Scotrail, Abellio and April

[Scotrail314209]

A positive bit of news, catering is back!

The train operator is set to recruit 29 new on-train hospitality stewards as part of its plans to reintroduce and improve the food and drink offering on board trains across the ScotRail network.

From today, Monday, 4 April 2022, ScotRail has begun to re-introduce its on-board food and drink service on a limited number of Inter7City, for example, Aberdeen to Edinburgh, Far North Line, and Kyle of Lochalsh Line services on top of the West Highland Line services which are already catered for.

The number of services with food and drink available will increase as new recruits complete their training.

In the meantime, customers can check which services are planned to have a hospitality service on board on the ScotRail website, while Customer Information Screens in stations also display details of which trains have food and drink available.

ScotRail announces almost £1millon on-train hospitality recruitment drive

ScotRail has unveiled plans to invest £918,000 on a hospitality recruitment drive, as the train operator confirms the reintroduction of its on-board food and drink service. The train operator is set to recruit 29 new on-train hospitality stewards as part of its plans to reintroduce and improve...

www.scotrail.co.uk

 

[Deltic1961]

Great until a diagrammed HST breaks down and is replaced with a crammed 2 car 170. Seen it so many times and catering can't operate as they can't get the trolley through.

But great in principle as usual.

 

[Speed43125]

Great until a diagrammed HST breaks down and is replaced with a crammed 2 car 170. Seen it so many times and catering can't operate as they can't get the trolley through.

Not to be pedantic, but presumably you mean 2 car 158. - Which in fairness, can still be a generous level of capacity on, say, a weekday in the later evening.

 

[takno]

A positive bit of news, catering is back!

ScotRail announces almost £1millon on-train hospitality recruitment drive

ScotRail has unveiled plans to invest £918,000 on a hospitality recruitment drive, as the train operator confirms the reintroduction of its on-board food and drink service. The train operator is set to recruit 29 new on-train hospitality stewards as part of its plans to reintroduce and improve...

www.scotrail.co.uk

I personally look forward to finding out the services where catering will be unavailable due to a poorly-motivated ScotGov employee not being arsed. It will make quite a change from catering being unavailable due to a bizarre ScotGov moral panic.

 

[Davester50]

A positive bit of news, catering is back!

ScotRail announces almost £1millon on-train hospitality recruitment drive

ScotRail has unveiled plans to invest £918,000 on a hospitality recruitment drive, as the train operator confirms the reintroduction of its on-board food and drink service. The train operator is set to recruit 29 new on-train hospitality stewards as part of its plans to reintroduce and improve...

www.scotrail.co.uk

Wonder if the Puritans will still ban booze.

 

[permarquis]

Great until a diagrammed HST breaks down and is replaced with a crammed 2 car 170.

I personally look forward to finding out the services where catering will be unavailable due to a poorly-motivated ScotGov employee not being arsed.

Wonder if the Puritans will still ban booze.

Always nice to see the optimists out in force!

 

[Blindtraveler]

On the face of it it is extremely welcome to see catering returning to longer distance routes as contrary to popular opinion not every station has as a smiley person in a coffee kiosk willing to charge you a few pence less than the trolley would


As to massively improving the food and drink offering onboard, let it be remembered that they were going from a pretty low bench point so so they could if they wanted to really make a relatively bad job of this and still trumpet it as an improvement.


Would very much hope to see buffet services on the hst


On another note, all the marketing over the weekend just gone implied that kids go free was ending after that weekend. I can see why they want to do this as it's no doubt costing them plenty but would it not have been better to quietly drop it after the school holidays?

 

[Deltic1961]

Always nice to see the optimists out in force!

Realists actually.

 

[lachlan]

The return of catering is overdue but ultimately it is a positive. It's disappointing to see so much negativity on here.

catering will be unavailable due to a poorly-motivated ScotGov employee not being arsed. It will make quite a change from catering being unavailable due to a bizarre ScotGov moral panic.

Your comment is rather insulting towards the catering staff. I strongly doubt any past or future lack of catering is because the employees "can't be arsed".

 

[Scotrail314209]

On the face of it it is extremely welcome to see catering returning to longer distance routes as contrary to popular opinion not every station has as a smiley person in a coffee kiosk willing to charge you a few pence less than the trolley would


As to massively improving the food and drink offering onboard, let it be remembered that they were going from a pretty low bench point so so they could if they wanted to really make a relatively bad job of this and still trumpet it as an improvement.


