ScotRail HST Introduction - Updates & Discussion

ChrisC · 28 Jul 2019

I’m travelling up to Inverness from Nottingham on Monday 2nd September. The easiest option would be to travel up to York mid morning, have a break for lunch, then get the Chieftain up to Inverness.
However, it would be nice to arrive in Inverness and get settled into my hotel a little earlier. If I did decide to travel earlier, which would be the best option for a reasonably comfortable journey, getting a seat and space for luggage? Travelling up to Edinburgh and getting the 1333 to Inverness or heading for Glasgow and getting the 1508 from Queen Street to Inverness.
Incidentally, once up in Inverness I’m spending 7 nights there and then down to Glasgow the following Monday morning for 3 nights there. I will be making use of an 8 Days in 15 Spirit of Scotland Pass.

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Caleb2010 · 29 Jul 2019

InvHst said:
This issues have been caused by Aberdeen to inverness closure. When the line reopens on August 20th hopefully everything should become a bit more consistent

I get that, but Scotrail knew this closure was happening and knew what journey's would be affected (re allocation), so therefore knew which journeys would have 170's or 158's on them - yet still persisted on allocating bikes, wheelchairs and so on, on the basis of it being an HST, which it clearly wasn't going to be! The unsuspecting passenger only finding out when a notice appeared on the station PIS 'Reservations not Available' or worse still no information and the train turned up bursting at the seams with less carriages than it should have.

Very shoddy planning!

Caleb2010 · 29 Jul 2019

ChrisC said:
I’m travelling up to Inverness from Nottingham on Monday 2nd September. The easiest option would be to travel up to York mid morning, have a break for lunch, then get the Chieftain up to Inverness.
However, it would be nice to arrive in Inverness and get settled into my hotel a little earlier. If I did decide to travel earlier, which would be the best option for a reasonably comfortable journey, getting a seat and space for luggage? Travelling up to Edinburgh and getting the 1333 to Inverness or heading for Glasgow and getting the 1508 from Queen Street to Inverness.
Incidentally, once up in Inverness I’m spending 7 nights there and then down to Glasgow the following Monday morning for 3 nights there. I will be making use of an 8 Days in 15 Spirit of Scotland Pass.

Monday should be quite quiet on the 1333 ex Edinburgh, by then it might even be an HST. Luggage and so on shouldn't be a problem. You should be able to reserve a seat.

InvHst · 29 Jul 2019

Caleb2010 said:
Monday should be quite quiet on the 1333 ex Edinburgh, by then it might even be an HST. Luggage and so on shouldn't be a problem. You should be able to reserve a seat.

Nope sorry 1333 is a 170 till August 20th however with queen Street re open all platforms then the 1508 should be a classic

InvHst · 29 Jul 2019

ChrisC said:
I’m travelling up to Inverness from Nottingham on Monday 2nd September. The easiest option would be to travel up to York mid morning, have a break for lunch, then get the Chieftain up to Inverness.
However, it would be nice to arrive in Inverness and get settled into my hotel a little earlier. If I did decide to travel earlier, which would be the best option for a reasonably comfortable journey, getting a seat and space for luggage? Travelling up to Edinburgh and getting the 1333 to Inverness or heading for Glasgow and getting the 1508 from Queen Street to Inverness.
Incidentally, once up in Inverness I’m spending 7 nights there and then down to Glasgow the following Monday morning for 3 nights there. I will be making use of an 8 Days in 15 Spirit of Scotland Pass.

1333 ex Edinburgh will be a 170
1508 ex gqs should be a classic HST as all platforms have reopened this morning

Caleb2010 · 29 Jul 2019

But he's travelling on the 2nd September, so it should be an HST - 0944 ex Inverness

SideshowBob · 29 Jul 2019

RTT think that today's 1B54 15:54 Inverness - Edinburgh is an HST. Disappointed to report that it's a 170 (170415). Thankfully sparsely populated at least in the leading carriage albeit almost every seat in said carriage is reserved but many intending occupants have either not turned up or are sitting elsewhere, perhaps due at least in part to the PIS in the station bar (Ness & Thistle) saying "No seat reservations" for this service prior to (punctual) departure.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G81316/2019/07/29/advanced

ainsworth74 · 29 Jul 2019

SideshowBob said:
RTT think that today's 1B54 15:54 Inverness - Edinburgh is an HST. Disappointed to report that it's a 170 (170415).

RTT only reports timing loads not booked traction. So just because something is timed to be a certain type of train doesn't mean it'll actually run as that. For example a lot of Chiltern services are timed for 158s despite Chiltern not operating a single 158 or on CrossCountry have a lot more services timed for HSTs than every actually run as HSTs. It'll be the same thing here. The service might be timed for something that suggests HST however it is by no means certain.

SideshowBob · 30 Jul 2019

ainsworth74 said:
RTT only reports timing loads not booked traction. So just because something is timed to be a certain type of train doesn't mean it'll actually run as that. ... The service might be timed for something that suggests HST however it is by no means certain.

Good to know - thanks!

