ScotRail HST operation 2026

[Railperf]

Does anyone expect further uplift or ScotRail HSat operation for this summer? And have all the sets been lengthened to five-car that were planned?
I note that Aberdeen to Glasgow and Edinburgh are mainly hourly HST's, but the Highland main line is still a mix of HSTs and units.

It also seems strange that some HSTs are being used for Inverness to Aberdeen where surely they would be better employed going to and from the central belt.
In particular today's 1239 Inverness to Aberdeen is a 5-car set and not that busy while a 4-car HST on the 1247 to Glasgow is looking busy and will probably be cosy from Perth.

Most of the services along the Highland Main Line appear to be busy (today)and seemingly could do with longer sets or greater frequency!

 

[RiverDon]

Since its a Saturday the 1239 Inverness Aberdeen will get really busy later in the journey and will probably arrive at Aberdeen full and standing

 

[scotraildriver]

All the 5 car sets are now in use but they're constantly getting swapped about with the ongoing battle with corrosion on the coaches. 1 5 car is away at Hamilton for repairs, another at Loughborough and there's a few coaches out of use at Inverness for the same. They'll never all be in service at the same time as this is ongoing work. Reliability is generally good though, 17 in service most days as planned. But at the end of the day the coaches are done and like it or not their time is up. It's costing a fortune.

 

[D365]

All the 5 car sets are now in use but they're constantly getting swapped about with the ongoing battle with corrosion on the coaches. 1 5 car is away at Hamilton for repairs, another at Loughborough and there's a few coaches out of use at Inverness for the same. They'll never all be in service at the same time as this is ongoing work. Reliability is generally good though, 17 in service most days as planned. But at the end of the day the coaches are done and like it or not their time is up. It's costing a fortune.

Just as knackered as the former Chiltern Mk3s, then!

 

[Railperf]

All the 5 car sets are now in use but they're constantly getting swapped about with the ongoing battle with corrosion on the coaches. 1 5 car is away at Hamilton for repairs, another at Loughborough and there's a few coaches out of use at Inverness for the same. They'll never all be in service at the same time as this is ongoing work. Reliability is generally good though, 17 in service most days as planned. But at the end of the day the coaches are done and like it or not their time is up. It's costing a fortune.

How many sets are supposed to be diagrammed each day?

EDIT: Talking to a travelling fitter who explained a major issue is the lack of available spares. Spares end up robbed from sets out of service due to needing 5-6 weeks to source new parts.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

How many sets are supposed to be diagrammed each day?

EDIT: Talking to a travelling fitter who explained a major issue is the lack of available spares. Spares end up robbed from sets out of service due to needing 5-6 weeks to source new parts.

Mon-Fri: 17 sets.

 

[Railperf]

Mon-Fri: 17 sets.

Wasn't it supposed to be 19 by now?

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Wasn't it supposed to be 19 by now?

Possibly, once upon a time. Better to work with something achievable though.

 

[Scotrail344Lad]

I think some sets run Aberdeen - Inverness just to move units around, and Scotrail just uses them on revenue services. Not always the case though, not sure why that happens

It also seems strange that some HSTs are being used for Inverness to Aberdeen where surely they would be better employed going to and from the central belt.

 

[CW2]

There aren't enough HSTs to run all the Edinburgh/Glasgow to Aberdeen/Inverness services, so in order to prioritise HSTs on the highest priority services, you have to diagram DMUs onto some lighter-loaded services.

Rather than having an HST set sitting at Inverness for several hours off-peak, and another one at Aberdeen, it makes good sense to use them on the Inverness - Elgin - Aberdeen line, freeing up DMUs for use elsewhere.

 

[Railperf]

I think some sets run Aberdeen - Inverness just to move units around, and Scotrail just uses them on revenue services. Not always the case though, not sure why that happens

There is a unit running Inverness to Elgin returns this afternoon. Is that a normal diagram?
It appears a HST set failed this evening causing the 17:25 Inverness to Glasgow HST to be replaced with a 170.
But the 21:32 Inverness to Aberdeen looks booked a HST instead of a 15x/170 unit.

 

[ld0595]

I enjoy the HSTs at ScotRail but feel like they could've been so much better. No buffet car in operation, little service in first class, standard class feels so gloomy and the constant squeaks and clunks don't make for the most peaceful journey. Great units but way past their time.

