ScotRail HST Introduction - Updates & Discussion

[computerSaysNo]

There was a spell where the Hull units were on fixed, mainly Inverness IIRC, diagrams with the buffet open and a limited hot food menu but it didn’t last. I suspect the usual problems of people not expecting it to be there and the inevitable substitutions with anything from an E&G to an SPT unit meant you couldn’t rely on getting your microwaved burger on a particular journey so it just seemed to be quietly discontinued before too long.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there's only ever been one visit of an SPT-liveried 170 to Inverness before? I'm sure I remember reading about it years ago in a magazine.

Out of interest, does anyone know for definite why the ex Hull Trains (HT) 170s were put into the suburban pool after the removal of the buffets, and not the express pool?
If I had to guess I'd say something to do with the milage? Under HT I'd imagine they spent a lot of time doing 100mph up and down the East Coast Mainline, and so would have accumulated a higher milage than the existing units ScotRail had when they were transferred. I imagine the suburban pool units would do a lower milage each day due to having a lower average speed than the express units, so the ex-HT units may have been placed in this pool to try to match their milage to the milage of the native 170s. That's just a guess though, it could be something completely different!

 

[route101]

Im sure i had the SPT 170 on a Glasgow to Aberdeen service. The buffet on the Inverness service didnot last long at all. Was it just hot toasties?

 

[route101]

I understand they have only been operating with one person - they do one pass up the train and back with the trolley, then open the buffet counter.

Yeah, thats how it worked as im sure i heard announcement on HST, that the buffet is open. They made a big deal about it when the first refurb went into service.

 

[hexagon789]

Yeah, thats how it worked as im sure i heard announcement on HST, that the buffet is open. They made a big deal about it when the first refurb went into service.

Yes it seems to have been how they worked it with one staff member. I can't recall whether there were actually ever going to be two staff for catering purposes.

 

[InvHst]

I am on my first train for months. Inverness to Glasgow. It's a 2-car 158 with the usual loud (65db according to my phone) "air conditioning" (it's a fan!). I can't see social distancing being possible once we stop at a few more stations... HST please.

1046 ex Inverness has always been a 170 allocated diagram the 170 in question failed in Aberdeen so a 158 substitute

Well it SHOULD have been an HST. Signal fault at Huntly (possible cabletheft/vandalism) scuppered that!

Havent seen the 1046 ex Inverness be a hst diagram ever always allocated a 170

 

[InvHst]

Surprised 158s are still making it up to Inverness solo from the central belt these days. Not heard of that happening since December 2018 or whenever a double 158 was reduced due to faults.

Must be a covid-19 thing surely?

Em nope it's a fault whenever a 2 car turns up

 

[Clansman]

So there would've been 4s on Glasgow-Aberdeens?

Primarily yes, but not limited to just 4s. Aberdeen/Edinburghs meant to be fixed 5s, and the remaining 5s rotated along with the 4s on the rest. Not sure if this is still the plan.

Im sure i had the SPT 170 on a Glasgow to Aberdeen service. The buffet on the Inverness service didnot last long at all. Was it just hot toasties?

Bacon rolls and toasties if memory serves me right.

 

[hexagon789]

Primarily yes, but not limited to just 4s. Aberdeen/Edinburghs meant to be fixed 5s, and the remaining 5s rotated along with the 4s on the rest. Not sure if this is still the plan.

Thanks I hadn't realised firstly that that was "the plan" nor secondly that Edinburgh-Aberdeen was sufficiently busier than the other routes to warrant the concentration of the longer sets

 

[InOban]

Realtime Trains - 003U 1051 Haymarket Depot to Doncaster West Yard

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Looks like the power cars for set#20 go south on Monday. No sign of the delivery of #19.

 

[InvHst]

Suggest it cant be far off if the next set of power cars are on way down. 19s powercars went down then a few days later set 18 came north. Wouldn't be surprised same crew take the powercars down will then take the next set up a few days later paths are available to input at short notice but see what happens if the move goes ahead

 

[47271]

At the risk of repeating myself, is there any chance of the Highland Main Line getting a full HST timetable in December?

 

[InvHst]

At the risk of repeating myself, is there any chance of the Highland Main Line getting a full HST timetable in December?

Wouldn't hold my breath sadly not all Edinburgh Aberdeen services are hst operated at moment unless something changes massively in regard to covid then I cant see it happening

 

[Steven_G]

19th delivery due anytime. Deliveries every 3 weeks. 25 weeks left in the year.

All 26 sets should be delivered by December timetable change.

Not much slack I grant you.

