Scotfail

[First ScotRail]

ScotRail need to get a grip and Im not referring to actually no services running but the ABSOLUTE lack of any information coming from staff! This is a JOKE! and commuters and regular travellers on the north clyde in particular are getting very annoyed with this. They are running a bare basic service with still 3 coach units and STILL they cant run a decent service!!

Its still very likely that the A-B service will start as well. Its still a week or so away, weather can drastically improve in that time, unlikely I know...

 

[CarterUSM]

ScotRail need to get a grip and Im not referring to actually no services running but the ABSOLUTE lack of any information coming from staff! This is a JOKE! and commuters and regular travellers on the north clyde in particular are getting very annoyed with this. They are running a bare basic service with still 3 coach units and STILL they cant run a decent service!!

Its still very likely that the A-B service will start as well. Its still a week or so away, weather can drastically improve in that time, unlikely I know...

Agreed, but info on the website is pretty accurate at the moment- "Passengers are advised not to travel where possible due to poor road conditions, and postpone journeys if not necessary ."

 

[Bittern]

I'm very weary about tomorrow. I finish work mid-evening and if the buses are even a bit worse than today then I'll have no choice but to take the train. This includes a 156, which thankfully are doing very well, and either a 318 or 334, the former of which has done good, the latter's past experience in the snow has me a bit concerned. I don't trust the 334s in the snow too much, but I'll take them over a bus anytime!

 

[Train Pilchard]

Agreed, but info on the website is pretty accurate at the moment- "Passengers are advised not to travel where possible due to poor road conditions, and postpone journeys if not necessary ."

The worst effected lines are commuter lines, people need to get to work.

 

[me123]

The North Clyde services did well until Wednesday in all fairness. Most services ran on Monday and Tuesday, including a number of the limited stop runs. But from yesterday they've just proven really unreliable, which is a shame.

I will definitely be writing to Scotrail once this is over. I don't mind that the rail services were disrupted; I understand that it's difficult to run trains in this weather. But the staff just aren't getting the information and, as a result, aren't able to pass that information on to passengers. If they give us the best info they can, then we can then make informed choices about how to get about. Telling us that services are cancelled or suspended means that we can then start to find another way home, rather than claiming the services are "on time" until the very last minute.

 

[First ScotRail]

Fun and games tomorrow:


The extreme weather continues and ScotRail is maintaining as resilient a service as
possible when alternative road options are extremely daunting.

However, due to the extreme weather and plummeting temperatures, we have no option
but to withdraw the following services on Fri 3 Dec:

West Highland Line
Far North Line
Aberdeen - Inverness
Perth - Inverness
Glasgow Queen St - Inverness

Customers are advised to make alternative travel arrangements.

We would like to thank all our customers for their patience and understanding and to
apologise for any inconvenience.

Customers should continue to check our website before setting out and to allow more
time for their journeys. We have simplified our website homepage to make it quicker
and easier to access up to date travel information.

Taken from scotrail website

 

[CarterUSM]

The worst effected lines are commuter lines, people need to get to work.

Yeah, don't i know it.

 

[Tom B]

I see the Inverness portion of the Caley Sleeper was cancelled; am I relatively safe on banking on the Edinburgh portion being okish tomorrow?

 

[CarterUSM]

I see the Inverness portion of the Caley Sleeper was cancelled; am I relatively safe on banking on the Edinburgh portion being okish tomorrow?

Should be, Edinburgh-Perth is the problem. Amongst others of course.....:cry:

 

[Failed Unit]

If you look at the website this morning it will be quicker to list services running. My biggest criticism of the info provided is get rid of the trains that were never running for example the 1015 Glasgow - Edinburgh service was cancelled anyway so why have it on the monitor. At least with it remove passengers can watch the 1000 and 1030 which should be running.

 

[me123]

Things are horrific this morning:

• All services to and from Inverness are suspended
• All services to and from Aberdeen are suspended
• All services to and from Glasgow Queen Street are suspended
• All services to and from Edinburgh Waverley are suspended

The following services will operate:

• Half hourly between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh as before
• Glasgow Queen Street-Alloa once an hour

Elsewhere:

• A half hourly service is in operation between Airdrie and Helensburgh, with additional calls at Kilpatrick, Bowling, Singer, Drumry and Drumchapel. A half hourly shuttle between Dumbarton Central and Balloch.
• Services between Lanark-Motherwell-Dalmuir via Bellshill & Yoker are operating
• Services between Motherwell-Milngavie via Hamilton are operating, but all services will start and terminate at Motherwell
• An hourly service is in operation on the Paisley Canal Line
• Ayrshire and Inverclyde; no change to yesterday
• Cathcart Circle services are suspended, don't know about Newton and Neilston
• EK, Barrhead and Kilmarnock seem OK

 

[First ScotRail]

Steve Montgomery should be preparing himself for some flack over this...

 

[Failed Unit]

Steve Montgomery should be preparing himself for some flack over this...

