The ScotRail Alliance is advising those heading to the TRNSMT festival this weekend to make their travel plans now.
Music fans heading to see the likes of Radiohead, Kasabian and Biffy Clyro are warned that trains to and from Glasgow will be busier than normal all weekend, and those planning to attend are encouraged to travel early in the day where possible.
The ScotRail Alliance will be adding extra carriages to services through Bridgeton, and on key routes to and from Glasgow wherever possible all day on Saturday and Sunday. There will also be extra carriages on late evening services on Friday.
The last trains on many routes will depart before, or very shortly after, the event ends each night. Fans are urged to double-check the times of their last trains, and make alternative arrangements to get home if they plan on staying later.
With huge numbers expected to attend, queueing systems will be in place at key stations across the network and extra staff will be on hand to help things goes smoothly.
Top five tips
1. Buy your ticket before you board. You’ll need a valid ticket for travel, and checks will be in place at many stations.
2. Check your train times. Remember to leave time to catch any connecting services that you need.
3. Listen up! We’ll have extra staff on the ground to help things go smoothly. To help them help you, please listen to their instructions.
4. Download the ScotRail app. You can use it to buy tickets, check train times, and see live service information.
5. Don’t leave it too late – services will be busy, and you might not be able to board your first choice of train.
Communications director Rob Shorthouse said: “The new festival is an exciting event, and we will be doing everything we can to help make it a success.
“Thousands of people will be travelling to the event, so we will be adding extra carriages to services right across the central belt and the west of Scotland to try to make things a bit easier for people.
“But trains will be much busier than usual, so we encourage people to plan their journey in advance and make sure they have their ticket before boarding.”
The ScotRail Alliance is advising those heading to the Scottish Open at Dundonald Links, Irvine, from 12 – 16 July to make their travel plans now.
With big numbers expected to flock to the Ayrshire coast to see golf giants like Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson and Adam Scott, the ScotRail Alliance will be adding extra carriages to services. More seats will be available between Glasgow and Ayrshire on Friday night, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday.
Golf fans and locals alike are advised that trains to and from Irvine will be busier than normal over all four days of the competition, and those planning to attend are encouraged to head through early in the day where possible. A queueing system will be in place at Irvine and extra staff will be on hand to assist.
A free shuttle bus service to the course will depart frequently from outside the station.
Top five tips
1. Buy your ticket before you board. You’ll need a valid ticket for travel, and barriers may be in place.
2. Check your train times. Remember to leave time to catch any connecting services that you need.
3. Listen up! We’ll have extra staff on the ground to help things go smoothly. To help them help you, please listen to their instructions.
4. Download the ScotRail app. You can use it to buy tickets, check train times, and see live service information.
5. Don’t leave it too late – services will be busy, and you might not be able to board your first choice of train.
Communications director Rob Shorthouse said: “It’s great that the Scottish Open is being held for the first time at Dundonald Links, and we want to play our part in making it a success.
“We will be adding extra carriages to services to try to make things a bit easier for people travelling to and from Irvine.
“But trains will be busier than usual, so we encourage people to plan their journey in advance and make sure they have their ticket before boarding.”
The ScotRail Alliance today confirmed that extra services will be provided for Edinburgh spectators and runners on Sunday 28 May.
The extra trains are due to run between Edinburgh and Prestonpans from early afternoon onwards. All trains will serve Wallyford and Musselburgh stations, near to the finishing line.
ScotRail also advise that, due to platform extension works, a small number of services will start or terminate at Haymarket, rather than Edinburgh Waverley.
A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “Please allow extra time for travel, and buy your ticket in advance, not on the day. The last trains of the day are likely to be busy, so please aim for an earlier service to avoid disappointment.”
– Major infrastructure works underway across the network
– Journeys may be affected after the end of the evening peak period
– Customers advised to check dedicated webpage for info on their journey
The ScotRail Alliance is reminding customers to check before they travel as the next phase of the Scotland-wide rail upgrade programme gets under way this weekend.
From Sunday 21 May work will be carried out to improve the network in Central and Northern Scotland. On those routes affected by the work, there will be changes to journeys after the end of the evening peak period.
To help customers plan ahead, the ScotRail Alliance has summarised the key changes at different times of day between now and December on a dedicated webpage at scotrail.co.uk/improvements.
Journey times will be longer and customers can expect to see queuing systems in operation at key stations.
As well as increasing the overall reliability of the rail network, the improvement work takes the next step towards introduction of new faster, longer, greener trains for Scotland – meaning more seats and shorter journey times.
