Passenger Services

• Club 55 is back- 21 Jan- 31 March.  It's valid on all FSR services in Scotland  after 0915 and not on some evening peak services from Glasgow  and Edinburgh and cost £15 (£19 First Class- Senior Railcard holders get an additional £2 off these fares). (15/01/08)

• National Express commenced East Coast operations on 09 December, replacing  Sea Containers' GNER services.  (10.12.07)

•  The National Rail Timetable commencing 09 Dec 2007 is available on the Network Rail website. Be warned, it's 59MB! (16.11.07)

• The final refurbished Class 156 has arrived in Scotland from Derby, completing the £2.7m programme of improvements. (16.11.07) 

• Events Manager Theresa Gault picked up the Employee of the Year award at the Scottish Transport Awards recently, while Fort William driver John Hynd was named Driver of the Year at  the Railstaff Awards. (14.11.07)

• Crianlarich Tea Room has won a Community Rail Award for the best Station Buffet. (08.11.07)

• Ticket vending machines at Inverness and Glasgow Queen St now sell tickets with Highland Railcard discounts. (25.10.07)

• Buy anything in Sainsbury's and get a voucher for a £15 flat fare to anywhere in Scotland, plus one child free! Available in store to 7 November. Travel 17.10.07 to 31.01.8 exluding 19.12.07-10.01.08.  Visit www.firstscotrail.com for more details.  (25.10.07)

• Fort William Station is already looking better. (11.09.07)

• Spean Bridge has won HRP's Most Improved Staton Award. (11.09.07)

• Invergordon Station murals are underway, complementing the impressive flower beds. Princess Anne saw the progress on 04.09.07. Railway staff will have to remember that some of the passengers who may be waiting are only 2 dimensional, even though they appear to be smoking under the canopy. (04.09.07)

• FSR MD Mary Dickson said at the FOFNL AGM that CET is being actively considered for 158s, with NR's Richard Lungmuss offering funds. FOFNL were instrumental in raising the issue across the nation. (16.07.07)

• The first refurbished 158, No 701 has returned from Springburn after reseating, new toilets, carpets, lighting. It also includes power points for First Class and a fully compliant wheelchair space, 2 extra cycles spaces amd priority seating.  The cost is £9.1m, funded by Transport Scotland and covers the 24 Inverness based sets.(04.07.07)

• GNER has picked up the title of best long distance operator for cyclists, beating Swiss Railways and DB. (06.06.07)

• Spean Bridge station improvements continue with  easier access to the Fort Augustus platform - see below! (24.05.07)

• Club 55 is back on 1 May-30 June for those over 55.  This year Club Premier is not available Inverness-Glasgow/Edinburgh, Tickets are not valid  before 0915 and between 1630-1800 except on Oban, Ft William, Mallaig, Wick, Thurso and Kyle.

• GNER Chief Jonathan Metcalfe has announced that GNER Holdings has taken a minority share in the Virgin-Stagecoach East Coast bid company. (16.04.07)

• First ScotRail's performance rose  from 79.2% of trains arriving on time in 2005-6 Q3 to 84.6% in 2996-7 Q3, with the Moving Annual Average increasing from 87.6 to 89.0. Q3 is October-December, notorious for leaf fall.  Subsidy per passenger kilometre fell from 5.8p in 04-05 to 5.1p in 05-06. (05.04.07)

• GNER's first HST refurbished to Mallard standard was flagged off in Aberdeen on 16 March, by Archie Brown, formerly the BR Aberdeen Area Manager who flagged off the first HST from the Granite City almost exactly 25 years ago. (16.03.07)

• ScotRail discounted fares (ie cheap day returns, railcards fares etc)will no longer be available on the train from a station with a booking office/ticket machine. Only full price singles/returns  will be available. Unmanned stations continue as before. (10.01.07)