I get the feeling the public are a bit miffed today as this is the first day in Eastern Scotland we have had no snowfall. I suspect failed units are on concern along with moving the points risking a failure in the mega cold temperatures.

I must admit however cancelled is better than trying to run a service and failing.

 

[First ScotRail]

Network Rail are jointly to blame with this, its turned into a shambles to be honest and BOTH PARTIES deserve any negative publicity which comes from this in my opinion.

 

[CarterUSM]

Indeed, i think there will be many people who vote with their feet and use another method of transport to get to work. If they haven't been sacked already! Embarrassment is putting it lightly.

 

[ObservationCar]

Scotrail should be a testbad for vertical integration of a railway system, looking after everything from Points to Trains to Trolleys. Saves the blame culture, and should save cash too. Similar to MerseyRail. Scotrail would then be in control of what they can do.

 

[tbtc]

Scotrail should be a testbad for vertical integration of a railway system, looking after everything from Points to Trains to Trolleys. Saves the blame culture, and should save cash too. Similar to MerseyRail. Scotrail would then be in control of what they can do.

Trouble is, Merseyrail hardly run on any lines used by any other TOC (or freight companies).

ScotRail share lines like Dunbar - Edinburgh - Aberdeen (East Coast/ XC), Dunbar - Edinburgh - Stirling - Inverness (East Coast), Dunbar - Edinburgh - Carstairs - Glasgow (East Coast/ XC), Carstairs - Glasgow (TPE/ Virgin) etc etc. Plus the sleepers to London.

So, you'd need to ensure that East Coast, XC, TPE, Virgin (and all the freight companies) get a fair crack of the whip when it comes to priorities.

I admit it sounds good on paper, but then again I wouldn't trust Alex Salmond to run a bath

 

[route:oxford]

It all feels so hopeless...

Would things be any better with MkII/MkIII stock topped and tailed with mini-plough fitted Class 37s running between Edinburgh and Aberdeen/Inverness (via Stirling)?

If so, they should get on the phone to West Coast Rail or similar and hire in as many as they can!

 

[sprinterguy]

It all feels so hopeless...

Would things be any better with MkII/MkIII stock topped and tailed with mini-plough fitted Class 37s running between Edinburgh and Aberdeen/Inverness (via Stirling)?

If so, they should get on the phone to West Coast Rail or similar and hire in as many as they can!

Given that the problems, judging from these reports, are mainly due to modern units, principally the 170s, it couldn’t hurt to have a go! Though Riviera Trains and Cargo-D are the way to go, with West Coast Railway Company you’re more likely to end up with mark 1s than anything more temperature controlled! It depends how much of the problems is due to trains and how much is due to faulty infrastructure. Is the Fife Circle operating at the moment? I would have thought that if nothing else the loco hauled diagram would still be going.

 

[me123]

All services in Fife suspended. Even if they were to get the loco hauled set out, it's only operating on two diagrams in the rush hour. I don't know if they'd be able to operate it throughout the day.

 

[First ScotRail]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11906384

Looks like SR ran a 6 car 156 between GLQ and EDB this morning...more reliable?

 

[me123]

Perhaps, but it would undoubtedly struggle to keep to times with all the extra stops and much lower top speed.

They must really be struggling if they've put that on!

 

[matchmaker]

Perhaps, but it would undoubtedly struggle to keep to times with all the extra stops and much lower top speed.

They must really be struggling if they've put that on!

Better acceleration than a Turbocrapper and I've timed a 156 at 86mph between Stirling and Larbert!

 

[CarterUSM]

I suppose if it is a half hourly service then it won't matter too much anyway.

 

[Eng274]

Better acceleration than a Turbocrapper and I've timed a 156 at 86mph between Stirling and Larbert!

The earth's tectonic plates have better acceleration than a Turbostar.

Would like to be on that 156 trip, they can really gie it laldy when encouraged!

 

[route101]

Perhaps, but it would undoubtedly struggle to keep to times with all the extra stops and much lower top speed.

They must really be struggling if they've put that on!

Im sure six car 156s have operated Glasgow to Edinburgh before in the 90s.

 

[90019]

Looks like it's going to be on the bus back to Edinburgh this evening.
The 909 is operating with only minor delays today from traffic, and it definately beats waiting for a train to Queen Street then another wait for the train back to Waverley.

 

[matchmaker]

Im sure six car 156s have operated Glasgow to Edinburgh before in the 90s.

Yes - early 1990 between the last 47/7 workings and the arrival of the 158's.

 

[Failed Unit]

Perhaps, but it would undoubtedly struggle to keep to times with all the extra stops and much lower top speed.

They must really be struggling if they've put that on!

More seats than a 6 car turbo. Speed would make little difference they are not allowed above 80mph anyway at the moment. Give me a 156 over a turbo anyday at the moment.

 

[Anvil1984]

Only issue would for those who have paid a wee extra for the first class tickets from point to point as the 156s dont have it but that should be way down on priorities to actually getting the trains on