Larky Masher Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Another morning and more cancellations, it must be tough but Abelio are managing to be much worse than First Group were at running Scotrail. Good choice Keith Brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teecee- Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Another morning and more cancellations, it must be tough but Abelio are managing to be much worse than First Group were at running Scotrail. Good choice Keith Brown. Workers never realised how " good they had it" with First Scotrail. Dissatisfaction extremely high amongst employees at all levels. Get the impression that if the franchise could be handed back it would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossy Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I always thought that First did a great job of running the trains in Scotland (honestly)....excellent new rolling stock, trains generally on time, and generally friendly, efficient staff. I remember the bad old days of 20 years ago when tickets weren't collected or checked, rolling stock from the 1950's, and where you had no idea if a train would turn up or not. First Group improved train travel in Scotland out of sight. On a side note, for years now train train in Holland has been awful. The NS are a public/private enterprise and standards are beyond crap....trains are often old and filthy, tickets rarely get checked, and on some days (especially the weekend) the timetable is ripped up and it's a lottery if a train will turn up at all. We shouldn't be too hard on the rail infrascruture in Scotland...it outstrips most European countries easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 National Express managed to hand the Eastcoast one back. The price increase since this Dutch mob came in is frightening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 We shouldn't be too hard on the rail infrascruture in Scotland...it outstrips most European countries easily. Maybe in the central belt, but "up north" they'd be as well ripping it out for all the good it does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedandydons Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Another morning and more cancellations, it must be tough but Abelio are managing to be much worse than First Group were at running Scotrail. Good choice Keith Brown. Agreed. Almost 2 hours it took from Helensburgh to Glasgow Central on Sunday afternoon. Left at 4pm and got into Glasgow central at 5.55pm. Bus replacement due to line works from Helensburgh, bus driver got lost in Dumbarton, missed our onwards rail connection which then meant we missed our bus connection up to Aberdeen. Screw up after screw up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larky Masher Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 Maybe in the central belt, but "up north" they'd be as well ripping it out for all the good it does. To be fair to Abelio (which makes me feel dirty if I'm honest) it's Network Rail who are responsible for the infrastructure but on the the whole they are useless as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TartanJon Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I always thought that First did a great job of running the trains in Scotland (honestly)....excellent new rolling stock, trains generally on time, and generally friendly, efficient staff. I remember the bad old days of 20 years ago when tickets weren't collected or checked, rolling stock from the 1950's, and where you had no idea if a train would turn up or not. First Group improved train travel in Scotland out of sight. On a side note, for years now train train in Holland has been awful. The NS are a public/private enterprise and standards are beyond crap....trains are often old and filthy, tickets rarely get checked, and on some days (especially the weekend) the timetable is ripped up and it's a lottery if a train will turn up at all. We shouldn't be too hard on the rail infrascruture in Scotland...it outstrips most European countries easily. That sounds exactly like the way Abellio run the trains in Scotland,oh wait .......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 (edited) That sounds exactly like the way Abellio run the trains in Scotland,oh wait .......... They do check the tickets though - the Gestapo on the train in The Great Escape were lax by comparison. A mate was on the Edinburgh train (via Shotts) the other week - some poor foreign chap with limited English had been directed onto the Edinburgh via Shotts train in error (he was going to Newcastle) - Hector was insisting that as the guy had the 'wrong' ticket that he buy a full-price single ticket to Newcastle (despite the fact the train he was on was only going to Edinburgh...) until my mate intervened (despite being told initially by Hector to stay out of it) - he got off the train with the foreign chap at Bellshill and took him to Motherwell where he was able to catch his correct train (VTEC). Edited November 16, 2015 by Charlie Endell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffer Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I always thought that First did a great job of running the trains in Scotland (honestly)....excellent new rolling stock, trains generally on time, and generally friendly, efficient staff. I remember the bad old days of 20 years ago when tickets weren't collected or checked, rolling stock from the 1950's, and where you had no idea if a train would turn up or not. First Group improved train travel in Scotland out of sight. On a side note, for years now train train in Holland has been awful. The NS are a public/private enterprise and standards are beyond crap....trains are often old and filthy, tickets rarely get checked, and on some days (especially the weekend) the timetable is ripped up and it's a lottery if a train will turn up at all. We shouldn't be too hard on the rail infrascruture in Scotland...it outstrips most European countries easily. I have to agree, I always thought Scotrail were pretty good (drinking right now, so might be the reason I'm agreeing with Rossy). Always very positive and cooperative with Scottish government about new lines etc as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamia Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 (edited) Sat for half an hour outside