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Scotrail, Abellio and April
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Deltic1961
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I'm not a fan of first class anyway and from what I see up Aberdeen way it's generally always empty.
Very expensive unless someone else is paying.
Very expensive unless someone else is paying.
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Presumably replacing these seats with Standard ones will enable them to make further outlandish claims about the number of empty seats they are carrying around, and justify further cuts in frequency
I agree completely. The May timetables are not any substantial improvement on this current one, especially in the halving of frequencies after 1900. What a disgrace Transport Scotland is, they're the only people in Scotland who think that the public are still staying at home and not going anywhere in the evenings.
As for the reduction in First Class on the 385, I'm not an engineer but I reckon that is a job for Hitachi as the dedicated section will have to be reduced and then doors fitted a la 170 to compartmentalise the reduced First.
I always think it sad that the only airport in scotland that has a station at the terminal is prestwick or am i wrong here
PS I also think the decline of prestwick arport is a disgrace. I remember flying from it to London and Ireland years ago when it was a busy bustling airport. Its a disgrace its not returned to its former glory despite being owned by the government
Aberdeen Tories have promised a study into a rail link to the P&J Live and the Airport if they win the council election. How exactly that would work, I have no idea.
computerSaysNo
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Apologies if this has already been answered, I haven't read through the whole thread; when are the new timetables from May released? I'm surprised they're not out already to be honest.
Been on RTT for many weeks.
Kite159
Veteran Member
One thing I noticed when travelling around in the Glasgow area was how many train toilets were out of order. Including a few which had signs up saying "out of use" (so not simply a case of the loo locking itself out of use due to having no water).
computerSaysNo
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Yeah, I was meaning the PDF timetables on the ScotRail website though.
Western Gaffer
Member
Being addressed!
Inverness airport railway station: now open 2/2/23
Work has finally started on Inverness Airport station. https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/inverness-airport-station-build-is-underway Work is now underway to create the new Inverness Airport station with the start of construction of the platforms at Dalcross. The plans for...
www.railforums.co.uk
Perhaps a shame from a nostalgic perspective, but a disgrace, really? Things have obviously moved on a lot from Prestwick's heyday of its transatlantic monopoly, etc, so do you genuinely feel that the Scottish government should be throwing scarce funds at subsidising commercial flights through an airport that isn't an appealing enough proposition to attract airlines without such assistance from public funds? Ryanair is renowned for flying to out of the way airports distant from major population centres but few other airlines show any inclination to follow that approach, and so Prestwick's focus on cargo and military operations seems appropriate to me....
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Prestwick is the only airport with a direct station link, which oddly, opened in late 1994 when passenger numbers had already started to decline. Ryanair moved in around this time and it saw a lot of growth for a decade or so, but how much of that the station played a part in is negligible. I don't think it has a future as a passenger terminal, but the airport should focus on military, cargo, flight training, private planes, and maintenance, for all of which there is still a lot of demand at PIK. As for the terminal, it is very dated and cramped and there is no real demand for it to be modernised when GLA and EDI are already well ahead of it in terms of popularity and established airlines. It should be kept operational for the odd charter or whatever Ryanair flights come and go, but its days of being a major entry point to Scotland are far behind it. I am not sure if you still get 50% off a rail ticket to PIK from anywhere in Scotland if you show a boarding pass.
Edinburgh not having a direct ail link is not that big a deal. It is fairly common to see an airport linked to the railway network by a light rail system or a bus in many places. The idea that was put forward wasn't all that practical if I remember correctly and would have only been useful for people going to/from Fife. The tram at least serves that market through Edinburgh Gateway, the Edinburgh/Glasgow mainline through Edinburgh Park, and pretty much everything else through Haymarket. What is a disgrace is the fact that pretty much all public transport options to Edinburgh and Glasow airport carry a premium, which puts people off using them. I haven't taken a bus or tram to the airports in years as a result of this, I usually get a cheaper ticket to the Park and Ride at Ingliston and simply walk to the terminal.
Sure I heard somewhere they are not going to publish timetables. Everybody finds their information on line these days.
For me in southern Glasgow it's often a similar price to park at the airport (Glasgow and Edinburgh) instead of public transport since I'm always travelling with my partner. On the odd occasion that it's more expensive, it's worth it anyway as the price difference isn't really that much and I'd happily pay a premium for the convenience.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
I recall that Prestwick was very popular with passengers, and even during the summer season today there can be a fair crowd waiting on the platform or for the X77 to Glasgow.
I also see it being used by Cabin Crew who have just come off flights as it saves them having to drive, although most do live locally.
Trainbike46
Established Member
I can see how printed timetables have probably had their time, but why wouldn't they have pdf timetables on the website anymore?
IIRC the plan was basically to build the Almond Chord, but with a chunk of it in a tunnel under the airport and an underground station. It would have been very well-served from Fife (and therefore Aberdeen), and also from Glasgow and potentially Stirling/Inverness as well. There's a strong argument that the whole thing would have been overkill, and certainly there was no need to build a link to both Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports, but as a standalone project, EARL would have provided a valuable bit of rail infrastructure, significantly improved the appeal of rail to the airport from most of Scotland's population centres, and probably allowed Edinburgh to grow into a proper "international" airport more fitting to various people's aspirations for Scotland as a nation.
