ScotRail HST Introduction - Updates & Discussion

[najaB]

Their business is shareholder profits , a certain rosco spent 50 grand on its London office Xmas party last year , hired an exclusive nightclub in London for the afternoon, these company’s are about money not more free bike travel

Abellio had to bail Scotrail out by c. £8M to cover their operational shortfall.

 

[BRX]

I'm not sure a business can "bail out" itself. Seems more straightforward to say that the Scotrail arm of their business made a loss.

 

[najaB]

I'm not sure a business can "bail out" itself. Seems more straightforward to say that the Scotrail arm of their business made a loss.

AIUI, Abellio Scotrail Ltd. is a separate, UK registered company. and so the funds were in the form of a loan from Abellio Transport Holding B.V.

 

[Marklund]

AIUI, Abellio Scotrail Ltd. is a separate, UK registered company. and so the funds were in the form of a loan from Abellio Transport Holding B.V.

Who ultimately owns Abellio Scotrail Ltd though? Is it Abellio Transport Holding B.V.?

 

[najaB]

Who ultimately owns Abellio Scotrail Ltd though? Is it Abellio Transport Holding B.V.?

Ultimately, yes. But Abellio Scotrail Ltd could become insolvent separately to the parent company. Which is why the parent company bailed out its subsidiary company by loaning it £8M.

 

[BRX]

The problem with saying that Scotrail was "bailed out" is that to anyone who doesn't know the details of how things work, it sounds like they rescued a situation that wasn't of their own making, or that somehow they helped prop up a public service with a subsidy. Indeed that seemed the gist of various news articles I saw at the time. But the financial issues are Abellio's problem, not anyone else's. If I buy a train ticket, the train breaks down and the TOC pays for a taxi to take me to my destination, they aren't bailing me out. They are doing what's necessary to honour the contract we have. Same with Abellio - whatever the legal status of subsidiaries and so on, they are just doing what is necessary to provide the service they agreed to when they won the franchise.

 

[najaB]

The problem with saying that Scotrail was "bailed out" is that to anyone who doesn't know the details of how things work, it sounds like they rescued a situation that wasn't of their own making...

You might make that inference but I don't know that anyone else would. They had a £8M shortfall and they were given a loan to cover it - in other words: they were bailed out.

 

[Marklund]

You might make that inference but I don't know that anyone else would. They had a £8M shortfall and they were given a loan to cover it - in other words: they were bailed out.

They weren't "bailed out" by the Scottish Government, but their parent company.
I don't know how many people would consider different divisions, and sub-companies accountancy adjustments as a bail out, but you seem to think it is. I don't. Anyway, this is nothing to do with HSTs.

Have they tested the HSTs anywhere other than the Aberdeen route yet?

 

[najaB]

They weren't "bailed out" by the Scottish Government, but their parent company.
I don't know how many people would consider different divisions, and sub-companies accountancy adjustments as a bail out, but you seem to think it is. I don't.

It doesn't matter what you or I think, the fact is that Abellio Scotrail is a legally separate company to Abellio Transport Holdings B.V. So it doesn't matter the source of the loan, it's still a loan and still needs to be repaid.

Have they tested the HSTs anywhere other than the Aberdeen route yet?

Not that I'm aware of, no. But there are a bunch of 'Unadvertised Passenger Express' paths between Haymarket and Dundee.

 

[BRX]

It's a subsidiary, so not exactly separate from its parent company.

 

[Marklund]

it's still a loan and still needs to be repaid.

Until it's written off, and never re-paid...

 

[snakeeyes]

It doesn't matter what you or I think, the fact is that Abellio Scotrail is a legally separate company to Abellio Transport Holdings B.V. So it doesn't matter the source of the loan, it's still a loan and still needs to be repaid.
Not that I'm aware of, no. But there are a bunch of 'Unadvertised Passenger Express' paths between Haymarket and Dundee.

This was a set on driver training in October.

 

[GusB]

https://www.railmagazine.com/news/fleet/scotrail-mk-3-refurbishment-plan

The first refurbished ScotRail High Speed Train Mk 3s are due to be delivered to Craigentinny on February 15, for testing, commissioning and training. The HSTs will then enter traffic with SR from May (RAIL836).

The four coaches are currently at Wabtec Rail, Doncaster, where they are being refurbished with new interiors and fitted with plug doors. The vehicles involved are Trailer First (TF) 41032, Trailer Standards (TS) 42045, 42561 and Trailer Standard (Disabled) (TSD) 42207. They will be collected by SR 43021 and 43132, which are currently being used for training.

Meanwhile, the first overhauled Class 43 power cars for ScotRail are due to leave Wabtec Rail’s Brush Traction Loughborough facility on January 17 and travel to Doncaster for testing with the Mk 3s. These power cars will be 43033 and 43148.

By the start of the May timetable change, when the HSTs are introduced by ScotRail, five pairs of ‘43s’ will have been overhauled (43012/021/033, 43132/143/146/148/168/169/183)

The next former Great Western Railway set to be sent off-lease will leave on January 11. 43012 and 43168 will take set LA05 to Leicester, with four coaches for refurbishment at Doncaster, and the other four for store at Ely. The power cars will go to Loughborough for overhaul, and will be released in late March.

GWR HST rakes to go off-lease between now and May

Stock for ScotRail: 41094, 41130/134/135/160, 42019, 42184, 42265/267/275/276/279/280, 42325/332/345, 42502/559/567/571/574/576

Stock for store at Ely: 40221, 40703/707/716/721/722, 41103/104, 42028/029/054/072, 42107/185, 42206/252/253/269/277/281, 42513, 44001/009/028/032/034/035

Stock for ScotRail (training): 40713, 42208/209, 44066

 

[brel york]

Lol that dates not going to happen

 

[greyman42]

Lol that dates not going to happen

What would be your best estimate?

 

[brel york]

End of feb

 

[221129]

What would be your best estimate?

If they are anything like our first set I would estimate 2020 if you're lucky...

 

[brel york]

Lol gwr set is behind

 

[jamieintercity]

Looks like another HST is due up north tomorrow

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O58303/2018/01/07/advanced

 

[najaB]

Looks like another HST is due up north tomorrow...

I know it's just a timing load, but 124mph? Expecting a stiff breeze from the North?

 

[delt1c]

wouldnt it be great if the trailers had SC prefix to the numbers

 

[brel york]

It would yes , the first one comes out of paint next week

 

[Ianigsy]

That's the set with 43179 leading that I saw earlier on at Doncaster this evening, then.

 

[superalbs]

It would yes , the first one comes out of paint next week

Is it that weird looking white livery still, or have they changed plans?

 

[brel york]

I’ll look at it tomorrow

 

[Highlandspring]

Is it that weird looking white livery still, or have they changed plans?

They're still going with the light grey based 'seven cities' silhouette livery.

 

[GusB]

They're still going with the light grey based 'seven cities' silhouette livery.

It that actually happening? When I saw the initial mock-ups of that livery I thought it looked quite good. Several months down the line, I'm not so sure.

 

[Carntyne]

It that actually happening? When I saw the initial mock-ups of that livery I thought it looked quite good. Several months down the line, I'm not so sure.

Yeah.

 

[xotGD]

wouldnt it be great if the trailers had SC prefix to the numbers

The power cars should have the prefix too, since they are also numbered as coaching stock.

 

[delt1c]

Just thinking , wonder if any of the power cars or trailers were ever allocated to Craigentinny in the past.