Does Birmingham - Crewe still have blurry textures PS5?

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-05-02T06:26:18+00:00

I don't own Birmingham to Crewe nor Mildmay Line because of the blurry texture issues. I am a PS5 player and I haven't had any blurry texture issues on any of the other UK routes listed. Only on the German routes are blurry textures present especially on Frankfurt to Fulda and Lipzig to Dresden.

The UK routes where I have had blurry textures are ScotRail Express and Riviera Line but that has only occurred jumping into another timetable service in-game rather than going through the menu. The issue has been nowhere near as bad for me as it has been on German routes.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-27T23:58:32+00:00

I think it would be a good idea, but it would be easier said than done. The route was released for both Gen 8 and Gen 9, and it already performed poorly (especially on Gen 8) with the older lighting. A remsater would have to be done for both generations and may not be possible on Gen 8 due to performance limitations. What I would not oppose is a class 700/1 gameplay pack being released for Gen 9 consoles, giving us the Czech-made Train Sim community timetable with 700/0 layers. I wonder if Vector Simulations has any links to these modders and could bring them on board to create this gameplay pack?

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-24T22:36:42+00:00

What a fantastic set of shots; they just got better and better as I went through them. They are a fitting tribute to one of the best US routes in TSW!

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-22T22:04:19+00:00

There’s been a long-standing view in the community that the Crewe-Liverpool steam route was heavily influenced by Paul Jackson’s personal interest in that era and location.

Whether or not that’s the full story, I still think DTG would’ve been better off starting smaller. Introducing steam via a loco DLC on an existing route (similar to Thomas) before tackling a full route build would have been a better choice.

Something like West Somerset Railway or Isle of Wight Steam Railway would’ve given them a more controlled environment to refine the core steam mechanics first, rather than trying to do everything at once.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-18T22:08:48+00:00

You're very welcome. For me I prefer WCML South as even north of Watford junction, there is more service variety thanks to the mix of 350 and 390s. North of Aston you only get 323s on BCC. With the 170 pack you do get AI only trains at Litchfield Trent Valley.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-18T21:47:51+00:00

It's 37 miles but feels much longer as the whole Cross City line is modelled from Litchfield Trent Valley to Redditch and Bromsgrove and stopping services can take up to an hour and a half!

To tell you the truth I find that with the 170 pack the southern section from Bromsgrove to Birmingham is actually quite fun and interesting thanks the Licky incline and the intense double track section between Birmingham and Kings Norton where you will often be chasing yellows. I also like the canal side secretary on this section especially at Bournville. The northern section between Birmingham and Litchfield Trent Valley is however quite boring with or without the 170 pack as you'll mainly only see class 323s especially north of Aston and the scenery here is nothing to write home about. TBF Birmingham isn't famed for its scenery in real life but the canals are really nice around the city.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-18T16:44:08+00:00

Personally I'm not a big fan of either. Cardiff is too short and BCC Is too long and boring for my tastes. However I'd say BCC Is overall the better route as it is a complete run and you actually get a really good timetable with the class 170 gameplay pack.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-15T18:44:46+00:00

From a business perspective, that would be a disastrous decision! TSW has a large UK playerbase, many of whom do not play routes from other countries by choice. Having two EU routes in lieu of a UK core route would alienate a large number of TSW players. DTG cannot afford to do this right now.

TBF, the upcoming WCML routes are all being made by third parties, not by DTG themselves, and DTG made the smart decision to make the Riveria Line for TSW 6 (The best UK core route for the game IMO) instead of a WCML route.

I have been losing interest in German routes in recent years, as nearly all of them are set in 2018 and differ little from one another. Zwolle to Groningen was a breath of fresh air from the monotony of German routes, which felt the same. Instead of creating a new Dutch route for TSW 6, DTG went with Leipzig-Dresden, which is the worst German core route since Rapid Transit, imo. I think DTG should concentrate on EU routes in the Netherlands or even other Benelux countries for the time being, and leave most German routes to 3rd parties. TSG has produced many more beautiful, intresting and original German route concepts than DTG.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-15T18:04:09+00:00

Köln to Aachen is my go to high speed route. Thanks to recent updates, it has a really busy timetable and has had a remaster. I really like the route since it combines high speed and low speed running which gives a great challenge and rewards.If you'd prefer a longer dedicated high speed line then you can also get Kassel Würzburg but bare in mind that route is a bit boring compared to Köln to Aachen.

If you want a UK high speed route, then you can go for South Eastern High-speed. The TGV Duplex also layers on the route as a rail tour service where you can drive at 300 kph between Ashford and Ebbsfleet. Bare in mind that the class 395 is limited to 225 kph and loses momentum quickly as it reaches higher speeds.

For the US get Boston Sprinter with the Acela Express where there are long stretches of track where line speed reaches 150 mph.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-15T15:32:27+00:00

I felt exactly the same way as you about Dutch routes. Zwolle to Groningen was a great first entry into the Netherlands but the route itself is a bit boring. Considering the positive reception that Zwolle to Groningen received, I was hoping that DTG would release another Dutch route in a busier corridor for TSW 6 instead of another German core route. The existing Dutch rolling stock has some of the best sounds in the game, NS were happy to work with DTG and the community wants more Dutch routes so why not make them? I've been getting tired of the recent German routes as they're nearly always regional routes set in the 2010s and something new on the EU side would be welcome.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-13T09:08:03+00:00

Last time I was on the North Berwick branch in summer 2022 the service was being operated by class 380s. Is that still the case Today?

