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Tag Archives: Scotrail

Rolling blog: wet, wet, wet!

30 Thursday May 2019

Posted by Paul Bigland in Railways, Rolling blogs, Scotland, Scotrail

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Railways, Rolling blogs, Scotland, Scotrail

07:10.

It’s a damp start here in Glasgow this morning. I’m sitting in my hotel room with a coffee, watching the TV weather forecast which really isn’t working in my favour today. If they’re right, it’s going to be raining all day here in this neck of the woods, which is going to cramp my photographic style as it’s not quite the impression of Scotland my client wants! Still, there are some things that I can do, but it might be an early finish to head home today. We shall see. My plans are fluid, so let’s see what happens.

07:44.

I didn’t go for the full Scottish breakfast this morning, I don’t think my arteries would take it two days in a row, although I did enjoy the haggis and scrambled eggs served by a woman who bore a striking resemblance (in face and voice) to ‘Mrs Brown’ from ‘Mrs Brown’s boys’. Now it’s time to head off and se what the day brings.

08:55.

It’s a busy time at Glasgow Central, with trains old and new filling every platform as they bring rush hour commuters into the heart of the city.

DG324218CROP

Here’s a real mixture of trains. The old BR built Class 318s and Class 314s (many of which have already been withdrawn) and the brand new Hitachi Class 385s which have started working into Central following the timetable change.

DG324231CROP

14:17.

It’s been a busy day – hence the lack of updates, but now I’m sat on LNER’s 14:00 Edinburgh – Kings Cross, heading back across the border as the rain really did settle in on the Scottish capital. When I first left Glasgow things were looking up. I caught one of the new Hitachi trains up to Stirling, where the weather was cloudy but dry. Stirling’s a station that’s changed hugely in the past couple of years. Most of the old semaphore signals have disappeared and replaced by modern LED ‘colour light’ signals. The whole station is now ‘under the wires’ as electrification’s spread upwards from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Dunblane and Alloa as part of the ‘EGIP’ programme. A ‘Caledonian Sleeper’ lounge has been added too, taking over formerly empty buildings on platform 2. The rebuilding is still ongoing as the old lattice footbridge across platforms 8-9 had to be removed so that the piers it sat on could be lengthened and the bridge raised to allow the wires to pass safely underneath. It’s been dropped back into place now but work continues to make it fit for the future by adding glass sides and accessible to all by adding a new lift tower.

The arrival of the wires has brought the new Class 385 EMU’s to the line as well as Scotrail HST’s working in four car formations, Sadly, all the ones I saw were un-refurbished sets in a variety of versions of First group, GWR and Scotrail liveries.

Having got the shots I needed I caught another Class 385 through to Edinburgh, another station that’s undergone major changes. I swear that the place grows another platform every time I visit! Since the last time I was here the new (full length) East facing bays numbered 5 and 6 have opened. These allow LNER to park a full length Mk4 set without clogging up any of the six through platforms. A lot of clutter’s also been removed from the area around platform 5, making that part of the station feel remarkably spacious, as you can see from this picture.

DG324352low

16:09.

After a brief but photograpically unproductive stop in Newcastle I’m heading South again on the LNER service from Edinburgh that was following my earlier one. The wet and miserable weather’s finally abated. We’ve enjoyed some rays of sunshine and broken blue skies now that the low heavy cloud’s finally in disarray.

17:24.

I’m now on my way from York towards Leeds after changing trains and enjoying another brief (and more fruitful) photographic stop. The weather’s improved too, the winds dropped and the mercury’s really climbed up the thermometer. It’s positively balmy compared to Edinburgh. I’m content as I’ve managed to secure a table bay on a TPE service as far as Leeds, which is akin to winning the lottery!

19:00.

It’s the final countdown now. I’m on a Leeds – Chester train that’s just pulling into Bradford Interchange, which is rather convenient as I had a picture request for this new service earlier today!

