Glasgow’s North Clyde Line - constant delays

[Scotrail12]

I travel on the North Clyde Line between Glasgow and Coatbridge often (usually 2x a week) however in the past several weeks, I have not had a single train that has turned up on time. Always, without fail, a delay of at least a couple of minutes, often 5 mins or more. Other people I know who take this route have said the same thing.

What is going on with this line? Why are trains always late?

 

[scotraildriver]

I travel on the North Clyde Line between Glasgow and Coatbridge often (usually 2x a week) however in the past several weeks, I have not had a single train that has turned up on time. Always, without fail, a delay of at least a couple of minutes, often 5 mins or more. Other people I know who take this route have said the same thing.

What is going on with this line? Why are trains always late?

Class 334s and leaf fall season. They are dreadful for wheelslip and wheelspin and need driven very carefully. It's always the same at this time of year .

 

[AVK17]

I travel on the North Clyde Line between Glasgow and Coatbridge often (usually 2x a week) however in the past several weeks, I have not had a single train that has turned up on time. Always, without fail, a delay of at least a couple of minutes, often 5 mins or more. Other people I know who take this route have said the same thing.

What is going on with this line? Why are trains always late?

Put simply it’s autumn so drivers are driving to rail conditions, braking earlier and accelerating more slowly. Unlike some TOCs in England, ScotRail doesn’t implement a special autumn timetable to take this into account.

 

[hexagon789]

I travel on the North Clyde Line between Glasgow and Coatbridge often (usually 2x a week) however in the past several weeks, I have not had a single train that has turned up on time. Always, without fail, a delay of at least a couple of minutes, often 5 mins or more. Other people I know who take this route have said the same thing.

What is going on with this line? Why are trains always late?

Poor rail conditions; the 334s are notorious for picking up in leaf fall season.

To be fair, the line is rather susceptible to any traction really in the right (or wrong) conditions but 334s don't seem very sure footed generally.

 

[Strathclyder]

To be fair, the line is rather susceptible to any traction really in the right (or wrong) conditions but 334s don't seem very sure footed generally.

Particularly at this time of year, yes.

As you & @scotraildriver say, this is a issue the 334s have always struggled with and the drivers always have to take things more carefully at this time of year as a result, hence the persistant delays. The rampant tree/foilage growth along the line doesn't help either.

 

[fgwrich]

Particularly at this time of year, yes.

As you & @scotraildriver say, this is a issue the 334s have always struggled with and the drivers always have to take things more carefully at this time of year as a result, hence the persistant delays. The rampant tree/foilage growth along the line doesn't help either.

I don't think it's just leaf fall season where the 334s seem to struggle, I was on a few on the North Clyde Line back in Mid September, and after a heavy evenings rainfall, the 334s seemed to struggle quite a bit then - even out in the more open sections. They can certainly make some noise when they slip!

Still, I wasn't too delayed getting to The Griffin that night at least!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

If drivers are going slowly as a rule, for right reasons or wrong, this extra time allowance needs to be written into the timetable.

 

[Strathclyder]

I don't think it's just leaf fall season where the 334s seem to struggle, I was on a few on the North Clyde Line back in Mid September, and after a heavy evenings rainfall, the 334s seemed to struggle quite a bit then - even out in the more open sections. They can certainly make some noise when they slip!

Still, I wasn't too delayed getting to The Griffin that night at least!

Yeah, was also gonna say that they also lose their footing in wet conditions; throw in leaf fall on top of that and it's no wonder delays are as persistent as they are. And yes, they're loud enough when sure-footed, never mind when they slip!

 

[scotraildriver]

If drivers are going slowly as a rule, for right reasons or wrong, this extra time allowance needs to be written into the timetable.

There have though been quite alot of good days this year. Implementing a slower timetable means lots of hanging about when adhesion is fine. And you can't change it day to day as all the rosters have to be done the previous week.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

There have though been quite alot of good days this year. Implementing a slower timetable means lots of hanging about when adhesion is fine. And you can't change it day to day as all the rosters have to be done the previous week.

Hopefully the replacement stock for the line will solve the issue.

 

[londonboi]

Hopefully the replacement stock for the line will solve the issue.

No stock is going to prevent issues with leaf fall season I have driving 3 types of stock over the years and all 3 have issues and any future stock will as well.

 

[Falcon1200]

If drivers are going slowly as a rule, for right reasons or wrong, this extra time allowance needs to be written into the timetable.

There have though been quite a lot of good days this year. Implementing a slower timetable means lots of hanging about when adhesion is fine.

Indeed, plus it would be an extremely complex exercise given the train frequency over the routes; Newbridge Junction/Edinburgh would be an especially interesting challenge!

 

[scotraildriver]

Hopefully the replacement stock for the line will solve the issue.

Not if the 385s are anything to go by! Had a few curly toes on them!

 

[Ex-controller]

Add to the issues with 334s and leaf fall - and class 320s and 318s aren’t great with leaf fall either - the stations along the route are generally 1-2km apart within the city, so a lot of start/stopping and hence greater opportunity for wheel slip - and the intensity of the service between Hyndland and Finnieston means a lot of reactionary delay if you get just a few trains a bit behind schedule.

 

[SC318250]

Above post beat me… but when the 318 used to operate Ayrshire lines they were terrible on slippery rails between Johnstone and Paisley Gilmour Street heading towards Glasgow. You sometimes could be lucky to be doing 30-40mph by Elderslie loop

 

[sannox]

Always surprised me that the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Bathgate line doesn't have more reliability time built in, through some longer station stops.

 

[380gk]

Always surprised me that the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Bathgate line doesn't have more reliability time built in, through some longer station stops.

It does - extended dwells in most schedules at Bathgate, Airdrie, Coatbridge Sunnyside, High St, Charing Cross, Partick, Hyndland, Dalmuir and Dumbarton Central….most of these dwells are longer than 30 seconds (although by the looks of it not always).