Abellio ScotRail
A Class 320 and a Class 318 at Partick in 2017
Overview
Franchise(s)ScotRail
Main region(s)Scotland
Other region(s)Cumbria
Stations operated354[1]
Parent companyAbellio
Reporting markSR
Dates of operation1 April 2015–31 March 2022
PredecessorFirst ScotRail
SuccessorScotRail
Other
Websitewww.scotrail.co.uk
Route map
Route map

Abellio ScotRail,[2] operating services under the name ScotRail, was the national train operating company of Scotland. A subsidiary of the Netherlands-based transport conglomerate Abellio, it operated the ScotRail franchise between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022.

In October 2014, Abellio was selected by Transport Scotland to take over the franchise from the incumbent operator First ScotRail. On 1 April 2015, Abellio ScotRail commenced operations. On 6 September 2015, it ran the first services on the newly-opened Borders Railway. In conjunction with the wider Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme, Abellio ScotRail introduced the Class 385 electric trains, which were faster and had more capacity than preceding diesel traction on the route; however, short-term difficulties with the new fleet led to disruption and delays. The operator was also unable to introduce its new Intercity timetable due to the late than planned delivery of refurbished Inter7City trains. Following the completion of the Inverness - Aberdeen Improvement Plan, a new hourly service was launched by Abellio ScotRail between these two cities.

During January 2017, the Scottish government and Abellio ScotRail's management publicly disagreed over the funding of a government-directed scheme; Phil Verster, the managing director of Abellio ScotRail and the ScotRail alliance, resigned shortly thereafter. On multiple occasions through the franchise period, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) organised industrial action, including strikes, that negatively impacted Abellio ScotRail's operations, to the point where Sunday operations were mostly abandoned over a seven month period in 2021. On 20 January 2017, the managing director of Abellio ScotRail and the ScotRail alliance parted ways with the company. During December 2019, it was announced by the Scottish government that Abellio ScotRail's franchise would end in 2022 due to alleged poor performance. The franchise ended on 31 March 2022 and was replaced by ScotRail, an operator of last resort (OLR) owned by the Scottish Government.

History

In November 2013, Transport Scotland announced that Abellio, Arriva, FirstGroup, MTR Corporation and National Express had been shortlisted to bid for the new ScotRail franchise.[3] In October 2014, the franchise was awarded to Abellio.[4][5][6] The franchise was set to operate for a seven year period, although provisions were included for a three-year extension contingent on the operator fulfilling various performance criteria.[5] On 1 April 2015, Abellio began operating the ScotRail franchise.

On 6 September 2015, Abellio ScotRail opened the Borders Railway, a non-electrified largely single-track line roughly following the alignment of the northern part of the long-closed Waverley Route.[7][8] During its first month of operations, 125,971 passengers travelled on the Borders Railway, far in excess of projections. As a result of overcrowding, Abellio ScotRail quickly started running trains with up to six carriages at peak hours and leased additional parking space near Tweedbank station.[9]

In June 2016, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) announced that train conductors would be going on strike several times during the summer months in protest at the running of greater numbers of driver-only operated trains.[10] During June and July 2016, a total of six 24-hour and three 48-hour strikes were conducted by staff working for Abellio ScotRail. An agreement was reached in September 2016 that brought an end to the dispute and therefore service disruption. It was agreed that the new Class 385 trains would have the doors controlled by both the driver and the conductors, the driver opening the doors while the conductors closing them.[11]

During January 2017, the Scottish government and Abellio ScotRail's management clashed over a government-directed scheme to compensate rail passengers for disruptions on the rail network with free tickets; funding for the scheme had not been agreed before the government publicly spoke on the effort leading to tense talks between management and MSPs.[12] That same month, Phil Verster, the managing director of Abellio ScotRail and the ScotRail alliance, abruptly stepped down from his role shortly following the compensation scheme dispute being publicised.[13][14] Several days later, Alex Hynes was named as the company's new managing director.[15]

In April 2018, Abellio ScotRail announced that it would be implementing all 20 recommendations produced by an independent review of the company's operations, headed by the former TransPennine Express managing director Nick Donovan. These recommendations included reviews of managerial and operational planning arrangements, root cause analysis of infrastructure failures, greater use of remote monitoring, clarifying responsibilities for key systems such as GSM radios, better performance modelling, ring-fencing of planning resources, elimination of unnecessary key performance indicators, and a new focus on system performance improvements at the control room level. A stated intent of these recommendations was to bolster punctuality amongst other performance criteria.[16]

