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First Scotrail Information

ScotRail was the brand name under which British Rail and, following privatisation, National Express operated passenger rail services in Scotland and cross border services to Northern England and London. The franchise transferred from National Express to First Group, under the name First ScotRail, on 17 October 2004 after First Group outbid National Express in the first re-franchising round post privatisation. National Express operated the franchise for a total of seven years, from 1997 through to 2004. Scotrail operates the majority of Scottish routes.

First ScotRail was named UK Public Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards held in London in July 2006.

First Group have introduced their regional livery of pink, grey and purple and a new logo of a pink circle and an italicised "f" character. Legislation requiring train doors to be painted in a contrasting colour to the body for visually-impaired passengers has resulted in white doors with a pink stripe. Like National Express, First applied their logo on units by transfer until repainting.

A large number of units have now been re-branded into this livery, including the Class 322 units re-acquired (and refurbished) for North Berwick service and the Class 67 locomotives used on Caledonian Sleeper services.

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First ScotRail Further Information

The Scotrail franchise is now in its fifth year, with our Public Performance Measure - a combination of punctuality and reliability – and Customer Satsfaction reaching record highs. Delays have been reduced by 50% since franchise commencement and passenger numbers have increased by 20%.

In April , the Scottish Government awarded ScotRail a three-year franchise extension which will see us operating services for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Scotrail have invested heavily since taking over the route. The investment has included train refurbishments leading to improved reliability of trains with delays being reduced by 50% since the franchise began. Scotrail's investment has also lead to inproved facilities both onboard the trains and at Scotrail managed train stations.

Scotrail have gained Investor in People Status across the buisness – one of the largest private sector organisations to do so in Scotland. Providing a safe and reliable service and continuous improvement to performance levels remain at the top of the agenda. Scotrail promise to continue to provide value for money services and to invest in train refurbishments leading to improve reliability and station enhancements to ensure a safer and more comfortable environment. Along with Transport Scotland, industry partners and stakeholders, Scotrail will build a rail network for the 21st century with services to match.

Scotrail Trains

When ScotRail was created by BR, services were operated by a variety of diesel locomotives and coaching stock together with diesel and electric multiple units. Prior to the introduction of Class 158 DMUs by British Rail and later Class 170 DMUs by National Express, services were operated by slam-door stock such as the Class 101 DMUs.

ScotRail - to replace slam door stock - received 46 Class 158 units from 1989-1992, and post privatisation, National Express ordered a total of 55 Class 170 units from 1999-2004 (First would receive the last of the units ordered by National Express and would later transfer 4 units from its Hull Trains subsidiary) and by 2004, the only slam door services were also the only locomotive hauled services, the Caledonian Sleeper services from London to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William along with a single regional service between Edinburgh Waverley and North Berwick. First ScotRail have since leased electric multiple units to run between Edinburgh and North Berwick.

ScotRail, since privatisation, has contracted EWS to haul the Caledonian Sleeper between London and Scotland. EWS operate a dedicated pool of 5 Class 90 electric locomotives to haul the Caledonian Sleeper between London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central, together with a fleet of Class 67 diesel locomotives to haul the various sleeper portions north of Edinburgh and Glasgow. When British Rail and National Express ran ScotRail, Class 37 diesel locomotives were used in place of the Class 67 locomotives, an arrangement which continued under First Group through to 2006.