Scotrail observations this week

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Been on one of my trips out again this week in Scotland. Be interesting to hear what people make of the points below…

1) Why does the train pull in on the wrong (opposite) side sometimes at Muir Of Ord and Aviemore? No other trains were due, incidentally
2) Conon Bridge is a relatively new station. Why has the platform been constructed so only 1 door can be opened due to a very short platform? (Same can be said for the replacement Beauly platform)
3) Thurso station was very well utilised but Wick less so. Why would Thurso have more patronage when Wick is technically a bigger, more major town?
4) I’m surprised that there isn’t a shuttle service between Wick/Thurso or even Wick/Thurso/Helmsdale. Plenty of people seem to travel along these corridors, especially when I tried the buses
5) The first class fares from INV seem quite steep. Wouldn’t people just be better off paying the £15 upgrade onboard rather than the ~£30/£40 extra, for example?

 

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Been on one of my trips out again this week in Scotland. Be interesting to hear what people make of the points below…

1) Why does the train pull in on the wrong (opposite) side sometimes at Muir Of Ord and Aviemore? No other trains were due, incidentally

Passenger convenience, if it was the "main" platform.

2) Conon Bridge is a relatively new station. Why has the platform been constructed so only 1 door can be opened due to a very short platform? (Same can be said for the replacement Beauly platform)

Money

3) Thurso station was very well utilised but Wick less so. Why would Thurso have more patronage when Wick is technically a bigger, more major town?

Thurso has the Scrabster ferries. Wick has a direct road to Helmsdale and Inverness so rail is uncompetitive. So a plus and a minus!

4) I’m surprised that there isn’t a shuttle service between Wick/Thurso or even Wick/Thurso/Helmsdale. Plenty of people seem to travel along these corridors, especially when I tried the buses.

There are trains Wick-Thurso anyway. Would there be demand to increase the service substantially? Georgemas-Helmsdale is unpopulated so would attract zero traffic BTW.

 

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Passenger convenience, if it was the "main" platform.

Not heard of that before. I’m dubious because the next train due later on the other platform (electronic display) at Muir Of Ord was also on the “wrong” side so that wouldn’t have been convenient

Money

Well other recent new stations have been built with proper platforms so not sure why these 2 Scottish ones get the bare minimum investment

Thurso has the Scrabster ferries. Wick has a direct road to Helmsdale and Inverness so rail is uncompetitive. So a plus and a minus!

There are trains Wick-Thurso anyway. Would there be demand to increase the service substantially? Georgemas-Helmsdale is unpopulated so would attract zero traffic BTW.

Yes but they are just part of the standard INV-WCK trains, no shuttle. Correct, Georgemas to Helmsdale are unpopulated but you could run additional services from Brora or Helmsdale. These stations had a fair few passengers this week