InvHst · 30 Jul 2019

SideshowBob said:
RTT think that today's 1B54 15:54 Inverness - Edinburgh is an HST. Disappointed to report that it's a 170 (170415). Thankfully sparsely populated at least in the leading carriage albeit almost every seat in said carriage is reserved but many intending occupants have either not turned up or are sitting elsewhere, perhaps due at least in part to the PIS in the station bar (Ness & Thistle) saying "No seat reservations" for this service prior to (punctual) departure.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G81316/2019/07/29/advanced

1554 has reverted back to a 170 since Monday and only operates on a Saturday now for about 20 days. It may change back to HST operated but not sure

Doveymain158 · 30 Jul 2019

Is the 1725 Inverness to Queen St booked an HST Mon-Fri?

Esker-pades · 30 Jul 2019

Doveymain158 said:
Is the 1725 Inverness to Queen St booked an HST Mon-Fri?

I assume you mean the 17:27.

Not sure what it is booked as, but it's been a 170 every time I've used it for the past 2 months (once or twice per week). Except for the time it was a 158.

InvHst · 31 Jul 2019

Doveymain158 said:
Is the 1725 Inverness to Queen St booked an HST Mon-Fri?

No we won't see that return to a HST until at least 20th August

JLUK144 · 31 Jul 2019

Does anyone know how Wabtec are doing with the HSTs that haven’t been delivered? How soon until the next set arrives? Will Scotrail get a derogation for the PRM-TSI given 26 are to be delivered but only 6 have been so far, I think?

ld0595 · 31 Jul 2019

JLUK144 said:
Does anyone know how Wabtec are doing with the HSTs that haven’t been delivered? How soon until the next set arrives? Will Scotrail get a derogation for the PRM-TSI given 26 are to be delivered but only 6 have been so far, I think?

I saw a picture on the Scot-Rail group showing a full rake which looked ready to go (without powercars). I guess the next set will be up here by next week.

hexagon789 · 1 Aug 2019

ld0595 said:
I saw a picture on the Scot-Rail group showing a full rake which looked ready to go (without powercars). I guess the next set will be up here by next week.

That's good that another set is completed, hopefully no. 8 isn't too far behind that.

InOban · 1 Aug 2019

Usually the next set has been observed with power cars for some time before it is released, so I am not holding my breath for a delivery next week.

hexagon789 · 1 Aug 2019

InOban said:
Usually the next set has been observed with power cars for some time before it is released, so I am not holding my breath for a delivery next week.

Wasn't there one set-up with power cars a few weeks back though? If so, seems a long time even allowing first testing a set with power cars before releasing it to go north

gsnedders · 1 Aug 2019

hexagon789 said:
Wasn't there one set-up with power cars a few weeks back though? If so, seems a long time even allowing first testing a set with power cars before releasing it to go north

Depends how many issues were found on it leading to remedial work.

hexagon789 · 1 Aug 2019

gsnedders said:
Depends how many issues were found on it leading to remedial work.

I suppose, I hadn't considered that.

Steven_G · 2 Aug 2019

A month since set 6. That monthly delivery drumbeat fading fast.

Positively, I reckon by end of year and it would be nearly 50/50 chance of getting a new or refurb on as scheduled HST service.

What’s the split at the moment and projected for end of year on HST (refurb or otherwise) and 170?

DannyMich2018 · 2 Aug 2019

Steven_G said:
A month since set 6. That monthly delivery drumbeat fading fast.

Positively, I reckon by end of year and it would be nearly 50/50 chance of getting a new or refurb on as scheduled HST service.

What’s the split at the moment and projected for end of year on HST (refurb or otherwise) and 170?

Exactly. Sadly the rate of progress this year has not improved much with only 6 delivered so far in a year now. I do hope monthly deliveries start though.......

Highland37 · 2 Aug 2019

I am impressed with the faith that people have in Wabtec. They have been a total failure on every rumoured, scheduled and confirmed deadline. The full fleet will never enter service.

hexagon789 · 2 Aug 2019

Highland37 said:
I am impressed with the faith that people have in Wabtec. They have been a total failure on every rumoured, scheduled and confirmed deadline. The full fleet will never enter service.

Certainly if it's one set per month max, that's potentially another 19 months we've got until they are all ready.

Highland37 · 2 Aug 2019

It's not one a month. Abandon that idea as it has no basis in fact. It's sporadic, about every 2 months at best.

Goldromans · 2 Aug 2019

Highland37 said:
It's not one a month. Abandon that idea as it has no basis in fact. It's sporadic, about every 2 months at best.

That's not true. The last couple of deliveries did appear to show an increase in delivery rate.

Highland37 · 2 Aug 2019

Isn't it? When was the first delivery and what's the average been since then?

hexagon789 · 2 Aug 2019

Highland37 said:
It's not one a month. Abandon that idea as it has no basis in fact. It's sporadic, about every 2 months at best.

They may not get delivered regularly, but they seem to be getting finished more regularly.

Highland37 · 2 Aug 2019

What information are you basing that on? The data don't support that statement.

Goldromans · 2 Aug 2019

Highland37 said:
Isn't it? When was the first delivery and what's the average been since then?

Most refurbishment programmes speed up after the first few are completed. That seemed to be happening here, with the gap between sets getting smaller each time. Though that does seem to have fallen flat with this gap between sets 6 and 7.

ScotRail HST Introduction - Updates & Discussion

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