First ScotRail

First ScotRail
Company type	Train operating company (franchise)
Industry	Rail transport
Predecessor	National Express
Founded	October 17, 2004; 22 years ago
Defunct	April 1, 2015
Fate	Franchise passed to Abellio ScotRail
Headquarters	Scotland, United Kingdom
Area served	Scotland and some routes into northern England
Products	Passenger rail services, including Caledonian Sleeper
Owner	FirstGroup

First ScotRail was a Scottish train operating company under the ownership of FirstGroup. It held the ScotRail franchise from October 2004 until March 2015.

Operations were assumed by First ScotRail on 17 October 2004, succeeding the previous franchise holder, National Express. The company provided most commuter and long-distance rail services throughout Scotland, including some routes extending into northern England, as well as operating the Caledonian Sleeper service to London. Among FirstGroup’s quartet of train operators, ScotRail ranked second in passenger journeys during 2013–14, trailing only First Great Western.

In April 2008, Transport Scotland granted a three-year extension to First ScotRail’s franchise. The following year, in May 2009, the operator launched a campaign targeting fare evasion due to exploitation of the Flexipass ticket system. Shortly thereafter, allegations emerged suggesting passenger numbers had been overstated by 7.2 million journeys; however, this issue did not impact the franchise extension. In June 2012, the Scottish Government declared that the Caledonian Sleeper would be spun off into a separate franchise. After an unsuccessful bid in 2014 to retain the contract, First ScotRail’s operations were handed over to Abellio ScotRail on 1 April 2015.

History

From March 1997 until October 2004, the ScotRail franchise was operated by National Express. In July 2003, bidding contenders shortlisted for the new franchise included Arriva, FirstGroup, and National Express. FirstGroup secured the contract in June 2004 and commenced operations on 17 October that year.

Transport Scotland was established on 1 January 2006 to oversee devolved transport responsibilities including rail franchising. In April 2008, it extended First ScotRail’s franchise term through November 2014.

Following detection of widespread misuse of Flexipass tickets, First ScotRail intensified fare evasion enforcement in May 2009; over 150 offenders were apprehended within just one week. Despite this crackdown, fare enforcement practices occasionally remained a subject of debate.

A report published in June 2009 alleged that ScotRail had inflated passenger figures by approximately 7.2 million journeys. This matter was examined by the Scottish Parliament’s audit committee; nonetheless, Transport Scotland asserted that it did not affect the decision to extend the franchise.

In October 2011, First ScotRail collaborated with Network Rail to implement measures aimed at reducing disruptions caused by severe winter weather. These included improved travel information services and the introduction of new train de-icing technologies. During periods of extreme conditions, certain services were suspended for safety reasons with replacement transport arranged where feasible.

The Scottish Government announced in June 2012 its intention to separate Caledonian Sleeper services into an independent franchise when re-tendered in 2014; this contract was awarded to Serco in May that year.

Other bidders competing for the ScotRail franchise alongside FirstGroup included Abellio, Arriva, MTR, and National Express. In October 2014, Abellio was awarded the franchise, resulting in First ScotRail ceasing operations in April 2015.

At midnight on 1 April 2015, control of the franchise passed to Abellio ScotRail, while earlier that day Caledonian Sleeper services transferred separately to Serco management.

Primary Routes

Fast trains provided connections between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Dundee, and Aberdeen. The Highland Main Line extends southward from Inverness. Certain principal routes, such as the Highland Main Line, consist of single-track sections, which necessitate express trains to pause at intermediate stations to allow others to pass.

Prominent main lines in Scotland comprise:

Glasgow

The area surrounding Glasgow featured the most concentrated rail network, with 183 stations, making it the second-largest suburban rail system in the UK after London. A significant portion of this network operates on 25 kV AC electrification. The principal stations serving Glasgow are Central and Queen Street. ScotRail managed services here under the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) brand, although SPT no longer determines service specifications. Previously, DMUs and EMUs painted in carmine and cream bore Strathclyde branding, which has since been removed.

Lines within the Glasgow region included:

Motherwell–Cumbernauld line
North Clyde Line (extended to Cumbernauld & Edinburgh)
Paisley Canal line
Shotts Line
Glasgow South Western Line
Whifflet Line (currently integrated into the Argyle Line)

The North Clyde Line now links directly with the Edinburgh-Bathgate Line through the completed Airdrie–Bathgate rail link, enabling a continuous route between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Plans for the Crossrail Glasgow project aim to establish another cross-city rail connection.