• Tavish Scott has announced  a £20m fund to refurbish trains and improve stations. Fort William is to benefit from a £700k upgrade to improve facilities, with HITRANS contributing 25%. Highland 158s get a £9m refurb: new seating, lighting, extra luggage and cycle space (to 4), refurbed toilets and vestibules; HITRANS contributing £30k to the cycle accommodation.  156s on the West Highland (and elsewhere) get new seating, lights, table tops, carpeting and a wheelchair space.  Oban, Aviemore, Fort William, Keith, Elgin, Nairn, Forres and Pitlochry get CCTV/CIS, Perth  gets a car park expansion plus Ticket Vending Machine, while island platform stations on the West Highland will have mirrors installed in the underpass. For full details see the  Transport Scotland website.  (19.12.06)

• GNER has signed a 15 month deal with DfT which sees it running the East Coast route as a management contract while a new franchise is drawn up for an April 2008 start. (15.1206)

• MSP Jamie Stone boarded the new 0813 Wick-Inverness service on its inaugural, skip-stop run to Inverness. He was welcomed by Quality Service Director Natalie Loughborough, who announced 29% growth between Inverness and Lairg since the inception of Invernet. The new journey time is 3h31 from Thurso, 4h from Wick. The new service ran over the reopened Georgemas-Wick section, closed since the October floods.(13.12.06)

• Troubled GNER has insisted it is still afloat despite SeaCo filing for protection. (25.10.06)

• The following changes apply across the HRP area at Christmas/New Year: Suns 24,31 Dec- reduced service after 2100; 25,26 Dec and 1 Jan- no services; 27-29 Dec- Sat service;  30 Dec- normal sat Service; 2 Jan- reduced Sun service from 1000. (25.10.06)

• First ScotRail last night picked up Operator of the year at the National Cycle Awards for its commitment to cycling shown in increasing cycle capacity to 8 on the North Berwick 322s. (25.10.06)

• First ScotRail have announced revenue uplift of 9% to £183m in the year to 31 March, with pre tax profits at £11.9m. (24.10.06)

• Driver John Hynd of Fort William was joint winner of the Outstanding Voluntary Contribution award at Friday's Community Rail Award event, sponsored by Jarvis. (26.09.06)

• The Mallaig line is closed 22/10-5/11 for engineering work- buses replace trains. (26.09.06)

• HRP and HITRANS are to fund studies into proposed timetable recasts for the North Highland and West Highland Lines for the Dec 08 timetable change. (26.09.06)

• The 0635 Lairg extension of the Tain Commuter service is to continue in the Dec 06 timetable, with a funding package of £17k from HITRANS, HRP and Highland Council. On 22.09.06 10 passengers from Lairg through to Ardgay were carried. (26.09.06) 

• The Arrochar commuter introduced in Dec 06 with support from HRP continues in the next timetable but without financial help as its proved its worth. (11.09.06)

• Fort William driver John Hynd was the runner up in the National Rail Awards Employee of the Year category. (11.09.06)

• It appears that Royal Mail failed to tender for its Postbus contracts out of Lairg. There will now be a new provider from 01.01.07. (06.09.06)

• New fares come in on First ScotRail from 10 September.  For further information follow the link FARES. (18/08/06)

• GNER Chief Executive Chris Garnett is to step down after 10 years on the footplate. (26.07.06)

• First ScotRail has been chosen Public Transport Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards, in recognition of its dramatic improvement in punctuality, reliability and customer satisfaction. (21.07.06)

• GNER looks set to be awarded the six extra paths each way London-leeds following a re-examination of capacity by Network Rail on the ECML. (21.07.06)

• The Office of Rail Regulation is consulting on rolling stock provision, following concern about the ROSCOs' market position. See ORR website. (04.07.06)

• The Wick cycle van started on Monday 12 June with a road van shadowing the morning and middle departures from Wick, and the middle and evening departures from Inverness. For more info see the First ScotRail press release. (12.06.06)

• Class 67s commenced sleeper operations to Fort William on 11.06.06- see pic on Railscot site (12.06.06)

• EWS is to paint Class 90s in First purple to complement the new sleeper coach livery. (05.06.06)

• First/DSB  have been shortlisted along with Arriva for the Oresund link trains franchise between Denmark and Sweden (05.06.06)

