Atomic Systems

In that case, how can you be happy with the purchase of the subject matter in the thread? You're talking about a different route.

My first post stated......I have the East Coast Part 1 (not modern version) and I like the quality level of the route and most importantly the period it is set in. Some routes lack immersion because they look toy-like. The Creative Rail route seems much better in this respect.

This was my alternative view. For example, Settle Carlisle has loads of detail but for some reason I don't like it as much as ECML Part 1. My point is, there is more to a route than accuracy of building placement? Woodhead looks fantastic but I would bet it is less than 50% accurate.....has to be when so many buildings need to be generic. I am sure many will disagree....but we need alternative views to help people choose? I had assumed that the modern version wasn't so different...hence the reduced price for owners of Part 1.

I love this new route and so what if a certain bridge or building is missing somewhere on the route . You have a choice to buy or not to buy.

pilot37 wrote:In that case, how can you be happy with the purchase of the subject matter in the thread? You're talking about a different route.

My first post stated......I have the East Coast Part 1 (not modern version)[...]

Yes, I understood what your first post stated. You then went on to say you thought others' comments of the route you do not own might have been unfair (I don't recall your exact words, apologies) - which seemed odd to me, hence the clarification question. That was all.

winifred89 wrote:I love this new route and so what if a certain bridge or building is missing somewhere on the route . You have a choice to buy or not to buy.

Yes, which is why people are asking questions and people are giving opinions

How you view a route is bound to depend, to an extent, on how well you know it, or the area.

Take the S&D (or Bath to Templecombe) - I live within 1 mile of the old Midford station and although the viaduct and the track layout is good, the station is only average, the village, even for the time period, is wrong, the remains of the GWR (Titfield Thunderbolt) line is missing, and the hill behind the station, and the roads are completely out of whack. Apart from that, and the missing cutting the other side of the viaduct, everything else is ok.

Now, to someone who lives nowhere near, it could well appear perfect...

So, for me, having no real knowledge of the ECML part of the country, this route (BR Blue and modern) seems to have the right atmosphere. There is something about how Creative Rail makes their routes that feels right - whatever is missing. China Clay is fantastic - these two routes are great and I am pretty certain to remain a purchaser of their products.

Conclusion - if you don't live near by (or are maybe not bothered about some things, from comments above, not being quite right), you like BR Blue for the original route (never, ever thought I would be one of those!!!) or like, or have an interest, in modern image, then I don't think you will be disappointed.

Yes the terrain is regionally flat-ish, yes there could be some variation in scenery, but a little foray into the route editor will do that for you (good way to learn).

Price - well it's a free market. If it is worth the full price tag to you in concept (reduced by £5 + a further reduction if you have BR Blue), and you can afford it, then you could have something you couldn't have done without and that will enrich your life. Decision time.

I jumped in, and despite all the cons above, am fully happy with what I have.

Rod

Some good points there Rod, I decided that the only way to appraise something is to go out and get it, so, I did.....

Hmmm, now, where do we start, for those of us who purchased the diesel version, this has similar signalling, ground textures and is sparsely populated with trees, houses, industrial areas, factories, bushes, shrubs, etc, and I would suggest that this modern version is really circa 1989/90, it's nothing like what you would see today.
However, CR have done a good job with the catenary placement, I couldn't see anything skewiff, and they've brought the 3 stations more up to date very nicely, the overbridges, footbridges and platform areas are very good, they've also constructed some other buildings, such as the Great Northern Hotel at Peterboro, although it isn't an exact replica, as I personally stayed in it on Saturday night, so, I can't give it 5 stars I'm afraid. They've also provided a couple of newly crafted buildings at Posh for the MPD and the GBRf depot, moved a lot of track around at the Eastfield and New England yard areas, tweaked the sidings at Grantham and covered the disused sidings at Newark with a lot of foliage. The ground texturing per se, with the lime green trees and bushes, are very China Clay mode, but, a bit sparse in places, which will allow the end-user to populate their own maps with whatever is freely available, this will certainly keep me busy for several months tweaking things to my own personal satisfaction.
So, for newcomers, this is a very nice route, basic, flat, but, very green and lush, I haven't looked at anything in the Winter season just yet though, but, for those of us who obtained the older version this is sadly very much same for same, regarding the signalling, land and ground texturing, I would have been happier if CR had offered this at £9.99, for those who had the previous incarnation, as apart from a few new buildings, stations, electrification and track tweaks nothing else has changed really and I thought £15 was just a little too much for what could be construed as an update and was disappointed for it not to be more 2011/2 era, which CR did sort of advertise on their site, although that would have necessitated building a whole new route which would have taken a couple of years to complete, so, I suppose they had to cut back on a few things and use the other base model to get it released.

