(23/06/2014 18:09)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]I think everybody is now waiting to see who will get the Scotrail franchise , now that the Scotrail sleeper franchise has been let to Serco.
Seems that Serco and the Scottish Government have a working relationship , don't forget they also operate the Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland ) Ferry services as well.
Arriva, Abellio, MTR, National Express and current holders First Group are all shortlisted for the franchise.
My cynical side is telling me that First Group will retain because of a political bias towards a Scottish based (Aberdeen) company, especially when Scottish Independence is a very hot potato...
"A Scottish company creating Scottish jobs" etc etc.
Not sure about Arriva/Abellio purely because of their size and presence in Europe, and again, there's a lot of anti-EU feelings at the moment. It would be headlined "German/Dutch running Scottish railways".
In the rest of the UK it isn't really a problem, because the DfT couldn't care less, but this Independence referendum could be a major headache for the bidders in my opinion.
Still think that National Express is still in the dog house over East Coast and that they'll have to practically offer a close to zero profit bid to win.
(23/06/2014 22:15)First Class Wrote: [ -> ]Arriva, Abellio, MTR, National Express and current holders First Group are all shortlisted for the franchise.
My cynical side is telling me that First Group will retain because of a political bias towards a Scottish based (Aberdeen) company, especially when Scottish Independence is a very hot potato...
"A Scottish company creating Scottish jobs" etc etc.
Not sure about Arriva/Abellio purely because of their size and presence in Europe, and again, there's a lot of anti-EU feelings at the moment. It would be headlined "German/Dutch running Scottish railways".
In the rest of the UK it isn't really a problem, because the DfT couldn't care less, but this Independence referendum could be a major headache for the bidders in my opinion.
Still think that National Express is still in the dog house over East Coast and that they'll have to practically offer a close to zero profit bid to win.
But will First create any more jobs though , but I do understand what your trying to say with regards the prospect of First being a Scottish Company , but it would be very nationalistic and if the vote goes against Independence which it could very well do then it will have been a ploy that did not work.
But lets leave Scottish Independence to another debate as im sure there will be other opportunity's in Scottish transport before then
During the Commonwealth Games more trains were 6-car thn usual. A frequent but odd sighting was a blue class 320 coupled with an SPT-liveried 318. Contrary to expectation, the Motherwell-Cumbernauld service used 156s instead of electric trains.
At Edinburgh Waverley last Saturday, the display boards were encouraging Commonwealth Games passengers to use non-Falkirk services to Glasgow, such as the 757 via Shotts and the 808 via Airdrie. This was no doubt to reduce potential overcrowding on the Falkirk services.
Abellio have won the 10 year franchise replacing First Group.
New trains are to ordered from Hitachi and refurbished HSTs will operate on the Inter City routes Glasgow/Edinburgh to Aberdeen/Inverness and between Aberdeen and Inverness.
There is presently no service between Garve and Strathcarron due to a landslip.
In the past week this area has suffered with a very large amount of rain , which looks like it has dislodged some land around the railway.
This time Network Rail and Scotrail look to have a bit of luck on there hands as on this section of line there is a road nearby that the replacement transport can use unlike beyond Strathcarron where it would have to be a big detour.
For passengers travelling from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh there is express bus services running , for intermediate stations services will either run from Dingwall or Garve to Strathcarron.
Govia (Southern) ate to lease nine Class 170 currently with Scotrail for use with their 171 Class units. Five of these units will return to Scotrail pro tem.
Scotrail are to receive seven of Class 321 from Govia (Great Northern) in 2015. The 321 is a four car version of the Class 320 of which Scotrail operate 22 on North Clydeside services.
When they come North will they get paired with 320's to form 7 car units , will platforms be able to accomodate 8 car sets (ie two 321's).
(20/11/2014 13:27)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]When they come North will they get paired with 320's to form 7 car units , will platforms be able to accomodate 8 car sets (ie two 321's).
The answers to your questions will probably be available if you trawl the web.
(20/11/2014 07:06)childwallblues Wrote: [ -> ]Scotrail are to receive seven of Class 321 from Govia (Great Northern) in 2015. The 321 is a four car version of the Class 320 of which Scotrail operate 22 on North Clydeside services.
These were non-standard for Great Northern. Maybe they will be replaced by stored class 317s from Abellio Greater Anglia. This Abellio and GoVia could "swap" some trains.