During March 2021, it was announced that the RMT union would ballot conductors for an indefinite overtime ban following Abellio ScotRail's refusal to pay its conductors overtime payments for working on rest days; this action led to no services being ran on many routes. One month later, ticket examiners were balloted for the same dispute, the majority of trains operated by ScotRail did not run on Sundays as a result. During October 2021, a deal between the union and the operator was reached, bringing an end to the dispute and restoring Sunday services thereafter.[17]

Abellio ScotRail reportedly failed to meet the performance criteria necessary to gain a three-year extension to its franchise period; according, it was announced during March 2021 that the franchise would be terminated on 31 March 2022.[18] In Abellio's place, the state-owned operator of last resort ScotRail took over operations.[19][20]

Operations

Services

Abellio ScotRail took over all of the services operated by First ScotRail on 1 April 2015, except for the Caledonian Sleeper services, which were transferred to a separate franchise operated by Serco.[21] The franchise agreement required the introduction of 'Great Scottish Scenic Railway' trains on the West Highland, Far North, Kyle, Borders Railway and Glasgow South Western lines. Steam special services were also promoted by Abellio ScotRail.[22][23]

The planned implementation of Abellio ScotRail's new Intercity timetable had to be postponed due to the delayed delivery of ScotRail's refurbished Inter7City trains, along with the introduction of the Edinburgh - Arbroath and Montrose - Inverurie commuter services. As a result, the stopping pattern of Glasgow/Edinburgh to Aberdeen services was irregular, making calls at many stations at which there is now a frequent stopping service. The improved Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness timetable will be introduced along with the Glasgow/Edinburgh to Aberdeen timetable from December 2020.

Following the completion of the Inverness - Aberdeen Improvement Plan, an hourly service was operated by the company between the two cities; furthermore, half hourly services were provided between Elgin and Inverness/Inverurie and Aberdeen that served the two recently-opened stations at Dalcross and Kintore. A selection of Inter7City services also commenced operation between Inverness and the Central Belt via Aberdeen, which only called at a couple of stations between Inverness and Aberdeen.

Stations

Abellio ScotRail operated 352 stations in Scotland.[24] Not included were Prestwick International Airport station, owned and operated by the airport,[25] as well as both Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central, which are managed by Network Rail.[26] Abellio ScotRail operated Lockerbie even though none of its services called there. During June 2015, it also took over management of Dunbar, which had been previously operated by Virgin Trains East Coast.[27]

Depots

Abellio ScotRail's fleet was maintained at Edinburgh Haymarket, Glasgow Eastfield, Glasgow Shields Road, Corkerhill Glasgow, Yoker, Ayr Townhead, Bathgate and Inverness as well as a newly built EMU stabling depot at Millerhill in Midlothian and a rebuilt depot at Cadder Yard.

Rolling stock

Abellio ScotRail operated a diverse fleet of DMUs, EMUs and loco-hauled stock. From 10 December 2017, Class 380 EMUs were introduced onto services between Glasgow and Edinburgh via Falkirk High (also serving Croy, Polmont, Linlithgow and Haymarket). This was the first step in creating an entirely electric service between the two cities which was expected to start in October 2018 with Class 385 EMUs, which should have entered service in December 2017, but were subsequently delayed due to a windscreen fault.[28][29]

Early on in the franchise, Abellio ScotRail publicly stated its intention to introduce a brand new fleet of 46 three-car and 24 four-car Class 385 electric trains from December 2017, which would operate services on the lines that were being electrified as part of the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme.[30][31] However, various issues were encountered, including with the rail infrastructure itself but also the trains (mainly related to software and windscreen issues),[32][33] as well as staff training,[34] that delayed the Class 385s entry to service. To cover for the shortfall in rolling stock, Abellio ScotRail hired 10 Class 365 units from Great Northern. These interim trains entered service in June 2018.[35]

From October 2018, Abellio ScotRail introduced former Great Western Railway HSTs on services between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, branded as "Inter7City" in reference to Scotland's seven main cities.[36][5][37] The Mark 3 coaches were all outfitted with refurbished interiors, one of the most substantial changes was the replacement of slam doors with powered doors. There were a total of 26 sets: 17 five-car and 9 four-car trains.[36] As with the Class 385s, there were delays in getting the refurbished trains into service. As a result, some HST sets were pressed into service without refurbishment to allow for others to have refurbishment completed. By May 2020, ScotRail was operating an entirely refurbished HST fleet.

