• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

ScotRail HST Introduction - Updates & Discussion

Status
Not open for further replies.

Northhighland

Member
Joined
19 Aug 2016
Messages
606
Well understood by whom? The ScotRail staff? If a fitter can't fix a speedo fault but a driver can walk up and fix it on the spot (which has been a regular occurrence from what has been posted on here), that suggests there is a big gap in equipment knowledge and understanding. Other operators are able to deliver the service and have been doing so consistently (Cross Country, EMT, LNER) and there are more than enough power cars on hand for ScotRail to have 10 sets out on a daily basis.

Regardless of how new or old a train or any other machinery is, if the operations and maintenance crews don't know how to properly diagnose and fix issues, they are not going to work well.


What we also need to remember here is the maintenance teams were really good at looking after 170/158’s.

They don’t suddenly become useless if they aren’t delivering on the HST then there is a reason that can be fixed.

it just needs someone to work out what training or support is needed.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Steven_G

Member
Joined
5 Mar 2018
Messages
140
Are any of the unrefurbished sets out?

We always clamber over the new refurb units but are these no longer out in service?
 

PG

Established Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
2,809
Location
at the end of the high and low roads
What we also need to remember here is the maintenance teams were really good at looking after 170/158’s.

They don’t suddenly become useless if they aren’t delivering on the HST then there is a reason that can be fixed.

it just needs someone to work out what training or support is needed.
The maintenance teams probably know (or have a pretty good idea) whats lacking and what should be done to remedy the situation. Their managers need to listen to whatever that is and take it right to the top of Abellio if needs be.

Surely someone can get to the root of the problem and turn things around, if they really want to!
 

cf111

Established Member
Joined
13 Nov 2012
Messages
1,346
Are any of the unrefurbished sets out?

We always clamber over the new refurb units but are these no longer out in service?
There was one sitting in Perth station in the bay platform, not a clue if and what it was working I'm afraid but it's tail lights were on.
 

DannyMich2018

Member
Joined
19 Dec 2018
Messages
732
When was the most recent refurb set delivered?
I believe it's HA19 which was refurb number 8 and delivered early November, due to faults Scotrail refused any more deliveries until things got better-the previous delivery was in August.
By the way first refurb delivery was in August 2018, more than 15 months later only 8 sets released so about one every two months average. Hopefully more are imminent cause nothings come out of Kilmarnock yet and lots have gone in to Doncaster in recent months.
 
Joined
4 Jan 2011
Messages
448
Location
Nelson
A fully refurbished Inter7City mini HST set sits under the grand canopy at Glasgow Queen Street with the 1508 to Inverness this afternoon (2nd December).

I do believe departure was delayed due to a fault with the set. I left on the 1515 Edinburgh so don't know what happened in the end. 1150877.jpg
 

Journeyman

Established Member
Joined
16 Apr 2014
Messages
6,295
A fully refurbished Inter7City mini HST set sits under the grand canopy at Glasgow Queen Street with the 1508 to Inverness this afternoon (2nd December).

I do believe departure was delayed due to a fault with the set. I left on the 1515 Edinburgh so don't know what happened in the end. View attachment 71075

According to RTT, it was 13 late departing and 15 late into Inverness, but I can't tell you if it was actually that HST - it may have been a DMU substitution.
 

Pete_uk

Established Member
Joined
28 Jan 2017
Messages
1,250
Location
Stroud, Glos
A fully refurbished Inter7City mini HST set sits under the grand canopy at Glasgow Queen Street with the 1508 to Inverness this afternoon (2nd December).

I do believe departure was delayed due to a fault with the set. I left on the 1515 Edinburgh so don't know what happened in the end. View attachment 71075

Beautiful, it's a shame the project is a absolute mess
 

marks87

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2010
Messages
1,609
Location
Dundee
Spotted on scot-rail - ScotRail to scrap seat reservations- https://www.scotsman.com/news/trans...IqGPpVdQV3KkW_b9ECLi3Pw-lBGAOu4n6BlmTEv_jb6iw - presumably this is to save all the “reservations may not match” messages that you see on Journeycheck when a 170 or 158 replaces an HST and they’ll be retaining some sort of quota controlled advance product

It looks like this is definitely happening; I'm looking at Dundee-Edinburgh for February and the 0822, which would normally be a reservable "Inter7City" service, isn't offering a reservation with an Advance ticket.

The journey details page just states under seating "Reserved - no seat allocated *" with the asterisk defined as "* The passenger is free to sit in any unreserved seat for the class of travel specified on the ticket".
 

Journeyman

Established Member
Joined
16 Apr 2014
Messages
6,295
It looks like this is definitely happening; I'm looking at Dundee-Edinburgh for February and the 0822, which would normally be a reservable "Inter7City" service, isn't offering a reservation with an Advance ticket.

The journey details page just states under seating "Reserved - no seat allocated *" with the asterisk defined as "* The passenger is free to sit in any unreserved seat for the class of travel specified on the ticket".

