They will be fine - after an overhaul and some TLC. They are perfectly good units with plenty of power and reliability had been decent before the drop off at EMR (for reasons already well documented).
More kW/t than a 170, less kW/t than a 2+4 and 2+5 HST. (Says AI).
Mechanically fine, but capacity will be a major problem especially in the luggage department. Once the refurbishment is complete they are almost certainly going to be the most capacity inefficient units per-metre of length of any non-sleeper passenger carrying train in the UK in terms of seats to luggage capacity.
I’ve waited a while to post about the Gangway Squeaks but I’ll say this, they only come about due to lack of maintenance. It is the rubber bushes between the gangway and coupler (HST corridors effectively float on top of the Alliance coupler head with the base connected to the coupler bar) which overtime wear out causing the creaking and groaning. If they were regularly greased and or replaced, then they wouldn’t be an issue. I’ll accept there’s a lot of them for anyone to maintain but it’s a simple fix.
The useable platform length at Pitlochry will however have been reduced by the resignalling as at least one of the starters has been moved further into the platform.
Think AI has confused the formation.
HST power cars have an output of 1868hp continuous traction motor output, 1770hp continuous at rail output.
Or more likely, Transport Scotland made a mess of the bids, and realism has kicked in.
That was almost certainly to ensure that the bidders didn't leave EMR without rolling stock for their services. That shouldn't be the case now with 810s entering service.
Yes, the whole fleet will be used except for three non-driving cars. It’s been discussed in a few places already in this thread. e.g. post #32.
Hopefully we'll eventually see hourly services between Perth and Inverness which would alleviate that. (Thought that was planned at some point soon anyway? I'd imagine not at the moment given current HST availability.)
It was, along with accelerations.
Long trains (800s and the sleeper) go past the starting signal and use the whole platform.
5+2 HSTs and 6 car 170s can fit at Pitlcohry without going past the signal, it’s only the sleeper and LNER that need the full platform length.
Can’t see that happening anytime soon, hourly Tain and hourly Aberdeen services were discussed, along with 90mph sections between Inverness and Elgin, also 40mph points starting with Muir of Ord on The Far North Line, I really can’t see speed changes on The HML being made for the 222’s but that’s all for another thread.
Not a lot of point in refurbishing unused vehicles, and press release specifically said 22 x 5car, not higher number of vehicles.
Are any HSTs booked on Fife services?
No, it's all various combinations of 158s and 170s. HSTs only run fast on the side of the circle that trains to Dundee/Aberdeen run through.
Realistically the easiest solution is to reinstate the Inverkeithing stops and brand it as serving Dunfermline (e.g. Glenrothes with Thornton) as it's part of the same urban area anyway and is set up for Intercity Services with LNER services (and previously Scotrail) calling there. The inland side of the Fife Circle is a bit longer than the costal side so there would be a time penalty to going that way, though maybe only 5 minutes https://www.scotrail.co.uk/media/74350/download?inline comparing southbound departures from Markinch at 0632 and 0647, inland is 41 mins with 8 stops, coast is 33 mins with 5 stops, InterCity would be limited stop either way.
That’s every diesel class in the UK you listed, Though you actually missed out a prototype Class 210 DEMU from the 1980s.
That will be a LUMO training set.