Would very much hope to see buffet services on the hst


On another note, all the marketing over the weekend just gone implied that kids go free was ending after that weekend. I can see why they want to do this as it's no doubt costing them plenty but would it not have been better to quietly drop it after the school holidays?

Scotrail website mentions that it’s just the regular trolley service with no mention of the buffet car on the HSTs.

It looks like Scotrail are going back to the more basic pre-HST offering, particularly in First Class where it’s now just a biscuit or snack and a free drink, with the trolley available.

I’m pretty sure prior to COVID that Scotrail were offering more substantial items onboard, specifically the HST services.

On-train hospitality

Drinks and snacks on longer distance journeys.

www.scotrail.co.uk

On trains with a catering service, you’ll get a free hot or soft drink and a sweet or savoury snack for the journey. You can also buy refreshments from the trolley service.

Please note this is subject to availability of hospitality on board.

No menu on there either.

 

[Deltic1961]

What was the point of fitting out half a carriage with a buffet bar if they're not going to use it?

 

[Davester50]

Always nice to see the optimists out in force!

I'm gussing with your location in Leeds, you're not subject to the delights of ScotRail management as much as the ones who are realistic about it are!

 

[lachlan]

What was the point of fitting out half a carriage with a buffet bar if they're not going to use it?

The refurbishment was started prior to the pandemic and all the social distancing measures and changing passenger numbers it brought with it. The buffets were being used prior to the pandemic

 

[Davester50]

The refurbishment was started prior to the pandemic and all the social distancing measures and changing passenger numbers it brought with it. The buffets were being used prior to the pandemic

Social distancing is finished.
What's the reason now?

 

[lachlan]

Social distancing is finished.
What's the reason now?

The economics may have changed now with reduced passenger numbers such that it is no longer viable to staff the buffet and offer hot food.

 

[Davester50]

Lumping around tonnes of unused catering car seems wasteful then.
Maybe they can convert it to another hilarious Tartan Paint store.

 

[Deltic1961]

Na, live haggis transport wins it for me

Social distancing may be gone but I never ever see unrelated people sitting together, even with masks still being required, although that could also still be part of the problem.

Nicola Sturgeon has terrified people with her extended restrictions and that will have a long lasting impact on leisure, hospitality and travel up here.

 

[lachlan]

Na, live haggis transport wins it for me

Social distancing may be gone but I never ever see unrelated people sitting together, even with masks still being required, although that could also still be part of the problem.

Or how about the Bagpipe Practice Room?

If there's a free seat I'm taking it, as I have done throughout the pandemic. Though the services I board are rarely busy enough

 

[Davester50]

So parochial and particularly unfunny when it's in essence wasted (bike) space.
I'd hope for a fresh appraisal of how the whole operation is run now there's a new show in town, but the reality is, it's like an episode of Scooby Doo where the face under the mask is Transport Scotland and it's been them all along.

 

[Wynd]

In my own cynical view on SR's HST shambles....

The shambles that sees empty power cars and a very cramped borderline unusable cycle space. Indefensible really.

Introducing the buffet on the HST will do what Scotrail appear not to want.

A popular, regular and much loved HST service.

Getting a HST out of Aberdeen is pot luck, and if they form the backbone of IC7 services, with a buffet, people will be more than a little aggrieved when Scotrail remove these machines form service for DMU's in 18 months time.

170s and 158s should not be running between the 7 cities unless absolutely necessary. SR seem to prefer to park the HST and make us all suffer. Then wonder why passenger numbers are so low.

I, and others, have resorted to the LNER service as its night and day compared to the 170 and 158. Not once yet have I taken a 1st Class HST service to Edinburgh, which i would choose over the Azuma if I had the choice!

So as to not just be complaining, here is the resolution to a great deal of woes.

1. Get the 5th carriages in service. Now.
2. Get ALL the power cars in service in the next few months.
3. Get the buffet running, full tilt. A basic offering of food, but a full bar.
4. Sell as many seats as reasonably practicable via various promotions and on board offerings. "First class upgrade Madam? Its £5 seeing as the carriage is a little light today."
5. Open the power Car cycle spaces to maximise cycle bookings and therefore ticket sales for this group.
6. Promote the service heavily online, on the radio and on social media.

