A BETTER WAY TO GO. 2014 Insight November/December 2014 scotrail.co.uk Ho Ho Homecoming WlN big this WlNter Oban Winter Festival Thanks from First ScotRail Welcome Welcome to the November/December issue of Insight. With Christmas fast approaching, it’s officially that time of year again. It has been an exceptional 2014 for Scotland, full of historic moments and world class events. All the excitement has certainly kept us busy, and I hope you have enjoyed being a part of it as much as we have. October that FirstGroup’s bid for the next ScotRail franchise had been unsuccessful. While disappointed, we continue to be immensely proud of what FirstGroup and our staff have achieved since 2004 when the franchise began. Our record speaks for itself, with some key highlights included on page 3. As you may have heard, it was announced in We are focused on continuing this progress Young apprentice becomes qualified conductor Customer service Modern Apprentice, Ashleigh Smart, is now assisting train passengers as a fully qualified ScotRail conductor. was named as a finalist in the Level 2 Apprentice of the Year category of Scotland’s Modern Apprenticeship Awards, which takes place in November. Meet the Ma nagers This is your chance to meet with our senior management and discuss any issues you may have. November 2014 December 2014 On Train Wednesday 5 November 1721 Glasgow Central - East Kilbride 1756 East Kilbride - Glasgow Central On Train Wednesday 3 December 1641 Edinburgh - North Berwick 1726 North Berwick - Edinburgh Station Thursday 4 December 1630-1800 Motherwell Station We hope you have a wonderful festive season. Our alcohol ban will continue to operate at stations and on trains between 2100 and 1000 – thanks for your continued support. For more information go to: scotrail.co.uk/alcohol November/December 2014 | Insight | 02 Steve Montgomery Managing Director, ScotRail ScotRail commended at Rail Awards The award recognises the contribution of ScotRail and its partners to community rail development. From re-using historic buildings and planting floral displays, to commissioning stand-out art installations, we have endeavoured to enhance the experience that our communities have at their local stations. Ashleigh said: “The role involves a lot of customer service, but it also includes the safety aspect, which carries more responsibility. I’m really enjoying the whole experience.” Ashleigh’s success was recognised when she Have a safe and happy holiday, all. There were many proud moments for ScotRail in October. One of those was when we, and our partners, including Transport Scotland, were named as Overall Winner at the ACoRP Community Rail Awards. After completing the 18 month apprenticeship, the 21-year-old set her sights on becoming a train conductor. To find out more about the role, she spent her own time shadowing staff, learning about safety procedures, train features and travel routes. Meanwhile, Apprenticeship Programme Manager, Jamie Proudfoot, added: “Ashleigh deserves high praise for her energy, positivity and enthusiasm. It was clear early on that she viewed the apprenticeship as an opportunity, and took full advantage of the programme to pursue her career goals.” so that the new franchisee, Abellio, takes on ScotRail in the best possible position. We will work with Abellio to enable a smooth transition for all our customers on 1 April 2015. We were also honoured to receive the UK Rail Operator of the Year award at the prestigious National Transport Awards in London. The judges were impressed by our successful rollout of free wifi, the biggest in the UK; our smooth handling of this year’s major events, including the Commonwealth Games; and the introduction of innovative smart card ticketing. We are incredibly proud to have received both awards, which are testament to the hard work and efforts of our staff. Garden at Ayr Station, created by Louis Wall, who came second for ‘Outstanding Volunteer Contribution’ First ScotRail’s track record We’re proud of what has been achieved during the ten years of the First ScotRail franchise – and believe that our record speaks for itself, having been named UK Rail Operator of the Year, UK Rail Business of the Year during 2014 and becoming the biggest UK company to win Investors in People Gold. All of us remain completely focused on ensuring this progress continues. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has travelled with us since 2004. Discussions will begin at the earliest opportunity to enable a smooth transition to the new franchisee on 1 April 2015. Major events successfully delivered in 8 points higher than UK average and 6 points higher than 2004 Over 1.1M passengers delivered to Glasgow 2014 venues and 15,000 Ryder Cup journeys through Gleneagles station each day Since 2013, more than 130 trains completed. Over 50 stations will be completed by Spring 2015 Punctuality’s at an all time high – up from 84% in 2004 to 95.3% today £56m on station improvements and £26m on rolling stock since 2004 November/December 2014 | Insight | 03 Homecoming going out with a bang It’s been one of Scotland’s most memorable years ever. We set the stage… and the world came! So many magical moments – and it’s not over yet! Homecoming Scotland has plenty more lined up for us, so get out there and enjoy the season Homecoming style. Botanic Lights: Night in the Garden: 30 October-23 November 2014 Race Day. All culminating in the superb Saltire Concert. St Andrews Day Celebrations: St Andrews, 28-30 November 2014 Music, dance, food, drink and literary extravaganza, culminating in a spectacular street concert and open-air family ceilidh. Perth, 29-30 November 2014 Enjoy traditional music, crafts and fabulous local Scottish produce. New ticket gates at Edinburgh Park Edinburgh Park is going automatic. New ticket gates will be in operation from early next year. But you’ll still see a friendly face as you travel, as seven full-time jobs will be created as part of the gates introduction. As part of our franchise agreement, automatic ticket gates are being introduced at more stations throughout the network, with Perth and Inverness being the latest adoptees. The gates help improve station security and have successfully been seen to deter fare-dodgers, which should be welcome news to all our honest fare-paying passengers. Edinburgh, 30 November 2014 Music, ceilidh dancing, magical storytelling and superb curling and skating demonstrations. Make the most of the season with our winter timetable It’s nearly that time of year again. No, not Christmas… our new winter timetable comes into effect on 14 December and with it comes some fantastic service enhancements. The most to date, in fact. So as you prepare to paint the town red this season, we’re prepared to whisk you off to the very heart of all the happenings. • 1,000 extra seats across the daily peaks • A significant update of the Argyle Line – Scotland’s second busiest route connecting parts of Lanarkshire with Glasgow – with more services, faster journey times and increased reliability • Reduction in the majority of journey times between Lanark and Glasgow Central, as well as an earlier morning train, allowing Lanark passengers to make morning connections to London November/December 2014 | Insight | 04 • An additional Sunday service on the popular Oban to Glasgow route all year round DS R DS W For the first time since 1969, The Borders Railway will passenger railway services in the O Y re-establish REWA Scottish Borders and Midlothian. J OY RE CT POI LE EN NJ LE DOUB railway A new for Scotla nd S NT POINT CT S Remember if you book your rail tickets online at scotrail.co.uk you can collect Nectar points, see page 5 for more information. E 26-30 November 2014 Get your lips and your lugs around the best of Scottish food and drink at Feast ‘n‘ Folk. Discover foodies’ paradise at Haddington Farmers’ Market. Have a cheeky wee flutter at Musselburgh’s Saltire To find out more about Edinburgh Park’s new gates, go to scotrail.co.uk/ticketgates TS POIN AR The Saltire, East Lothian: For a list of all events and further information please visit homecomingscotland.com COLL E A unique opportunity to experience Edinburgh’s wondrous Royal Botanic Gardens by night. Follow illuminated paths through the garden on a journey of fantastic lighting effects. Oban Winter Festival, 21-30 November 2014 Ballet, reindeer, music and fairgrounds culminating in a double St Andrew’s Day extravaganza: Tartan Day and the new Haggisfest. Works at Edinburgh Park will begin in December. In order to minimize passenger disruption, most of the works will be carried out through the night. To ease transition, extra staff will be on-hand to assist when the gates are introduced. CO L Photo Credit: Lloyd Smith Glasgow Loves St Andrew’s Day, 30 November 2014 Live music, a dazzling lighting display – and jigging! It’s the longest new domestic railway to be built in Britain for over a century and one of the most significant infrastructure investments seen in Scotland for a generation. The new route will run from Tweedbank to Edinburgh Waverley, with the introduction of seven new stations at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank. Cycling facilities are available at all stations, with parking provision at all except Galashiels. • Improved journey times and reliability on the newly-electrified Whifflet line, as well as a first ever Sunday service • New direct connection between Cumbernauld and Hamilton through an extension of existing services • More services stopping at Newton and Cambuslang • New peak service between Glasgow, Motherwell