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ScotRail HST Introduction - Updates & Discussion

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sde426

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Going by the BBC picture of it crossing Hawthorn Street on the way back to Eastfield, the George Square end power car was still smoking - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-48672955 3rd picture

Post #8300 stated the fault was fixed at Eastfield by replacing a turbocharger. This suggests the fault may have been a leaking oil seal on one of the four turbochargers, causing lube oil ingestion to the cylinders. Hence the engine continued to run by combusting lube oil instead of diesel after the engine had been “shut down” via the stop button. Isolating the diesel supply from the fuel pump would therefore also have had no effect.

If that’s what the fault mechanism was (I’m just speculating here...), then that would explain why the rear power car was still belching smoke as it was dragged back up to Eastfield. It was nominally “shut down” with no diesel supply, but was still running at a random speed with no governor control. The engine speed would have been entirely dependent on the oil seal leakage rate. Fortunately the leakage rate wasn’t high enough to overspeed the engine and cause major damage (that really would have smoked out Queen Street!).

Presumably the only way to stop the engine once on shed was to isolate the lube oil supply to the offending turbocharger, either by closing an isolating valve on the supply pipe (which would be a sensible provision) or by physically disconnecting the pipe (messy!).

Incidentally, if this fault mechanism ever afflicts your family diesel car, the only way to stop it is to select top gear and dump the clutch while standing on the brake, before the over speeding engine destroys itself (and your bank balance!).
 

InvHst

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A new classic HST set was introduced today into service However due to signal fault earlier in the day has ended up in Dundee carriage sidings. Interesting to see them put another into the mix is this to get them up to scratch before the August reopen of the line between Inverness and aberdeen when a few diagrams change.

Also question for Inverness guys what's the situation regarding the 0707 from queen Street what does it work when it gets to Inverness now I'm curious as it worked the 1527 today to huntly and goes to Elgin as well
 

Highland37

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Why did Scotrail
GWR have 40+ years operating HSTs - they're a totally new traction for Scotrail. Don't underestimate the learning curve - it's been pretty steep...

The point about the training is very well made - I'd think that's why they've been scarce on the HML diagrams just now
not second or send people to shadow the GWR teams?

This is a very well understood design, where pretty much everything there is to learn, has been learned, but not by Scotrail or Wabtec. And that's before the training and staffing issues are considered.

To those saying the smog in Queen Street was not an issue - people have moved on. They don't want to go to a place full of diesel fumes from and malfunctioning unit. The public deserve better than this shambolic project.
 

gingertom

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Someone I know bought a used car with 12k genuine miles on the clock, meticulously maintained, and a couple of months later (and out of warranty) the turbo let go, lots of smoke, no power. ££££ to fix. Age and maintenance regimes aren't always a factor. Sometimes these things just happen.
 

hexagon789

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Someone I know bought a used car with 12k genuine miles on the clock, meticulously maintained, and a couple of months later (and out of warranty) the turbo let go, lots of smoke, no power. ££££ to fix. Age and maintenance regimes aren't always a factor. Sometimes these things just happen.

Exactly, anything mechanical is going to have an inherent level of unpredictability about it, things can and will just break or not function properly.
 

Highland37

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It's hardly a regular occurance.

Really? You want to get yourself to a modern railway like OBB in Austria. No diesel fumes in stations much less well used and better used than Queen Street. It's 2019 and here we are using ancient stock, hardly any of which is actually with the operator, with a poor training programme and a railway unable to deliver the service it itself promised.

I like the HSTs, but the shambolic nature of this programme has put me right off the railway.
 

Highland37

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They did. Just because you don't know about something doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

So why are people saying that this needs time to bed in? Either the learning took place or it didn't. There has been plenty of time to get on top of this.
 

hexagon789

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Really? You want to get yourself to a modern railway like OBB in Austria. No diesel fumes in stations much less well used and better used than Queen Street. It's 2019 and here we are using ancient stock, hardly any of which is actually with the operator, with a poor training programme and a railway unable to deliver the service it itself promised.

I like the HSTs, but the shambolic nature of this programme has put me right off the railway.

