GW 769s to Scotrail?

[92002]

Very much doubt they'd even consider using 769s to replace HSTs. HST availability is quite good at the moment, but there's plenty going on in the background to accelerate their replacement and withdrawal from service.

Anniesland services seem to be the best fit for any 769 usage, as they'll free up diesel units.

If you believe the latest rumours the chance for ScotRail to replace the HSTs will be when EMR get their 810s and 222s are looking for a new home. Meantime the HSTs will need to soldier on in better numbers

 

[Senna1210]

Keep eyes out for runs soon

 

[gingertom]

Keep eyes out for runs soon

are you able to give us a hint from where to where?

 

[chuff chuff]

If you believe the latest rumours the chance for ScotRail to replace the HSTs will be when EMR get their 810s and 222s are looking for a new home. Meantime the HSTs will need to soldier on in better numbers

The rumours of something happening 2025 are still pretty strong from what I would hope is a good source.
With the plans for new trains and part electrication struggling to get going the hst would have to stay in service beyond 2030,I did hear a whisper that enquiries were made about extending the lease of them.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I would assume that any least extension for the HST would be best used to cover for introduction of cl 158 replacement and life extension work of the b170 fleet which last time I used one were really showing their age, I where imagine that they'd be in much better condition had they not been forced to do work that they were never built for

 

[northscots]

I would assume that any least extension for the HST would be best used to cover for introduction of cl 158 replacement and life extension work of the b170 fleet which last time I used one were really showing their age, I where imagine that they'd be in much better condition had they not been forced to do work that they were never built for

There's no life extension work for 170s. They'll be coming out of service along with the 158, 318, 320, 334 fleets to be replaced with a new BEMU around 2030.

 

[m79900]

There's no life extension work for 170s. They'll be coming out of service along with the 158, 318, 320, 334 fleets to be replaced with a new BEMU around 2030.

Weird to think that they'll be 30 by then.

 

[Blindtraveler]

And I bet they will life extend them, probably because they will still need a service of all DMU fleet of some kind for even just another five years.

 

[Senna1210]

are you able to give us a hint from where to where?

RTT 5Q80-

 

[Senna1210]

769922+769959 will be out and about this week north of the border

 

[Southsider]

RTT 5Q80-

What’s that in layman’s terms?

 

[The exile]

What’s that in layman’s terms?

Something with that reporting number ran from North Pole to Euston on Friday if that helps!

 

[Crossforth]

Who is that working for? ScotRail testing or someone else?

 

[Tony2]

Found a more relevant 5Q80- Kilmarnock- Barassie and return on 25th, a few runs, also 5Q81,5Q82:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kilmarnock (Barclay Sdgs) all day on 25/03/2024

Train information at Kilmarnock (Barclay Sdgs) all day on 25/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Let’s see what this produces…

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Mar 2024 ==

Looks like many more paths on Tuesday 26th:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kilmarnock (Barclay Sdgs) all day on 26/03/2024

Train information at Kilmarnock (Barclay Sdgs) all day on 26/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

…running similarly right through the week to Friday.

 

[507020]

Found a more relevant 5Q80- Kilmarnock- Barassie and return on 25th, a few runs, also 5Q81,5Q82:

Let’s see what this produces…

Looks like many more paths on Tuesday 26th:

…running similarly right through the week to Friday.

Does this mean they’ll be running via Troon on the currently closed line or that they could be doing any power changeovers en route? It’s interesting that RTT doesn’t give any intermediate timings points other than that.

 

[92002]

Does this mean they’ll be running via Troon on the currently closed line or that they could be doing any power changeovers en route? It’s interesting that RTT doesn’t give any intermediate timings points other than that.

These paths look like test runs and will be able to get OHL Power at Barassie. The Ayr line is currently closed beyond Prestwick Town to electric trains. With a diesel shuttle to Ayr due to a dangerous building being removed.

 

[Fincra5]

These paths look like test runs and will be able to get OHL Power at Barassie. The Ayr line is currently closed beyond Prestwick Town to electric trains. With a diesel shuttle to Ayr due to a dangerous building being removed.

Maybe 769s have a future as OLE test trains!

 

[rossco156433]

Does this mean they’ll be running via Troon on the currently closed line or that they could be doing any power changeovers en route? It’s interesting that RTT doesn’t give any intermediate timings points other than that.

The paths only go as far a Barassie Jn then back up the branch to Barclays, RTT doesn't show any other intermediate timing points because there are none. One of the sets is currently sitting half outside Caledonia works in unbranded Scotrail blue.

 

[collosus]

.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Mar 2024 ==

There is proof there heading to scotrail there is a unit that has been painted in blue

 

[CarrotPie]

There is proof there heading to scotrail there is a unit that has been painted in blue

Sorry?

 

[Sprinter156]

.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Mar 2024 ==

There is proof there heading to scotrail there is a unit that has been painted in blue

where?

 

[fgwrich]

Found a more relevant 5Q80- Kilmarnock- Barassie and return on 25th, a few runs, also 5Q81,5Q82:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kilmarnock (Barclay Sdgs) all day on 25/03/2024

Train information at Kilmarnock (Barclay Sdgs) all day on 25/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Let’s see what this produces…

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Mar 2024 ==

Looks like many more paths on Tuesday 26th:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Kilmarnock (Barclay Sdgs) all day on 26/03/2024

Train information at Kilmarnock (Barclay Sdgs) all day on 26/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

…running similarly right through the week to Friday.

Indeed, running out and about tonight. Both units are ScotRail base blue.

 

[superalbs]

There's a picture here of a unit in ScotRail blue and silver doors, but no branding applied, so it could be something else.

x.com

twitter.com

 

[The_Train]

Looks more like Northern Blue to me

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Looks more like Northern Blue to me

I'm pretty sure Northern run with a white base and then blue on top.
People are saying in the comments of the tweet that
1. "I did brighten the image a bit tbf"
2. "The colour of blue is more like ORION blue"

 

[Tony2]

Looks more like Northern Blue to me

The Northern 769s have blue doors, whereas that photo shows silver doors, as per ScotRail livery. The GWR units had grey doors that were a darker shade, which indicates the whole unit has been repainted.

 

[43096]

Has anyone considered what colour Porterbrook use for their logo/branding?

 

[507020]

There's a picture here of a unit in ScotRail blue and silver doors, but no branding applied, so it could be something else.

x.com

twitter.com

This claims that it is not owned or leased by ScotRail, but that it is “owned” by Brodie’s Kilmarnock. Is it not still owned Porterbrook, the entire project involving 769s being theirs and requiring their technical support?

 

[northernbelle]

Looks to me just like Porterbrook's own shades of blue and silver rather than Scotrail.

 

[The_Train]

I'm pretty sure Northern run with a white base and then blue on top.
People are saying in the comments of the tweet that
1. "I did brighten the image a bit tbf"
2. "The colour of blue is more like ORION blue"
View attachment 155320

The Northern 769s have blue doors, whereas that photo shows silver doors, as per ScotRail livery. The GWR units had grey doors that were a darker shade, which indicates the whole unit has been repainted.

It was just a joke guys. The blue is ScotRail blue but it is just a base colour (that Brodies had lying around) to get it out of the GWR Green colours and with a level of hope of getting ScotRail to take the units following mod work at Kilmarnock. But my source (who told me of the livery change long before any photos appeared) has said there is absolutely no agreement with ScotRail presently for them to take the units on.

That's not to say that there won't be an agreement in the future of course and clearly Porterbrook feel they can provide a reliable train going forward otherwise they wouldn't be spending more money on the project with these 2 units.