• From 2009 West Coast Mainline trains to Glasgow will have journey times cut to 4h15 (05.06.06)

• From 11 June the Fort William sleeper moves over to Class 67 timings, which are slower as the the heavier locos are speed restricted over certain structures.  (31.05.06)

• Passenger Information Systems (PIS) are to be installed on First ScotRail's 158 fleet at a cost of £1.5m. (29.05.06)

• Summer timetable changes from 12 June- 1747 Inverness-Wick becomes 1753 to connect with the 1523 off Aberdeen; the 1800 Kyle becomes 1815- jourmey time is shrunk by 2 minutes as the trains do not use Clunes  Intermediate signal, 0711 Glasgow -Inverness becomes 0708, 0648 Inverness-Edinburgh becomes 0645, 0924 Inverness-Glasgow becomes 0920, 1257 Tain-Inverness becomes 1302, 1527 Invergordon-Inverness becomes 1533, 1156 Sundays Wick-Inverness moves to 1146 until 24 Sept.  Additional summer Sunday  services to Oban, Fort Wiliam and Mallaig and Wick/Thurso continue until 24 Sept. The Fort William sleeper arrives 0952- Class 67 timings. (29.05.06)

• Glenfinnan Station hosts Steve Reich's 'Different Trains' as part of the Loch Shiel Spring music festival on 17 May.

• First ScotRail's Club 55 Offer,- £14 anywhere in Scotland (£18 First Class) is back 1 May to 30 June. After representation the barring of passengers using the offer in Inverness between 1600 and 1800 was lifted. (11.05.06)

• A trial 67 hauled sleeper arrived in Fort William on Saturday (3.4.06)

• Alastair Darling used the RAIL conference on 15 March to announce that HST2 would be ordered in 2007. (20.03.06)

• The  new 0813 Wick-Inverness which starts in December 2006 will skip smaller stops, and arrive in Inverness in exactly 4 hours (3h 30 from Thurso). HRP Press Release  (23.02.06)

• HRP is conducting Adopt a Station seminars, aimed at community involvement in station development. The first is on 15 March in Inverness. (23.02.06)

• New rail watchdog Passenger Focus has rated  First ScotRail as the UK's best train operator. (03.02.06)

• The new Kingussie Commuter service was cancelled on 02  and 03 Feb due to signalling problems (03.02.06)

• The Kyle line is closed from late Friday 17 -19 March west of Strathcarron with buses replacing trains. Check www.firstgroup.com/scotrail for details. (03.02.06)

• EWS has retained the contract for haulage of the  First ScotRail sleepers. (19.01.06)

•  The First cycle hoops installation programme at 178 stations has been completed with Invergowrie, Corrour and Roy Bridge the last to be done. (19.01.6)

• ATOC reports an increase in passenger numbers  of 2.5% to 1.07bn in 2005. (19.01.06)

• Invernet kicked off today with a brief ceremony at Inverness. the 0915 in new First livery was flagged off by Highland Councilor Convenor Alison Magee. In the west Cllr Duncan Macintyre gave the right away to the the Arrochar Commuter. Invernet provides additional services  from Lairg, Kingussie , Tain and Invergordon to Inverness, creating the Highlands first ever suburban rail service. (12.12.05)

• Invernet signs are starting to appear on platforms from Lairg to Kingussie (08.12.05)

• The new First ScotRail livery will appear for the first time on a 158 at the launch of  Invernet. (08.12.05)

• The Scottish Executive is planning to fund a fourth train from Wick to Inverness in Dec 2006 . Leaving at around 0815 it will ensure a good conection at Thurso with the first ferry ferry which arrives from Orkney at 0800. (21.11.05)

• From 12 December many of the Inverness-Edinburgh/Glasgow trains will be formed of ex Hull trains 170 units with fixed buffets and hot food. (21.11.05)

• Invernet will be launched on Mon 12 December with an event in Inverness; while Arrochar will be flagged off by Cllr Duncan MacIntyre (16.11.06)

• The Kyle line will be closed west of Strathcarron 17 Feb-20 March 2006 for engineering works. (16.11.05)