I've never noticed fumes in Queen Street, even. Certainly you see the exhaust off trains but it's never created a palpable "atmosphere".
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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Really? You want to get yourself to a modern railway like OBB in Austria. No diesel fumes in stations much less well used and better used than Queen Street. It's 2019 and here we are using ancient stock, hardly any of which is actually with the operator, with a poor training programme and a railway unable to deliver the service it itself promised.

I like the HSTs, but the shambolic nature of this programme has put me right off the railway.
The irony, when the mainstay of ÖBB’s intercity fleet is 100% loco hauled. Where as here our traction is, in general, far more modern. The HSTs are perfectly suitable for these InterScotland trips. They are IMO highly inadequate for long journeys such as GWR London to Cornwall and the 80x are much better for those journeys, but the shortened HST is ideal for the journeys ScotRail use them on and the exhaust fumes really are minimal.
 

Northhighland

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You are both wasting your time trying to explain.
Yes passengers are such a pain, they are so stupid.

Training excuse is really poor and has worn so thin it is now threadbare. Scotrail have had a few years to plan for this. It was obvious classics were going to needed at least a year before they did anything.

Hard to argue this is anything other than a shambles. Also the GWR point if experience is so vital why not make more use of GWR knowledge?

Still doesn’t explain the classic sets lying out of service. The number leased would indicate more should be in service than currently is the case.

Perfectly reasonable points to make.
 

43096

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Yes passengers are such a pain, they are so stupid.

Training excuse is really poor and has worn so thin it is now threadbare. Scotrail have had a few years to plan for this. It was obvious classics were going to needed at least a year before they did anything.

Hard to argue this is anything other than a shambles. Also the GWR point if experience is so vital why not make more use of GWR knowledge?

Still doesn’t explain the classic sets lying out of service. The number leased would indicate more should be in service than currently is the case.

Perfectly reasonable points to make.
So why are you not ScotRail MD if you know it all?
 

RLBH

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I thought it would be for all long-distance travel for ScotRail
It is. You've got (more or less) an hourly Edinburgh-Aberdeen taking 2h30, an hourly Glasgow-Aberdeen taking 3h, an hourly Inverness taking 3h30, and an hourly Aberdeen-Inverness taking 2h15. That's 23 sets working, plus some extras for maintenance.

I believe the actual figure, come up with by people who presumably analysed timetables properly rather than spending 30 seconds getting rough running times, is 22 diagrams to be covered.
I'm not sure there's a significantly improved hot food provision, they do hot pies/toasties and things, only slightly better than the trolley only arrangement it seems.
Having it at all is a decent improvement over the trolley, and I assume that the buffet counter also has more stock than a trolley could.
 

jingsmonty

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I take it that would allow the power cars to be shut down at termini?

Yes it would. The shore supply keeps the ETS (train supply) running, without having a power car running. It's more for the stabling points at the depots, rather than the station platforms though - I don't know if the stations are being equipped or not? For HSTs with quick turnarounds, it probably wouldn't be used anyway. Currently, an HST stabled at the depot in the evening, for service the next day, would be left with a power car running (at 1000rpm, equivalent to Notch 2 power) all night. Not ideal!
 

jingsmonty

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Didn't the latest issue of Modern Railways show that the 2+4 sets were pretty unreliable in period 13?

Not sure if you're just taking about the Scotrail 4+2 sets, ot the GWR 'Castle' sets as well? I'd expect the GWR ones to be better, given the 40+ Years of experience & infrastructure that's in place for them (as scotraildriver said in an earlier post).
 

hexagon789

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Having it at all is a decent improvement over the trolley, and I assume that the buffet counter also has more stock than a trolley could.

Would imagine it does, and certainly it is an improvement but I think it needs two staff members to work effectively. One each for the trolley and the buffet.
 

hexagon789

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Not sure if you're just taking about the Scotrail 4+2 sets, ot the GWR 'Castle' sets as well? I'd expect the GWR ones to be better, given the 40+ Years of experience & infrastructure that's in place for them (as scotraildriver said in an earlier post).

I'm guessing it referred to GWR.
 

chuff chuff

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Would imagine it does, and certainly it is an improvement but I think it needs two staff members to work effectively. One each for the trolley and the buffet.

