Inter7city HST! Edinburgh to Aberdeen Scotrail inter7city first class trip report

[@fatwalletboy2]

When they designed the Mk3 they got it just right. A great place to sit. The refurb looks very nicely done. Good to see the 125s get a new lease of life. Wish I could afford to get up there for a run out on one. Went to Scotland so many times as a kid.

[@HarryParkin]

You need to try this when you can. I did this route on the inter7city in first class last year, it cost just under £30, including the first upgrade, which for a 2 hour 40 minute journey isn't bad, and I'd say it was probably the best train journey I've been on. The scenery is amazing too, everything about it was just perfect. Highly recommend it!

[@Aidankiwi]

The only thing i didn't like about the Mk 3s was the way not all the seating bays lined up with the windows. If you were near the middle of the coach you got a wide window pillar obstructing the view. They were very comfortable though I do grant you that.

[@SteamboatWilley]

It's great that Scotrail have brought in the HSTs, but they could do to make them 6 coaches instead of 4 and put on a full meal service.

[@DaveSuperThomas]

Fifteen years ago I travelled with ScotRail in a lovely new Class 170 Turbostar all the way from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. I paid £1.50 for the Weekend First upgrade and had the twelve-seat First Class compartment at the front of the train (with its wide, reclining seats and window curtains) all to myself, whilst the Standard accommodation was packed to bursting point. The refreshment trolley came found three times so I had plenty of complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water. When I needed to use the toilet in Standard Class I mentioned to several passengers, standing in the vestibules and aisles, that they could upgrade to First Class, and get a comfortable seat, for just £1:50. None did.

[@campia901]

I don't think they would fit into Queen St then. I see them on my commute and its tight as it is.

[@jakegtr]

Some are to be upgraded to 5 afaik

[@keith6054]

@@campia901 loads of room at queen st for a 5 car + 2 power cars hst.

[@Martindyna]

@@DaveSuperThomas That fits with the English view that Scots are tight with their money then !! I remember going to Edinburgh for the first time years ago and boarding a north bound train that consisted of a single carriage Super Sprinter that was absolutely packed and thinking the same. I'm only joking, I don't myself think that Scot's are `careful' with their money any more than the next man.

[@Martindyna]

Thanks for the excellent video. Inter7City HST may not be the most economical solution (two large V16 Diesel engines to propel 4 or 5 carriages) but they provide a great railway experience. Also, by spreading all that power over 2 power cars means no wheelslip problems I imagine and, since they are understressed, hopefully they'll last many more years. I guess they could use one of the guards vans in a power car for passenger accomodation since the speed is limited to 100 mph? Would be noisey though!

[@mitchellhurd8958]

My first trip to Scotland (in this case Edinburgh) next year I plan to do. My aim is to arrive into Edinburgh by a XC HST as my first trip on a train was possibly on one nearly 25 years ago from Oxford heading towards Blackpool North. 2 days after arriving at Edinburgh, I aim make my first trip north of Edinburgh (to Aberdeen) on one of the Scotrail HST's. First Class I'd love to do if my money allows it. If not, Standard looks superb from the pictures I've seen. On Twitter earlier, Scotrail were brilliant (after I commented on the First Class interiors when they tweeted a picture) and recommended sitting on the coastal view side even if my booked seat is on the opposite side. With First Class if I book seat in there, the interior colours and seating quality etc would make me appreciate whichever side my booked window seat is. Great video (I'll watch it properly later) :-) 👍!

[@jasoncraze6790]

Those ex GWR first class seats in 1st are fantastic , it’s good to see them still in use .

[@michaell1751]

Super video, great to see the HST having an extended life up there in Scotland, travelled on one from Waverley to Dundee back in July hope they will last for many more years yet,

[@DaveSuperThomas]

Given the high power-to-weight ratio of a short-formed HST it surprised me that this one dropped five minutes between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Unless it was delayed by yet another late-running Caledonian Sleeper train!

[@nickedwards2904]

@@DaveSuperThomas i dont think it is down to lack of power do u? 5 mins on a journey of 2hr18 i would say is fine.

[@tigertiger1699]

Really great vid and explanation... cheers, make booking a train on the other-side of the planet a lot easier👍

[@JoshMC.travels]

Tiger Tiger thank you I’m glad this video helps

[@brianwilder5878]

Nice video, recently took a return to Edinburgh from Montrose on a Azuma,Not Impressed by this train,will take aHST next time

[@JoshMC.travels]

Brian Wilder Thank you. I travel up this route a lot and both trains I have found have their pro’s and con’s

[@mragrayson]

Scotrail bought the recently refurbished GWR HST trains they pulled from service, and then branded them Scotrail, Scotrial didn't do the interior refurbishment though that was GWR when they owned them :)

[@DoctorFish10]

They were refurbed by Wabtec - you are thinking of the sets SR used while the refurb was ongoing.

