 I think they are mostly accurate, but I think it's a bit sluggish on DC at higher speeds, which would also explain why you can't follow the schedule between Rainham and Faversham (70~90 mph speed limit), I think the acceleration after 60mph on DC is just a tiny bit too slow, but this is just a conjecture. Actually the sounds were mostly fine from the outside, but on the cab I think the clicks of the switches are way too loud and force you to play with a low volume setting, not great considering the general lack of running sounds and the fact the cab is pretty quiet. But I really like how the 395 sounds from the outside, even if after 55/60 mph the traction motors become almost completely silent (I had a hard time hearing anything even if I flew the camera near the powered bogies). The route itself is fantastic, I love switching from DC to CTRL and it's great to have two very different experiences in one route, I also like the services with the 375, which seems to be ok in terms of scheduling and it's pretty easy to stay on time. The scenery is fantastic and generally the route feels authentic (even if people that know the route better might point out various inaccuracies). The only improvement to the scenery I think would be making the HS1 fencing more realistic, corrugated steel doesn't look great and I hope we will get at least a concrete one or if they want to go the extra mile they can make it just like the one in TS. But I'm already grateful they got the fencing in place and listened to the community. A lot of the issues I've seen where due to the fact a lot of additional features where introduced after the preview stream and they were obviously rushed, the depot runs, some of the 375 services (that have no PIS) for example, and before starting to complain about them I want to thank DTG for adding those in with such a short notice
I noticed this too. The in cab ambient sounds are actually quite loud, but the running sounds aren't! Anyway another screenshot or two, to whet peoples appetite. Just done a run from Faversham to Rochester, around 1600. Plenty of AI traffic, which was great, some of the scenery really is fantastic. Also the stop/objective marker at Faversham on the down is in the wrong place, the Javelin is still hanging off the platform.
Enjoying the route, the 395 is really a beautiful model and is very sleek. I think the power/break handle sound is far too loud in the 395. I thought in the original stream someone was tapping on a desk but no that is the actual sound. Also the door closing and opening warning is extremely loud. It needs some balancing. The fence mod is very nice indeed and makes a big difference. The overall effect is to make it feel like you are in a separate part of the railway and I think that is just right. The invisible walls are a little too restrictive on this route. There are other routes where you can go just a little further and it makes for something else to do when exploring on foot. E.g. on a lot of routes you can explore the car park behind the station or go to the edge of the exit and watch the life outside. Lower Ebbsfleet is modelled but you can't even access the stairwell from Ebbsfleet upper platforms. It almost looks like the whole station is modelled and there are trains that stop there so its a bit frustrating you can't get to the platforms and do a bit of trainspotting. I don't know how much work would be required, but being able to take a 395 to Ebbsfleet International, hand it over to AI then go through the station to the upper platforms and take another service would be pretty cool. This is the closest you can get.
I am sure some of the line side shrubbery isn’t native to the region, can’t believe they let that slide by Q&A. (Sarcasm mode off) Made a few runs so far, the 395 looks just fine and sounds in the passenger cars pretty much of what I remember when I rode in one a few years ago. Not easy for a Yank to get much time on British rolling stock. . Must admit I am enjoying the route.
OT query- Are there still 66s wearing EWS livery in service? I thought they had all been repainted in Verkehrsrot by now.
A good few of the operational DB fleet are still in fully-branded EWS, and more still in DB-stickered variations of it.
Have to agree, it is a fantastic route it’s not perfect by any means but it’s thoroughly enjoyable. Hard - next to impossible to keep 395’s to time on the classic lines when following other trains and driving to the signals as I would do driving real trains but I can live with that.
The more I play the route, the more and more I’m enjoying it. Best UK route release so far, now if DTG can iron out some of the bugs, we’ve got an incredible piece of DLC! Now, it took me 4 services and 1 scenario but in my 5th service run (1F50 1725 St Pancras-Faversham (Ramsgate)). I found it even if it was AI...
Had my first full end to end run today driving from Faversham to St Pancras. Overall i have to say it's a great route with the difference from the classic section and the HS section something that just adds to it. The only thing i didn't like that isn't already known about was the amount of grass and shrubs in the 4ft.... It seemed at it's worst between Strood and Ebbsfleet but there was also an instance of it on the HS section I think between Stratford and St Pancras. Now i know there are times when there can be some grass and greenery in the 4ft on lesser used lines but I ran into a couple or more 2-3ft high shrubs so I'd hope that all gets sorted in a patch at some point. (I've added a post in the technical section on here). I've used the fence mod so once the tunnel cab lighting and the overgrowth issues are sorted I think this would make it one of the best routes in TSW2 IMHO.
DTG really need to also look at when lights come on, it's pitch black and there are NO station lights on at all
I am glad i am not the only one a little bewildered that I was quickly getting later and later around the Rochester area. End up being around 3 minutes late
First scenario for the route: https://rail-sim.de/forum/filebase/entry/6604-ebbsfleet-lower-st-pancras-intl/ And how about a fictional Thameslink livery for the 375? https://rail-sim.de/forum/filebase/entry/6616-class-375-9-thameslink/
I was hoping to have more TVM driving but the portion is quite short and most of the time you are inside a tunnel at constant speed. Nothing to complain about here as that´s how the real line works but well, I like that system since it was included in LGVM route... Cheers
