http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: First Group 'to lose Scotrail franchise' to Dutch firm en Mon, 18 May 2026 23:41:49 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-190314 Fri, 05 Jun 2015 23:09:02 +0000 chdot 190314@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>Mr Hoogesteger had moved to Edinburgh and was based at Abellio UK’s new headquarters in Glasgow, where he worked three days a week. </p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/head-of-scotrail-s-dutch-owners-dismissed-1-3794456" rel="nofollow">http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/head-of-scotrail-s-dutch-owners-dismissed-1-3794456</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-190301 Fri, 05 Jun 2015 21:00:41 +0000 Morningsider 190301@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>SRD - more details in the Railway Gazette:</p> <p><a href="http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/ns-ceo-resigns-in-wake-of-qbuzz-bidding-scandal.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/ns-ceo-resigns-in-wake-of-qbuzz-bidding-scandal.html</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-190295 Fri, 05 Jun 2015 20:47:44 +0000 SRD 190295@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>AlastairDalton: ScotRail parent firm Abellio chf exec Jeff Hoogesteger "relieved from post due to fraud" re public transport deal in Netherlands- @RTLnieuws </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-185162 Tue, 07 Apr 2015 10:14:53 +0000 kaputnik 185162@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>But if you really want ugly, don't google <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_70_%28diesel%29">"Class 70"</a>. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-185129 Mon, 06 Apr 2015 18:29:00 +0000 Arellcat 185129@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Class 68 is the UK loading gauge version of the Vossloh Eurolight, and was first prototyped in 2013. The Eurolight itself was designed in 2009. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-185124 Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:27:09 +0000 DaveC 185124@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>These are not new locos are they? I saw a picture of this type in my son's Guinness Book of Records stating its from 2004? I think. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-185122 Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:00:52 +0000 chdot 185122@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7671/17029987896_44469073bb.jpg"></p> <p>On its way to becoming the 17:20 to Fife. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-185050 Sat, 04 Apr 2015 13:17:20 +0000 chdot 185050@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>ScotRail only sells first-class tickets on its inter-city routes – the main line between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and between Aberdeen and Inverness.</p> <p>However, some of those diesel-powered trains also operate on “suburban” routes, for which only standard-class tickets can be bought.</p> <p>They include routes from both Edinburgh and Glasgow to Dunblane and Fife.</p> <p>ScotRail only sells first-class tickets on its inter-city routes – the main line between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and between Aberdeen and Inverness.</p> <p>However, some of those diesel-powered trains also operate on “suburban” routes, for which only standard-class tickets can be bought.</p> <p>They include routes from both Edinburgh and Glasgow to Dunblane and Fife.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/abellio-to-keep-scotrail-s-free-first-class-secret-1-3738441" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/abellio-to-keep-scotrail-s-free-first-class-secret-1-3738441</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=5#post-185036 Sat, 04 Apr 2015 08:10:00 +0000 Arellcat 185036@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I always thought the 68 looked a bit like a Stormtrooper.</p> <p>People on rail forums these days are actually <em>debating</em> what nickname a new loco ought to have. Talk about taking the fun out of it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-185035 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 23:56:29 +0000 kaputnik 185035@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Some sort of surly, mechanical frog.</p> <p>I'm not sure if they have a nickname yet (Google says "turtles"). The locomotives they replaced were known as "skips" as they looked much like an upturned rubbish receptacle on wheels. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-184981 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 08:46:35 +0000 chdot 184981@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Do they really look like this?</p> <p><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Class_68_-_68008_At_DRS_Open_day.jpg"></p> <p><a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_68" rel="nofollow">http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_68</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-184979 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 08:36:08 +0000 Arellcat 184979@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Noisy on the outside...</em></p> <p>That'll be the throaty Caterpillar engine of the Class 68. A lot of people became quite excited when footage was shown of the prototype undergoing tests. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-184977 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 08:02:36 +0000 wingpig 184977@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>...and a socket for their laptop? Or was that elsewhere? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-184974 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 23:34:22 +0000 Instography 184974@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was on that freight train tonight. Noisy on the outside but very smooth on the inside. And to be honest, all the punters want is a seat. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-184955 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 16:18:23 +0000 PS 184955@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I think an HST is going to look daft in Scotrail livery</em></p> <p><img src="http://www.railjournal.com/images/Scotrail-HST-long.jpg"> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-184952 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 15:43:48 +0000 fimm 184952@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The first thing I noticed is that the staff (at Haymarket, at least) are no longer wearing hi-vis (as if directing and assisting passengers around a station is Highly Dangerous) but bright blue waistcoats (which is probably somewhat less visible in a big crowd but stands out well enough at the times I'm going through Haymarket (which I admit are slightly outside peak commuting hours)). