The RAGES Rag APRIL 2015, Issue 64 The newsletter of the Rail Action Group, East of Scotland, bringing members up-to-date with progress on improvements to local rail services. (left : East Coast Virgin Class 225 train passing Burnmouth, showing new livery. Photograph: B. Forrest) Follow us on Twitter @RailActionGrpES www.facebook.com/RailActionGroup RAGES Meeting with Abellio MEETING WITH ABELLIO As agreed in the ScotRail and East GENERAL Coast franchises, Abellio will take RAGES invited Abellio to discuss The new name for the Abellio over the running of Dunbar the new franchise with regard to ScotRail franchise will be ScotRail, Station from late June 2015. This our area which is due to start on 1 st i.e. without Abellio in front as was was a priced option during the April. Mike Kean, UK Rail Business the case with First. Instead there franchise bid which Abellio priced Development Director (Bid Director would be signs at stations and on and Transport Scotland has for ScotRail) and John Shannon train doors showing "Operated by accepted. We are assured that the (Lead Timetabler) attended a Abellio ". (continued on p2 ) meeting of the committee recently. INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. RAGES Meeting with Abellio 2. ‘All Change’ - Franchise Change Details 3. East Linton Station Site Map Correction 4. ‘Meeting the Manager’ – Jonny Holdcroft, Stakeholder Communications Manager, East Coast Trains 5. Edinburgh-Newcraighall Service Improvements 6. Dunbar Station Audit by The ELCRP 7. Letter from Claire Perry (Under Secretary of State, Department for Transport) 8. Clifford Campbell Retirement 9. Meeting with Transport Scotland Page 1 of 8 (continued from p1 ) only d ifference will be the and 22:33 arrivi ng at Berwick These are yet to be decided, but it change of uniform. around 57 minutes was pointed out that there were The current CrossCountry later. Departures from Berwick will no off-peak fares on the Dunbar service from Dunbar to be at 07:41, 09:47, 11:50, 13:47, route. The current Club 55 tickets Edinburgh leaving at 07:00 will 15:47, 17:48, 19:47, 21:47, 23:44 would be re-named and to start be carried out by ScotRail with a arriving at Edinburgh some 58 for passengers of 50 years and timing such that the passengers minutes later. Note that there will above. can connect with the be the Dunbar to Waverley service CAR PARK AND CYCLES CrossCountry service to Glasgow around 07:00. Abellio were committed to which will now start at On Sundays, there will be a three- providing 1000 extra car park Edinburgh. hourly service from Edinburgh at spaces in Scotland, although none 08:36,11:36, 14:36, 17:36 and 20:36 of these is in our area. The PRICED OPTION with return services at 09:47, 12:47, meeting noted that several The local service to Berwick was 15:47, 18:47 and 21:51. stations in our area were full also priced by Abellio and Timings between Edinburgh and early in the day and passengers accepted by Transport Dunbar will be around 35 minutes were parking on the roads outside Scotland. Extension of this with stops at all stations. of the stations. service to Newcastle was not Achievement of these relatively Abellio 's cycle on-train strategy accepted. fast timings is due the intention of is still to be two reserved spaces There was some disappointment using the new Hitachi class trains per train. However, their round the table when Mike (currently known as 3nn until a approach is to provide more cycle announced that the local service number has been chosen) which spaces at stations where could not start until the will serve the main Glasgow- passengers arrive for a train and December 2018 timetable, due to Edinburgh line (known as EGIP ). cycle hire at the end of their lack of stock. This prompted the As expected the announcement of journey. To that end, Abellio has production of the letter from the "delay" in the local service to supply 3500 extra cycle spaces Keith Brown MSP, the previous until December 2018 generated at stations: Drem increased from incumbent of Minister for much discussion. 10 to 22; Dunbar from 12 to 62; Transport, to the RAGES According to the ScotRail and North Berwick from 18 to 30. Chairman, where he said " ... I look Franchise - Franchise Agreement Bike & Go facilities are to be forward to being able to confirm between the Scottish Ministers and introduced at 10 of 25 identified funding for the stations, and to their Abellio ScotRail Ltd, the service stations including Waverley, construction, with services operating would require one additional EMU Haymarket, Edinburgh Park and from December 2016, that being the diagram to accomplish the two- Dunbar. earliest realistic date. " hourly service and that the The difficulty at Dunbar for Abellio confirmed that the last date for exercising the priced passengers wishing to transport service could