Stiring today waiting for another train to clear the track! Now on the train back with stinking drunks. Ticket cost more than it would have cost me to drive and we are supposed to be encouraging public transport! Ha! Edited November 16, 2015 by Lamia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larky Masher Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 Sat for half an hour outside Stiring today waiting for another train to clear the track! Now on the train back with stinking drunks. Ticket cost more than it would have cost me to drive and we are supposed to be encouraging public transport! Ha! The cost of ticket from the central belt to Aberdeen or Dundee is ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 The cost of ticket from the central belt to Aberdeen or Dundee is ridiculous. You don't say! Glasgow to Stranrear takes 2:29 and costs £12.70. Glasgow to Aberdeen takes 2:35 and costs £39.20. It's shite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 You don't say! Glasgow to Stranrear takes 2:29 and costs £12.70. Glasgow to Aberdeen takes 2:35 and costs £39.20. It's shite. To be fair the Aberdeen train is a far more civilised affair than the shoogly Sprinter to Stranraer (and Aberdeen is a good bit further from Glasgow). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamia Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 My ticket cost £56.60 from Inverurie to Stirling return! Glad I didn't pay it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamia Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 To be fair the Aberdeen train is a far more civilised affair than the shoogly Sprinter to Stranraer (and Aberdeen is a good bit further from Glasgow). This train is pretty shoogly! I don't remember previous journeys jolting like this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 To be fair the Aberdeen train is a far more civilised affair than the shoogly Sprinter to Stranraer (and Aberdeen is a good bit further from Glasgow). It still doesn't justify if being over 3x the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 This train is pretty shoogly! I don't remember previous journeys jolting like this! I can't remember the class used on the Aberdeen route (teecee- ?) but they've always seemed ok when I've been on them. Sprinters are fine if you're just going from Glasgow to the likes of East Kilbride but beyond that they're very wearing - slow, noisy (very!) and uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 (edited) It still doesn't justify if being over 3x the price. No. Probably down to supply and demand - the Northern Lights being more attractive than the bright lights of Stranraer harbour (maybe the Stranraer route has a heavier subsidy as well). Is Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk High the only line that actually makes a profit? Edited November 16, 2015 by Charlie Endell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 No. Probably down to supply and demand - the Northern Lights being more attractive than the bright lights of Stranraer harbour. Music to my ears! I'm flying to Belfast then getting the boat back as its actually both cheaper and faster than the train...until I miss the connection that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamia Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I can't remember the class used on the Aberdeen route (teecee- ?) but they've always seemed ok when I've been on them. Sprinters are fine if you're just going from Glasgow to the likes of East Kilbride but beyond that they're very wearing - slow, noisy (very!) and uncomfortable. I keep expecting it to derail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teecee- Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Fares are based on distance travelled not journey time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Col Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I hate how they've got ticket barriers at the main stations now yet nowhere to buy a ticket if you get on at a wee diddy station. You've then got to stand in a queue to buy a ticket to then stand in a queue to get through a barrier. At Ayr the other week they had 1 guy selling tickets and 3 guys manning the barrier. HOW ABOUT YOU PUT ONE OF THEM ON THE TRAIN SELLING TICKETS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
they've_been_suckered Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 They don't help themselves... - no groupsave when football is on - poorly communicated station announcements - extortionate pricing That said I've come across some really helpful and friendly train staff in my time. Some people who get the train actually lower the overall experience more than the operator does to be fair. Folk who pile their bags on seats in the hope no one sits beside them.... I deliberately sit beside those people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 (edited) I hate how they've got ticket barriers at the main stations now yet nowhere to buy a ticket if you get on at a wee diddy station. You've then got to stand in a queue to buy a ticket to then stand in a queue to get through a barrier. At Ayr the other week they had 1 guy selling tickets and 3 guys manning the barrier. HOW ABOUT YOU PUT ONE OF THEM ON THE TRAIN SELLING TICKETS? I arrived at Central last Tuesday night to catch the 23.05 Neilston train - not a single window at the ticket office was open - by the time I'd arsed about with the machine I'd missed my train. This is the busiest railway station in Scotland by some distance (over 20m passengers a year) and they can't be arsed manning the ticket office.I've no objections to barriers but Central isn't set up to accommodate them as most of the platform exits are narrow, which can often involve long queues when a busy train arrives. I thought the whole idea of barriers was to save manual ticket checks but they always have at least two people on each barrier. Finally, is someone at Network Rail playing train Tetris? Plenty of empty bays but they'll often insist on putting the train I'm on at the end of platform 10 with two trains already parked in front, meaning a 0.2 mile walk (from Tradeston basically) just to get to the barriers (I've measured it!) Edited November 16, 2015 by Charlie Endell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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