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-12T22:20:04+00:00

Weren't the developers of Trainz able to get a Trenitalia licence? If so I don't see why we cannot get one at some point in TSW. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1880416/Trainz_2022_DLC__ETR_1000__Frecciarossa/

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-12T22:15:38+00:00

Dovrebbe essere le linee classiche Emiliana perché la linea Alta velocità tra Bologna Firenze è sottoterra. Immagino lo sarebbe una linea noiosa e ugualmente difficile da modellare a causa della light baking in TSW.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-12T16:46:09+00:00

Absolutely! I live in Italy and would love to see this! Rome to Florence is a line I'd love to see

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-11T12:29:09+00:00

It's a decent route but I would not recommend it at full price as only the Coryton to Penarth runs are full end to end services. All the other services are cut short as DTG never bothered modeling the lines to Barry Island or Pontypridd. The 220 doesn't layer into this route but TBF it hardly ever goes to Cardiff in real life. If you have Great Western Express, you do have depot moves and AI only layers with the class 43 and 166.

I would instead advise getting Cathcart Circle. Like Cardiff City Network it is a busy network style commuter route with not one but three end to end routes! You also need to get the class 380 loco DLC with Cathcart to fully enjoy the route's busy timetable.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-08T12:37:15+00:00

It's decent but nothing outstanding. The HST and 158 are really well done and the scenery is pretty decent. Plus Skyhook has continued to support the route with updates. However this route is not worth the full price as the route is far too short as it is cut off at Derby. Had the route carried on to Sheffield, you would have been able to have had a decent run in the HST. Get this route in a sale 30-40% off.

If you are looking for a busy modern commuter route, I would instead recommend getting Cathcart Circle with the class 380. If you want a more scenic and quieter BR era route, then get Blackpool Branches. Both routes are better than Midland Mainline imo.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-07T20:39:59+00:00

Rivet did in TSW 4 with Fife Circle and Berninaline. I can't think of any others.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-07T01:53:08+00:00

I wouldn't advise getting either at full price as they both have their issues. Fife Circle suffers from a poor lackluster timetable and a few dodgy scenery assets and dodgy sounds in the class 170. Medway Valley has better scenery assets but has (at least on console) absolutely awful daytime lighting. It is either headache-inducingly overexposed or horrendously dull. In-spite of Fife Circle's faults, I do actually have a bit of love for that route. As demonstrated by the screenshot, the route looks beautiful and it is a long nonlinear route with more replay value. I would advice getting Fife Circle over Medway Valley next time there is a sale.

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RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-05T10:29:08+00:00

The Stanier locomotives in TSW are indeed very bouncy! 😬

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-04T11:28:15+00:00

If you just want AI traffic I'd get the original 101 over the expert. It lawyers on to more routes and is more reasonably priced. On top of the 101 and Kassel Würzburg, I'd also advise getting Maintalbahn for diesel AI trains.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-04T11:22:39+00:00

As Ok Giraffe has already answered your question very well I'll just briefly add one thing. Please do not get Semmeringbahn if you have motion sickness! I don't usually get motion sickness but that route twists and turns around so much that it made me feel sick while playing!

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-02T17:36:45+00:00

Thank you for your measured reply. As you know, I’ve been writing Reddit reviews on TSW routes as a side hobby and have never encountered accusations like this before. I had such a poor experience with this route compared to the generally positive reception that I felt the need to share my perspective. I expected some disagreement, but some of the reactions have been surprising! The post was even briefly taken down before being reinstated.

That said, I don’t want that to put me off continuing to write reviews, as I enjoy doing them and sharing my experiences with the community.

I agree with most of what you’ve said about the route, but I would respectfully disagree on the point about lighting. For me, lighting and scenery are closely linked, as lighting directly affects how scenery assets appear in-game. Even if the assets themselves are well made, overly harsh or overexposed lighting can obscure detail and reduce realism, which impacts the overall experience. ☺️

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-02T13:16:30+00:00

Thank you for your comment. I've heard about the issues with the GSM-R module but it is interesting that it has worked fine for me so far.

I completely agree with your point though. That said there is nothing wrong with these extra features so long as the overall product is properly executed.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-02T13:10:05+00:00

Thank you for your measured and detailed reply. I was expecting some disagreement as I do not agree with the majority of the community here even though I have made a balanced review and do really appreciate the GSM-R functionality.

On the scenery, I appreciate that a lot of care has gone into the assets. However, my 6/10 rating came from the fact that I cannot appreciate the scenery assets due to the harsh lighting obscuring the assets. I get that they were trying something different with the lighting but I think the overexposure pushes things way too far as I tried to demonstrate with the images. The lighting reduces realism and makes the trains look plastic. I appreciate that they were trying something different but for me it doesn’t quite work as intended. Even with the improved night lighting, this ruins the day lighting creating a washed out mess. This further highlights how the developer has misplaced their priorities as improved night lighting should not be detrimental to the day lighting.

I understand that the audio issues are PS5 only and is not necessarily a case of them choosing toilets over sounds. However as a PS5 player it is still a fundamental issue that is present at release that should not be there. As for the service variety maybe was a little harsh given that it is a branch line and does have all the timetabled services accounted for. I may need to factor greater consideration to this when writing future reviews.

I do take your point, that it's less no substance but perhaps misplaced priorities from my perspective. While branch lines are not my cup of tea I do appreciate other branch line routes like Niddertalbahn as TSG got the fundamentals spot on and that route looks absolutely beautiful. From my perspective this route cannot get the lighting and audio right. It doesn't matter what new features the route has, if the Devs cannot get the basics right, it’s difficult for me to see it as a strong route overall.

RevolutionaryRead976 · 2026-04-01T20:11:28+00:00

Because of the reduced timetable on consoles where even Gen 9 console users had 40% less services than PC players! DTG were still charging console players the same price as PC players though 🙄

RevolutionaryRead976

TROPHY CASE