Butts Oban Jaunt

[Butts]

Taking advantage of Scotrail Club 50 trip from Falkirk to Oban for £10 return tommorrow.

Anyone got any idea on what the loading will be like on the 1037 from Glasgow T'rrow and the 0857 Oban to Glasgow on Friday. Although it's half-term in England it's not up here so I'm hoping it will be quietish.

Will both services carry a "trolley" (for my free club 50 micro coffee) and will it be a decent rolling stock offering ?

 

[Segedunum]

I can tell you that you're in for a lot of Class 156, not sure on the Trolley offering.

 

[Butts]

I can tell you that you're in for a lot of Class 156, not sure on the Trolley offering.

Not one of those ultra-uncomfortable "rey ho" bus on wheels type that are often used between Glasgow and Falkirk Grahamston

 

[Kite159]

Not one of those ultra-uncomfortable "rey ho" bus on wheels type that are often used between Glasgow and Falkirk Grahamston

When did Scot-rail get pacers?

Have a good trip over a good line

 

[Butts]

When did Scot-rail get pacers?

Have a good trip over a good line

It's not a pacer but the ones I'm thinking of are extremely cheap looking and have uncomfortable seats even for 40 mins to Glasgow let alone nearly three hours to Oban (don't know the class - i would call it "cheapo")

 

[Kite159]

It's not a pacer but the ones I'm thinking of are extremely cheap looking and have uncomfortable seats even for 40 mins to Glasgow let alone nearly three hours to Oban (don't know the class - i would call it "cheapo")

It will be one like this:

(not my picture)

 

[Segedunum]

Well if you're referencing the Falkirk Grahamston service then you either get 156s or 158s normally...the 156 is more bus like [emoji38]

Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

 

[Butts]

It will be one like this:

(not my picture)

Oh no, it won't be one of these to Oban surely - I defy anyone to contradict me that these are the worst Trains run by Scotrail by a mile....

 

[Darandio]

Oh no, it won't be one of these to Oban surely

Yep, a 99.99% chance of it being one of those......

 

[Butts]

Yep, a 99.99% chance of it being one of those......

That is a complete joke on a journey of that duration - there are not any "premier seats" like other Scotrail Rolling Stock.

Are they trying to put people off going to Oban ? At the end of the week I am going to Fort William/Mallaig(from Glasgow) don't tell me these operate on that route as well?

 

[FQ]

That is a complete joke on a journey of that duration - there are not any "premier seats" like other Scotrail Rolling Stock.

Are they trying to put people off going to Oban ? At the end of the week I am going to Fort William/Mallaig don't tell me these operate on that route as well?

Yep - they are what operate to Fort William and Mallaig.

 

[Nighthawke]

156s operating Fort William to Mallaig when I was there in June - but I was on the steam special!

 

[Darandio]

That is a complete joke on a journey of that duration - there are not any "premier seats" like other Scotrail Rolling Stock.

You'll find them on longer, try around 4 hours on a Glasgow Central to Newcastle.

 

[Kite159]

That is a complete joke on a journey of that duration - there are not any "premier seats" like other Scotrail Rolling Stock.

Are they trying to put people off going to Oban ? At the end of the week I am going to Fort William/Mallaig(from Glasgow) don't tell me these operate on that route as well?

Give it a few years as I think the 158s are meant to be coming to work West Highland Line services

 

[Butts]

Yep - they are what operate to Fort William and Mallaig.

Does no one agree that these sets are extremely uncomfortable (all joking aside) for a journey of that duration.

My god on my FW trip I am going to have to get the earlier service from Glasgow and get off a Crianlarich catching the later service onto Mallaig. I t will take two hours for my arse to recover.

Seriously if I had not paid for Hotels on both trips I would seriously consider kicking the whole thing into touch.
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You'll find them on longer, try around 4 hours on a Glasgow Central to Newcastle.

Try 6 hour plus on Glasgow to Mallaig :cry:

That's longer than to London :roll:

 

[Segedunum]

I survived on one from Glasgow Central to Carlisle (2hrs 28) perfectly fine. And I've used one of the Northern variants from Carlisle to Barrow, bum was a tad numb...

Guess the trip report name can be "Butts and his sore Butts" [emoji38]

Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

 

[Butts]

I survived on one from Glasgow Central to Carlisle (2hrs 28) perfectly fine. And I've used one of the Northern variants from Carlisle to Barrow, bum was a tad numb...

Guess the trip report name can be "Butts and his sore Butts" [emoji38]

Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

A mere short hop.....

Are these apart from Pacers the worst rolling stock left in the UK ? - Surely they were designed for short outings ?

Why are the seats so uncomfortable and the interior so spartan

 

[Liam]

Does no one agree that these sets are extremely uncomfortable (all joking aside) for a journey of that duration.

Best trains in the Scotrail fleet, IMO. Living in Dumfries doesn't give me a lot of choice though! 158's are a close second.

 

[Segedunum]

A mere short hop.....

Are these apart from Pacers the worst rolling stock left in the UK ? - Surely they were designed for short outings ?

Why are the seats so uncomfortable and the interior so spartan

Not at all. 150s and 153s fall short too.

You just live a sheltered life over the border Though Scotrail have left in the original seats, unlike every other operator. I personally find them luxurious and probably the second best DMU on Northern to the 158.