Then watch the money roll in.

Ditch this insane model of few seats and high prices. Run the service like a train, lots of seats, lots of passengers, lots of on board offerings to maximise revenue.

But hey, what do I know. I'm only Joe Public.

 

[Scotrail12]

Catering is definitely back on InterCity but about time. I go back and forth from Glasgow to Aberdeen quite a few times a year and think it was really poor that they didn't even serve water on 2-3 hour journeys. I didn't realise it was back though so already had taken my own things.

My HST for the Aberdeen-Glasgow train seems to have broken down or something and I imagine there wouldn't have been any catering on the 170 that replaced it though. Why put a 170 on those routes, they aren't good enough for a long journey. I'm going via Edinburgh instead to avoid it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Apr 2022 ==

Getting a HST out of Aberdeen is pot luck, and if they form the backbone of IC7 services, with a buffet, people will be more than a little aggrieved when Scotrail remove these machines form service for DMU's in 18 months time.

Sorry - I'm out of the loop, what's happening in 18 months? We're not getting full time 170s & 158s to Aberdeen surely?

 

[lachlan]

In my own cynical view on SR's HST shambles....

The shambles that sees empty power cars and a very cramped borderline unusable cycle space. Indefensible really.

Introducing the buffet on the HST will do what Scotrail appear not to want.

A popular, regular and much loved HST service.

Getting a HST out of Aberdeen is pot luck, and if they form the backbone of IC7 services, with a buffet, people will be more than a little aggrieved when Scotrail remove these machines form service for DMU's in 18 months time.

170s and 158s should not be running between the 7 cities unless absolutely necessary. SR seem to prefer to park the HST and make us all suffer. Then wonder why passenger numbers are so low.

I, and others, have resorted to the LNER service as its night and day compared to the 170 and 158. Not once yet have I taken a 1st Class HST service to Edinburgh, which i would choose over the Azuma if I had the choice!

I agree with all of this. Though I think it's worth pointing out that prior to the introduction of the HSTs most services (in my memory at least) were operated by 170s which are far inferior.

Quite how Transport Scotland were supposed to predict the pandemic as previous posters suggested I'm not sure. The buffet counter made sense when the HSTs were being fitted out

 

[Wynd]

Catering is definitely back on InterCity but about time. I go back and forth from Glasgow to Aberdeen quite a few times a year and think it was really poor that they didn't even serve water on 2-3 hour journeys. I didn't realise it was back though so already had taken my own things.

My HST for the Aberdeen-Glasgow train seems to have broken down or something and I imagine there wouldn't have been any catering on the 170 that replaced it though. Why put a 170 on those routes, they aren't good enough for a long journey. I'm going via Edinburgh instead to avoid it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Apr 2022 ==


Sorry - I'm out of the loop, what's happening in 18 months? We're not getting full time 170s & 158s to Aberdeen surely?

Drivers are going to quit driving the HST over the Stonehaven findings.

The Aberdeen service is already far more often than not a 170/158.

 

[Davester50]

In my own cynical view on SR's HST shambles....

The shambles that sees empty power cars and a very cramped borderline unusable cycle space. Indefensible really.

Introducing the buffet on the HST will do what Scotrail appear not to want.

A popular, regular and much loved HST service.

Getting a HST out of Aberdeen is pot luck, and if they form the backbone of IC7 services, with a buffet, people will be more than a little aggrieved when Scotrail remove these machines form service for DMU's in 18 months time.

170s and 158s should not be running between the 7 cities unless absolutely necessary. SR seem to prefer to park the HST and make us all suffer. Then wonder why passenger numbers are so low.

I, and others, have resorted to the LNER service as its night and day compared to the 170 and 158. Not once yet have I taken a 1st Class HST service to Edinburgh, which i would choose over the Azuma if I had the choice!

Catering is definitely back on InterCity but about time. I go back and forth from Glasgow to Aberdeen quite a few times a year and think it was really poor that they didn't even serve water on 2-3 hour journeys. I didn't realise it was back though so already had taken my own things.

