Abellio To Lose ScotRail Franchise Three Years Early
The title of this post is the same as this article on Rail Magazine.
This is the introductory paragraph.
The ScotRail franchise managed by Abellio will end in March 2022 – some three years earlier than planned, Scottish Transport Secretary Michael Matheson confirmed on December 18.
I don’t live in Scotland, so perhaps I shouldn’t comment too strongly.
- When I’m in Scotland, I find the performance of ScotRail little different to Greater Anglia, which is also managed by Abellio.
- In the last three or four years, I have only suffered serious delays a couple of times on Greater Anglia and one was severe weather-related and the other was the usual suspects trying to steal the overhead wires.
- In that period, I can’t remember being delayed seriously in Scotland.
- I was also in Scotland for the Commonwealth Games and the rail service coped well with all the visitors.
But Scotland has suffered more than its fair share of Network Rail and train delivery problems.
- Late delivery of electrification.
- Poor design of the Borders Railway.
- Problems with the new Class 385 trains from Hitachi.
- Problems with the delivery of the Inter7City trains.
- Disruption caused by the rebuilding of Glasgow Queen Street station.
Is another factor, the endorsement of the SNP in the recent General Election?
I have a feeling that this enforced divorce will be a pension pot for lawyers.
Northern Welcome New Link Between East And West Yorkshire
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology News.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Rail Operator, Northern Railway, is celebrating the improved links between East and West Yorkshire today (Dec 19) following the introduction of a new service on the network, providing a direct service between Halifax and Hull.
The tone may be a bit self-congratulatory by Northern, but it is to me a very necessary service.
- The trains run hourly.
- Looking at today’s early morning Saturday service, it appears to have doubled the frequency to and from Leeds.
- Families and friends are more spread out these days..
- Events like football matches and concerts bring in supporters and attendees from a lot further, than when the rail services were carved in stone.
I shall be very interested to see the figures for ridership on this new service..
The Suffolk Experience
Over the last few years, Suffolk’s cross-county service between Ipswich and Cambridge has gone from an hourly single-car Class 153 train through two and three-car Class 170 trains to the proposed four-car Class 755 trains.
Greater Anglia may be having trouble introducing the Class 755 train, but the proposed capacity increase is there. They are also proposing to double the frequency on the Eastern section of the route.
Nationwide
Hopefully, we’ll see more improvements in services on routes like these all over the country. Certainly, Northern and Greater Anglia have been increased threir train fleets to provide more services.
I would also like to see a nationwide capacity standard for routes like these between cities and large towns.
The Anonymous Widower 