• The Far North line is reopened 16  November after  track renewals at County March.  except at Altnabreac, which is closed for Total cost is £2.5m for the 3 mile relay. (16.11.05)

• The Mallaig line was closed due to a bridge failing at Locheilside.  Scouring has been monitored for some time, but recently deterioration increased. the track was unaffected. (3.11.05)

• Club 55 is back, with tickets to anywhere in Scotland 1 Nov-11 Dec for those lucky enough to be 55+ just £14 (£18 Premier). It also includes GNER and Virgin internal Scottish journeys for the first time!  Book on the day of travel from staffed stations, on the train or from Telesales 08457 550033. There is a bar on using the ticket in the peak, including for the first time Inverness (24.10.05).

• 68.7m passengers were carried on ScotRail in 04/05, 10% up on last year. (26.09.05)

• When Invernet comes in on December 12, two new services are likely to be added: an early commuter run from Lairg, and one of the Tain terminators will now continue to Ardgay.

• Firstinfo's call centre at Fort William was opened by Tavish Scott on 4.10.05. It was  established with the aid of a £603k grant from the HIE network. (04.10.05)

• It seems likely that EWS will continue to supply sleeper traction, including Class 67s to Ft William, when the existing contract expires in December . (01.09.05)

• HITRANS shelters are being installed at Kildonan, Golspie and Achnasheen. (01.09.05)

• Tain station has received a facelift with CCTV, improved lighting, disabled access to the southbound platform, a new shelter, landscaping and a community noticeboard. The works were funded by HITRANS, First ScotRail, HRP, Tain Initiative and Network Rail. (01.08.05)

• Loco hauling has returned to Scotland. FM Rail is supplying two rakes of top'n'tailed 47s and Mark 2 coaches for additional First ScotRail services Edinburgh-Dundee for golf Open at St Andrews. (14.07.05)

• The SRA Yearbook states that journeys to the Highlands have increased 35% to 1.2m.

• GNER has announced that there will be no smoking permitted on its services from 29 August. First ScotRail will ban smoking in sleeper lounge cars before March 06.

• Transport Secretary Alastair Darling has predicted invitations to tender for HST2 in mid 2006.

• Train cleanliness on FSR has improved, says a passenger survey, but complaints are up, for the fourth quarter in a row.

• First ScotRail has announced an intention to run the Arrochar commuter- one of HRP's Hi-Five Rural Commuting projects- from 13 December, with financial support from HRP.  This means that history may well be repeated as the first new service in the old franchise was the Dingwall Commuter!
  

• First ScotRail have announced a new customer contact centre based in Fort William. 50 jobs will be created at the centre, run by FirstInfo which runs NRES, FWG and TPE centres. It will open in August.
  

• Highland strengthening- 0850 Glasgow QS-Oban is 4 car 30 May-23 September. 1743 Inverness-Wick is 4 car to Tain 27 June-24 September.

• First Group rail franchises have increased profits by 36% due to taking over the ScotRail network and more passengers using its other services.

• Far North journey times will be extended from 12 June in an attempt to overcome performance problems brought about by a combination of TPWS speed sensors, on train monitoring and recording (black boxes), increased calls at request stops, level crossing speed restrictions and  perhaps over-optimistic scheduling when 158s replaced 156s.

• First have followed their two year pay deal for drivers with an 8% over two years pay deal for conductors, ticket examiners, station, clerical and engineering staff. By 2007 all staff will be on a 35 hour week.
  

• Club 55 has returned. Over 55s can travel for £14 (£18 First Class) anywhere in Scotland from 1 April-30 June. All tickets must be purchased by 1800 the day before travel. Senor Railcard holders can get a further £2 off.
  

• Squire- Service Quality Inspection Regime- is now in place in central Scotland, with Oban and Perth to soon be included.  Strict guidelines have to be adhered to by the franchisee on cleanliness, graffiti, PA systems etc if fines are to be avoided..

• Cairngorm National Park signs are now installed at Badenoch and Strathspey stations.