ScotRail cancelling services July 2024

[northscots]

Just been announced, full timetable from Monday 7th Oct.

 

[chuff chuff]

Just been announced, full timetable from Monday 7th Oct.

Aye sure that's what someone said last Wednesday.

 

[John Bishop]

What could possibly go wrong?!!

 

[Scotrail84]

What could possibly go wrong?!!

Plenty crews to cover the work but its availability of sets that could be an issue, they just don't seem to have enough DMUs/HSTs just now. When Leven goes half hourly the fleet will be stretched even further too.

 

[Peter0124]

Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly.

 

[John Bishop]

Plenty crews to cover the work but its availability of sets that could be an issue, they just don't seem to have enough DMUs/HSTs just now. When Leven goes half hourly the fleet will be stretched even further too.

Exactly! Loads of short forms and failures just now, never mind when the full timetable gets reinstated.

 

[Retorus]

Timed just after I stop using them because the off-peak trial has ended. Lovely.

 

[GordonT]

Exactly! Loads of short forms and failures just now, never mind when the full timetable gets reinstated.

At this rate we will shortly be taking bets on when a "temporary timetable" will need to be introduced.

 

[Scotrail84]

Exactly! Loads of short forms and failures just now, never mind when the full timetable gets reinstated.

Monday seems to be the worst day for it but any day can be just as bad, it all depends what has failed the day before. Last week on Thursday a 158 subbed for an HST on a Perth - Glasgow - Aberdeen diagram and on Saturday morning a 158 was subbed in on the 09:42 Invernees to Glasgow. Of course 2 coaches is better than none but its not ideal for passengers.

 

[scotraildriver]

Alot of the short formations have been down to lack of drivers to move units between depots. There's a backlog of trains which need to visit the wheel lathe but it's underway now so hopefully things improve quite quickly.

 

[Scotrail84]

Alot of the short formations have been down to lack of drivers to move units between depots. There's a backlog of trains which need to visit the wheel lathe but it's underway now so hopefully things improve quite quickly.

I've always wondered why a lathe was never built at Haymarket shed or even slateford instead of having to book sets into Craigentinny etc.

 

[John Bishop]

I've always wondered why a lathe was never built at Haymarket shed or even slateford instead of having to book sets into Craigentinny etc.

The first 2 HST set victims with square wheels because of leaf fall season have appeared. More to follow soon!

 

[scotraildriver]

I've always wondered why a lathe was never built at Haymarket shed or even slateford instead of having to book sets into Craigentinny etc.

It was planned but rejected on cost grounds. Not helped that there's only a handful of Queen Street based drivers that are competent on HSTs and have the whole route from Haymarket to Shields. Almost every HST move to the lathe has to be done by a driver on their rest day. There were/are proposals for a lathe at Cadder but nothings happened on that yet.

 

[Scotrail84]

It was planned but rejected on cost grounds. Not helped that there's only a handful of Queen Street based drivers that are competent on HSTs and have the whole route from Haymarket to Shields. Almost every HST move to the lathe has to be done by a driver on their rest day. There were/are proposals for a lathe at Cadder but nothings happened on that yet.

Could easily have one at Perth as well, plenty room on the wash road side of the station. Its always down to money at the end of the day though isn't it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Oct 2024 ==

The first 2 HST set victims with square wheels because of leaf fall season have appeared. More to follow soon!

Already? See when they have HSTs stopping at stations like Invergowrie and Monifieth etc, areas of poor adhesion then you're asking for wheel flats.

 

[eoff]

Just been announced, full timetable from Monday 7th Oct.

Is that the pre- or post-pandemic full timetable?
Have been waiting for the two-trains-per-hour North Berwick to Edinburgh Saturday service to resume for some time.

 

[Peter0124]

Is that the pre- or post-pandemic full timetable?
Have been waiting for the two-trains-per-hour North Berwick to Edinburgh Saturday service to resume for some time.

Post-pandemic, ie what we had in June

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Post-pandemic, ie what we had in June

https://x.com/ScotRail/status/1841056618508611641

Thats good that the full service is coming back and presumably means ASLEF have agreed members can undertake RDW and o/t shifts if they wish.

 

[scotraildriver]

https://x.com/ScotRail/status/1841056618508611641

Thats good that the full service is coming back and presumably means ASLEF have agreed members can undertake RDW and o/t shifts if they wish.

They never said they couldn't. It was individual choice, but given the way the government were mucking about most people didn't work overtime. Nothing to do with ASLEF.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Is that the pre- or post-pandemic full timetable?
Have been waiting for the two-trains-per-hour North Berwick to Edinburgh Saturday service to resume for some time.

I doubt this will ever return. The 2nd train per hour was a PPM (Pubic Performance Measure) nightmare, frequently delaying a number of cross-border services. Safest bet now is 6 cars all day, which I think has already been implemented.

 

[Scotrail84]

I doubt this will ever return. The 2nd train per hour was a PPM (Pubic Performance Measure) nightmare, frequently delaying a number of cross-border services. Safest bet now is 6 cars all day, which I think has already been implemented.

Which is more than enough to cope with passenger numbers. Many services on the Saturday were quiet anyway, particularly the ones around 10 past from Waverley and 50 from North Berwick

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2024 ==

The 09:42 Inverness to Glasgow QS is a 2 car 158 today.

 

[John Bishop]

Which is more than enough to cope with passenger numbers. Many services on the Saturday were quiet anyway, particularly the ones around 10 past from Waverley and 50 from North Berwick

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2024 ==

The 09:42 Inverness to Glasgow QS is a 2 car 158 today.