 

[InvHst]

There is a unit running Inverness to Elgin returns this afternoon. Is that a normal diagram?
It appears a HST set failed this evening causing the 17:25 Inverness to Glasgow HST to be replaced with a 170.
But the 21:32 Inverness to Aberdeen looks booked a HST instead of a 15x/170 unit.

1622/1856 and returns was vice 158 due to HA20 failing this morning putting it out of place. HA20 was fixed to allow for it to go onto that diagram and end at Aberdeen this evening off the 2132 which was again vice a solo 158

 

[GlitterUnicorn]

I enjoy the HSTs at ScotRail but feel like they could've been so much better. No buffet car in operation, little service in first class, standard class feels so gloomy and the constant squeaks and clunks don't make for the most peaceful journey. Great units but way past their time.

They'd have been better served by deleting the buffet and having a composite first/standard coach. The buffet service was never really needed, and the first class section is far larger than it need be.

 

[Railperf]

They'd have been better served by deleting the buffet and having a composite first/standard coach. The buffet service was never really needed, and the first class section is far larger than it need be.

Out of curiosity , which services tend to be busiest where additional standard class eating would be helpful - and between which stations?

 

[InvHst]

Out of curiosity , which services tend to be busiest where additional standard class eating would be helpful - and between which stations?

1248 Inverness-Edinburgh
1333 Edinburgh-Inverness

Both those trains during summer normally rammed.

Saturdays most Aberdeen Edinburgh services are incredibly busy with majority Glasgow Aberdeen also very busy

 

[RiverDon]

Saturdays most Aberdeen Edinburgh services are incredibly busy with majority Glasgow Aberdeen also very busy

I've seen a few 2+5 Edinburgh services absolutely full with every seat taken and loads of folk standing before leaving Aberdeen on a Saturday before now. It's especially bad if there's rugby or a concert on. I think a lot of people down in England assume we're some remote corner of the world and hardly anyone uses the trains here. It couldn't be further from the truth!

Would be good if they can work out how to run 10 car class 222s for these services. I understand they already have a system where the driver chooses which coaches to open the doors on.

 

[Railperf]

I've seen a few 2+5 Edinburgh services absolutely full with every seat taken and loads of folk standing before leaving Aberdeen on a Saturday before now. It's especially bad if there's rugby or a concert on. I think a lot of people down in England assume we're some remote corner of the world and hardly anyone uses the trains here. It couldn't be further from the truth!

Would be good if they can work out how to run 10 car class 222s for these services. I understand they already have a system where the driver chooses which coaches to open the doors on.

Yes. Selective Door Opening seems to be sorely lacking on the HSTs now that some of the Aberdeen services are stopping at Broughty Ferry and Monifieth. Only having use of a single door is a real issue for time keeping, and drivers seem to crawl into these platforms.
Is it tricky for drivers to find the right stopping position at those stations?

 

[GlitterUnicorn]

Out of curiosity , which services tend to be busiest where additional standard class eating would be helpful - and between which stations?

I don’t keep notes but it happens, more than you’d think.

The emptiness of the first class section is also really apparent. It’s 1 of 4 carriages on most services but there’s rarely more than 10 passengers, off duty staff included.

 

[Highlander1]

I don’t keep notes but it happens, more than you’d think.

The emptiness of the first class section is also really apparent. It’s 1 of 4 carriages on most services but there’s rarely more than 10 passengers, off duty staff included.

This varies massively. I've seen first class full on various services, particularly in and out of Edinburgh. Glasgow services less so. There are more 5 car than 4 car sets. Most of the 4 car sets have been lengthened over the last year or so.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Apr 2026 ==

Does anyone expect further uplift or ScotRail HSat operation for this summer? And have all the sets been lengthened to five-car that were planned?
I note that Aberdeen to Glasgow and Edinburgh are mainly hourly HST's, but the Highland main line is still a mix of HSTs and units.

It also seems strange that some HSTs are being used for Inverness to Aberdeen where surely they would be better employed going to and from the central belt.
In particular today's 1239 Inverness to Aberdeen is a 5-car set and not that busy while a 4-car HST on the 1247 to Glasgow is looking busy and will probably be cosy from Perth.