This new rolling stock resulted in ten Class 156, eight Class 158 and 21 Class 170 sets returning to their leasing companies when their leases expired in 2018.[38] Transport Scotland negotiated to retain an extra 13 Class 170s to support services through Fife to Aberdeen, the Fife Circle Line (replacing the Class 68/Mark 2 sets), and the Borders railway.[39] Arriva Rail North received five of the 156s, all the 158s and 16 of the Class 170s.[40] Five Class 170s (170416-170420) moved to East Midlands Railway in 2020.[41]

Fleet at end of franchise

Family Class Image Type Top speed Number Cars Routes Built Notes
mph km/h
Inter7City
High Speed Train 43 Diesel locomotive 125 200 52 4/5 Aberdeen-Inverness Line
Glasgow/Edinburgh to Aberdeen
Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness		 1975–1982
  • Operates under the brand Inter7City.
  • Fleet consists of 9 four-coach and 17 five-coach trains.
  • 1 four coach train damaged in the Stonehaven derailment.
Mark 3

Passenger carriage 120
Diesel multiple units
Sprinter 153 Super Sprinter DMU 75 120 5 1 West Highland Line (Attached to 156s) 1987–1988
156 Super Sprinter 43 2 Glasgow South Western Line
Maryhill Line
Shotts Line
West Highland Line		 1987–1989
158/0 Express Sprinter 90 145 40 Aberdeen-Inverness Line
Borders Railway
Far North Line
Fife Circle Line
Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness
Kyle of Lochalsh line
Maryhill Line
 1989–1992
Bombardier Turbostar 170 100 161 30 3 Aberdeen-Inverness Line
Borders Railway
Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
Fife Circle Line
Maryhill Line		 1999–2001
2003-05
Electric multiple units
BR Second Generation (Mark 3) 318 EMU 90 145 21 3 North Clyde Line
Whifflet Line
Cumbernauld Line
Inverclyde Line
Paisley Canal Line
Argyle Line
Cathcart Circle Lines
Glasgow to Lanark via Motherwell		 1985–1986
320/3 22 1990
320/4 100 161 12 1989–1990 Converted from Class 321/4.
Alstom Coradia Juniper 334 90 145 40 North Clyde Line
Argyle Line		 1999–2002
Siemens Desiro 380/0 100 161 22 3 Ayrshire Coast Line
Paisley Canal Line
Inverclyde Line
Cathcart Circle Lines
North Berwick Line
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Shotts		 2009–2011
380/1 16 4

Hitachi AT200 385/0 46 3 Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
Glasgow/Edinburgh to North Berwick/Dunbar
Glasgow/Edinburgh to Dunblane and Alloa
Glasgow-Cathcart Circle/Neilston/Newton
Cumbernauld Line
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Motherwell and Carstairs
Glasgow to Lanark via Motherwell
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Shotts
Inverclyde Line
Argyle Line		 2015–2019 Operates under the brand eXpress.
385/1 24 4

Past fleet

This new rolling stock resulted in ten Class 156, eight Class 158 and 21 Class 170 sets returning to their leasing companies when their leases expired in 2018.[38] Transport Scotland negotiated to retain an extra 13 Class 170s to support services through Fife to Aberdeen, the Fife Circle Line, and the Borders railway.[39] Arriva Rail North received five of the Class 156s, all 8 of the Class 158s and 16 of the Class 170s.[40] Five Class 170s (170416-170420) were transferred to East Midlands Railway in 2020.[41]

Former train types operated by ScotRail include:

Family Class Image Type Top speed Number Carriages Routes Left fleet Built
mph km/h
Inter7City
High Speed Train 43 Diesel locomotive 125 200 1 N/A Aberdeen-Inverness Line, Glasgow/Edinburgh to Aberdeen
Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness		 2020 1975–1982
Mark 3 Passenger carriage 1 4
Locomotive hauled stock
Stadler UKLight 68 Diesel locomotive 100 161 2 N/A Fife Circle Line 2020 2013–2014
Mark 2 Passenger carriage 12 6 1973–1975
Diesel multiple units
Sprinter 156 Super Sprinter DMU 75 121 5 2 Cumbernauld Line
Edinburgh–Dunblane line
Fife Circle Line
Glasgow South Western Line
Maryhill Line
Shotts Line
West Highland Line		 2018 1987–1989
158/0 Express Sprinter 90 145 8 Aberdeen-Inverness Line
Borders Railway
Cumbernauld Line
Edinburgh–Dunblane line
Fife Circle Line
Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness
Maryhill Line
Shotts Line		 1989–1992
Bombardier Turbostar 170 100 161 21 3 Aberdeen-Inverness Line
Borders Railway
Cumbernauld Line
Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
Edinburgh–Dunblane line
Fife Circle Line
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
Maryhill Line		 2018, 2020 1999–2001
Electric multiple units
BREL 1972 314 EMU 70 113 16 3 Cathcart Circle Lines
Inverclyde Line
Paisley Canal Line		 2018–2019 1979

Networker 365 Networker Express 100 161 10 4 Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
Edinburgh to Dunblane		 2019 1994–1995

