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ScotRail HST Introduction - Updates & Discussion

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Highland37

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Why did wabtec or Scotrail not take account of the information you have provided above?
 
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InOban

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I agree, but I'm still puzzled why a vehicle which has been rebuilt from scratch should then require a C4 exam.
 

scotraildriver

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I agree, but I'm still puzzled why a vehicle which has been rebuilt from scratch should then require a C4 exam.

They haven't been rebuilt from scratch. They have been heavily refurbished but the basic running gear (bogies, wheels, brakes, air systems) etc isn't touched so has to undergo exam as required, which is overdue by the time the sets come out of works. If you notice the bogies are not new when the sets return. Getting Wabtec to do this would further delay the programme and isn't within the scope of the refurbishment, it is the basic ongoing maintenance regime which is Scotrails responsibility and simply follows on from when the vehicles were with GWR.
 

snookertam

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I notice a lot of comments here that are very naive about how the railway works and especially trains getting refurbished. When a train enters the works, it is assessed on not just the work planned but also the basics i.e, how structurally sound it is, levels of corrosion needed dealt with, roof condition, bodywork, major exam date and whether it ties in with the work being carried out. These are 40 year old coaches with high levels of corrosion, especially around the toilet areas. Years and years of effluent, spraying up onto the undercarriage has taken its toll on the subframe. Completed sets are coming out of the works and straight into Scotrail sheds for C4 exams, due to the expired maintenance schedule.
Scotrail inherited some cantankerous beasts in these trains and it will take time to get them completed and in place but who can argue whether you would rather travel from the Central belt to the Highlands on a IC7 or a 170?

A 170 every day of the week. It's those units that should have underwent a refurbishment to make them a bit more suitable to long distance journeys. At least we wouldn't be travelling on 40 year old underframes, suspensions etc.
 

Maxfly

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A 170 every day of the week. It's those units that should have underwent a refurbishment to make them a bit more suitable to long distance journeys. At least we wouldn't be travelling on 40 year old underframes, suspensions etc.


Not sure about the point of “40 year old underframes” etc. A valid point would have been the poor reliability surely, little of which can be attributed to those underframes surely?
Not used one of Scotrail HST’s yet but when I travelled regularly from Inverness to Perth and return the southbound journey on the chieftain was far more pleasant than the northbound toil on a 170.
A hell of a work to make 170,s suitable for that journey IMO, close of those doors into the passenger area so the heat doesn’t immediately naff off would likely be the easiest, sorting the lack of power and or poor gearing maybe a tad harder and sorting out the noise from the engines maybe harder still.
A big tin of febreeze might sort the reek round the toilet at least.
 

alangla

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I noticed in the short forms section of Journeycheck earlier some Edinburgh to Aberdeen services were showing 3 vs 4 due to “failure of HA05 at Edinburgh”
The 170s aren’t great but they do appear to be capable of a day’s work, unlike the HSTs
 

InvHst

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I noticed in the short forms section of Journeycheck earlier some Edinburgh to Aberdeen services were showing 3 vs 4 due to “failure of HA05 at Edinburgh”
The 170s aren’t great but they do appear to be capable of a day’s work, unlike the HSTs

Ha05 cab fan heater broken
Ha06 no idea what was wrong but was pulled off after 0453 Inverness to Edinburgh service. Suspect some sort of exam needed
Ha22 failed at pitlochry Speedo fault

One days failures isn't very good today granted
 

Steven_G

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I suppose that the bigger issue is the power car reliability. We all moan about refurb set delays but these moans from us all would be far less if what we have were all out working on a regular basis. 3 sets outta 7 working isn’t great and sometimes less.

I was under the impression that all the power cars have had their immediate work done from down south (sorry can’t recall where) plus ScotRail changes (speedo for example) meaning they are in a reasonably reliable condition.
 
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380101

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I'm sure I read somewhere they aren't doing the doors, just all the normal mkIII refurb work and then they'll to Doncaster just for doors and nothing else

Slam door HST Mk3s were delivered to WabTec Kilmarnock and its sliding door Mk3 HST coaches that I saw all masked up ready to go into the paint shop. The sliding door conversion requires the slam door ends on each side to be complety cut out and then the sliding door frames are welded in, so this has to be done before any other refurb work such as paint and internal fit outs are done.
 

mcmad

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Its a safety risk as the driver is more likely to be distracted. The cabs can be drafty places (no idea how the scotrail powercars fair in that respect) and a heater is essential particularly since its was frosty a few mornings earlier this week
 

cf111

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Finally got a new set between Stirling and Inverness last week. Paid the £15 upgrade to first class as a treat to myself. I was quite impressed; I actually don't mind the 170s but the HST was as an improvement.
 

Northhighland

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Finally got a new set between Stirling and Inverness last week. Paid the £15 upgrade to first class as a treat to myself. I was quite impressed; I actually don't mind the 170s but the HST was as an improvement.


Hard to find anyone that doesn't think they are a huge improvement. Just need to get he reliability sorted. Some of hte posts form those in the know on here make me think Scotrail maintenance teams will get on top of this, they do an excellent job on the 170's and 158's, probably some experience and getting them up to a standard and things will go better. Hopefully.
 

InvHst

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Is it still a 170 from edi to Inverness or has HST refurb or classics taken over that route.

Depends what day and time you travel

Monday - Friday
834, 1739,1939 are all scheduled HST diagrams out of Edinburgh heading for Inverness.

Now Friday Just gone you had 2 refurbs on them yet the 1939 which is a HST diagram on a Saturday the others aren't was a classic Tonight
 

hexagon789

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Depends what day and time you travel

Monday - Friday
834, 1739,1939 are all scheduled HST diagrams out of Edinburgh heading for Inverness.

Now Friday Just gone you had 2 refurbs on them yet the 1939 which is a HST diagram on a Saturday the others aren't was a classic Tonight

Which is the main issue - you still can't be sure what's booked HST will be an HST
 

InvHst

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What issues are impacting refurb reliability?

Not sure where I read it but the latest refurb hadn't even had a particular exam done as part of the works in Doncaster which is why it's sat at Kilmarnock now.
All the sets are having issues reliability wise anything from Speedo faults to cab heater broken and powercar failures remember they are very old units being used by inexperienced depot teams
 
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