Edinburgh

Compared to Glasgow, Edinburgh’s suburban rail system is less extensive, centered around its main hub at Waverley. The chief railway corridor passes beneath Edinburgh Castle, with a secondary station located on the western side. Important lines heading north from Edinburgh into Fife and the Highlands traverse the Firth of Forth via the renowned Forth Bridge. Significant routes include:

Edinburgh–Bathgate line (part of the North Clyde Line)
Edinburgh Crossrail
Edinburgh–Dunblane line
North Berwick Line
Shotts Line
Edinburgh–Dundee line

Ongoing developments involve reopening the Waverley Line to serve the Borders and extending the Edinburgh–Bathgate Line through the Airdrie–Bathgate rail link. A previously proposed rail connection to Edinburgh Airport was abandoned in 2007 in favor of a station at nearby Gogar, which links with the Edinburgh tram network for airport access. Advocacy groups have suggested reinstating the Edinburgh suburban railway line to improve local transit options.

Rural Railways

Scenic rural routes such as the West Highland Line, Kyle of Lochalsh line, and Far North Line cater to both tourism and vital local transportation needs, experiencing higher passenger numbers during summer months. Many of these lines are single-track and conclude at coastal destinations like Oban and Mallaig, where connections are available to Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services heading to locations including Skye, Colonsay, Lismore, Islay, and the Hebrides.

Prominent rural routes include:

InterCity & Sleeper services

Under First ScotRail's operation, services extended beyond Scotland into England, featuring the notable Caledonian Sleeper running to London Euston via the West Coast Main Line. Additionally, a thrice-daily cross-country service connected Newcastle upon Tyne with Glasgow Central, passing through Carlisle and Kilmarnock.

Performance

During National Express’s final quarter managing the franchise (July–September 2004), punctuality figures were as follows:

Period	% trains arriving within 5 mins of schedule	Change
Jul - Sep 2004	82.8%	Down 4.2% year-on-year
Jul - Sep 2004	84.2%	Down 1.0% on previous year overall

For FirstGroup’s initial quarter (October–December 2004), performance data showed:

Period	% trains arriving within 5 mins of schedule	Change
Oct - Dec 2004	79.8%	Down 1.9% year-on-year
Oct - Dec 2004	83.7%	Down 0.5% on previous year overall

FirstGroup assumed control of the franchise on 17 October 2004.

Data from the Office for Rail Regulation (ORR) reveals trends in punctuality between April 2007 and March 2011, showing both progress and variability:

Period	% trains on time (within 5 mins)	Change vs same quarter previous year	Moving Annual Average (MAA)	Change vs previous year
Apr - Jun 2007	91.4%	Up 0.8%	89.0%	Up 0.2%
Jul - Sep 2007	93.0%	Up 2.2%	89.6%	Up 0.7%
Oct - Dec 2007	87.3%	Up 2.8%	90.1%	Up 0.6%
Jan - Mar 2008	90.5%	Up 2.0%	90.6%	Up 0.6%
Apr - Jun 2008	93.6%	Up 2.4%	91.1%	Up 0.6%
Jul - Sep 2008	92.8%	Down 0.2%	91.0%	Up 0.4%
Oct - Dec 2008	86.5%	Down 0.9%	90.9%	Up 0.3%
Jan - Mar 2009	89.6%	Down 1.0%	90.6%	Down 0.3%
Apr - Jun 2009	93.0%	Down 0.6%	90.5%	Down 0.1%
Jul - Sep 2009	93.5%	Up 0.9%	90.7%	Up 0.2%
Oct - Dec 2009	86.7%	Up 0.2%	90.7%	Unchanged
Jan - Mar 2010	89.5%	Down 0.1%	90.7%	Unchanged
Jul - Sep 2010	94.5%	Up 1.1%	91.4%	Up 0.8%
Oct - Dec 2010	78.4%	Down 9.6%	92.9%	Up 2.4%
Jan - Mar 2011	89.1%	Unchanged	90.1%	Unchanged

Note: The percentage variations indicate shifts in punctuality rates, reflecting broader sector performance patterns.*

Rolling stock

Upon taking over, First ScotRail inherited a diverse fleet from National Express comprising multiple units such as the Class 150, Class 156, Class 158, Class 170, along with electric units including Class 314, Class 318, Class 320, and Class 334s. The fleet also incorporated British Rail Mark 2 carriages and specialized Mark 3 sleepers used for the Caledonian Sleeper services.

The Caledonian Sleeper operations were contracted to EWS for traction duties, with Class 90 locomotives assigned south of stations like Edinburgh and Glasgow Central. Meanwhile, Class 67 engines managed routes to destinations such as Fort William, Aberdeen, and Inverness. A dedicated maintenance pool was established for cast steel brake components, and three Class 90 locomotives were repainted in First ScotRail livery featuring EWS branding.

In early-to-mid-2005, services on the Edinburgh to North Berwick Line temporarily employed EWS-operated Class 90s hauling former Virgin Trains Mark 3 coaches along with a Driving Van Trailer; later that year, five British Rail Class 322 units were transferred from One (National Express East Anglia) to replace this arrangement. These Class 322 units underwent refurbishment by Hunslet-Barclay between late-2006 and early-2007, boosting passenger capacity from an original total of 252 to 293.