References

Notes

    Citations

    1. ↑ "ScotRail: Key Statistics - Table 2.10" (PDF). Office of Rail and Road. 9 July 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
    2. ↑ "ScotRail Limited: Company no. SC450732". Companies House. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
    3. ↑ "Scotrail franchise shortlist named". BBC News. 1 November 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018.
    4. ↑ "Dutch firms wins ScotRail franchise from FirstGroup". BBC News. 8 October 2014. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016.
    5. 1 2 3 "Abellio awarded ScotRail franchise". Railway Gazette International. 8 October 2014. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016.
    6. ↑ "Abellio awarded contract to operate Scotland's National Railway, ScotRail" (Press release). Abellio. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
    7. ↑ "Borders railway". Transport Scotland. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015.
    8. ↑ Clinnick, Richard (16–29 September 2015). "The long wait is finally over as £296m Borders Railway opens". RAIL. No. 783. pp. 6–7.
    9. ↑ Pigott, Nick, ed. (November 2015). "One month on...Borders Railway is booming". The Railway Magazine. p. 9.
    10. ↑ "ScotRail workers to stage series of six strikes, RMT says". BBC News. 14 June 2016. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018.
    11. ↑ "RMT members accept ScotRail deal over conductors". BBC News. 5 October 2016. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018.
    12. ↑ "ScotRail 'can't vouch' for passenger compensation scheme". BBC News. 18 January 2017.
    13. ↑ "Phil Verster steps down as managing director of ScotRail Alliance". globalrailwayreview.com. 20 January 2017.
    14. ↑ "ScotRail chief Phil Verster in surprise resignation". www.railnews.co.uk. 20 January 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
    15. ↑ "Alex Hynes named as new ScotRail Alliance managing director". BBC News. 23 January 2017. Archived from the original on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
    16. ↑ "ScotRail to follow action points to improve performance". railmagazine.com. 4 April 2018.
    17. ↑ Morrow, Daniel (28 October 2021). "ScotRail to run 'as many trains as possible' as Sunday services return after seven months". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
    18. ↑ "Scotland's train operator ScotRail to be nationalised". BBC News. 17 March 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
    19. ↑ "ScotRail Franchise". Transport Scotland. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
    20. ↑ "ScotRail goes back into public ownership". BBC News. 1 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
    21. ↑ "Serco wins franchise for Caledonian sleeper train service". BBC News. 28 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014.
    22. ↑ "ScotRail Franchise" (PDF). Transport Scotland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015.
    23. ↑ "ScotRail announces second summer of steam on Borders Railway". ScotRail. 14 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 January 2017.
    24. ↑ "Estimates of station usage - Office of Rail and Road". orr.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 10 July 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
    25. ↑ "Station Access Application" (PDF). Office of Rail Regulation. 16 December 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2014.
    26. ↑ "Our stations". Network Rail. Archived from the original on 10 April 2014.
    27. ↑ "ScotRail Franchise Invitation to Tender" (PDF). Transport Scotland. 23 January 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2014.
    28. ↑ "Facts & Figures" (PDF). Abellio ScotRail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2014.
    29. ↑ "ScotRail franchise facts & figures". Rail. No. 759. 15 October 2014. p. 8.
    30. ↑ Shirres, David (3 April 2020). "Maintaining the 385s". Rail Engineer. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
    31. ↑ "Abellio and Hitachi sign ScotRail train contract". Railway Gazette. 12 March 2015. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
    32. ↑ "Drivers of new ScotRail trains 'can't see signals'". www.scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
    33. ↑ "Fish bowl vision problem scuppers plans for new trains". www.aslef.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
    34. ↑ "ScotRail boss Alex Hynes promises improvements". BBC News. 17 December 2018.
    35. ↑ "New ScotRail trains to ease crush on Edinburgh - Glasgow line". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 23 April 2018. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021.
    36. 1 2 Lissenberg, Ferry (16 October 2018). "Scotrail starts Inter7City service with refurbished HSTs". Railcolor. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
    37. ↑ "ScotRail HST fleet plans". railmagazine.com. 1 September 2015. Archived from the original on 16 October 2015.
    38. 1 2 "Abellio takes over ScotRail". Today's Railways UK. No. 162. June 2016. p. 12.
    39. 1 2 "ScotRail rail revolution declared as 39 carriages to be retained by ScotRail instead of going elsewhere". Rail.co.uk. 25 March 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016.
    40. 1 2 "Abellio ScotRail franchise agreement" (PDF). Transport Scotland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2015.
    41. 1 2 "New trains accelerate the cascade of UK fleets". Rail. No. 893. 4 December 2019. p. 28.
    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abellio ScotRail.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.