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-184951 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 15:41:36 +0000 kaputnik 184951@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Overall there seemed quite a corporate feel</em></p> <p>The whole point in the blue/saltire livery specified by Transport Scotland was to stop the wasteful spend on rebranding that happens every few years when another member of the transport operator oligopoly takes over the running of a franchise, but I note they're still managing a bit of it, e.g. what Crowriver noted of the hurried application of new Abellio logos and also they've paid DRS to paint two new Class 68 locomtives and 2 rakes of Mk 2 coaches into the corporate livery for the peak-time Fife Circle services. Perhaps this is a visual trick to try kid on to commuters that they're not actually using 40 year old carriages coupled up to a freight locomotive because of a lack of rolling stock? There's still plenty of trains rattling around in the old pink/purple First livery or Carmine/cream SPT colours and the service they provide will be the same no matter what colour they put on the outside.</p> <p>I think an HST is going to look daft in Scotrail livery. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-184946 Thu, 02 Apr 2015 15:17:22 +0000 crowriver 184946@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well this morning I made my first journey on a Scotrail train since Abellio took over the franchise yesterday.</p> <p>While we were all waiting for the guard to arrive at Waverley, I noted that new Abellio decals had been applied to the train doors. I commented to a fellow passenger that it was a pity they hadn’t bothered to clean the train first: it was clear where the old decal had been, then a bit of a wipe with a rag, smearing some diesel and dust mix around, before applying the new decals, trapping a layer of muck under the transparent film.</p> <p>Anyway, the train departed and arrived on time. I spotted a new service magazine (images below) and took a gander. Overall there seemed quite a corporate feel, a lot about vision, missions, ambitions, etc. Photos of the transport minister, etc. Some stuff about cultural ties ‘twixt the Netherlands and Scotland. To be fair there was a lot of hard information on what the new franchise holder will deliver: including a section on cycling (see below). Apparently Glasgow, Edinburgh (presume Waverley?) and Stirling stations will get ‘CyclePoints’. Other ‘city stations’ (up to 10) will get ‘Bike &amp; Go’ services. 3,500 more cycle parking spaces too. </p> <p>Other info included plans for HSTs on intercity routes from 2018, new electric trains on the EGIP enhanced Edi-Gla service, etc.</p> <p>Nothing in it about the free ticket giveaway mind you…</p> <p><a href="http://s101.photobucket.com/user/crowrivernet/media/DSC02286_zpsli2gxg0h.jpg.html"><img src="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m55/crowrivernet/th_DSC02286_zpsli2gxg0h.jpg"></a></p> <p><a href="http://s101.photobucket.com/user/crowrivernet/media/DSC02289_zpsmj3gad8i.jpg.html"><img src="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m55/crowrivernet/th_DSC02289_zpsmj3gad8i.jpg"></a></p> <p>(click thumbnails for full sized pic) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183235 Fri, 13 Mar 2015 18:20:18 +0000 slowcoach 183235@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>"Apparently the Borders Railway is due to have (steam) loco hauled trains for initial services"</p> <p>"You mean from day one on scheduled services?"</em><br /> rather, from day minus one/two of the schedule. All sorts of special events being planned for this: <a href="http://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/borders/articles/2015/03/03/525528-rail-celebrations-to-get-majestic-launch/" rel="nofollow">http://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/borders/articles/2015/03/03/525528-rail-celebrations-to-get-majestic-launch/</a><br /> “For instance, the opening of the Borders Railway is a huge news story in Holland which is the home of Abellio who will run the ScotRail franchise from April 1.”</p> <p>Steam trains are also to be used occasionally in first few weeks, although this will reduce capacity for normal traffic. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183185 Fri, 13 Mar 2015 12:45:53 +0000 chdot 183185@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@PS</p> <p>Thanks. </p> <p>Ask a 'technical' Q on CCE and expect/get an answer! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183182 Fri, 13 Mar 2015 12:40:03 +0000 PS 183182@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Good that they did, and it would help them to put together a better bid, but I assume it still mostly came down to how much subsidy they were after(?)<br /> </em></p> <p>It didn't. The evaluation was structured to give a strong weighting to quality (price 65%, quality 35%), which was a big move away from the usual (at the time) DfT approach of lowest priced acceptable and deliverable bid wins, and <a href="http://www.passengertransport.co.uk/2014/12/abellio-won-scotrail-on-quality-not-price/">Abellio won on quality not price.</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183174 Fri, 13 Mar 2015 12:00:23 +0000 kaputnik 183174@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>he morning train from Carlisle seems to carry a fair few bikes, </em></p> <p>That uses class 156 trains, which have the big bike hanging space at the end of the train (and also quite a big space where you can put luggage).</p> <p>There's a helpful PDF <a href="http://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/files/ScotRail%20Rolling%20Stock%20Accessibility.pdf">here</a> that says what stock uses which line. It doesn't include the number of bike spaces on the sheet though, which would be handy given it's an accessibility sheet. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183162 Fri, 13 Mar 2015 11:13:25 +0000 sallyhinch 183162@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Abellio did a presentation at Dumfries on Monday - I missed it, but two Cycling Dumfries members went and were impressed. They plan to incorporate Dumfries's Orange Bikes into their Bike &amp; Go scheme, which makes a lot of sense.