May 2018 start for ScotRail’s new HST fleet

THE first ScotRail High Speed Trains will enter passenger traffic on the Edinburgh Waverley-Aberdeen route from May 2018.

Chris Tait, ScotRail’s New Trains Project Manager - HST Fleet, told RAIL that the first refurbished rake of Mk 3s will move to SR in February, for training ahead of the introduction. He said that the first nine HSTs to enter traffic with SR would be four-coach sets, followed by 17 five-coach sets.

Currently 43021 and 43132 are with SR for driver training, which started in earnest from September 18. The week before they were used to train senior drivers who would then train the other crews.

Tait confirmed that more sets will move north for driver training. When the first refurbished set arrives, ‘Training Set 1’ (as the current set with SR is known) will move to Inverness for crews to start learning from there to Perth.

Tait said that SR’s plan is to have four refurbished HSTs in traffic at the start of the May 2018 timetable, with all 27 sets in traffic for the start of the May 2019 timetable. The Mk 3s will be fitted with sliding doors, and Tait said they will be with SR until at least 2030.

They are initially being maintained at Craigentinny, which is the home for the CrossCountry and Virgin Trains East Coast HST fleets. Eventually they will be based at Haymarket, when upgrades to the depot to accommodate the HST fleet is complete.

He added there was also the possibility that more Mk 3s could be leased from Angel Trains to increase the sets from four to five coaches, although that is not an option at this stage in the programme.

The introduction of HSTs will enable SR to release Class 170s for cascading to Northern, as well as internally within the SR franchise.

The HSTs are being cascaded from Great Western Railway, where they are being replaced by Intercity Express Programme Class 800s from October 16.