DT Rebuilt Westcountry

[growler37]

Hi,
This is a fab loco,great to look at, great to drive,and smooth coupling rod animation(take note RS.Com,and hang your head in shame,as compared to the dreadful animation on the King).
Very pleased with this purchase.
Kev

[lemberg]

Some things that were done during the rebuilding seem quite radical to me. The steam flow was swapped between inside and outside admission (can't remember which way round) but that suggests a lot of changes in the plumbing. Did the rebuilds get a completely new valve/cylinder block, I wonder?

Keith

New inside cylinder block with inside admission, outside ones stay as outside admission.

Keith

[92212]

So, after and hour of driving last night, what are my thoughts?

Firstly, I congratulate DT un-reservedly for producing this incredible model!! It really is one of the best we've seen so far! It looks every inch an rebuilt Bulleid Pacific full of power and character.

I love the headcode system using the southern route discs. You can put together any headcode you want. Although, sadly, they don't show on the tender. The lamps are effective. They subtley light up the road ahead. I believe this is authentic because the Bulleids have electric lights!

The motion is absolutely spot on! As Kevin mentions - lovely and smooth!

The cab again is really nicely done! I like the little extras; ie - the drivers and fireman's seats are moveable and the cab lights are a nice touch. Not sure if they're authentic though? My only problem is the usual one, you can't see down the boiler from the driving position!

Steam particle effects are good. Lots steam from the cylinder drain cocks!! Steam from the safety valves. However it would be great to see the valves blow seperately. The first valve should blow first then the second blows at full pressure! The exhaust steam is good but again it keeps chuffing when you shut the regulator! The 56xx, King and Talyllyn engines are only loco's so far that have got that bit right!

Now comes the area I'm most interested in - sounds:

The sounds are really high quality. But they haven't been put together particularly well IMO. The chuffs are in groups of 8. Although you do get 6 beats per wheel revolution, it sounds like there's 8! So, not quite the right rhythm. I've fixed easily! The whistle is good, if a bit crackley!
It's a shame its so quiet on the move. And those awful default clanks are present as usual! Bulleids are very clankey engines!

I'm working on a sounds patch to add my own effets and tweak DT's fine efforts!

All in all it a fantastic package!

Kindest Regards

Matt

[crumplezone]

So, after and hour of driving last night, what are my thoughts?

Firstly, I congratulate DT un-reservedly for producing this incredible model!! It really is one of the best we've seen so far! It looks every inch an rebuilt Bulleid Pacific full of power and character.

I love the headcode system using the southern route discs. You can put together any headcode you want. Although, sadly, they don't show on the tender. The lamps are effective. They subtley light up the road ahead. I believe this is authentic because the Bulleids have electric lights!

The motion is absolutely spot on! As Kevin mentions - lovely and smooth!

The cab again is really nicely done! I like the little extras; ie - the drivers and fireman's seats are moveable and the cab lights are a nice touch. Not sure if they're authentic though? My only problem is the usual one, you can't see down the boiler from the driving position!

Steam particle effects are good. Lots steam from the cylinder drain cocks!! Steam from the safety valves. However it would be great to see the valves blow seperately. The first valve should blow first then the second blows at full pressure! The exhaust steam is good but again it keeps chuffing when you shut the regulator! The 56xx, King and Talyllyn engines are only loco's so far that have got that bit right!

Now comes the area I'm most interested in - sounds:

The sounds are really high quality. But they haven't been put together particularly well IMO. The chuffs are in groups of 8. Although you do get 6 beats per wheel revolution, it sounds like there's 8! So, not quite the right rhythm. I've fixed easily! The whistle is good, if a bit crackley!
It's a shame its so quiet on the move. And those awful default clanks are present as usual! Bulleids are very clankey engines!

I'm working on a sounds patch to add my own effets and tweak DT's fine efforts!

All in all it a fantastic package!

Kindest Regards

Matt

I agree entirely with what you said about the quality and nice to see that you are willing to do slight modification to the sounds.

In regards to the discs on the tender Matt, the manual points to the fact you need to input them via the usual code stuff in the scenario editor rather than the keyboard shortcuts, on page 7 of the manual:

4.2 Headcode disc system
In addition we have included a real time headcode selection system on the loco. You need to
press CTRL+SHIFT plus numbers 1 to 6 to bring up the respective positions, starting from
the top and running right.
These discs will light on pressing the H key. The lights will not show unless the discs are
exhibited.
On the tender a slightly different system is in use, and you must set these lights up at the
beginning of a scenario.
Enter the following 6 digit code, the digits correspond to the positions similar to the loco:
XXXXXX
Where # = disc and light showing, ^ = disc only showing, * = do not show disc or light.
Eg ###***
This would show up discs and lights in the first 3 positions, and nothing in positions 4-6.

Hope that helps

[SquidvT]

I'm working on a sounds patch to add my own effets and tweak DT's fine efforts!

Oh cool! Looking forward to that.

PS Good review, I agree 100%

[Kariban]

Well, if DT don't want to do seperate safeties ( ask them? ) then I can do a mod for your soundpack, if you want. Likewise the smoke cutout.

Even if they did have electric lights they'd be as powerful as marker lights, and thus not light anything up at all. Even 80s headlights didn't actually light anything up ( Ally posted a pic of a 143 not long ago ), so 40s marker lights aren't going to do a thing. Removing those would save some fps.

[92212]

Yeah I guess the lights are slightly over-done having another look just now! But it does look good. Just needs toning down a bit!
Perhaps some of these little tweaks could all be put together in one pack? Sounds, physics and the particles?
I'll upload a video of my sound tweaks soon.

Thanks for the pointer regarding the tender discs Crump!!

Regards

Matt

[Kariban]

If they lit up the top of the buffers, then maybe. Anyway I don't think anyone ought to be releasing patches while DT are still sorting issues out.

[lemberg]

As regards the motion being spot on,it's a pity the weighshaft is not operational. The radius rod hanging in mid air just looks so wrong, perhaps a patch will be issued later. The textures are however superb.

Keith

[92212]

If they lit up the top of the buffers, then maybe. Anyway I don't think anyone ought to be releasing patches while DT are still sorting issues out.

Good thought Simon. We'll hold back a little then.

Matt

[RONVKING]

While the overall cabs between the original and rebuilts are not the same some of the graphics are similar and as a result the higher res ones from the rebuilt are usable in the originals cab with some name changes.

Makes the original look better I think.

[lemberg]

Aye! just noticed on the dark railway videos that the DT rebuilt has the radius rod in back gear when running forward on the left side.

Keith

[plewsy2105]

hi all

im right in saying that rebuilt westcountrys were fitted with a screw reverser and not a steam reverser......

plewsy2105

[kevpotts]

Very pleased..and finally, an impressive and realistic volume of steam on opening the cylinder cocks!

[bristolian]

hi all

im right in saying that rebuilt westcountrys were fitted with a screw reverser and not a steam reverser......

plewsy2105

Correct!