My vote for this particular map, as a holder of the other version, would be a disappointing 1.5 / 5.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.

To add to my comments above, and to echo Steve's, I would agree on the price still being a bit high overall, especially for the BR Blue holders. That said, I have no idea how much extra work has been required to arrive at this updated version. Difficult call for a developer - x hours work equates to y price - doesn't always work out.

I think the 1.5 out of 5 might be a tad low (but that is only from my perspective ) - I am still happy

Rod

I dream of the day the whole ECML is created, Edinburgh to XC. I want to get on a 125 at Newcastle and get off at Donny just like in my old R.A.F days.

"There is indeed a lack of electric traction for the route but no doubt sometime in the near future either RS.com or another developer will cater for this gap."
This is the reply I got from CR when I mentioned to them that I thought the OHLE looked somewhat underused, and did they have any plans for providing electric stock? That's disappointed me as most of the reason for buying the updated version was the possibility of electrics (present or future), as I can drive HSTs etc in the earlier version. I don't hold out much hope for variety in traction as my impression is the "Blue" version of this route didn't receive very much support from scenario writers. There is electric stock out there but unfortunately I lack the expertise and the time to start to learn how to write scenarios which I can then use to introduce electric stock onto this route. Does make me question now whether I would bother with buying CR's modern versions of Newark to Doncaster, and Doncaster to York, once I have the "Blue" versions, if there is no up to date stock to run on them.

Good point about the lack of suitable electric traction. In fact from my limited knowledge of ECML traction then I don't think we have a single prototypical item? 86, Pendolino are exclusively WCML. Sadly it doesn't look like RSC are about to address this any time soon, they seem to be on a rampage across the good ol' USA and have forgotten all about their fellow countrymen who put them where they are through buying their DLC since 2007!! Their entire Facebook page is just plastered with American stuff, nobody else is getting a look in at the moment. Let's hope it's just a phase eh?

We hope. I would like to see a class 91 and Mk4 set (obviously) and maybe a class 89 Avocet.

Unless RSC did a Kings-X to a middle ground station on the ECML the chances of seeing the 225 set is very low to come out from RSC. Their release and design process has followed the pattern of new route with stock -> additional stock appropriate for the route -> new route. Also since the ECML is now legacy and not default any longer I don't think RSC really have a interest in returning to old routes and providing stock for them and rather leave it up to 3rd party to complete.

@jimmy: Unlike yourself, RSC has a interest in providing for their US customer base and are not just a One Nation policy, we have had plenty of UK content over the year and last year but the ratio of foreign and US content to UK content is UK biased and RSC is trying to balance it out, so less the Union Jack waving and the Anti-US speel your known for please.

Crumplezone if you can't request UK stock on UKTrainsim then where can you? If you want to bang the drum for US content then feel free to check out trainsimamerica or similar. I'm sure they're not calling out for UK electric traction over there.

jimmyshand wrote:Good point about the lack of suitable electric traction. In fact from my limited knowledge of ECML traction then I don't think we have a single prototypical item? 86, Pendolino are exclusively WCML. Sadly it doesn't look like RSC are about to address this any time soon, they seem to be on a rampage across the good ol' USA and have forgotten all about their fellow countrymen who put them where they are through buying their DLC since 2007!! Their entire Facebook page is just plastered with American stuff, nobody else is getting a look in at the moment. Let's hope it's just a phase eh?

I was thinking the same , time for more the UK DLC now.

Personally I would prefer RSC to keep the Americans happy as long as they like and allow the likes of JT and Waggonz etc to keep on producing infinitely better models than RSC can obviously do!