[@mragrayson]

@@DoctorFish10 Ahh makes sense, saw a lot of them on my travels up to Scotland the shiny green sets so thought they'd just refurbed them.

[@DoctorFish10]

@@mragrayson They are all gone from use now - there are still a half dozen or so in the old First livery stabled in Dundee; don't think they've moved for months.

[@amtrakharry]

I will take these trains any day over that new stuff and I'm from Canada!!! Thank you for sharing !!! :):):)

[@JoshMC.travels]

No problem. Will be traveling soon with LNER from Edinburgh to Aberdeen onboard their new Azuma train so there will be a video you can see and use for a comparison. This is subject to the lockdown of the UK being lifted

[@amtrakharry]

@@JoshMC.travels Looking forward . Thank you...

[@traintastictrains3632]

Very iconic train. Great vid. Glad they were saved from the scrap.

[@andrewdales8136]

Semi fore signal had a bit of a giffle at that. Great video BTW.

[@neilcoram3495]

Enjoyed your video only 2 spelling mistakes. Did the journey myself in 2016 from kings cross to Aberdeen in virgin H.S.T standard class Aberdeen bound and first class London bound a great journey thats for sure.

[@karlosbricks2413]

And to think A4s once pounded along on the same route!

[@D.music85]

Beautiful trains, always had the chance to go on a inter7city but it turned out it was just a turbostar so I say put a special marking in the timetables to mark that it’s a hst

[@JoshMC.travels]

HST are best there are groups on Facebook that put the HST allocations up every day so that if you want to travel on them it helps you know what one is a HST

[@duncansmith44]

The signal at Stonehaven is "semaphore", as in the communication code.

[@jimtuite3451]

excellent video, soundtrack, captions (few typos but hey...) - I'm subscribed!

[@youtubeviewer7030]

Australia has its own HST called the XPT

[@manusmacgearailt667]

That only does a 100mph and at least from a trains documentary I watched it seems they don't maintain the tracks properly either, allowing mud holes to develop under the sleepers, causing the trains to bounce violently.

[@youtubeviewer7030]

@@manusmacgearailt667 yes even if they have concrete sleepers

[@pxsrrail2558]

@@manusmacgearailt667 to be fair the short set hsts like this one are limited to 100mph as well

[@Martindyna]

@@pxsrrail2558 XPT is not limited to 160 km/h (99.4 mph) as such but has a reduced design speed of 160 km/h due to the power cars' traction motors being lower geared to handle the larger gradients in Australia. Sorry to be pedantic.

[@dancarey285]

First class looks so lovely. Not a patch on the horrid new trains

[@DaveSuperThomas]

It's what ScotRail inherited from First Great Western! Only 32 seats in First Class to make room for the complimentary goodies display!

[@nickedwards2904]

in terms of comfort we have gone backwards in this country i feel. The HST being the pinnacle of smooth comfortable coaches. No new train comes close which is a pretty damning statement i know but dont know anyone that disagrees.

[@MarioStahl1983]

Looks like the train operates quite slowly on much of the route. They really should consider track realignment and electrification there.

[@mitchellhurd8958]

The XC HST I'd join at Birmingham New Street after catching a Voyager from Oxford.

[@ajaj4551]

Finally a great scotrail hst trip report!

[@DaveSuperThomas]

Just a pity that the "Tour of the train" as it was pulling into Aberdeen Station was so brief that we didn't get a proper look at the layout in Standard Class!

[@matthew.trains4841]

Nice one Josh!

[@fergusbruce7111]

What camera (and settings) did you use for this video? The quality and stabilisation looks good!

[@daisytaylor4745]

8:14

[@ejc7129]

Great video and review, apart from the unnecessary and irritating music 🤨👍🏽

[@nlo114]

I'd love to do that trip. Do they have a quiet coach where they don't keep turning that crap music on and off?

[@michaelnunnery6394]

HSTs Live On north of the border. Show a Scotsman a bargain you don’t need to show him twice.

[@iancampbell6925]

Hows the standard seating?

[@aaronarshad3687]

When is their first 5 car set ready to enter service?

[@trainspottingscotland5182]

When all the coaches are refurbished

[@Great_WesternTVFan]

Meanwhile, in Scotland, the HSTS are moved to live in Scotland

[@cliffsofmoher4220]

Dose the train stop at Edinburgh airport or hos do I get a train to Aberdeen airport the airport or is there any bus

[@scotty241991]

ABZ-> Train to dyce then bus, or direct bus from city centre. EDI -> Tram from haymarket/waverly or bus.

