ScotRail hires in Class 365s for Falkirk High route
THREE Class 365s have been leased by ScotRail, with more to follow. They will be used on an interim basis on the Edinburgh-Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High route while windscreen modifications are made to Class 385s.
The four-car ‘365s’ have been replaced at Govia Thameslink Railway by Class 700s. First to move to Knorr-Bremse Rail Services Springburn for modifications and re-livery into Scotland’s Railways colours was 365523, which arrived by road from Ilford on April 22, followed by 365517 on April 29. As this issue of RAIL went to press, 365513 was due to follow by road.
The trains need modifying because RAIL understands there were 154 gauging infringements on their new route. A 20mm suspension packer and revised passenger footsteps are needed.
There is no official date for the trains entering traffic (July has been mentioned by sources), nor the exact number to be leased, although ten has been suggested. They will enter traffic once an agreement with unions has been made and once sufficient crews are trained on the electric multiple units.
An internal memo signed by ScotRail Chief Operating Officer Angus Thom and seen by RAIL suggests the trains will be based at Eastfield and Millerhill depots, and will mainly run as eightcar formations. They will be maintained at Glasgow Shields Road.
A ScotRail spokesman told RAIL: “It’s no secret that the delivery of the Class 385 fleet is behind schedule, and that we are working to secure Class 365 trains as a contingency measure.
“We are working to support Hitachi in resolving the windscreen issue. Once that is resolved, including the completion of testing and approval by the Office of Rail and Road, we will get the trains into passenger service.”
This month’s planned High Speed Train introduction has also been delayed, as the first Mk 3 coaches are behind schedule at Wabtec Rail’s Doncaster Works.
The ScotRail spokesman told RAIL: “Wabtec has fallen behind with its production schedule. Wabtec has assured us we will be able get these trains into service for our customers as soon as possible over the summer.”
Twenty-six HSTs will be used by SR on its seven cities routes, with the Class 43 power cars and Mk 3s cascaded from Great Western Railway. Overhauled and modified ‘43s’ are being used for driver training in Scotland, although no sliding-door Mk 3s for SR have been released yet.