ScotRail targets Edinburgh-Glasgow in 39 minutes with ‘385s’ EXCLUSIVE Philip Haigh Contributing Writer

SCOTRAIL plans to target a 39-minute journey time between Edinburgh and Glasgow with its new electric Class 385s, Managing Director Alex Hynes told RAIL aboard an evening test run on February 6.

Hynes said he hoped speed limits could be lifted for minimal work and spending to allow the reduction which would help market the new service. On current performance, he said the Class 385s could easily achieve 42-minute journeys with four stops. He would not be drawn on exactly when the trains would enter passenger service.

Hynes added that his team was revising the food and drink offer and planned to revamp passenger lounges, with Dundee the first to be revealed in early February. And when Glasgow Queen Street’s rebuild is complete, it will not have a ticket office, he said. Instead, staff will patrol the concourse as ‘floorwalkers’ to help passengers.

Hitachi expects to receive authorisation to put Class 385s into passenger traffic with ScotRail on March 16, Programme Manager Andy Radford told RAIL on February 6.

Radford was speaking on board 385103, during the evening test run between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street.

Approval from the Office of Rail and Road is needed before ScotRail can use the type on the newly electrified route between Scotland’s two major cities. That approval is expected following a test programme that has checked interactions between wheel and rail, pantograph and overhead line equipment (OLE), and the electrical interference the train produces. Radford said that Network Rail had accepted the pantograph/OLE test results the week before.

Meanwhile, on February 6’s test

run, Driver Simon Smith from DB easily reached the 50mph speed limit that applies on the steep gradient up Queen Street Tunnel. He said he had to ease back power before reaching the end of the tunnel, to avoid breaking the speed limit. The run back to Edinburgh was mostly under restrictive signal aspects, which prevented a full demonstration of the train’s ability, but the train’s acceleration is noticeably better than the diesel Class 170s the type will replace.

Hitachi will maintain ScotRail’s Class 385 fleet at Craigentinny Depot in Edinburgh, close to new stabling sidings at Millerhill. Radford said Hitachi had installed new gantries to allow roof access and a new bogie drop at Craigentinny. He said the company would use the existing wheel lathe there.

ScotRail will receive 70 Class 385s (24 four-car units and 46 three-car). Each three-car unit can seat 206 passengers. A four-car train has 273, including 20 First Class seats (absent on three-car units).

ScotRail plans to use them on Edinburgh-Glasgow via Falkirk High, Edinburgh-North Berwick, South Glasgow suburban routes (Cathcart Circle/Neilston/Lanark), Glasgow/ Edinburgh-Du nb lane/ Stirling/ Al lo a, Glasgow-Falkirk Grahamston via Cumbernauld and Glasgow CentralEdinburgh via Shotts.

PHILIP HAIGH. Standard Class seating aboard Class 385s is a mix of airline and bay seating in a 2+2 format. Each pair of seats has a power socket. There are two dedicated cycle spaces and two toilets.

PHILIP HAIGH. The cab of 385103.

PHILIP HAIGH. ScotRail 385103 waits at Glasgow Queen Street before leaving with February 6’s 2107 test run to Edinburgh. It arrived on time at 2212, having stopped at six stations and been held for red signals on a schedule that included 15 minutes of pathing time....