Highlands 'deserve better' than 'The Polar Express'

One traveller told the Oban Times that the journey is a shame on ScotRail while a staff member said they were ’embarrassed’ to take money from commuters.

 

One said: "It’s a shame that the Gateway to the Isles starts with such an unpleasant journey."

 

Another added: "I and other members of train staff are embarrassed taking money from you and other passengers in these freezing conditions."

 

Many say they have given up taking the train due to the "freezing" temperatures inside the carriages after complaints to ScotRail, owned by the Scottish Government, failed to see the problem fixed. Chilly passengers are now vowing to contact their local MSPs and councillors, with some even threatening to start a petition.

 

After 10 years of commuting the route, the cold finally snapped local music teacher Martin Douglas, who has appealed to fellow passengers to take a stand.

 

He said: "I’m reaching out to anyone who regularly uses the trains between Oban and Glasgow. You’ll know that at this time of year these journeys are absolutely freezing - especially if you use the 05:17 service like me.

 

"I complain to ScotRail often, but nothing ever gets done. The rolling stock is old, the windows leak, the doors leak and the heaters are either broken or inadequate. 10 years of this commute and I’m ready to chuck it.

 

"Before I do, I’m going to have a go at holding ScotRail to account. I don’t want to stir up anger or get into any debates about pricing or other bugbears, but if you are fed up of sitting in an ice box for three hours, please do let ScotRail know how you feel. Tell them on twitter or contact Customer Services every time it’s unacceptably cold. Maybe it won’t get us anywhere, but it’s worth a try."

 

Many have responded to Mr Douglas’ appeal with similar stories and promises of support.

 

One commuter told the Oban Times: "I’ve been travelling back and forth to Glasgow for years and I completely agree. Sitting for three or more hours in coat, hat, gloves and I’m still freezing. It’s really miserable. I started taking a hot water bottle with me in the winter, and eventually stopped getting the early train as it was just unbearable. I would 100 per cent sign a petition or open letter.

 

"I take the 5:17 am very often and I’m always so cold. I take a hot water bottle and a blanket with me every time. It’s ridiculous!"

 

A third train user said: ""I couldn’t feel my fingers by the time I got to Glasgow. I had to go buy a warmer coat for the return journey.

 

"The only saving grace is the electric socket where I can plug in my electric blanket."

 

A fifth traveller added: "I have complained about this before and got nowhere. The journey is so uncomfortable every single time! I go up and down to Glasgow every week from Oban."

 

Another said: "I travel on this route with three young children and it’s a total joke the lack of heating. Staff at the station and onboard are spot on, so helpful, but seriously ScotRail need to resolve it, I feel bad for the elderly and kids mainly."

 

Others told the Oban Times they have given up on the railway.

 

One added: "I have all but abandoned the train due to unreliability and the cold. I used to use it semi-regularly but now use the coach.

 

"None of my family has use the train anymore. It’s freezing cold and now they don’t even have the tea trolley to heat you up."

 

A tenth traveller explained: "The primary reason was unreliability. The not infrequent bus replacement was annoying. But, important was the same issue that you are currently highlighting - the cold carriages. We even bought thermal undies for the journey, but this did little to mitigate the progressive drop in core body temperature. Ironically, although the bus replacement was annoying, at least the journey was warm!"

 

Another said rail staff were "embarrassed" to take money for tickets. "I recently retired from the railway and I have worked these trains since they were introduced on the West Highland line in the 1980’s. Every year since then the heating has progressively got worse.

 

"The problem is that the fans that push the heat out in the coaches are now obsolete and can’t be replaced, two sliding doors were removed years ago, one at the toilet and one at the bike end which causes draughts.

 

"The staff report the non existing heating conditions via the defect book on a daily basis as we also feel the cold but nothing is ever done about it. I have seen me going out at Crianlarich to fill passengers hot water bottles from the staff tearoom.

 

"I and other members of train staff are embarrassed taking money from you and other passengers in these freezing conditions."

 

A passenger who travels up to Lochaber added: "The Mallaig run isn’t much better at times (rolling stock wise, I couldn’t fault the cheery staff!). But yes, I do play the ‘what’s the most rickety train on the platform, that must be ours!’ game, at Queen Street as I watch the snazzier versions zipping off to Edinburgh or Aberdeen and the like."

 

Visitors are also being put off.

 

One tourists told the Times: "I live in Norway so I’m used to the cold, but I took the train from Glasgow to Taynuilt last November. I was really looking forward to the  journey, but and I have to admit I was surprised how cold the train was. It was absolutely freezing!

 

"It wasn’t very welcoming, it was chilly and uncomfortable for the cost."

 

Another said: "This is a huge tourist opportunity being missed here. The scenery is stunning and people want to travel to Oban. Something along the lines of a Rocky Mountaineer train would work a treat, a real experience of a journey with proper catering. Imagine big glass windows enabling everyone to take in the views - it would be fantastic."

To illustrate the frigid conditions on Wednesday morning, Mr Douglas photographed himself wearing a bear-shaped onesie stuffed like a sleeping bag. "It was perfect for the conditions. I wore it on the train as when I got on it was four degrees celsius. It’s just as cold inside as it is outside."

 

On his way home, layered up in long johns, shirt, body warmer, jacket, and fleece, Mr Douglas told us: "I have a big Ikea bag that is mostly full of extra clothes. I bought an electric body warmer which is brilliant! Maybe they should put some spin bikes in the Highland Explorer carriages? That would give us a reason to get up and move around!

 

"A lot of people complain about the heat in the summer but I suck it up because I remember how cold it is in the winter.

