UK: ScotRail has taken delivery of the last of the Inter7City HST sets being refurbished by Wabtec in Doncaster to operate services linking Scotland’s major cities.
The Inter7City fleet is intended to comprise nine four-car and 17 five-car sets, but all are currently operating as four-car formations. The first four of the additional ‘fifth cars’ have been delivered, with 13 more to follow as the refurbishment work is completed.
The full 26-strong fleet requires 52 power cars from a pool of 54. A decision has still to be made about replacing the vehicles destroyed in the fatal accident at Carmont last August, when one power car and three coaches were lost. The post-accident insurance process is still underway, although a decision whether to replace the lost vehicles needs to be taken while stored HST sets are still available. Many trailer vehicles have already been sent for scrap, followed more recently by the first power cars.
The official plan remains for ScotRail to resource up to a full fleet, but the final decision will depend on how ridership recovers after the pandemic and future timetable plans.
