The fault which aborted the (already delayed) delivery last Saturday must have been quite major, since there is no sign of it being rescheduled. Unless it's an engine failure, and the path from Haymarket to Doncaster is for an engine.
Your not far of there Chief . Give it 12 months and we might see 2/3 of the refurb sets complete.It was last Thursday, 7 March. Meanwhile I boarded a 158 as the 1942 to Inverness on an adjacent platform.
I'm so over these trains now. The refurbishment's a farce, the training's a farce, the deployment of the classic sets is a farce, the provision of stabling facilities is a farce.
If we ever get the full complement of refurbed sets then great, what will be will be. Meanwhile I'm totally resigned to the Abellio franchise stumbling to its conclusion with a hotchpotch of a few refurbed HSTs, classic HSTs, 170s and 158s.
Then another outfit will come along with another idea ahead of the next franchise.
Would anyone else like to predict an alternative scenario?
But it doesn't make sense (not trying to go of topic TOC here) but GWR have already had 3 sets delivered with another imminent this week. XC are as slow but there is twice the stock for each there. It is that there are different teams for each TOC's MK3's?I have had one HST this year and use the train a lot. Like you say, it is a farce and wabtec are clearly miles off. How anyone can take them seriously is beyond me.
It's mid March and ONE set has been delivered this year yet they are saying all sets by the end of the year.
Theresa May has more credibility
They have done work on refurbishing Mk3's but only FGW ones and that was back in 2014.Read wabtec using kilmarnock now to convert some of the scotrail sets.
Not sure how long it will take staff to understand the program but working in engineering myself it wont be as straightforward as just jumping in and getting straight on with it unless they have carried out this work before.
I would say they are keeping that set on that diagram so if it goes wrong they can do something with it at Haymarket (if they can).Every day this week, the 1530 Edinburgh - Aberdeen has been the refurbished HST. Although yesterday it had to start at Haymarket.
Things starting to settle down?
But it doesn't make sense (not trying to go of topic TOC here) but GWR have already had 3 sets delivered with another imminent this week. XC are as slow but there is twice the stock for each there. It is that there are different teams for each TOC's MK3's?
Not even close as far as I can see.Every day this week, the 1530 Edinburgh - Aberdeen has been the refurbished HST. Although yesterday it had to start at Haymarket.
Things starting to settle down?
Your not far of there Chief . Give it 12 months and we might see 2/3 of the refurb sets complete.
When is it till the next franchise anyway?
But it doesn't make sense (not trying to go of topic TOC here) but GWR have already had 3 sets delivered with another imminent this week. XC are as slow but there is twice the stock for each there. It is that there are different teams for each TOC's MK3's?
Poor, very poor. Hornby have done more in this time with there ScotRail sliding door Mk3's.Very unlikely I would say. 12 months would mean delivering 17 sets which leaves sets 3-15 in 12 months meaning 1.25 sets per month. Wabtec are speeding along at 1 set in 2.5 months currently.
BBC said:A clause which allows the franchise agreement to be ended after five years...
When is it till the next franchise anyway?
Read wabtec using kilmarnock now to convert some of the scotrail sets.
Not sure how long it will take staff to understand the program but working in engineering myself it wont be as straightforward as just jumping in and getting straight on with it unless they have carried out this work before.
Every day this week, the 1530 Edinburgh - Aberdeen has been the refurbished HST. Although yesterday it had to start at Haymarket.
Things starting to settle down?
I was hoping to get an HST north of Perth but it's a 170 which at least keeps to time usually. One HST in 2.5 months is my tally so far weekly travel to Glasgow and Edinburgh from Inverness.
The classic sets are only here because Wabtec have failed to deliver. They are causing delays due to the longer dwell times which means people are delayed. The entire thing is a farce and I can only presume that Abellio are so inept or the contract is so much in favour of Wabtec that nothing can be done about it.
Or just make sure there is member of station staff ready for the dispatch. I know that can't be covered at all stations on the Highland main line such as Carrbridge (?). Or make sure the guard gets his/her but into gear and stop faffing around.Only a suggestion - Since it looks like the Classic sets will be around for another year or more - Would ScotRail put another member of staff to travel on the Classic sets to assist with closing the doors in order to reduce the dwell times?
Somehow I think I'm more likely to see a squadron of pigs flying past
Or just make sure there is member of station staff ready for the dispatch. I know that can't be covered at all stations on the Highland main line such as Carrbridge (?). Or make sure the guard gets his/her but into gear and stop faffing around.
entire thing is a farce and I can only presume that Abellio are so inept or the contract is so much in favour of Wabtec that nothing can be done about it.
Can confirm right now if a manned station has that member of staff free to dispatch the train they have to dispatch it. My dad raised this question shortly after they came in
It was last Thursday, 7 March. Meanwhile I boarded a 158 as the 1942 to Inverness on an adjacent platform.
I'm so over these trains now. The refurbishment's a farce, the training's a farce, the deployment of the classic sets is a farce, the provision of stabling facilities is a farce.
If we ever get the full complement of refurbed sets then great, what will be will be. Meanwhile I'm totally resigned to the Abellio franchise stumbling to its conclusion with a hotchpotch of a few refurbed HSTs, classic HSTs, 170s and 158s.
Then another outfit will come along with another idea ahead of the next franchise.
Would anyone else like to predict an alternative scenario?
Isn't that the basic failing of most franchises? (Unless they are so fortunate that DfT or NR have dropped such a b*ll*ck that the franchise just keeps banking the cheques year after year.) (VTWC are the first that come to mind here, of course.)A well scripted vision of what is to come, sadly. I suspect Abellio couldn't' care less now, they'll just be trying to minimise their losses until they can run away.
Isn't that the basic failing of most franchises? (Unless they are so fortunate that DfT or NR have dropped such a b*ll*ck that the franchise just keeps banking the cheques year after year.) (VTWC are the first that come to mind here, of course.)
Only if trained in despatch,don't blame the guards for taking their time no point making an arse of it for a bit of time.
Managed to catch one in the wild this evening! 1725 Inverness to Glasgow Queen Street
It's not that rare I know. But this is the first time I've managed to see one actually running in service on the HML.To be fair, the HST as a whole isn't that rare - the refurbished, non-slam-door version is though...
I need to travel south from Inverness tomorrow... Question for me now is, get the 0755 chieftain for secure HST haulage or gamble on the 0944 and a couple extra hours of sleep?
It's not that rare I know. But this is the first time I've managed to see one actually running in service on the HML.
Managed to catch one in the wild this evening! 1725 Inverness to Glasgow Queen Street
Only a suggestion - Since it looks like the Classic sets will be around for another year or more - Would ScotRail put another member of staff to travel on the Classic sets to assist with closing the doors in order to reduce the dwell times?
Somehow I think I'm more likely to see a squadron of pigs flying past