and Carstairs The new timetable reflects the rapidly growing popularity of Scotland’s trains, and the excellent work behind the scenes to enhance our railway network and your travel experience. Look out for the new timetable, available soon at stations, or visit our website. During peak times the train services will run half hourly from Edinburgh and Tweedbank. A timetable will be published next year, but the full journey will be around 55 minutes. With Network Rail’s track works well underway and new stations starting to emerge, this exciting new railway is really taking shape. We look forward to welcoming the Borders back into the UK rail network when the line opens next September. To find out more go to bordersrailway.co.uk Geta wa y with the fa mily for less with Kids Go Free DS CO L OY REWA R DS AR W J OY RE EN E NJ CT POI LE S NT POINT CT S COLL E LE DOPUOINBTS a cheeky family getaway. And with the festive season upon us, you’ll be able to visit family and friends throughout Scotland at fantastic value fares. Ask for your Kids Go Free ticket at the station or select the option on automated ticket machines. Our Kids Go Free ticket is even better than ever. Now you can return up to a month later on longer distance trips. With a Kids Go Free ticket, two children (aged 5-15) can travel free, off-peak, with each adult. You can also take advantage of one free child entry into a host of Scotland’s top attractions, including the Edinburgh Dungeons, Hampden Experience and Discovery Point, Dundee. Now that you don’t have to return the same day, Kids Go Free isn’t just your ticket to great days out, it’s also the perfect excuse for Collect Nectar points when you book online Do you always book your train tickets online? The reason we ask is because when you book at scotrail.co.uk, you’ll collect 2 Nectar points for every £1 you spend. Even on routes outside Scotland – which could mean even more points. Nectar points can be used for all sorts of fabulous things: Days out, nights out, and some of your favourite brands. That equates to one heck of a lot of rewards, so don’t miss out on yours. Register now at scotrail.co.uk/nectar and join the 45,000 plus ScotRail customers already collecting. To link your Nectar card to your ScotRail account, just go to ‘My Account‘ and take it from there. No worries if you don’t have a ScotRail account yet, there’s a quick link on scotrail.co.uk/nectar to help you out – plus full terms and conditions. Regular travellers can collect 200 points for monthly tickets and a tasty 2,500 points for annual season tickets. Since we launched our partnership with Nectar in April, ScotRail customers have collected a whopping 13.5 million points. Improvements November 2014 Glasgow to Dunblane/Perth/Dundee/ Aberdeen/Inverness and Edinburgh to Dunblane/Dundee/Inverness/Perth (via Fife) Saturday 1 November. Wherever your next journey takes you, make sure it starts online. Those Nectar points are ready and waiting. Or better still, if you know when you’re going why not book online to collect lovely Nectar points? That way, you can save towards rewards and enjoy even more bargain days out. See our article below to find out more. For full Kids Go Free terms and conditions go to scotrail.co.uk/kidsgofree All aboard for some fab family fun. Choo-choo! Get connected with even more free wifi Good news for tourists, workers and surfers – even more free wifi! Another 40 trains – that’s 130 trains in all. Another 27 stations including: Airdrie, Croy, East Kilbride, Johnstone, Kilwinning, Oban, Motherwell and Fort William – to name just a few. Service at these stations will be rolled out from November. That’s 52 stations in all. In September: we provided mobile wifi to 600,000 users – the equivalent of 9,500GB. For more information go to scotrail.co.uk/ free-wifi. Happy browsing. Network Rail is carrying out essential maintenance and engineering on the following days: Glasgow to Aberdeen/Inverness/Elgin and Edinburgh to Inverness and Perth (via Fife) Sunday 2 November. This improvement work affects the below two train services only: 1018 Glasgow to Edinburgh 1026 Edinburgh to Glasgow Glasgow to Edinburgh (via Shotts) Sundays 9, 16, 23 and 30 November. December 2014 No planned improvement works. Full information on all stations affected can be found at scotrail.co.uk/engineering November/December 2014 | Insight | 05 Explore winter festivals and traditions The countdown to Christmas is on! And as Homecoming 2014 sees out what has been an incredible year for Scotland, you can bet your bottom sixpence that this one is going to be one of the best ever. And all the magic is but a train ride away. Homeco ming Photo Credit: VistScotland Aberdeen Winter Festival 1 November 2014 – 31 January 2015 A bumper Christmas extravaganza – with bells on! And