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You make a very good point, and I hadn't remembered that. Of course it's likely that given how stretched the EMU fleet is, midday, midweek maintenance time is probably at a premium, so maybe it's for the best that there's still one diagram using the 156s for now.

Overall, EMU availability is lower on a Saturday, as demand is higher, and the E&G shuttles eat up another four diagrams in two pairs. You might be able to rob a 385 off a doubled up Shotts diagram, but then you're robbing Peter to pay Paul. There are 156s available, so they get used.

There will be an extension of the Metro via the Leamside line about as far as the south end of the Victoria Viaduct. This has been funded, sort of, and the plans are in place for this. Three w stations are planned, although I cannot remember their names off the top of my head. The 555s have...

I think this sums up everything said in this thread. Even if new units were ordered today, we'd not have them in squadron service for five years anyway. By that point, you can grab the 158s, which buys you five years, and means you don't have to pay for three new fleets out of pocket in the...

Portobello isn't going to happen, mainly because you can't really do much without triggering a massive rebuilding. The ideal solution would be putting a station where the old one used to be, near the bridge above Brighton place. Any station here would need a massive and expensive rebuilding of...

This year will see completion of Balgray station, and commencement of work on Winchburgh station. The contract to replace the HSTs with the 222s will be finalised, and a preferred bidder for the BEMUs named, both of which adds up to a big chunk of change. Wiring will begin in earnest in Fife...

To give an actual answer. It cannot and will not be HSTs. The loops lengths aren't long enough to sacrifice two coaches for two power cars. There are other reasons, but this is the primary one. It cannot and will not be 222s. They're too heavy, and would be subject to severe speed...

That particular feeder station was always a bit of a black sheep. I remember hearing from engineers back in the late 90's when discussing their experience with certain bits of electrification kit, who were very open about the fact that it was basically held together with duct tape, and someone...

If it wasn't an ORCATS raid, and it was indeed focused on new journeys from the Central Belt to London as originally promised, then we'd be seeing cheap advanced tickets, and a similar setup to the east coast operations. The fact that they're pricing an anytime return from Euston to Milton...

I can say that there won't be 8x23m services from Edinburgh to Fife associated with this batch of units. It would involve lengthening platforms across the route, to an enormously expensive degree, some of which would be very, very difficult to extend; North Queensferry springs to mind...

Update at Christmas 2025. All the 350/2s have gone from LNWR.

Winchburgh station starts building in the next few months. The first tranche of new battery units are ordered, marking an end to pure diesel orders. The last unit with a diesel engine might well be ordered this year, however I somehow doubt it. The Borders Line extension is killed...

Portobello wouldn't work, it's not big enough. Remember that building a new depot needs a lot more space than an old one, because legacy rights expiring would mean new walking routes, proper spaces between sidings, and a general desire for straight sidings to make coupling easier. You also...

For legal reasons, I cannot confirm, but as far as we are aware, Porterbrook offered to put batteries in the 350s and give them to ScotRail, as a fudge for the BEMU contract. Purely speculation, but I would heavily speculate that ScotRail asked them for the reliability data from the 769...

That probably has changed then. Our original modelling for it basically decided that we would extend it south as far as the next overbridge, which was the Kinghorn station footbridge, which would mean stoppers could pan up in the station, however lack of space for lifts at Kinghorn was a bit of...

Yes, and batteries inside the units. I am unfortunately not an electrical engineer, and therefore I have no idea. The formal planning limit is Kinghorn station, that might have changed, but I don't think it has. I'll see what I can find out, but it might have been trimmed back at a little...

I've replied with some messages from the East Kilbride electrification thread that might be of help. I can also give you some pointers on the future feeder stations waiting to go in. Currie feeder will, from mid next year, serve from Haymarket West Junction to the limit of electrification...

Under consideration by whom? There's a vague, 'we'll get around to it at some point in the future' style plan to open a stub from Cowdenbeath to Kinross and extend the 1tph stopper to a park and ride station there, however that's all that is under consideration. I have the appraisal for that...

And just to confirm, the first Lumo service to Glasgow made it into Queen Street this afternoon, to meet a violinist and some souvenirs for the passengers. There was quite a fanfare as I walked through about five minutes ago.

A colleague was sent an invitation, however duties required we be elsewhere in Scotland for a consultation. I sent him these pictures, and he said they're making him very sad that he missed it, it all looks very shiny and impressive.