My HST for the Aberdeen-Glasgow train seems to have broken down or something and I imagine there wouldn't have been any catering on the 170 that replaced it though. Why put a 170 on those routes, they aren't good enough for a long journey. I'm going via Edinburgh instead to avoid it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Apr 2022 ==


Sorry - I'm out of the loop, what's happening in 18 months? We're not getting full time 170s & 158s to Aberdeen surely?

Half the problem is the branding. They can call it InterCity as much as they like, but in the grand scale of things, it's really not.
For an inter-urban service, I find the 170s ideal. The 158s with the nice seats are good for the longer runs too, but when they end up on the peak services, the proportion of airline seats to tables isn't perfect.
With the numerous stops north of Dundee, the HSTs are overkill, and I really don't like the access; the wide doors of the 170s are far superior, and with no huge step up a an altogether better train for it's use.

Yes, TS can't be blamed for the pandemic and it's effects, but they can be rightly accused of choosing the wrong train for the wrong use at the beginning of the franchise.

I'd love to know the fuel comparisons as has been said, the HSTs seem to be the first to be laid up.

 

[Deltic1961]

I booked a trip from Aberdeen to Edinburgh on the Scotrail website but the tickets were for the LNER service and even during the pandemic you could get food and drinks delivered to the seat. It was like night and day and after being on that I wouldn't travel on the 3rd World Scotrail service again. We are so behind as a national carrier it's unreal.


As stated many times before it is the general concensus that Scotrail just can't be arsed and that's the crux of the problem. Without making an effort the service will die.

Transport Scotland have been posting lots of positive stuff packed full of buzzwords but with largely the same staff and management in place nothing will change. The telling thing for me is how bad the complaints process is. That is a benchmark of the whole company and its utterly useless.

Scotland as a country may be "progressive" on social issues but not on critical infrastructure.

 

[Scotrail12]

Drivers are going to quit driving the HST over the Stonehaven findings.

The Aberdeen service is already far more often than not a 170/158.

Understandable but I think I'll opt for an Azuma when that happens.

 

[Dryce]

With the numerous stops north of Dundee, the HSTs are overkill, and I really don't like the access; the wide doors of the 170s are far superior, and with no huge step up a an altogether better train for it's use.

You can please some of the people some of the time.

My complain about the 170s is the opposite - I hate the wide doors on these services. No ambience to the train - and on a cold day they open and the carriage gets blasted.

The 170s have actively put me off travel by rail north of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

I actually like the HSTs but agree they are quirky and a bit of a weird setup.

 

[Ex-controller]

Always nice to see the optimists out in force!

People are fed up watching the entire service being undermined and in managed decline.

But when one of Transport Scotland’s stated aims is to encourage less travel, it makes sense.

 

[lachlan]

I booked a trip from Aberdeen to Edinburgh on the Scotrail website but the tickets were for the LNER service and even during the pandemic you could get food and drinks delivered to the seat. It was like night and day and after being on that I wouldn't travel on the 3rd World Scotrail service again. We are so behind as a national carrier it's unreal.


As stated many times before it is the general concensus that Scotrail just can't be arsed and that's the crux of the problem. Without making an effort the service will die.

Transport Scotland have been posting lots of positive stuff packed full of buzzwords but with largely the same staff and management in place nothing will change. The telling thing for me is how bad the complaints process is. That is a benchmark of the whole company and its utterly useless.

Scotland as a country may be "progressive" on social issues but not on critical infrastructure.

The electrification plans are very much "progressive" when compared to the rest of the UK. Though obviously Transport Scotland has to stick to them.

You can please some of the people some of the time.

My complain about the 170s is the opposite - I hate the wide doors on these services. No ambience to the train - and on a cold day they open and the carriage gets blasted.

The 170s have actively put me off travel by rail north of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

I actually like the HSTs but agree they are quirky and a bit of a weird setup.

Indeed, and the 170s are very noisy and rattly as well. Not enough that I avoid them but I do prefer the 158s and HSTs.

The 170 door arrangement is better for boarding and unboarding, sure, but I'm not convinced the stations between Dundee and Aberdeen (that intercity trains call at) are sufficiently busy or close together for the additional doors to be necessary.

The only time an HST has felt unsuitable is when they call at Portlethen and only done door can be used. This doesn't happen often as the local service has always been a 158 in my experience.

 

[Deltic1961]

It's as though Scottish Government policy is to throttle Scotland to death. The green agenda will cause far more harm than I think they realise.