Scotrail Class 68 Diagrams

[leomartin125]

Hi,

Currently in the planning stages of a trip up to Scotland and wanted to get the Fife Circle 68’s completed. Is it possible to find out the diagrams they work?

Thanks

 

[superalbs]

Here: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1478940&postcount=13

 

[Cletus]

In Edinburgh next week and I was wondering how busy these services are?

Can I expect packed out trains or how likely it would be to board at Haymarket? Perhaps further around the route where the services empty out a bit?

 

[matt]

In Edinburgh next week and I was wondering how busy these services are?

Can I expect packed out trains or how likely it would be to board at Haymarket? Perhaps further around the route where the services empty out a bit?

Usually busy after Haymarket but you should still be able to get on. Gets emptier further out and the return half of the trip is usually quiet. This is for the evening trips.

 

[Cletus]

Thanks for the info.

 

[MatthewRead]

Is it true this service ends in December?

 

[Highlandspring]

Nope.

 

[MatthewRead]

Nope.

Oh I read in a magazine a while back that the services would be taken over by DMU's in the December 2018 timetable.

 

[Highlandspring]

Don't believe everything you read.

 

[CJSwan]

I got on at Waverley once and had a coach to myself. It got busier at Haymarket and then there were people standing at South Gyle. I jumped out at Inverkeithing as it was running late and getting later and I didn't want to miss a connection Kirkcaldy.

 

[MatthewRead]

Don't believe everything you read.

Hope so because I know it can't survive beyond the beginning of 2020 because the Mark 2's won't be PRM TSI compliant.

 

[Cletus]

Another I meant to ask. Are these services top-and-tailed or loco+dbso or just a single loco?

 

[DarloRich]

Another I meant to ask. Are these services top-and-tailed or loco+dbso or just a single loco?

single loco - it is a circular trip

 

[221129]

Another I meant to ask. Are these services top-and-tailed or loco+dbso or just a single loco?

Just a single loco

 

[Cletus]

Cheers. I usually fail with the getting locos at both ends a-la-the-hst's

Which 68's are currently working the services?

 

[rg177]

Cheers. I usually fail with the getting locos at both ends a-la-the-hst's

Which 68's are currently working the services?

68006 and 68007 are branded for the service but any spare DRS 68 can get chucked on it (I've had 68004 and 68017 before).

 

[Highlandspring]

68006 returned to Scotland on 0M69 0746 Kingmoor - Motherwell TMD this morning.

 

[156478]

Oh I read in a magazine a while back that the services would be taken over by DMU's in the December 2018 timetable.

There's nowhere near the capacity in the fleet to end the loco runs in Fife in December, currently the franchise has lost a fair few 158s and 170s and the plans were to have the E and G electrified/completed with 385s with a cascade of units to cease the use of locos is in tatters.

 

[MatthewRead]

There's nowhere near the capacity in the fleet to end the loco runs in Fife in December, currently the franchise has lost a fair few 158s and 170s and the plans were to have the E and G electrified/completed with 385s with a cascade of units to cease the use of locos is in tatters.

Well that's good as I don't need to worry about hurrying up there to get a ride on them. But what happens to the MK 2's in 2020 they aren't DDA compliant unless of course those regulations no longer apply since we are pulling out of the EU I thought maybe they could replace them with HST's.

 

[chrisncal54]

Cheers. I usually fail with the getting locos at both ends a-la-the-hst's

Which 68's are currently working the services?

Today - 68007 and 68004.

 

[route101]

I got on at Waverley once and had a coach to myself. It got busier at Haymarket and then there were people standing at South Gyle. I jumped out at Inverkeithing as it was running late and getting later and I didn't want to miss a connection Kirkcaldy.

Yeah it runs at peak , would be easier to enjoy the ride outside the peak . Its quiet usually when it comes back down the fife coast though.

 

[Cletus]

Today is 68006 which full from Haymarket to Inverkeithing. I bailed at Rosyth for 68007 following.

 

[gazthomas]

Well that's good as I don't need to worry about hurrying up there to get a ride on them. But what happens to the MK 2's in 2020 they aren't DDA compliant unless of course those regulations no longer apply since we are pulling out of the EU I thought maybe they could replace them with HST's.

I would hope there would be a cascade of DMUs by then (he says nervously)

 

[Rhydgaled]

Is it true this service ends in December?

Nope.

Oh I read in a magazine a while back that the services would be taken over by DMU's in the December 2018 timetable.

With the EGIP windscreen problems sorted and Stirling, Alloa, Dunblane electrification pressing ahead I just thought I would ask for an update on this. Are the class 68s definately staying on the Fife circle (with similar diagrams) until at least May 2019 and is there an offical statement from ScotRail regarding this?

I'm planning a trip to Scotland in October and was trying to fit in the West Highland and Fife circle; but only have 5-6 days to play with (starting with the day we arrive in Fort William off the sleeper) and most of the last day will be spent heading home. My plan was to do the 17:29 from Inverkeithing (17:08 off Edinburgh) round the circle and alight at Dalmeny to photograph the ECS from the other class 68 diagram coming off the Forth bridge. However it has just occoured to me that it may well to too dark for photography by that time (about 19:30 I think) on an October evening. If the 68s are staying into 2019 I could leave the Fife circle for another time which would free up time for other things (eg. a trip on a heritage railway or diverting to Windermere on the way home). The other question I have regarding this plan is whether the train is still full of commuters when it leaves Inverkeithing at 17:29 or would me and my mother easily be able to find seats together?

 

[jopsuk]

Sunset times for Dalmeny in October

 

[Rhydgaled]

Sunset times for Dalmeny in October

Thanks for your reply. So sunset will be around 18:00 in mid October, so it doesn't look like there's any point me stopping off at Dalmeny to take pictures. If the 68s are leaving in December I might still do the trip but stay on through to Edinburgh instead of getting off at Dalmeny but if they are staying I might leave it until the days get longer again.

 

[MatthewRead]

With the EGIP windscreen problems sorted and Stirling, Alloa, Dunblane electrification pressing ahead I just thought I would ask for an update on this. Are the class 68s definately staying on the Fife circle (with similar diagrams) until at least May 2019 and is there an offical statement from ScotRail regarding this?

I'm planning a trip to Scotland in October and was trying to fit in the West Highland and Fife circle; but only have 5-6 days to play with (starting with the day we arrive in Fort William off the sleeper) and most of the last day will be spent heading home. My plan was to do the 17:29 from Inverkeithing (17:08 off Edinburgh) round the circle and alight at Dalmeny to photograph the ECS from the other class 68 diagram coming off the Forth bridge. However it has just occoured to me that it may well to too dark for photography by that time (about 19:30 I think) on an October evening. If the 68s are staying into 2019 I could leave the Fife circle for another time which would free up time for other things (eg. a trip on a heritage railway or diverting to Windermere on the way home). The other question I have regarding this plan is whether the train is still full of commuters when it leaves Inverkeithing at 17:29 or would me and my mother easily be able to find seats together?

Yes your right I heard from a pair of guards at Kirkcaldy station that the sets are to be retained indefinitely after the Scottish government made an exemption to retain slam door stock beyond the 2020 deadline see https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/slam-door-trains-in-scotland.169724/

 

[route101]

I made a trip on the Fife Circle the other week , thinking it might be the last time . Is there still the second set ?

 

[matt]

I made a trip on the Fife Circle the other week , thinking it might be the last time . Is there still the second set ?

Yes, one does the full fife circle and the other the half circle

 

[route101]

Yes, one does the full fife circle and the other the half circle

Not noticed the second set in a while , Cardenden it terminates i think.