‘Join the Ghost Train’ vinyl adorning 170425
Dundee, 26 October 2017
Although I’m not a huge fan of Halloween (or All Hallows’ Eve as it’s known in Scotland) it was nice to see ScotRail getting into the ‘spirit’ of things back in October 2017.
170425 & 170475
Dundee, 26 October 2017
170425 later departed with train 1T82, the 12.13 Saturdays & Sundays excepted (SSuX) service to Glasgow Queen Street.
170404 & 170395
Tweedbank, 25 October 2021
Spotted yesterday at Tweedbank Station on the Borders Railway in Scotland, a pair of ScotRail class 170 ‘Turbostar’ diesel multiple units.
170404 was originally built for ScotRail services whereas 170395 (which had arrived with train 2T78, the 11.25 (SSuX) service from Edinburgh) was built for Hull Trains, entering service in March 2004, only to be replaced in May 2005 by class 222 ‘Pioneer’ diesel-electric multiple units (themselves now in service with East Midlands Railway).
There can’t be many three-car DMUs currently in service in the UK that have worked into two capital cities but 170395 is one of them, working into London King’s Cross with Hull Trains and Edinburgh with ScotRail.
15 years ago today I was driving from Balerno (a suburb of Edinburgh) to Banavie in the Scottish Highlands and had decided to stop at as many railway stations as I could get away with before my wife got fed up with my antics! 😁
Curriehill, on the Shotts line, was first and after a couple of minutes 156437 (allocated to Corkerhill Depot in Glasgow) put in an appearance on the 09.26 First ScotRail service from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Central.
156437
Curriehill station, 3 September 2005
The station opened on 5 October 1987 and stands on the site of the Caledonian Railway’s ‘Currie Hill’ station which was closed by British Railways on 2 April 1951.
Next was Balloch, another newish station, and I arrived to find 320302 (allocated to Glasgow Shields Road Depot) waiting to depart with the 11.38 First ScotRail service to Drumgelloch.
320302
Balloch station, 3 September 2005
The ‘new’ Strathclyde PTE carmine and cream livery is more obvious in this pic and to my eye looks far more ‘railway-like’ than most post-privatisation liveries. It finally disappeared from the national network in December 2019 following withdrawal of the Class 314 electric multiple units.
Balloch station opened on 24 April 1988 and replaced the former Balloch Central station which closed the previous day and had been situated on the other side of the busy Balloch Road. The building just visible in the background is the former station building, now a tourist information centre.
I’ve just checked with the excellent trainlogger website and both units are still in service with ScotRail, wearing the current Saltire blue livery.
In my previous post I briefly mentioned the Caledonian Sleeper service that links London with Aberdeen, Fort William and Inverness.
Two trains depart from London Euston six days each week, the Highland Sleeper is made up of three portions that divide at Edinburgh to serve routes to Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. The Lowland Sleeper has two portions serving routes to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central.
15 years ago a holiday at Banavie gave me an opportunity to photograph the portion that winds its way through the Highlands to and from Fort William.
37417
Fort William station, 3 September 2005
Monday 3 September saw a rather tatty 37417 Richard Trevithick stabled beside the station with a five coach train, the last vehicle of which was British Rail Mk.3 Sleeping Car with Pantry (SLEP) 10506.
BR Mk.3a SLEP 10506
Fort William station, 3 September 2005
The diesel loco only works the train as far as Edinburgh, where an electric loco takes over, so I wasn’t surprised to see 37417 return the following day.
37417
Fort William station, 4 September 2005
The next day brought a loco with a more ‘Scottish’ name to Fort William in the shape of 37406 The Saltire Society (The Saltire Society is an organisation which aims to promote the understanding of the culture and heritage of Scotland).
37406
Fort William station, 5 September 2005
37406
Fort William station, 5 September 2005
37406 returned the next morning and was stabled beside the station with its train and I grabbed a quick pic of British Rail Mk.2e Unclassified Open Brake (BUO) 9809 (for passengers not making use of the Mk.3’s bunks) before heading off for the day.
BR Mk.2e BUO 9809
Fort William station, 6 September 2005
The sleeper service continues but the Class 37s and BR built coaches are no longer in use… The 37s were replaced in 2006 by Class 67 diesels (themselves replaced in 2019 by Class 73/9 electro-diesels) and the coaches by brand new CAF-built ‘Mk.5’ stock that also entered service in 2019.
Seven years ago today I was returning home from a short break in Scotland’s capital city (travelling by train of course).
Having arrived at Edinburgh Waverley station a little early I had time to take a few photos…
90019 was stabled in the former Motorail bays at the eastern end of the station and was due to work that evening’s Caledonian Sleeper service to London Euston.
90019
Edinburgh Waverley station, 6 June 2013
The imposing structure in the background is St Andrew’s House, the headquarters building of the Scottish Government that stands on the site of the former Calton Jail.
At the other end of the station was 158711.
158711
Edinburgh Waverley station, 6 June 2013
The Balmoral Hotel (formerly the North British Station Hotel) dominates the skyline. Built by the North British Railway (NBR) the hotel opened 15 October 1902. The hotel’s clock has always been set three minutes fast to ensure that the people of Edinburgh wouldn’t miss their trains. The only day that the clock runs on time is on 31 December (Hogmanay) for the city’s New Year celebrations.
I didn’t make any notes as to the service 158711 was operating but as a unit allocated to Inverness depot it’s reasonable to assume that Inverness was its next destination.
Both 90019 and 158711 are carrying the ‘First ScotRail’ colour scheme that enthusiasts soon dubbed ‘Barbie livery’, presumably thanks to the bright pink stripe!
Railway Miscellany 