Indeed, I fully agree with you both on both accounts. The same comments, are becoming more than tiresome now. I for one am very much looking forward to them and the improvements that they will bring. Having seen a copy of the food menu for tomorrow and the future catering, these will be a considerable step up from a trolley provided on the current 170s. In fact I find it rather ironic that the catering provision in the west is decreasing, while the catering on ScotRail is about to get a considerable boost with the Mini Buffets on these sets. And First Class passengers will certainly have something to be very pleased with as well. I know both passengers and staff are looking forward to the introduction of the HSTs on the Highland Mainline as well from a few conversation I ended up having while heading up to and from Inverness this summer. I think we all agreed on, with luggage on the seats, seat reservations all over the place and passengers having to stand from Kingussie to Stirling (where I left) that the 170s have served their time well but are now inadequate on such key routes. And it's not jus this summer too, last summer when my Caley Sleeper service was cancelled at Perth, we were told that ScotRail could not accommodate us on the following service because it was a full and standing 170.
The 170s did well in their early days, but the time has come to replace them and as quickly as possible. And I can understand why they must frustrate you and your fellow drivers jingsmonty, the unit I had out of Inverness on the return did not obviously like the gradients of Schlod very well, radiators on full, losing a fair amount of time as we went - I've even had 153s working over the Devon banks run faster.
I too want to see them running out and about, and while the delays and having to use unrefurbished (but not inadequate at all!) stock are not what ScotRail or anyone really wanted to see, I still believe that the end results will be very much worth it. A little bit of pain for a very big gain!