The 0549 to Aberdeen went 170 vice HST which is probably the unit which should have been the 0942.

 

[Fudgie]

I was talking part in the Great Scottish Run in Glasgow yesterday which had an estimated 30,000 people participating. I got the train in which was the first service of the day from my area. Given that there were a large number of road closures it was the sensible option but whoever was allocating units was either unaware of the event or didn't comprehend that the first service of the day for many stations might be busy.

A four car train rolled in and by the time we got to Bishopton (5 stations still to go) people were standing down the aisles. Once it left Paisley there was physically no room for anyone else to get on and I saw people being left behind at the remaining 3 stops where the next service was an hour away.

The lack of foresight was incredible and a real failure on the day from the country's biggest public transport operator.

 

[numtot12345]

I was talking part in the Great Scottish Run in Glasgow yesterday which had an estimated 30,000 people participating. I got the train in which was the first service of the day from my area. Given that there were a large number of road closures it was the sensible option but whoever was allocating units was either unaware of the event or didn't comprehend that the first service of the day for many stations might be busy.

A four car train rolled in and by the time we got to Bishopton (5 stations still to go) people were standing down the aisles. Once it left Paisley there was physically no room for anyone else to get on and I saw people being left behind at the remaining 3 stops where the next service was an hour away.

The lack of foresight was incredible and a real failure on the day from the country's biggest public transport operator.

I planned to get the 09.07 from Mount Florida. I was aware it would likely be busy, and had plenty of time if I didn't get in on it to travel in by bus or cycle.

A 3-car 318(?) trundled in at full capacity. Some people from Mount Florida squeezed in, but many left on the platform waiting on the next one at 09.38. A late runner was taken into the back drivers carriage so they didn't miss their start time.

I ended up cycling in (not a bad plan as good warm up for the legs) as didn't want to risk waiting on the bus.

Even without the strikes, I don't think there would have been many/any earlier trains. It might have affected ScotRail's ability to put on a 6-car train. It's disappointing though they weren't able to.

 

[Fudgie]

I planned to get the 09.07 from Mount Florida. I was aware it would likely be busy, and had plenty of time if I didn't get in on it to travel in by bus or cycle.

A 3-car 318(?) trundled in at full capacity. Some people from Mount Florida squeezed in, but many left on the platform waiting on the next one at 09.38. A late runner was taken into the back drivers carriage so they didn't miss their start time.

I ended up cycling in (not a bad plan as good warm up for the legs) as didn't want to risk waiting on the bus.

Even without the strikes, I don't think there would have been many/any earlier trains. It might have affected ScotRail's ability to put on a 6-car train. It's disappointing though they weren't able to.

I agree about the strikes impacting earlier services (plus it was an earlier start for the 10K than usual I believe) but like you, the lack of six car trains was frustrating. I did see longer trains later in the day so it's not as if they weren't able to run them.

I did see something about rail replacement buses not been able to access the city centre for obvious reasons so they were being redirected to Mount Florida where people were to boards trains.

 

[Bikeman78]

I agree about the strikes impacting earlier services (plus it was an earlier start for the 10K than usual I believe) but like you, the lack of six car trains was frustrating. I did see longer trains later in the day so it's not as if they weren't able to run them.

I did see something about rail replacement buses not been able to access the city centre for obvious reasons so they were being redirected to Mount Florida where people were to boards trains.

Another example of poor planning is East Kilbride. All trains are four or six cars except the 2047 on Saturday nights which is a two car and consequently rammed full. Seems odd that they run a shorter train on the busiest evening of the week.

 

[Scotrail84]

Another example of poor planning is East Kilbride. All trains are four or six cars except the 2047 on Saturday nights which is a two car and consequently rammed full. Seems odd that they run a shorter train on the busiest evening of the week.

You just don't know whats going to turn up these days, even RTT can be wrong at times. All depends on failures and unit swaps that may have taken place earlier in the day etc.

 

[northscots]

Im not normally one to defend scotrail but they really couldn't have communicated this any clearer. There's been a temporary timetable for months. With no drivers available, there's nobody to shunt and couple up sets. Sounds like great scottish run could have been more involved in planning this, perhaps with a delayed start or push to advertise bus and coach services as an alternative.

 

[Carntyne]

Im not normally one to defend scotrail but they really couldn't have communicated this any clearer. There's been a temporary timetable for months. With no drivers available, there's nobody to shunt and couple up sets. Sounds like great scottish run could have been more involved in planning this, perhaps with a delayed start or push to advertise bus and coach services as an alternative.

You don't get kudos for communicating in advance that you'll operate a terrible service for an event that's been planned for over a year.

The public shouldn't have to change their plans to suit Scotrail.

 

[najaB]

The public shouldn't have to change their plans to suit Scotrail.

By the same token, ScotRail said that the timetables would go back to something close to normal until today.

 

[ld0595]

Im not normally one to defend scotrail but they really couldn't have communicated this any clearer. There's been a temporary timetable for months. With no drivers available, there's nobody to shunt and couple up sets. Sounds like great scottish run could have been more involved in planning this, perhaps with a delayed start or push to advertise bus and coach services as an alternative.

The GSR will be at the mercy of Glasgow City Council, who will want to reopen roads as soon as possible. I doubt they actually have much say in when they can start.

ScotRail will have known about the event for months. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect them to do a tiny bit of forward planning and beef up sets before the event. It's a really poor excuse.