Jacqueline Taggart, ScotRail Alliance Customer Experience Director said: “No one likes having their journey changed. However, this short term disruption will lead to a more reliable, better rail network that will rank amongst the very best.
“We are going through a massive period of change on Scotland’s railway. The work that we are carrying out over the next few months will bring about a revolution in rail – with more and better trains, more services and more seats than ever before.
“However, while we transform the railway, there is inevitably going to be some impact on people’s services. We are doing everything we can to minimise this, and to keep people moving.”
– Over 300 new cameras installed
– 76 more stations now covered by cameras
Over 300 new CCTV cameras have been installed across the ScotRail Alliance’s network of 359 stations to improve security for customers and staff.
The work has been undertaken as part of a commitment to improve station facilities across the country. Customers with bikes will be one of the biggest groups to benefit, as additional cameras have been placed at 200 stations to monitor cycle parking areas.
Cameras and monitors have been placed at the entrances to 30 of the network’s busiest stations, as part of a move to highlight the presence of CCTV on trains and stations.
A total of 76 stations previously not covered by CCTV have seen it installed since the start of the present ScotRail franchise in April 2015. The ScotRail Alliance remotely monitors CCTV footage from their two customer service centres in Paisley and Dunfermline, where they also answer calls from station help points.
David Lister, the ScotRail Alliance’s safety and sustainability director, said: “Train travel is safe but that doesn’t mean we take our customers’ safety for granted. With the installation of these additional cameras, we’re sending a clear message that we do not tolerate crime on the railway.
“Footage from our cameras has previously been used by the police to investigate crime, and also to secure prosecutions in court.”
Chief Superintendent John McBride, from British Transport Police, said: “The rollout of these new CCTV cameras by ScotRail Alliance is great news as undoubtedly it will help us further deter and disrupt criminal activity.
“Likewise, this is also great news for staff and railway users, particularly bike users. Thanks to these additional cameras, staff and officers will be able to remotely monitor bike shelters and quickly report suspicious behaviour to police.
“Our priority is the safety of the travelling public, and we will continue to work closely with ScotRail Alliance to achieve this day in, day out. Of course, the public are also the eyes and ears of the network and can report crime and concerns to BTP discreetly by sending a text to 61016.”
The ScotRail Alliance is advising fans heading to the match at Celtic Park on Sunday 21 May to leave extra time for their journeys, as services through Bellgrove, Bridgeton and Dalmarnock stations are expected to be exceptionally busy.
Customers on the Newton and Hamilton lines should be aware that essential track replacement works will be taking place. As a result, buses will replace trains between Bridgeton and Motherwell via Hamilton, and also between Bridgeton and Newton. In addition, services between Milngavie and Motherwell will be diverted via Whifflet. Customers travelling via Glasgow Central Low Level to Dalmarnock will not be affected.
Fans travelling from the east are reminded that direct services to the stadium are available from Edinburgh, by catching a train towards Helensburgh Central and alighting at Bellgrove.
A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “Extra staff will be on hand to assist, please follow their instructions to make your journey to the game as smooth as possible. Please buy your tickets in advance, not on the day, as this will help reduce your need to queue.”
The ScotRail Alliance is urging customers on the Aberdeen to Inverness route to check their journey times before they travel, as train times will be altered over the bank holiday weekend.
Buses replace trains between Inverness and Keith on 27 – 29 May to allow for engineering works to take place. Customers are being encouraged to plan ahead and check their journey plans on the ScotRail app or at scotrail.co.uk.
A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “We appreciate our customers’ patience during these essential works.”
• Expected lifespan increase of up to 25% for wheel bearings
• Algorithms monitor and calculate wear on bearings and railhead
• Class 334 fleet will all be fitted with sensors in 2017
Improving reliability and reducing time spent in maintenance depots for the ScotRail Alliance’s Class 334 fleet will be achieved with the fitting of wireless sensors to monitor wheels and wheel bearing condition.
Maintenance regulations require the Class 334 electric trains to have all wheel bearings replaced on hard time maintenance schedules every 600,000 miles whether they need the new parts or not. This means time out of service and sometimes unnecessary maintenance. The addition of this UK-developed system allows the continual monitoring of wheels, bearings and the track and should deliver a 25% increase in bearing lifespans, due to timely fault identification and monitoring.
Perpetuum wireless sensors use a patented ‘energy-harvester’ to provide readings to a centralised data concentrator. This information gives a real-time analysis of the wheel-rail interface showing if there’s bearing/wheel wear or some damage to the track that could impact on overall safety.