include stops at all option on order to maintain the surf boards on trains was stations on the line between price detailed in that document is highlighted. Edinburgh and Berwick including 1st December 2018. East Linton and Reston when Mike confirmed that if Transport TRAIN OVERCROWDING built. We had our first look at the Scotland is so minded to finance The current 17:14 hrs train from proposed timetable which does this priced option earlier plus the Edinburgh to North Berwick is match the Transport Minister's funding of extra stock, Abellio usually overcrowded and promise of a two hourly service. would respond favourably. sometimes leaves passengers On weekdays, trains will leave behind. It was noted that this FARES Edinburgh at 06:31, 08:36, 10:33, is a 3-car 380. Given that RAGES 12:33, 14:35, 16:34, 18:34, 20:22 (continued on p3 ) Page 2 of 8 (Meeting with Abellio - conclud ed from p2) ‘All Change’ – Franchise Change Details has only recently be en notified of this by members, Mike and John thought it was due to re- Left : Driver David & diagramming of 380s in Guard Ruth alongside December when they were Scotrail train at Dunbar, introduced to additional Glasgow showing new livery services. (Photograph: B. Forrest) HADDINGTON It was brought to Abellio 's attention that one of RAGES aims which is being pursued is to have the branch to Haddington re- opened. It was pointed out the lack of success with the X7 some years ago to Newcraighall and last year's disappointing failure of the rail link to Wallyford. Mike noted that with another of their Right : Crosscountry train franchises, they operate buses at Berwick-upon-Tweed, from areas where there used to be showing new station sign stations to link with current (Photograph: B. Forrest) stations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT RAGES are indebted to Mike and for the East Coast Main L ine. Transfer John for agreeing to come to meet ALL CHANGE took place apparently seamlessly on 1st March. They operate under the RAGES when within three weeks name Virgin Trains East Coast and their franchise would be starting. This year has seen several changes gradually their trains will be re- to the rail franchises in Scotland. painted as shown in this excellent RAGES RESPONSE AFTER THE On 1st March, Virgin Trains East shot of a southbound train to Kings MEETING Coast took over the east coast main Our chairman has written to the Cross passing Burnmouth taken by line franchise, whilst the ScotRail Minister for Transport, copied to our Reston representative, Barrie one was split into two on 1st April: "our" four MSPs, outlining " ... our Forrest. the Sleeper service to Serco ; and grievance that Abellio informed us In one of their press releases, the the rest to Abellio . they will NOT start the service until management said: Dec 2018 as this is when the new "Our passengers are already set to benefit EAST COAST SERVICE electric units supplied by Hitachi will from hundreds of millions of pounds’ be delivered " and asking for a worth of infrastructure investment and meeting with him to As reported in the last issue of our service improvements over the next discuss this situation. newsletter, Inter City Railways , a decade. We now have a first rate team in consortium of Stagecoach and place and are ready to listen to our Virgin was awarded the franchise (continued on p4 ) Page 3 of 8 ‘All Change’ - Franchise Change Details continued from p3 ) Serco took this service over on On board, guests wi ll enjoy: customers as we deliver thousands of the night of 31st March. Their web extra seats, faster journeys, new trains, . En-suite berths for the First Class site gives an insight into their better value fares and investment in our guests vision: people. Improved Standard Class berths “An exciting new Caledonian Sleeper "Over £140 million will be invested in the . New pod flat-beds for affordable service now operates between London new franchise delivering major comfort and Scotland. The new Sleeper service improvements for customers. Stagecoach sees guests arrive at the heart of their . Cradle seats for Standard Class and Virgin have exciting plans to destination refreshed and ready to go. guests transform the on-train experience and Serco has been chosen by the Scottish deliver a more personalised service, with . Luxurious new Brasserie Club Car Government as the new operator, with at-seat food ordering from the buffet car . Films and TV available via free a vision for the Sleeper to be a and hot food available to passengers in WiFi modern, revitalised overnight travel Standard Class. Passengers will also and hospitality experience between Renowned Edinburgh-based designer benefit from new trains, an improved world famous destinations in Scotland Ian Smith is creating a contemporary timetable with faster journeys and better and London.