as for looking for that special Christmas gift, Merchant Quarter has it all wrapped up. Christmas Lights Switch On Parade: Union Street, 23 November 2014. Christmas Tree Switch On: The Lord Provost invites you to light up the city. Castlegate, 1900, 27 November 2014. Aberdeen Ice Rink: Icy magic from 1100 to 2000 every day. Union Terrace Gardens, 1 December 2014- 5 January 2015. Winter Wonderland: Santa and the elves are waiting to see you. Union Terrace Gardens, 6-15 December 2014. The Christmas Carol Concert: Sing along to all your favourites. Duthie Park Winter Gardens, 20 December 2014. For more information go to: aberdeeninvestlivevisit.co.uk Edinburgh Christ mas 21 November 2014 – 4 January 2015 Photo Credit: VisitScotland Your big festive fun kicks off on 23 November as Edinburgh counts down to Christmas with its spectacular Light Night in George Street on 23 November. Feel the magic of the season as you mosey round the markets: Scottish Market in St Andrew’s Square and The European Markets in the Mound Precinct. Or how about a show – or two? Aladdin: The King’s Theatre, 29 November 2014 -18 January 2015. Scottish Ballet’s Nutcracker: The Festival Theatre, 13 December 2014 -3 January 2015. Roald Dahl’s The Big Friendly Giant: The Royal Lyceum, 28 November 2014 -3 January 2015. Julia Donaldson’s The Stick Man: Spiegeltent, St Andrew’s Square, 22 November 2014-4 January 2015. For more information go to: edinburghchristmas.com November/December 2014 | Insight | 06 Dundee’s Christmas Light Night The McManus welcomes you to a special Light Night. Explore its wonders to the sound of angelic choirs, and watch the city’s grand lights switch on at 1900. Meadowside, 14 November 2014. Lantern Workshops: Create your own light at Light Night with free lantern making at the museum. Bookings essential: (01382) 307200. McManus Museum, 8-13 November 2014. White Christmas: Gardyne Theatre, 25-29 November 2014. The Singing Kettle Big Christmas Party: Whitehall Theatre, 21-23 November 2014. Broughty Ferry Christmas Street Concert: Various locations, 27 November 2014. Christmas Tree Lighting and Festive Fun: Meet the stars of the East End’s Cinderella panto and enjoy free food ‘n’ a cuppa – and mince pies! Balmoral Avenue, 1 December 2014. NYCoS Dundee Choir Christmas Concert: Caird Hall, 7 December 2014. Christmas with the Rat Pack: Caird Hall, 20 December 2014. For more information go to: dundeecity.gov.uk A Very Mary Christmas! Mary, Queen of Scots, cordially invites you to do Christmas like a queen. Edinburgh Castle, 24-31 December 2014. Homecoming: Tales and Traditions of a Victorian Christmas: Journey back to the origins of Christmas – and discover the inspiration behind Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Edinburgh Castle, 20-23 December 2014. Mrs Claus is Keeping Christmas at Pollok House: Visit (the award-winning, no less!) Mrs Claus at the magnificent Pollok House. Each room is beautifully decorated in a different theme. Pollok House, Pollok Estate, Glasgow, 29 November-24 December 2014. Christmas at Stirling Castle Do Christmas in style. Royal style. Medieval Merriment: 1230-1530, 7 December 2014. Carols at the Castle: 1900, 14 December 2014. Lunch at Stirling Castle: 1300, 16-24 December 2014. For more information go to: stirlingcastle.gov.uk RSNO Christmas Concerts ScotRail is proud to sponsor the RSNO’s muchloved Christmas concerts. Christmas just isn’t Christmas without the classics, the carols – and The Snowman. Magical! Aberdeen: Music Hall, 18 December 2014. Dundee: Caird Hall, 19 December 2014. Glasgow: Royal Concert Hall, 20 December 2014. For more information go to: rsno.org.uk Capital Hogmanay Celebrations Glasgow Loves Christmas Homecoming: Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, 30 December 2014 – 1 January 2015 The Big Lights Switch On* on 16 November well and truly sets the scene for the season to come. Prepare to be dazzled by fantastic entertainment, Christmas Markets and Glasgow On Ice. We can almost smell that mulled wine already! Three days of fantastic events including the Torchlight Procession led by the Up Helly Aa’ Vikings, The Keilidh on the Mound Precinct, Lily Allen at the Concert in the Gardens, and a journey through the Old Town in SCOT:LANDS on New Year’s Day. Not forgetting, of course, some of the finest shopping on the planet, and great fun throughout the city: Treasure Island: The Pavilion, 26 November 2014 -18 January 2015. The Elf Who Grew Too Tall: Tron Theatre, 29 November2014 -31 January 2015. Peter Pan: King’s Theatre, 6 December 2014 11 January 2015. Santa Dash: 7 December 2014. The IRN-BRU Carnival: SECC, 19 December 2014 14 January 2015. *Ticketed event. For more information go to: glasgowloveschristmas.com Photo Credit: VisitScotland Win a night of luxury at Ballathie