</p> <p>Slightly worryingly, they didn't seem to be aware that our trains currently carry 6 bikes - they promised new rolling stock and said it would carry 'more bikes' but that may possibly be based on the assumption that the current trains only carry the usual 2. Hopefully they will pick up on this one. The bike hanging spaces are pretty useful - the morning train from Carlisle seems to carry a fair few bikes, and even if there's only a couple of bikes, it's nice to have room for pushchairs and suitcases and still know you can get your bike on board, even if hanging it on a hook is a bit of a struggle (for me, anyway) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183160 Fri, 13 Mar 2015 11:00:17 +0000 kaputnik 183160@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>There was a whistle in use at Haymarket when I went to Glasgow on Tuesday.</em></p> <p>At some busy stations, a platform dispatcher is there to help the guard know when the doors are clear (or closed on slam-door trains). It speeds things up as the guard doesn't have to keep an eye on all the doors. This is particularly the case on a long train on the outside of a curved platform; you may need multiple pairs of eyes as you cannot see the length of the train and therefore all the doors due to the bend. Bear in mind most people never bother to close the slam doors behind them, on a 9-car HST train that's ~16 doors needing to be shut and then checked to ensure they're locked. That would take a lot of time for 1 person. </p> <p>Signals are given with paddles (traditionally a flag) or the hand, the whistle is there to attract the train guards attention to the signal (it's not the signal itself). The whitle also serves to let passengers know the train is about to depart. Some stations have a visual signal repeater for the driver or guard, who may not be able to see the main signal. Again platform dispatchers have a safety role to double check starting signals. This stops trains leaving the platform on a danger signal. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183142 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 19:52:32 +0000 Blueth 183142@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There was a whistle in use at Haymarket when I went to Glasgow on Tuesday. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183120 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:07:00 +0000 chdot 183120@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"gave a clear insight into why they won the franchise. They were on the trains asking passengers what they wanted months before any other bidder, and did their groundwork very effectively"</p> <p>Good that they did, and it would help them to put together a better bid, but I assume it still mostly came down to how much subsidy they were after(?) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183118 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:01:28 +0000 chdot 183118@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Apparently the Borders Railway is due to have (steam) loco hauled trains for initial services"</p> <p>You mean from day one on scheduled services?</p> <p>They'll be 'busy' - which may or may not be a good thing for establishing the service. </p> <p>Though there can't be many people in The Borders who don't know the line is being re-opened! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183116 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 14:51:22 +0000 Tulyar 183116@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Abellio gave a presentation to CRAG last week, and it was very useful, but also gave a clear insight into why they won the franchise. They were on the trains asking passengers what they wanted months before any other bidder, and did their groundwork very effectively - coming to key cycling events with their Bike&amp;Go product, for a start.</p> <p>DfT still micro-manages/meddles and have decided that 9 Class 170 trains coming off lease would go to a TOC in England leaving Scotrail a bit short. That has been sorted - and includes having the extra cost of 2 old-style trains hire in to cover the shortage.</p> <p>Apparently the Borders Railway is due to have (steam) loco hauled trains for initial services... I sense a can-do pragmatism in the new management. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183099 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 13:55:02 +0000 ih 183099@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>84 pages! Who'd have thunk it?</p> <p>What about driverless trains? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13532&page=4#post-183097 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 13:46:26 +0000 kaputnik 183097@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>(What's the person's job title these days? Conductor/guard they are not...)</em></p> <p>There are guards, who have a train safety role, e.g. the doors and platforms and other responsibilities say if the train has to stop inbetween stations. It is the guard who is responsible for despatching the train from a platform and ultimately tells the driver when it is safe to leave the station. You may hear a "buzz. buzz-buzz" (close the doors) and then "buzz-buzz" (ready to start) through the train's internal bell system if you are in earshot, which is one of the signals that the doors are closed, train is ready to start etc. I believe that on these trains, the guard is also responsible for checking that the station starting signal is not at danger before giving the order to proceed (although the driver is also responsible for double checking). </p> <p>For those who are interested, here's the 84 page manual on preparation to move a train, including bell codes (page 23).</p> <p><a href="http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Rule_Book/Rule%20Book%20Modules/TW%20-%20Train%20Working/GERT8000-TW1%20Iss%208.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.rgsonline.co.uk/Rule_Book/Rule%20Book%20Modules/TW%20-%20Train%20Working/GERT8000-TW1%20Iss%208.pdf</a></p> <p>Then there are ticket inspectors who just inspect tickets. The ticket inspector does not have the train safety role and responsibility of the guard. </p> <p>Trains and stations have to be specifically configured and approved for "Driver only operation" i.e. operation without a guard but with a ticket inspector, it's not really a function of how busy the line is. Airdrie to Bathgate line works on this principle but it does require certain investment to allow the driver to complete all the processes himself (e.g. CCTV repeaters in eyeshot of the cab so he can see the doors are clear, despatch signal repeaters) </p>