It just gets worse and worse. Right now, I don't particularly want to contemplate a ScotRail journey to Inverness or Aberdeen. I hate coach travel, but Citylink Gold is starting to look like a much better option.
 

Deltic1961

Member
Joined
30 May 2018
Messages
645
I asked them again about the December timetable change and whether there is enough staff and stock to support it. All I got back was that any cancellations would be a last resort. They're happening every single day..... and that's without the increase in journeys as of 15th December.

Its going to be fun watching what happens!
 

43096

On Moderation
Joined
23 Nov 2015
Messages
15,164
43126 and 43135 have gone back to Haymarket from Brush today, leaving just 43142/144 at Brush to complete the programme.
 

Highland37

Established Member
Joined
29 Jun 2012
Messages
1,259
Single 158 from Glasgow to Queen Street yesterday at one point....

Ten sets in service in 3 weeks.
 

83G/84D

Established Member
Joined
28 Oct 2011
Messages
5,952
Location
Cornwall
Inter City swallow liveried 43185 currently parked up at Ely is going to Scotrail, for spares.
 

Highland37

Established Member
Joined
29 Jun 2012
Messages
1,259
It's almost as if ScotRail have forgotten about the HSTs. Today they are crowing on about more seats and carriages in a clumsy message that ignores the reality in the north.

Part of me wonders if the HST project has already been unofficially cancelled in the hope of muddling through until new stock appears.
 

Deltic1961

Member
Joined
30 May 2018
Messages
645
They commented on a Twitter post earlier saying they couldn't put more services on the Fife circle until more HSTs were in place.

They keep promising improvements on that line year after year and just come out with excuses when it doesn't happen.

I asked them whether they had enough crew to support the extra journeys around Aberdeen and they wouldn't reply. Hmmm. Said they only cancel trains as a last resort but it's happening every day!
 

Highland37

Established Member
Joined
29 Jun 2012
Messages
1,259
In a way they are right. It's just that Scotrail HSTs are so absent that the last resort is often the norm.

A quick scan of the Facebook information reveals that about 30% of what is planned is actually units. What a surprise - a more modern and less thrashed unit being more available and reliable than a 40 year old train.
 

bigmoose

Member
Joined
28 Apr 2019
Messages
24
My observation in passing the Haymarket HST Graveyard today is that it’s mostly incomplete bits of Classic sets that are strewn about there now, rather than broken Inter7City and Classic bits. Still a lot of HST ‘stuff’ just sitting around, with far fewer 158s and 170s. Presumably the latter two are actually out and about providing a service. Maybe the I7Cs are running too.

As noted recently in another post, there’s also an I7C set sitting in Platform 0 at Haymarket station, just chuntering away (no shore supply there, I guess). Is it always there?

I was on a Classic to Inverness a couple of weeks back (0707 GLQ - INV). Amazingly, it turned up, and even completed the journey albeit ~20 down. Inevitably the return journey the following day wasn’t an HST. A 170 with no First Class, but it wasn’t rammed full and it got there on time.
 

dmkc

Member
Joined
9 Feb 2017
Messages
64
I thought Haymarket Depot looks a bit tidier this morning when I passed at about 0715 - standard trio parked round the back thought I think

HAY P0 was empty at that time also.
 

Speed43125

Member
Joined
20 Jul 2019
Messages
1,131
Location
Dunblane
Inter City swallow liveried 43185 currently parked up at Ely is going to Scotrail, for spares.
is that due to a need from Scotrail or just fleet management on Angel train's part? given they'll never lease out something so un-neutrally liveried.
 

fishquinn

Established Member
Associate Staff
Quizmaster
Joined
4 Oct 2013
Messages
6,643
Location
Warwickshire
Passed Haymarket depot a few minutes ago and it's definitely looking better than last month with regards to the number of HST coaches randomly dumped around. Saw only one booked HST when I was in the area and am pleased to report that it was an HST as booked (didn't see whether it was a refurb or classic but the powercar was 43130 if anyone's interested).

Edit: seen another two HSTs in service, maintaining my sightings of booked HST turns as 100% HST.
 
Last edited:

Speed43125

Member
Joined
20 Jul 2019
Messages
1,131
Location
Dunblane
Passed Haymarket depot a few minutes ago and it's definitely looking better than last month with regards to the number of HST coaches randomly dumped around. Saw only one booked HST when I was in the area and am pleased to report that it was an HST as booked (didn't see whether it was a refurb or classic but the powercar was 43130 if anyone's interested).

Edit: seen another two HSTs in service, maintaining my sightings of booked HST turns as 100% HST.
Indeed, I've seen quite a few HSTs here on the HML plus the Highland Chieftain which I am particularly hopeful of continued sightings. Compared to at least 2 single 158s on the Aberdeen trains yesterday, This evening I've seen a 5 car DMU set on the dundee train and quite a few HSTs. Let's hope this isn't a fluke!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top