It should be two their rather short of staff at the moment,training new staff is apparently ongoing.
 

hexagon789

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Yes it would. The shore supply keeps the ETS (train supply) running, without having a power car running. It's more for the stabling points at the depots, rather than the station platforms though - I don't know if the stations are being equipped or not? For HSTs with quick turnarounds, it probably wouldn't be used anyway. Currently, an HST stabled at the depot in the evening, for service the next day, would be left with a power car running (at 1000rpm, equivalent to Notch 2 power) all night. Not ideal!

Should cut both noise, pollution and fuel costs and so it's very important addition I would think, hopefully they get the supplies in place soon.
 

hexagon789

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It should be two their rather short of staff at the moment,training new staff is apparently ongoing.

Yes, I'd heard they were having to use one staff member to operate both trolley and buffet - not ideal, but hopefully that will be sorted in time.
 

jingsmonty

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Would imagine it does, and certainly it is an improvement but I think it needs two staff members to work effectively. One each for the trolley and the buffet.

Current rumour is that only 1 hospitality staff member will be onboard. Which isn't great. I've not travelled on a refurbished set in service yet, but others have said that the buffet hasn't been used & has only had a trolley onboard. Seems like missing an open goal to me. .
 

jingsmonty

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Should cut both noise, pollution and fuel costs and so it's very important addition I would think, hopefully they get the supplies in place soon.

Definetly! I heard the shore supplies would be installed once the actual building/infrastructure work is completed
 

hexagon789

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Current rumour is that only 1 hospitality staff member will be onboard. Which isn't great. I've not travelled on a refurbished set in service yet, but others have said that the buffet hasn't been used & has only had a trolley onboard. Seems like missing an open goal to me. .

It does to an extent, yes. If it's just a trolley, what's the difference against the previous catering service?

Seems a shame to go to the bother of having a buffet and not use them. Mind you, it's not the first time.
 

jingsmonty

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Yes passengers are such a pain, they are so stupid.

Training excuse is really poor and has worn so thin it is now threadbare. Scotrail have had a few years to plan for this. It was obvious classics were going to needed at least a year before they did anything.

Hard to argue this is anything other than a shambles. Also the GWR point if experience is so vital why not make more use of GWR knowledge?

Still doesn’t explain the classic sets lying out of service. The number leased would indicate more should be in service than currently is the case.

Perfectly reasonable points to make.

The training point isn't an excuse. It's a fact. You've a point about the planning of it all, but remember, the vast amount of training isn't just HSTs - other depots have had other new traction (385s, mainly) & there's a vast number of new starts requiring extensive training too. My own depot has over 20 trainee drivers just now (a nearly 50% increase in complement!), all of whom require a Driver Instructor. This ties up D.I.s who would otherwise be free to do the HST practical handling training (which involves either 1 DI & 2 Drivers, or 2 DIs & 4 Drivers having their shifts covered for 2-3 weeks), when there's turns not being covered as it is.

No point going on about the organisating of it all (I'm sure it'll be discussed when it all settles down), it is what it is. Moaning won't change anything. There's a huge amount of change going on just now (more than I've ever seen) which all impact on each other
 

jingsmonty

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A new classic HST set was introduced today into service However due to signal fault earlier in the day has ended up in Dundee carriage sidings. Interesting to see them put another into the mix is this to get them up to scratch before the August reopen of the line between Inverness and aberdeen when a few diagrams change.

Also question for Inverness guys what's the situation regarding the 0707 from queen Street what does it work when it gets to Inverness now I'm curious as it worked the 1527 today to huntly and goes to Elgin as well

I think (note the caveat - I'm not sure!) it works Huntly x2/Elgin, like you say. That's probably to keep our traction retention, since we're not seeing them on the HML much.
 

jingsmonty

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I'm sure the locals will be pleased at the noise reduction!

To be honest, Inverness station area hasn't really had an issue with noise. eg, no restrictions with doing safety checks (including sounding the horn) when working nightshift. Only real area where noise pollution would be an issue is out North of the station, as there's houses that back onto the line. We only go out there to couple sets & to change ends for shunt moves.
 
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