Falcon1200
Established Member
Slightly surprised no-one has mentioned that Glasgow Airport was to get a heavy rail link, and indeed some of the work was done, ie extra platforms at Glasgow Central and the third track between Shields Jc and Paisley; However a certain party cancelled the line to the airport itself......
That was the crazy plan to enter the airport from Paisley through the fuel farm and into the airport. Hardly the cheapest way to go. So it got binned and the extra capacity was used for other routes.
It's 15 to 25 minutes by the express bus. Depending on the motorway traffic.
Latest plan is a tram system leaving the other end of the airport and onto the city by on street running. Just a bit chraoer and has funding.
I must say I wasn't surprised when the GARL was scrapped, that was a complete waste of money. Far too complicated and far too much upheaval for a link to an airport that is already quite well served by bus and has its own motorway exit, one thing EDI doesn't have!
The money was better spent upgrading roads and rail in other parts of the country.
The money was better spent upgrading roads and rail in other parts of the country.
The most logical solution is to build a new station on the existing Gourock line which is practically at the end of the runway at Glasgow Airport. A glance at Google maps shows just how close the airport is to an existing main line. There is no need for expensive diversions or dedicated airport trains. An underground tunnel with travelators for the few hundred yards into the terminal building is all that is required.
The tram train is a pipe dream.
As for Prestwick Airport, the rumour was that O'Leary told them that if they allowed any rivals to use it then Ryanair would pull out, which they effectively did do when they gained Glasgow Airport slots.
The tram train is a pipe dream.
As for Prestwick Airport, the rumour was that O'Leary told them that if they allowed any rivals to use it then Ryanair would pull out, which they effectively did do when they gained Glasgow Airport slots.
That would more than a few hundred yards to the terminal. The plan is to link the Glasgow metro to the airport.
Just around 1km from the main line to the western side of the terminal building. I've been in airports with travelators of similar length, broken into sections of course.
Alternatively they can run a shuttle bus from my proposed new station, directly to the main entrance.
As for a Glasgow metro, it'll never happen. David Begg's recommendations are a flight of fancy.
Looking at Google Maps both of these would be less convenient than the current 500 bus service which goes directly there, and would use rail capacity for a new station that won't serve anything else (unless new housing estates were built around it). It would improve things for folks coming from the west, but then a similar improvement could be gained by increasing the frequency of the hourly 757 bus from Paisley.
Deltic1961
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But trams are far far slower. Just look at the ones in Edinburgh.
Yes they can make 50mph out of the city.
Deltic1961
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Well surprise surprise. Never saw this coming with a nationalised railway 
www.originalfm.com
Text from article:
Train drivers could strike for the first time in 20 years after talks between a rail union and transport bosses failed to reach an agreement over pay.
Aslef met with ScotRail on Monday to discuss a pay increase amid rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
While other sections of ScotRail staff have gone on strike in recent years, the move would be a first in two decades for drivers.
It is understood ScotRail has offered drivers a 2.2% increase, which Aslef says is a “derisory offer”.
Kevin Lindsay, industrial organiser for Aslef, said: “Aslef members who have kept the country moving throughout the pandemic have been presented with a derisory pay offer from ScotRail management which takes no account of the cost-of-living crisis workers face.
“Scotland’s train drivers did not make the decision to consider industrial action lightly – indeed we have not had a single pay dispute with Scotland’s railway operators for 21 years. Yet, just one month into the Scottish Government’s stewardship of ScotRail, we are being left with no option but to consider action in response.
“ScotRail and the Scottish Government must recognise that these key workers deserve a decent pay rise, they should return to the negotiating table with a much fairer deal that recognises the vital work our members do.”
Original 106 - Always your favourite music for Aberdeen, Tayside and Fife.
Always your favourite music for Aberdeen, Tayside and Fife, this is Original 106.
www.originalfm.com
Text from article:
Train drivers could strike for the first time in 20 years after talks between a rail union and transport bosses failed to reach an agreement over pay.
Aslef met with ScotRail on Monday to discuss a pay increase amid rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
While other sections of ScotRail staff have gone on strike in recent years, the move would be a first in two decades for drivers.
It is understood ScotRail has offered drivers a 2.2% increase, which Aslef says is a “derisory offer”.
Kevin Lindsay, industrial organiser for Aslef, said: “Aslef members who have kept the country moving throughout the pandemic have been presented with a derisory pay offer from ScotRail management which takes no account of the cost-of-living crisis workers face.
“Scotland’s train drivers did not make the decision to consider industrial action lightly – indeed we have not had a single pay dispute with Scotland’s railway operators for 21 years. Yet, just one month into the Scottish Government’s stewardship of ScotRail, we are being left with no option but to consider action in response.
“ScotRail and the Scottish Government must recognise that these key workers deserve a decent pay rise, they should return to the negotiating table with a much fairer deal that recognises the vital work our members do.”
Class360/1
Member
I see the unions are still banging on about being key workers.
Not going to lie but if these strikes go ahead, Scotland’s railways won’t fare to well with all the potential disruption.
Not going to lie but if these strikes go ahead, Scotland’s railways won’t fare to well with all the potential disruption.
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Falcon1200
Established Member
Plus everyone with a heavy rail service into Glasgow Central - That's quite a lot of people !
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