By January 2007, calls were made for upgrading First ScotRail’s Class 158 diesel multiple units, particularly regarding toilet facilities for passengers’ comfort and hygiene standards; refurbishment work on twenty-five of these units commenced in 2008, encompassing repainting, installation of new seating, increased luggage space, customer information systems upgrades, and fitting retention tanks for toilets.

In September 2008, Transport Scotland unveiled a new branding scheme for all First ScotRail trains—including those operating under the auspices of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport—introducing a blue livery adorned with white saltire motifs and emphasizing “ScotRail: Scotland’s Railway.” This rebranding reduced the visibility of FirstGroup’s logo; the first unit repainted under this scheme was unit number 170434 at Glasgow Queen Street station.

During December 2008, ScotRail operated peak-time services on the Fife Circle Line utilizing DB Schenker-branded Mark 2 carriages hauled by a Class 67 locomotive; a second set was also briefly deployed.

Transport Scotland financed the procurement of twenty-two three-car and sixteen four-carriage units of the modern Class 380 Desiros in July 2008; the initial train entered service in December 2010, significantly enhancing capacity on Ayrshire and Inverclyde routes while enabling cascading of rolling stock to new Glasgow-Edinburgh services via the reopened Airdrie-Bathgate corridor.

Fleet at franchise conclusion

Class	Image	Type	Maximum speed		Quantity	Routes served	Manufactured
Class	Image	Type	mph	km/h	Quantity	Routes served	Manufactured
Class 67		Diesel locomotive	125	200	Leased from DB Schenker	Fife Circle Line Caledonian Sleeper	1999–2000
Class 90		Electric locomotive	110	177	Leased from DB Schenker (4 units needed nightly)	Caledonian Sleeper	1987–1990
Class 156 Super Sprinter		DMU	75	120	48	West Highland Line Glasgow South Western Line Shotts Line Croy Line Edinburgh Crossrail Maryhill Line Cumbernauld Line	1987–1989
Class 158 Express Sprinter			90	145	48	Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line Highland Main Line Croy Line Aberdeen to Inverness Line Kyle of Lochalsh Line Far North Line Edinburgh Crossrail Edinburgh to Dunblane Line Fife Circle Line Shotts Line Maryhill Line Cumbernauld Line	1989–1992
Class 170 Turbostar			100	161	59	Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line Highland Main Line Fife Circle Line Edinburgh Crossrail Edinburgh to Dunblane Line Croy Line Maryhill Line Cumbernauld Line Tay Coast Line	1998–2005
Class 314		EMU	75	121	16	Cathcart Circle Lines Inverclyde Line Paisley Canal Line	1979
Class 314							1979
Class 318			90	145	21	Argyle Line North Clyde Line Whifflet Line	1986–1987
Class 320					22	Argyle Line North Clyde Line Whifflet Line	1990
Class 334 Coradia Juniper					40	North Clyde Line Argyle Line	1999–2002
Class 380 Desiro			100	160	22 (3 carriage) < br >16 (4 carriage)	Ayrshire Coast Line < br > Inverclyde Line < br > Glasgow to Edinburgh via Carstairs Line < br > North Berwick Line < br > Paisley Canal Line	2009–2011
Mark 2 carriage		Sleeper Seated	22	Caledonian Sleeper	1969–1974
Mark 3 carriage		Sleeper Berth	125	53	1975–1988

Previous rolling stock

The following train models were previously part of First ScotRail's operations:

Class	Image	Type	Maximum speed		Quantity	Cars per unit	Manufactured	Withdrawal year
Class	Image	Type	mph	km/h	Quantity	Cars per unit	Manufactured	Withdrawal year
Class 150 Sprinter		string-align:center;DMU	string-align:center;75	string-align:center;121	string-align:center;18	string-align:center;2	string-align:center;1986–1987	string-align:center;2005
Class 322		string-align:center;EMU	string-align:center;100	string-align:center;161	string-align:center;5	string-align:center;4	string-align:center;1990	string-align:center;2011

Stations

The majority of Scotland's 340 passenger stations were operated by First ScotRail, although they were owned by Network Rail. Major interchange points such as Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central fell under Network Rail's direct management. Glasgow Prestwick Airport station was uniquely owned and run by the airport's governing body. Meanwhile, Dunbar station was overseen by the franchise holder of the InterCity East Coast line. Interestingly, Lockerbie station remained under ScotRail's operation despite no trains stopping there.

Depots

First ScotRail's rolling stock was serviced at facilities located in Edinburgh Haymarket, Glasgow Shields Road, Corkerhill, and Inverness. The refurbishment and reopening of the Glasgow Eastfield depot in early 2005 significantly boosted their maintenance capabilities.

External links

Official company website
ScotRail route map
Rail network map for Glasgow & Edinburgh (National Rail)
ScotRail coverage – The Scotsman