First ScotRail is the FirstGroup train operating company running domestic passenger trains within
Scotland and the cross-border
Caledonian Sleeper service to
London.
The ScotRail brand was originally used for services provided in Scotland by British Rail. After privatisation, the Scottish rail franchise was called ScotRail. On 17 October 2004 the franchise was transferred to First Group from National Express resulting in the rebranding from ScotRail to First ScotRail. This was the first time the franchise has been re-let since the privatisation of British Rail. The Scottish franchises are now controlled by the Scottish Government but on this occasion was dealt with by the Strategic Rail Authority as its agent.
2008 RebrandIn September 2008 the Scottish Government's agency Transport Scotland announced that all First ScotRail trains, including those in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, would be repainted in a new blue livery with white Saltire markings on the carriage ends. The services will rebranded with less emphasis on the "First" and will be marketed as "ScotRail: Scotland's Railway". The first unit to receive the new livery was 170434, unveiled at
Glasgow Queen Street on 22 September 2008.
A Class 170 Turbostar train in First ScotRail livery at Inverness
The First ScotRail network is a mixture of long-distance, commuter and rural lines, totalling 1,696 miles (2,729 km), handling 66.1 million passenger journeys in 2003-4.
Main linesExpress trains operate between
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Dundee and
Aberdeen. The Highland Main Line links Inverness to the south. Some stretches of main line, such as the Highland Main Line, are single track, and express trains must call at intermediate stations to permit trains coming in the opposite direction to pass.
The main lines of Scotland are:
* Ayrshire Coast Line
* Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
* Fife Circle Line
* Glasgow-Edinburgh via Carstairs Line
* Glasgow-Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
* Glasgow to Aberdeen Line
* Glasgow South Western Line
* Highland Main Line
* Tay Coast Line
GlasgowThe densest part of the network is the suburban network around Glasgow, with 183 stations, the second-largest suburban rail network in the UK, after London. Much of it is 25kV AC electrified. Glasgow’s main terminal stations are
Central and Queen Street Stations. First ScotRail operate trains in this area under the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) brand. However, the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is now not having any input into specifying rail services in the Glasgow area. DMUs and EMUs that are livered in the carmine and cream livery are being stripped of the Strathclyde logos. Lines in and around Glasgow are:
* Argyle Line
* Ayrshire Coast Line
* Cathcart Circle Lines
* Croy Line
* Cumbernauld Line
* Inverclyde Line
* Maryhill Line
* Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line
* North Clyde Line (to be extended to Edinburgh[5])
* Paisley Canal Line
* Shotts Line
* Glasgow South Western Line
* Whifflet Line
* Glasgow Airport Rail Link (under construction)
Construction work has started on the rail link to
Glasgow Airport, and it is anticipated that it will open in 2009. The North Clyde Line will eventually be linked to the Edinburgh-Bathgate Line when the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is completed, creating a new direct link between
Glasgow and
Edinburgh. There is also a proposal to create a new rail link across the city with the
Crossrail Glasgow project.
Edinburgh
The Forth Bridge in 2004
Edinburgh’s suburban network is less dense than Glasgow’s. Edinburgh’s main station is
Waverley. The main railway line through the city centre runs in a cutting immediately below Edinburgh Castle. A secondary station is at Haymarket in the west of the city. Railway lines running north from
Edinburgh to
Fife and the
Highlands cross the Firth of Forth via the
Forth Bridge. Lines in and around Edinburgh are:
* Edinburgh-Bathgate Line (to be extended to Glasgow)
* Edinburgh Crossrail
* Edinburgh-Dunblane line
* North Berwick Line
* Shotts Line
* Waverley Line (under construction)
* Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
The Edinburgh rail network is being expanded with the construction of the Waverley Line to the Borders, and the Edinburgh-Bathgate Line will be extended by the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link. A project to open a rail link to Edinburgh Airport was cancelled in September 2007 by the Scottish Government. A proposal to re-open the Edinburgh suburban railway line has been made by campaigning groups.
Rural linesRural lines include the scenic West Highland Line, Kyle Line and Far North Line. These lines carry more passengers, mostly tourists, during the summer months, but provide a valuable link and social service during the winter months.
Many rural lines are single track. Trains terminating at the coastal towns of
Oban, Mallaig and
Kyle of Lochalsh connect with the
Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services to islands including such as Skye, Mull and Lewis.
Corrour railway station, an isolated stop on Rannoch Moor on the West Highland Line, featured as a location in the 1996 film Trainspotting.
The rural lines are:
* Aberdeen-Inverness Line
* Far North Line
* Kyle of Lochalsh Line
* West Highland Line
The West Highland Line at Rannoch stationScotRail operates some services that venture south of the border: principally the
Caledonian Sleeper to
London Euston along the
West Coast Main Line, and a twice-daily cross-country service between
Newcastle upon Tyne and
Stranraer via
Carlisle and
Kilmarnock.
StationsThe majority of Scotland’s 340 passenger stations are operated by First ScotRail under Network Rail ownership. Prestwick International Airport station is owned and operated by the airport, Dunbar is operated by NXEC, and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central by Network Rail itself. ScotRail operates Lockerbie railway station but none of its services call there.
Rolling StockCurrent FleetThe diesel fleet comprises a mixture of Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter units inherited from British Rail, and Class 170 Turbostar sets acquired post-privatisation.
The electric fleet includes Class 314, Class 318, Class 320, Class 322 and Class 334 Juniper units. All of EMU fleet are currently reciving C4 overhaul.
The Scotland-Euston overnight services comprise ex-InterCity Mark 2 and Mark 3 sleeper coaches, hauled by EWS locomotives. In 2006, First ScotRail came to an agreement with EWS to use a small dedicated fleet of Class 90 locomotives between London and Edinburgh/Glasgow. This fleet is painted in ScotRail livery with a small EWS logo beneath the cab.
During 2005, the Edinburgh-North Berwick line were operated by EWS Class 90 electric locomotives with former Virgin Trains Mark 3 coaches. In late 2005, Class 322 units were reintroduced onto the line. A refurbishment programme is taking place for these units.
The previous operator of the Scottish franchise (National Express - ScotRail) used Class 101 diesel units and Class 303 electric units, but these were all been withdrawn prior to First ScotRail taking over the franchise.
ScotRail has also operated Class 150 diesel units, but these have transferred to other operators following deliveries of new trains.
Following the new timetable First Scotrail has been running an EWS class 67 along with their MK2 carriages on the Fife circle on the most intense sevices allowing class 158s and 170s to work elsewhere.
A Class 156 Sprinter train in the old National Express ScotRail livery at ObanTransport Scotland have funded the acquisition of 38 Class 380 Siemens Desiro EMUs, to enter service from late 2010. These trains will operate Ayrshire, Inverclyde and Glasgow Airport services, adding extra capacity and allowing the cascade of existing stock to the new Glasgow to Edinburgh services via the reopened Airdrie to Bathgate line.
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