ChatterBank2 mins ago
Up In Smoke!
13 Answers
Nicola has bought 40 year old trains for Scotland that were heading for scrap. The leasing company says it's a great deal for everyone, except passengers I suppose.
Has the SNP finally bankrupted Scotland?
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Has the SNP finally bankrupted Scotland?
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The trains were never 'heading for scrap' either. IC 125 HST trains are still some of the best trains in service. If ScotRail hadn't leased them, there's little doubt that Angel Trains would have found another TOC eager to take them.
Locomotive fires are fairly common anyway, across all types of trains . (I've had to get a train with a locomotive fire stopped in an emergency when I worked on the railways and also deal with the chaos caused when another one caught fire and blocked a main line for several hours. I can't count the time I got half of the fire engines in the county called out to an apparent locomotive fire in the sidings though; that turned out to be the driver burning his bacon on his camping stove in the cab!).
Locomotive fires are fairly common anyway, across all types of trains . (I've had to get a train with a locomotive fire stopped in an emergency when I worked on the railways and also deal with the chaos caused when another one caught fire and blocked a main line for several hours. I can't count the time I got half of the fire engines in the county called out to an apparent locomotive fire in the sidings though; that turned out to be the driver burning his bacon on his camping stove in the cab!).
Humza Yousaf is an SNP politician and Minister for Transport. This deal was agreed with Abellio about 18 months ago. The Scottish government sets the conditions for the franchise and opted for these cheap life expired replacements. Modern Scotrail trains will now move to England, there's no one else to blame, but the SNP.
>>> Modern Scotrail trains will now move to England
The IC 125 HST trains will replace Class 156 units (built between 1987 and 1989)
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Class 158 units (built between 1989 and 1992)
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and Class 170 units (built between 1998 and 2005)
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None of those units have the passenger-carrying capacity of the trains which are to replace them. Class 156 units are only a marginal improvement on the old Class 150s, and just as likely to break down. I know little about Class 158s but I know, from dire experience, that Bombardier should never have been allowed to make ruddy 170s! They're incredibly prone to faults!
At the same time, Scotrail are introducing 70 BRAND NEW Class 385 units into service by the end of next year:
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The IC 125 HST trains will replace Class 156 units (built between 1987 and 1989)
https:/
Class 158 units (built between 1989 and 1992)
https:/
and Class 170 units (built between 1998 and 2005)
https:/
None of those units have the passenger-carrying capacity of the trains which are to replace them. Class 156 units are only a marginal improvement on the old Class 150s, and just as likely to break down. I know little about Class 158s but I know, from dire experience, that Bombardier should never have been allowed to make ruddy 170s! They're incredibly prone to faults!
At the same time, Scotrail are introducing 70 BRAND NEW Class 385 units into service by the end of next year:
https:/
“If ypu think this move is proof of financial mismanagement, then I am afraid TheresaMay is the culprit.”
Let’s leave aside the argument over who is responsible for awarding the franchise, whether the Scottish Parliament or Westminster (but it is the Scottish Parliament as transport is a matter devolved to them):
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But let’s assume, incorrectly, that it is Westminster. The Scottish rail franchise has been in the hands of Abellio since 1st April 2015 with the franchise having been awarded in October 2014. At that time Mrs May was the Home Secretary and I didn’t realise that the holder of that office had the responsibility for letting rail franchises anywhere in the UK, let alone in Scotland. But let's not allow two incorrect assumptions undermine a bit of Tory bashing.
Let’s leave aside the argument over who is responsible for awarding the franchise, whether the Scottish Parliament or Westminster (but it is the Scottish Parliament as transport is a matter devolved to them):
https:/
But let’s assume, incorrectly, that it is Westminster. The Scottish rail franchise has been in the hands of Abellio since 1st April 2015 with the franchise having been awarded in October 2014. At that time Mrs May was the Home Secretary and I didn’t realise that the holder of that office had the responsibility for letting rail franchises anywhere in the UK, let alone in Scotland. But let's not allow two incorrect assumptions undermine a bit of Tory bashing.
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