Rolling blog: North of the border…

29 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by Paul Bigland in I love my job, Railways, Rolling blogs, Scotland, Scotrail, Travel

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I love my job, Railways, Rolling blogs, Scotland, Scotrail, Travel

06:45.It’s a beautiful morning here in Glasgow, a real contrast to the stormy weather I saw yesterday, although I’m not sure how long it will last. I’m about to head down for a quick breakfast before heading to Glasgow Queen St and my first train of the day. I’ll be catching the 08:00 to meet up with Pip Dunn in Falkirk. We’ll be heading to Edinburgh where we’ll be starting our Scottish train tests. I’ll update this blog throughout the day as we go…I rarely eat anything like this, so a full Scottish breakfast at my hotel is a treat. I justify it on the grounds that I’ll soon burn it off with the amount of walking I’ll be doing today!

07:59.Having walked to Charing Cross and caught a train to Queen St I had time to look around and grab a few pictures before catching the train I’m on now (the 08:00 to Edinburgh). Times have certainly changed here. Not only is the station undergoing another huge rebuild, the fleets using it have changed too.

I still can’t get used to seeing 4-car High Speed Trains! This is one of the unrefurbished sets. The power cars carry Scotrail branding but the coaches are still in the old First group ‘dynamic lines’ livery. Another noticeable difference at Queen St is how many services are operated by the Hitachi built Class 385s, including the recently electrified line to Alloa

09:33.

Having met up with Pip, we’re now on one of Scotrail’s refurbished HST sets. The 09:28 Edinburgh to Aberdeen. You’ll be able to read the full train tests in future editions of RAIL magazine. Here’s a couple of pictures for now.

10:05.

I’ve been kept busy photographing all the changes and features of the train whilst Pip’s been busy with his tape measure and notepad. Now I can relax for a bit and enjoy watching the beautiful Fife countryside flash past the window for a while.

11:01.

We only went as far North as Dundee, the town on the Tay that’s transforming itself. The waterfront around the station (and the station itself) are unrecognisable from just a few years ago. It also gives fantastic views of the famous Tay Bridge.

From here we picked up an unrefurbished HST to carry us to Stirling, another station that’s been transformed by electrifying the lines through the city to Dunblane and Alloa. Unfortunately we left the sunshine behind in Dundee. Perthshire’s covered in thick cloud and showers.

13:28.

We’ve been busy! After revamping from our HST in a soggy Sterling we caught up with another of our targets in the form of Hitachi’s new Class 385 electric trains. A quick trip to Dunblane and a return to Glasgow Queen St provided us with all the pictures, data and measurements we needed. We then walked through the rain to Glasgow Central, hoping to catch a Siemens built Class 380 over to Edinburgh. Disappointed, we found out that it was another Hitachi set, so we quickly changed plans and leapt on a 380 working the branch to Gourock, which us where we’re heading for now!

22:55

Sorry for the gaps in the blog but it’s been a very hectic day. After abandoning this train at Port Glasgow we made our way back to Glasgow, then crossed between Central and Queen St to head back out to Edinburgh for a final burst of pictures and note-taking. Pip headed off to prepare for another job whilst I had time to catch up with an old friend an colleague from RAIL days – Phil Haigh. After which I shuttled back to Glasgow to get a few more pictures, then bumped into these Gentlemen outside Central station. With all the political shit that’s going on right now and the disturbing rise in racism and intolerance it was an absolute pleasure to encounter these three guys from the local Guru Nanak Sikh temple who were out in the rain, distributing food to homeless people.

DG324167crop

OK, I’m off to bed. It’s going to be another long day tomorrow and a busy few days after that. G’night!

The end of the line. Scotrail’s Class 314 EMUs

26 Wednesday Sep 2018

Posted by Paul Bigland in Class 314s, Rail Moderinsation, Railways, Scotland, Scotrail

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Class 314s, Rail Modernisation, Scotland, Scotrail

*Blog updated on 12th December 2019*.

This week Scotrail have announced the withdrawal of three of their fleet of sixteen BR built Class 314 3-car EMUs that have been a familiar sight around Glasgow for the past 38 years, 314207, 314212 and 314213 are now off-lease and will be returned to their ROSCO for disposal. The rest of the Class will follow as soon as they can be released by the arrival of more Hitachi Class 385 EMUs, which will allow other vehicles to be cascaded

The 314s were constructed at York in 1979-80 to the same design as the earlier Class 313s and 315s plus the 750v 3rd rail Class 507s and 508s. What was unique is that unlike the others, they have a top speed of 70mph rather than 75. Built with aluminium bodies and roofs on a steel underframes they were a step change from earlier BR design EMUs. The design followed on from the experimental PEP units of the 1970s. Here’s a look back at each member of the class and some of the places they visited.

