Hello all. I thought I’d make this thread in preparation for the upcoming Gatwick Express Class 387, to highlight some of the smaller and more important details of this train. This will hopefully allow DTG to get it right the first time rather than the community having to state the mistakes made post release. Exterior: - LED track recording light - Warm white fluorescent headlight and cold white LED marker light. Please make sure represent this properly, as on the 377 these were both the same ‘daylight white’ colour. - Smaller and higher resolution front facing PIS. For the sake of everyone, PLEASE do not repeat the same awful looking dot-matrix display you have on the front of the 377, as it is far too big. - Update the side PIS to display calling points as well as the carriage number. - Provide more variation when it comes to the motor sounds. Currently we only have one single motor sound, which doesn’t change pitch appropriately based on speed. It simply just gradually fades out. The Initial acceleration sounds are too loud and come in too quick too. In real life, these fade in more subtly. So as you apply power, there shouldn’t be a sudden, loud motor noise sounding. Interior: - Please do NOT copy the 377 interior lighting setup as it is far too bright. The lights are also casted in the middle through solid plastic instead of the actual light fittings. - Update the internal PIS to display calling points as well as the carriage number - Please provide separate interior and cab audio occlusion. The 377 suffers from only having exterior audio occlusion. This means that whilst in the cab, the door open/close sounds are FAR too loud as the train hasn’t been zoned appropriately. It also means that exterior noise is heard in the cab. - Provide more detailed interior sounds and motor sounds. We’re missing the rattling, creaks and running sounds of the Electrostar. The track joint sounds are also not the best as they stand. As mentioned above, more variation in motor sounds would be welcome too. I have not stated the obvious things like interior seating, layout and window design, as I’m sure DTG is already aware of the design differences. The above I have stated is often what DTG fall short of. If you can think of any other things or suggestions, comment down below.
The third car on this set it's actually called a ptso and therefore must have a pantograph put in its place with the possibility of activating it for a future route 25kv 50hz route like gwml Western portion Bristol to Reading via Didcot Parkway with Newbury Branch.
There's also the curved windows (not straight like on the 377/4) and Matt has already mentioned the underframe and sounds being different.
Are you certain that it is getting new sounds? I recall Matt saying they will but only if they can source the sounds?
No, I don't know if they are getting new sounds, but he did mention they'll be trying to source new sounds.
@ DTG Notice the motor pitch change from 2:10 onwards as the train gains speeds. This looks to be around 30mph. Also notice the amount of different interior noises you can hear, such as track flange, 'running' sounds and wheel join sounds as it goes over junctions. Watch here