Most of the services along the Highland Main Line appear to be busy (today)and seemingly could do with longer sets or greater frequency!

The Inverness to Aberdeen line is often forgotten about thanks to Central Belt bias. These services are infrequent so are often full and standing, even as a 5 car HST.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Apr 2026 ==

Yes. Selective Door Opening seems to be sorely lacking on the HSTs now that some of the Aberdeen services are stopping at Broughty Ferry and Monifieth. Only having use of a single door is a real issue for time keeping, and drivers seem to crawl into these platforms.
Is it tricky for drivers to find the right stopping position at those stations?

These stations are notorious for wheel slip issues. They also require pin point accuracy.

I've seen a few 2+5 Edinburgh services absolutely full with every seat taken and loads of folk standing before leaving Aberdeen on a Saturday before now. It's especially bad if there's rugby or a concert on. I think a lot of people down in England assume we're some remote corner of the world and hardly anyone uses the trains here. It couldn't be further from the truth!

Would be good if they can work out how to run 10 car class 222s for these services. I understand they already have a system where the driver chooses which coaches to open the doors on.

I doubt you'll ever see 10 car 222 for Scotrail. Nowhere at Queen street can ccommodate them and only a small number of platforms at Waverley can. Other than the very occasional event would there be anything close to the demand for it anyway?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Apr 2026 ==

 

[hexagon789]

Mon-Fri: 17 sets.

When did it increase, do you know?

It was 16 for ages and I hadn't noticed the increase.

 

[Railperf]

Does anyone know where the list of current HST diagrams is? I haven't seen one since the old thread closed down?

 

[hexagon789]

Does anyone know where the list of current HST diagrams is? I haven't seen one since the old thread closed down?

You can view all ScotRail's diagrams on their website, if that's any help?

 

[Highlander1]

You can view all ScotRail's diagrams on their website, if that's any help?

Do you have a link?

 

[hexagon789]

Do you have a link?

Certainly.

All the items ScotRail makes directly public can be found on this page:

ScotRail Trains Limited Publication Scheme

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) provides individuals with a right to request any recorded information held by Scotland's public authorities. Anyone can use this right, and information can only be withheld where FOISA expressly permits it.Section 23 of FOISA also requires...

www.scotrail.co.uk

ScotRail Trains Limited Publication Scheme​

Class 2: How we deliver functions and services
This class includes information about our work, our strategy and policies for delivering functions and services, and information for our service users.

Unit Diagrams:

• December 2025

Within that can be found all the diagrams going back a few years. These are the December 2025 (current) diagrams:

https://files.scotrail.co.uk/FOI%20Unit%20Diagrams,%20December%202025.pdf

 

[Highlander1]

Certainly.

All the items ScotRail makes directly public can be found on this page:

ScotRail Trains Limited Publication Scheme

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) provides individuals with a right to request any recorded information held by Scotland's public authorities. Anyone can use this right, and information can only be withheld where FOISA expressly permits it.Section 23 of FOISA also requires...

www.scotrail.co.uk

Within that can be found all the diagrams going back a few years. These are the December 2025 (current) diagrams:

https://files.scotrail.co.uk/FOI%20Unit%20Diagrams,%20December%202025.pdf

Excellent. Thank you

 

[Dood75]

Very interesting discussion and thank you to everyone for information and advise....am travelling up to Edinburgh, then on to Aberdeen and planning one final journey behind the HST's and looking at doing the 1008 ex Aberdeen the following day to Inverness and return on the 1248 to Edinburgh....what are loadings like on the departures to Aberdeen from Edinburgh at 1530 and 1629?

 

[43094]

For info if you're running late on.the 1008; the 1008 & 1248 are diagrammed to be the same set.

There is another set there at the same time which it can swap with, so best to double-check on the day....

 

[RiverDon]

Very interesting discussion and thank you to everyone for information and advise....am travelling up to Edinburgh, then on to Aberdeen and planning one final journey behind the HST's and looking at doing the 1008 ex Aberdeen the following day to Inverness and return on the 1248 to Edinburgh....what are loadings like on the departures to Aberdeen from Edinburgh at 1530 and 1629?

The 15:29 can be variable but the 16:29 is usually absolutely packed before leaving Edinburgh.

 

[Dood75]

Thanks again both for the info...good to know about the possible swap over in Inverness