DG108144. 314201. Mount Florida. 29.3.12.

On the 29th March 2012 the first of the class approaches Mount Florida station on the Cathcart circle in South Glasgow

 

DG21205. 314202. Cathcart. 8.4.09.

Back on the 8th April 2009 314202 calls at Cathcart, heading anti-clockwise on the circle.

 

DG108141. 314203. Mount Florida. 29.3.12.

On the 29th March 2012 314203 in the new Saltire livery leaves Mount Florida with a service to Neilston. This unit’s unusual in that the lead car was rebuilt from a Class 507 vehicle (no 64426) in 1996 as the original 64588 was scrapped after being written off in the Newton rail crash of 1991.

 

DG150985. 314204. Paisley Canal. 14.6.13.

14th June 2013. 314204 stands at the end of the Paisley Canal branch with a service to Glasgow Central.

 

DG147891. 314205. Glasgow Central. 15.5.13.

It’s the 15th May 2013 ad 314205 waits to leave the magnificent Glasgow Central station with a Cathcart circle service via Maxwell Park.

 

DG21295. 314206. Glasgow Central. 9.4.09.

A busy time at Glasgow Central on the 9th April 2009 as 314206 arrives with a service from Neilston.

 

DG21211. 314207. Cathcart. 8.4.09.

Back to the 8th April 2009 when 314207 is dropping off passengers at Cathcart station on its way to Neilston. As one of the first three sets to come off-lease its next journey is likely to be to the scrapyard.

 

DG147965. 314208. Glasgow Central. 15.5.13.

On the 15th May 2013 314208 has just arrived at Glasgow Central from Paisley Canal. This line had only been electrified the previous year, allowing the 314s to add it to their sphere of operation.

 

DG21410. 314209. Glasgow Shields Rd. 9.4.09.

The 314s have spent their life based at Glasgow’s Shields Rd depot. Here’s 314209 receiving an exam inside the depot on the 9th April 2009.

 

DG107942. 314210. Wemyss Bay. 28.3.12.

The 314s did sometimes venture outside Glasgow, one such place was the superb station at Wemyss Bay, to the West of the city on the coast of the Firth of Clyde.  Here’s 314210 at the town on the 28th March 2012.

 

DG147810. 314211. Glasgow Central. 15.5.13.

Another of the class that lost the attractive Carmine and Cream livery for the Saltire livery is 314211. Here it is leaving Glasgow Central with a Cathcart circle working on the 15th May 2013.

 

DG21192. 314212. Patterton. 8.4.09.

The second of the off-lease trio is 314212. Here it is at Patterton on the Neilston branch on the 8th April 2009 whilst working back to Glasgow.

 

DG107825. 314213. Glasgow Central. 28.3.12.

Also off-lease now is 314213. On the 28th March 2012 it could be found threading its way through the maze of tracks on the approach to Glasgow Central whilst working a Neilston branch service.

 

DG108133. 314214. Newton. 29.3.12.

Another service covered by 314s was the route from Central to Newton on the East side of Glasgow. Here’s 314214 at the end of the route on the 29th March 2012.

 

DG121362. 314215. Glasgow Central. 16.8.12.

After being a familiar scene for nearly 40 years, this sight will soon be history. On the 16th August 2012, 314215 approaches Glasgow Central.

 

DG258538. 314216. Glasgow Central. 9.10.16

The final member of the Class, 314216 at Glasgow Central on the 9th October 2016

Here’s a couple of internal views of the 314s, which were very much in original form. The yellow panelling was shared throughout the various classes from the 313s onwards. The seating has changed in other units but the 314s retained their original low-back 3+2 seating arrangement. These views date from April 2009.

DG21183. Interior. Scotrail Class 314. 8.4.09..JPG

DG21185. Interior. Scotrail Class 314. 8.4.09..JPG

19th December 2019.

Scotrail have now confirmed that there will be a day of farewells to the Class 314’s on Wednesday 18th December when a pair will work the following services.

  • 1010 Glasgow Central – Ayr return (limited customer capacity).
  • 1230 Glasgow Central – Glasgow Central via Motherwell / Carstairs / Cumbernauld.
  • 1610 Glasgow Central – Helensburgh return.

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