 

[DannyMich2018]

19th delivery due anytime. Deliveries every 3 weeks. 25 weeks left in the year.

All 26 sets should be delivered by December timetable change.

Not much slack I grant you.

Yes progress is so far so very good, 19th one as you say due any time now as the power cars for this set went south two weeks ago. 11 sets delivered since last November now.

 

[hexagon789]

At the risk of repeating myself, is there any chance of the Highland Main Line getting a full HST timetable in December?

A reasonable chance, if deliveries continue at the present rate then it should be possible to have all or almost all sets delivered by the December timetable change (assuming there will be one in the normal sense).

 

[InOban]

Power car delivery was cancelled.

 

[Cashew]

19th delivery due anytime. Deliveries every 3 weeks. 25 weeks left in the year.

All 26 sets should be delivered by December timetable change.

Not much slack I grant you.

And then don't forget the small matter of the delivery of at least 17 extra coaches.

 

[Highland37]

I reckon COVID-19 will affect things hugely. There is new focus on a green recovery and even though diesel trains are much less polluting than private cars and planes etc, but more so than coaches, and with the real potential of some other type of franchise or agreement, the HSTs might not be around as long as some think.

Sorry, I had dreamed that. I am now back in the real world. Yes, full HST timetable in December.

 

[Goldromans]

And then don't forget the small matter of the delivery of at least 17 extra coaches.

Doesn’t change the fact that there would be HSTs operating each service which is meant to be one. Also the extra coaches are all TS’s, and 4xTS coaches can be refurbished much faster than the 4-coach HSTs.

 

[Railperf]

A reasonable chance, if deliveries continue at the present rate then it should be possible to have all or almost all sets delivered by the December timetable change (assuming there will be one in the normal sense).

Will the timetable change happen? Any provisional news on any changes to HST timings and by how much?

 

[Railperf]

how many Inverness to Edinburgh or Glasgow diagrams are now 'reliably' booked as an HST? Any confirmed departure times?

 

[superkev]

Does all this influx of HSTs mean that Scot rail will be releasing some dmus to for example Northern who are always short.
Thanks
K

 

[43096]

Does all this influx of HSTs mean that Scot rail will be releasing some dmus to for example Northern who are always short.
Thanks
K

Northern have had their 170s, 158s and 156s already, EMR have had three 170s with two more to come. Everything else is being kept.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Have we heard any news about Perth New Yard being redeveloped for HST stabling sidings? Seems like things have gone quiet.

 

[mcmad]

Have we heard any news about Perth New Yard being redeveloped for HST stabling sidings? Seems like things have gone quiet.

Not being taken forward, instead Cadder Yard is to be developed as a small stabling facility

 

[hexagon789]

Will the timetable change happen? Any provisional news on any changes to HST timings and by how much?

Good question, I just assumed that by December a bit more normality would have resumed and I haven't seen anything to say there won't be a timetable change. They may of course decide to withhold significant changes to May such as tightening timings

 

[hexagon789]

Does all this influx of HSTs mean that Scot rail will be releasing some dmus to for example Northern who are always short.
Thanks
K

They've already transferred

 

[InvHst]

how many Inverness to Edinburgh or Glasgow diagrams are now 'reliably' booked as an HST? Any confirmed departure times?

0845 Inverness to Glasgow
1556 Inverness to Edinburgh
1727 Inverness to Glasgow
1850 Inverness to Glasgow

All booked hst most are reliable apart from the 1556 Inverness to Edinburgh

Northbound from central belt you have
0703 Glasgow to Inverness
1209 Glasgow to Inverness
1334 Edinburgh to Inverness
1742 Edinburgh to Inverness

Again all fairly reliable apart from 1742 from Edinburgh to Inverness has been 170 last two days

 

[InvHst]

0845 Inverness to Glasgow
1556 Inverness to Edinburgh
1727 Inverness to Glasgow
1850 Inverness to Glasgow

All booked hst most are reliable apart from the 1556 Inverness to Edinburgh

Northbound from central belt you have
0703 Glasgow to Inverness
1209 Glasgow to Inverness
1334 Edinburgh to Inverness
1742 Edinburgh to Inverness

Again all fairly reliable apart from 1742 from Edinburgh to Inverness has been 170 last two days

And also 0944 Inverness to Edinburgh

 

[fishquinn]

Again all fairly reliable apart from 1742 from Edinburgh to Inverness has been 170 last two days

As far as I know an HST was found for it yesterday (141/031), same may happen tonight

1556 Inverness-Edinburgh is usually HST but is more likely to be swapped than the others owing to the fact it's a simple out and back turn