There are already over 10,000 of these sensors deployed by rail operators in England, the USA and Australia – with over 1.5 billion miles of ‘service experience’ to learn from – but the ScotRail fleet represents the first time Perpetuum has been used in Scotland.
Similar technology is already used in aviation for passenger aircraft where maintenance is ‘condition-based’ but its value in managing train fleets’ reliability and repairs is now becoming apparent.
The sensors are mounted onto the wheel bearing cover, where they capture data and transmit to a data concentrator. Algorithms calculate differences in the interface and this alerts the fleet manager when the train is ready for maintenance or of a potential fault developing.
Track officials can also see information which pinpoints changes in condition of the track, allowing prompt repair and subsequently lessening damage to the train wheels.
Three Class 334 trains were used in the Perpetuum pilot on the Scottish rail network, with the whole fleet scheduled for fitting in 2017. This is in addition to wifi equipment, which is now live across the 40-strong fleet and free to use for customers.
The ScotRail Alliance’s fleet director Angus Thom said: “Keeping our trains out on the tracks, delivering a safe and efficient rail service is essential to our operation. This technology helps our maintenance teams make informed and timely decisions around monitoring repairs and potential problems, so keeping our 334 fleet in optimal operating condition.”
Perpetuum’s chief executive Dr Steve Turley said: “If fleet managers know what condition a train is in they don’t spend time and budget putting it through an unnecessary upkeep and repair programme. ‘Condition-based’ maintenance means that trains spend more time on the track and improved customer service.”
For further information please contact ScotRail Alliance Comms on 0141 555 4105/4247 or email communications@scotrail.co.uk
Pictured above: A ScotRail class 334 train arrives at Bathgate station. (Please credit to the ScotRail Alliance).
ScotRail reaffirmed its commitment to making the railway accessible for all by recently helping deliver a training course at Milngavie station.
Students from Glasgow Caledonian University’s Graduate Diploma in Low Vision Rehabilitation put themselves in the shoes of someone who is visually impaired during the course, which took place on Wednesday 19 April 2017.
As part of an exercise to understand what a person with sight problems would experience, the students practised stepping on and off a train while visually impaired themselves.
By taking part, students were provided with the knowledge and experience to not only teach a visually impaired person the route to the railway station using a long-cane, but have the skills to familiarise the person with the main features of the station and train itself.
John Wilson, Community Liaison Executive for the ScotRail Alliance, said: “We’re committed to making the railway accessible for all and want to help build confidence in as many people as possible when using our services.
“Events like this are one way that we are supporting customers with visual impairment or restricted mobility.
“Over the past year our hard working staff have carried out 78,000 pre-booked passenger assists – making sure that people who need a bit of help to travel receive it.”
Alistair Smith, Lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “Visually impaired travellers can be apprehensive about using public transport – particularly when boarding and alighting trains.
“It is a Rehabilitation Workers job to develop their mobility skills so that they can use public transport independently and with confidence.
“This session allowed the students to develop their teaching skills so they are able to teach long-cane users to travel independently.”
The ScotRail Alliance is advising customers that services in the central belt on 12 and 13 May are expected to be very busy due to a number of special events taking place.
Friday 12 May
• Take That, SSE Hydro
• European rugby Challenge Cup final, BT Murrayfield
Saturday 13 May
• Take That, SSE Hydro
• European rugby Champions Cup final, BT Murrayfield
Services during the evening rush on Friday towards both Edinburgh and Glasgow will be much busier than normal. Fans are being encouraged to consider earlier trains to Edinburgh and Glasgow, or consider alternative routes via Bathgate, Shotts or Carstairs.
On Saturday 13 May, services towards Edinburgh and Glasgow are expected to get busier as the day progresses. Extra carriages will be added to trains all day on the Edinburgh – Falkirk High – Glasgow route, as well as on key services between Helensburgh, Milngavie and Edinburgh, and select services linking Glenrothes, Edinburgh, and Tweedbank.
Queuing systems will be in place on both days at Exhibition Centre and Haymarket. As with most special event trains, alcohol bans will be in place.
For service information, customers can use the ScotRail app or head to scotrail.co.uk
A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “There’s no doubt that trains are going to be very busy this Friday and Saturday. Please plan your journeys in advance, and consider taking an alternative route where possible to avoid the crowds.
“Please follow the instructions of staff to ensure that things go smoothly.”