[@le0318]

What trains did this route before the hst's

[@TheFlatCapFromWN5]

Class 158s and Class 170s, I believe.

[@Aidankiwi]

A brief synopsis...of Glasgow-Aberdeen from 1960 onwards. Steam locos were common in 1960-62 gradually being phased out over the next 2 years. The ill fated NB Class 21/29 featured from 1961 until mass withdrawals of the class began in 1967, from 1968 they were rarely seen on Aberdeeen services. The mid 60s saw the first regular peration of Class 40s soon followed by Class 47s though these only operated rarely to begin with. Sometimes pairs of Class 24s and 26s would be used in that period also. Into the 1970s and Class 40 & 47 haulage dominated, the former being phased out in the early 1980s, but the 47s lasted well into the 1990s including the push-pull Class 47/7 & Mk 2d DBSO combination which served the route until the introduction of the Class 158s.

[@aaronarshad3687]

Should have called the HST "Express" the class 385 don't really look express like

[@Ed_Gilbert]

10:00 what is the name of this music?

[@D.music85]

Don’t know but it sounds good

[@D.music85]

I’ve been there!!!!

[@joeymandrews]

Chill Day by LAKEY INSPIRED

[@icextransport8490]

What are they like to ride on the Scotrail HSTS?

[@JoshMC.travels]

ICEX Buses and Trains very comfortable

[@chancergordy]

102mph on some stretches. The speed is very misleading, it doesn't feel that fast.

[@bigblackberry2392]

What is the music in the intro?

[@joeymandrews]

Happy Life by Fredji

[@Mrtestdrivex]

Did you travel on the 30th March?

[@JoshMC.travels]

Mathieu Docherty yes

[@DeanPark]

One question, the GWR green MK3 at Haymarket depot...are Scotrail getting those? or are they just up on loan?

[@skytrains135]

They are just getting serviced but they are in passenger service and will be refurbished

[@skytrains135]

And this is jack

[@ghazanfarnumberdar2860]

I been 2004 in aberdeen

[@Great_WesternTVFan]

Farewell to the GWR hsts Meanwhile in Scotland:

[@TheHairybaz]

yep hand me down shite! those grey seats looked manky as fuck!

[@michaelgrey7854]

Semaphore. :)

[@DeanPark]

Loved those shots! Thanks. A Scotrail HST.....lovely! I cant wait to have one of these trains running on my model railway layout. Check it out and sub and comment? I have subbed to your channel and cant wait to see more Scotrail HST! Cheers. Dave

[@joeymandrews]

Semi Fore? What's a semi fore? Oh, wait a second, if I just dive into my metaphorical filing cabinet of railway knowledge, dig out the file about railway signalling... Oh yes, here it is... "Semaphore", of course 😏 If "semi fore" was converted into simple English, it would mean "half front".

[@jimcrawford5039]

Semi Fore? The word Is Semiphore.

[@Aidankiwi]

Generally good and informative video but oh dear you need to work on your spelling/grammar, plus one factual error. In the description it should be 'central belt of Scotland' not "off", and Aberdeen is 'located in the North-East' not "locates in the north east". In the captions...at 5.50 the caption should read 'welcome addition' not "welcomed edition". At 6.03 the station is Leuchars not Leuchers. 6.42 countryside is all one word. 7.20 should be 'of the city' not "off". 9.00 "Semi Fore" Really? The word you are looking for is semaphore. 9.36 Again it should be 'tour of the train' not "off". 8.23 The line doesn't follow the coast all the way from Arbroath to Aberdeen, there is a lengthy stretch between, Montrose and Stonehaven where it heads inland passing through Laurencekirk and Drumlithie both of which are around 10 miles from the coast. Some may say I'm being picky, but for me it really takes the polish off this presentation. For a railway orientated channel to get semaphore so badly wrong is pretty much inexcusable.

[@Aidankiwi]

@Joe Blogs Sadly all too true.

[@tsguyoldchannel2691]

doze yung pepl dnt knw how to spell zomg!!!!

[@milesthemelonator]

And how do you know that he's not dyslexic or struggles with spelling? Yes there were a lot of mistakes but the meaning was always clear. And I don't agree with that comment about young people not being able to spell. I often see spelling mistakes from 40-something year olds online

[@Aidankiwi]

Miles Peterson The pattern of spelling errors was not consistent with dyslexia.

[@D.music85]

Aidankiwi give him a break he’s only trying to make a good review that you can watch!