 

[Butts]

Most of my Leisure Jaunts are 1st Class on Virgin East or West Coast ...I suspect this will fall a little short :cry:

Suddenly Scottish Citylink Coaches are starting to look like an appealing prospect compared to these "cattle trucks"

 

[Tim R-T-C]

I actually used to prefer the 153s to 158s, my morning ex-Ribblehead to Leeds train was usually a three car combo and I found the 153 seats somewhat deeper and wider.

BTW, here is a 156 on the Oban line earlier this year. With this scenery you won't even notice the set you are on.

 

[Butts]

I actually used to prefer the 153s to 158s, my morning ex-Ribblehead to Leeds train was usually a three car combo and I found the 153 seats somewhat deeper and wider.

BTW, here is a 156 on the Oban line earlier this year. With this scenery you won't even notice the set you are on.

My backside might though

Amazingly the Bus is only marginally slower than the Train.

 

[Iskra]

Does no one agree that these sets are extremely uncomfortable (all joking aside) for a journey of that duration.

My god on my FW trip I am going to have to get the earlier service from Glasgow and get off a Crianlarich catching the later service onto Mallaig. I t will take two hours for my arse to recover.

Seriously if I had not paid for Hotels on both trips I would seriously consider kicking the whole thing into touch.
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Try 6 hour plus on Glasgow to Mallaig :cry:

That's longer than to London :roll:

I actually find them the most comfortable 156's of any TOC, and prefer them to a Scotrail 158. I had one recently Glasgow-Carlisle and it was fine. If that's the worst you have to deal with, remember us poor souls in Yorkshire

If you are made of money, Cally Sleeper and Jacobite options are available.

 

[Kendalian]

Dont know what you're moaning about frankly :roll:

I've done 0830 Fort William-Mallaig then 1010 Mallaig-Glasgow two weeks running in April and a 3rd attempt in May getting turfed off at Corpach.

That's about 7 hours on a 156. With that scenery I never noticed. There's something reassuringly rugged about the 156's in the Highlands; a feeling you don't get in a 158 or 170 despite the increased comfort.

 

[Butts]

Dont know what you're moaning about frankly :roll:

I've done 0830 Fort William-Mallaig then 1010 Mallaig-Glasgow two weeks running in April and a 3rd attempt in May getting turfed off at Corpach.

That's about 7 hours on a 156. With that scenery I never noticed. There's something reassuringly rugged about the 156's in the Highlands; a feeling you don't get in a 158 or 170 despite the increased comfort.

Would that be a numb posterior
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I actually find them the most comfortable 156's of any TOC, and prefer them to a Scotrail 158. I had one recently Glasgow-Carlisle and it was fine. If that's the worst you have to deal with, remember us poor souls in Yorkshire

If you are made of money, Cally Sleeper and Jacobite options are available.

Forget that

I think that picture earlier may have been incorrect unless everyone on here is insane (don't discount that ). These can't be the same trains that serve Dunblane to Edinburgh everyone is saying are worse than the plastic paradise I am told I will be travelling on.

I thought it would be the same trains you get up to Wick and Thurso which if I am correct people are saying are inferior to that crate I am going to Oban on.

 

[Chrism20]

Calm yerself down butts and pack the hipflask you will be fine.

I used to love getting sent to Fort William with work. No one else wanted to go because of the long journey so I copped it every month for about three years solid.

The 156s aren't that bad.

 

[me123]

Sorry, but the 156s are the only trains that Scotrail run on the WHL for now. The WHL requires RETB to be installed on the trains, and a sub-fleet of 156s have these permanently installed. 158s (the ones in service on the Wick line) are likely to take over in the future.

The 15 156s that serve the line are generally in better knick than the former SPT sets. They're former "First Scotrail" units, so they have more luggage racks and from what I remember were generally better maintained at least with regards to the interiors. I don't see what the problem is - I find them to be comfortable trains, and you should easily be able to enjoy the view from the windows. I think they're great units, and I used to enjoy traveling on them on the Whifflet line.

If it's unbearable on the way up, I'm sure you'll find a distillery or two in Oban to numb the pain

 

[Butts]

Calm yerself down butts and pack the hipflask you will be fine.

I used to love getting sent to Fort William with work. No one else wanted to go because of the long journey so I copped it every month for about three years solid.

The 156s aren't that bad.

I would prefer a Class 170 Turbostar with the extra leg room seats that are supposed to be for fogeys but in reality are bagged by whoever get's on first.

Are there any equivalent on a 156 ?

Need a hipflask with no EC "free scotch" :cry:

 

[me123]

I would prefer a Class 170 Turbostar with the extra leg room seats that are supposed to be for fogeys but in reality are bagged by whoever get's on first.

Are there any equivalent on a 156 ?

Don't think so from what I can remember.

This site suggests that seats 41-48 in the DMS(A) car (the one with the toilet) have the best legroom and have a good window view. In the other carriage (no toilet), seats 37-52 are apparently more cramped.

 

[Butts]

Don't think so from what I can remember.

This site suggests that seats 41-48 in the DMS(A) car (the one with the toilet) have the best legroom and have a good window view. In the other carriage (no toilet), seats 37-52 are apparently more cramped.

Thanks for that I'll see how I get on !!