 

"It has got noticeably worse in the last two years. The newly refurbished carriages do not have an intervening door, so it is like wind tunnel, which makes it feel even colder, like a wind tunnel. When you are sitting for three hours on a journey, it is not comfortable. A lot of people have given up using the trains in the winter. It is a shame."

 

Mr Douglas, who teaches in Oban and Taynuilt and commutes to Glasgow three days a week, added: "Coming up to Christmas it was so unpleasant, I decided to drive. I just bought an electric car, so it is not the worst thing for the environment.

 

"People are trying to do their bit, we are trying to use public transport, and it is not being made easy. People do not need the excuse to ditch the train in January because it is unpleasant. It is an embarrassment for tourists on one of the most picturesque journeys I have been on.

 

"There is no criticism of the ScotRail staff. They are toughing this out every day. They are complaining but there is nothing being done about it. The standard response is we have alerted engineers and they will check it out.

 

"I’d love to see new rolling stock here but the problem would be at least 50 per cent solved if they would renew the flexible seals round the opening windows. New internal doors would be a big help too."

 

Catriona West luckily had a sleeping bag with her on the Oban train.

 

She said: "I have used the early morning train a few times, not regularly but every time it is freezing.

 

"Thankfully I was travelling down for an army reserves training weekend so had my sleeping bag and extra layers with me! The only embarrassing moment is when the commuters from around Helensburgh onwards look at you a bit funny because you are in a sleeping bag and all they can see is a nose popping out from all the layers!"

 

Highlands and Islands Conservative MSP Donald Cameron told us: “The details set out describe an unacceptably poor service more akin to Victorian times.

 

“It’s miserable for staff and for local people who rely on this service, pay for it, and frankly deserve better.

 

“But from a national perspective, this is a flagship route which should be wowing tourists coming to this part of the world for the first time. Instead, we risk leaving them with a thoroughly grim first impression, and one they’re unlikely to write home about glowingly.”

 

Argyll and Bute SNP MSP Jenni Minto said: "I am grateful to those who have raised this issue which I find very concerning.

 

"It is so important that public transport is accessible and suitable for everyone and clearly that is not currently the case due to the conditions experienced on these services.

 

"I have written to ScotRail and to the Minister for Transport to ask that this is investigated urgently so that steps can be taken to improve these conditions.”

 

The situation is "unacceptable", said Argyll and Bute Council’s SNP leader, Oban South and the Isles councillor Jim Lynch.

 

"I have been approached by several of my constituents who use the service on a regular basis and they have confirmed that the lack of heating is a regular occurrence.

 

"I totally agree that the current situation is unacceptable and action must be taken now to improve the situation. Passengers should be receiving the same level of service across all of Scotrail’s services.

 

"I have written to Scotrail drawing attention to their Performance and Reliability targets and in particular the section on SQUIRE (Service Quality Incentive Regime) that states ’trains are checked to make there’s a comfortable temperature’.

 

"I have now asked them to provide an assurance that immediate action will be taken to resolve this situation."

Oban North and Lorn councillor Kieron Green (Ind), Argyll and Bute Council’s policy lead for planning, said: "I have used the railway to and from Oban for 28 years, including the early morning service since that started nearly a decade ago. Although the current trains have performed well over this time it is undeniable that replacement trains are overdue.

 

"Credit should be given for the vastly more frequent timetable now running, as well as capacity increases with the introduction of the Highland Explorer cycle storage. However too often journeys are too cold in winter, as well as too hot in summer, with cuttings of line side foliage frequently ending up falling through windows onto passengers. Most charitably this experience could be described as rustic.

 

"The outstanding panoramic views from the line attract people from across the world, and it provides a vital link for residents to travel for work and to access shops and healthcare in Glasgow. It deserves to be given a higher priority for investment in new trains, and improvements to infrastructure that would increase reliability.

 

"Elsewhere in Scotland similar stock has already been replaced. Every so often it is mooted that marginally newer trains might be used, but these stall time and time again. Looking around the UK, options exist for new trains which could see more comfortable carriages, reduced carbon emissions, and the possibility of enhancements such as a buffet service. These would be most welcome for the length of journey and would help shift passengers from private cars and other forms of transport.

 

"I call on ScotRail and Transport Scotland to ensure that there are no further delays in addressing these issues by securing new stock for the West Highlands."

 

ScotRail explained: "Our fleet of class 156 trains which operate on the West Highland Lines are heated by the excess heat provided by the engine. As you’d expect, the train gets cold overnight and can take some time to heat up, particularly in the winter months - the interior of a train is much larger than a car.

 

"When the trains are stabled at the station overnight, they are not left running to generate or maintain the heating within the carriages as this would then be an environmental issue.

"There are noise considerations at both Oban and Mallaig which prevent the engine being ’run up’ unnecessarily in the early hours (the engine needs to be revved to build up heat). Furthermore, there is also the issue of staff availability to start up the train in advance for the very first trains.

 

"This year, ScotRail has initiated a comprehensive maintenance check prior to winter to make sure the heaters are working correctly which has resulted in improved customer comfort.

 

"Drivers have also been briefed on using the engine pre-heat function which can help get the engine up to temperature quicker. In the longer term, we continue to investigate funding for a replacement of the heating system, however there is a significant cost associated with this."

 

David Lister, ScotRail Safety, Engineering & Sustainability Director, added: “We’re sorry to customers who have experienced discomfort during their journey as a result of cold temperatures on board our trains in the West Highlands.

 

"We know that the Scottish winter can make heating the first train of the day before departure very challenging.

 

“Our staff are working tirelessly to ensure our trains are operating as reliably as possible.

 

“We continue to look into longer-term solutions and funding options which could improve on-board temperatures for our passengers.”