House Hotel and Estate As far as rural retreats go, Ballathie House takes some beating. This luxury country house is simply magnificent. And when we say ‘house’, we mean ‘estate’. The 4 star luxury hotel enjoys an enviable location beside the River Tay, a few miles from the City of Perth. Acre upon acre of Perthshire countryside provides a spectacular gateway to Ballathie’s own natural larder – venison, woodland game and Aberdeen Angus beef raised on the Estate. It’s easy to see why its restaurant boasts 2 AA rosettes and has won numerous awards. This truly is the perfect romantic retreat. For the chance to whisk your beloved off to Ballathie for the night with a full Scottish breakfast in the morning, simply tell us: just £95* for two, including complimentary afternoon tea on arrival and Scottish breakfast in the morning. This offer is exclusive to ScotRail customers, so don’t miss out! To find out more about Ballathie House Hotel and Estate, including Perth Races and special festive packages, visit ballathiehousehotel.com Where is Ballathie House Hotel and Estate? a) Perthshire b) Renfrewshire c) Stirlingshire Enter at scotrail.co.uk/ballathiehouse. Closing date 10 January 2015. Or, if you just can’t wait, you can book now and enjoy the Ballathie experience for Terms and Conditions for competition Closing date 10 January 2015. Entrants must be 18 and over and residing in the UK For full terms and conditions please visit scotrail.co.uk/ballathiehouse Terms and Conditions for £95* for 2 *£95 for 2 people in a Classic Twin/Double room per night inclusive of bed and full Scottish breakfast – with a complimentary Cream Tea (scones, with cream and jam and tea/coffee) on arrival. Valid from 1 November 2014 until end of March 2015. Not valid over the Christmas and New Year period. Accommodation is subject to availability. You could win a family ticket to Cinderella, oh yes, you can! The fairy godmother of all pantos, Cinderella, is back at the Clyde Auditorium. Starring John Barrowman, The Krankies and Glasgow’s veryown X-Factor star, Melanie Masson, you’re guaranteed to have a ball. We’ve dug out our magic wand and have four sets of family tickets up for grabs for 26 December. Each family ticket is valid for four people and all you have to do for the chance to win this great family night out is tell us… What did Cinderella lose when she left the ball? a) Her glass slipper b) Her handbag c) Her mobile phone Cinderella runs from 13 December 2014 until 4 January 2015. The Clyde Auditorium is just a few minutes walk from Exhibition Centre Station through a sheltered walkway. And we promise none of our carriages will turn into a pumpkin at midnight. Why not enjoy Cinderella with your family this Christmas and make the most of our Kids Go Free ticket? See page 5 for more information. Terms and Conditions Enter at scotrail.co.uk/cinderella. Closing date is 15 December 2014. Closing date 15 December 2014. Entrants must be 18 and over and residing in the UK. For full terms and conditions please visit scotrail.co.uk/cinderella Win tickets to see Scotland v Italy in the RBS 6 Nations Cha mpionship With November’s viagogo Autumn Tests signifying the start of the international rugby season and the RBS 6 Nations to look forward to early next year, there’s plenty to be getting excited about! You could be a RBS 6 Nations winner yourself, because we’ve got four tickets for one lucky winner to give away for the Scotland v Italy game on 28 February at BT Murrayfield, courtesy of our friends at Scottish Rugby. For your chance to win, go to scotrail.co.uk/6nations and tell us: Which team won this year’s RBS 6 Nations Championship? a) Scotland b) Italy c) Ireland Dates for your diary: RBS 6 Nations Championship 2015 Photo Credit: Marc Turner viagogo Autumn Tests 2014 Scotland v Argentina Saturday 8 November 1730 BT Murrayfield Scotland v New Zealand Saturday 15 November 1730 BT Murrayfield Scotland v Wales Sunday 15 February 1500 BT Murrayfield Scotland v Italy Saturday 28 February 1430 BT Murrayfield Scotland v Ireland Saturday 21 March 1430 BT Murrayfield For all the latest news, fixture information and to book tickets, go to: scottishrugby.org Terms and Conditions Scotland v Tonga Rugby Park, Kilmarnock Saturday 22 November 1430 Closing date 30 January 2015. Entrants must be 18 and over and residing in the UK For full terms and conditions please visit scotrail.co.uk/6nations No cash alternative will be given November/December 2014 | Insight | 07 What’s on this November and December BALLOCH Christmas In Bloom: Floral Sale Loch Lomond Shores 13-14 December HELENSBURGH Craft Fayre Helensburgh Sailing Club 13 December PAISLEY A Buddy Good Laugh Paisley Arts Centre 27 November and 18 December GLASGOW Country Living Christmas Fair SECC 20-23 November LARGS Commonwealth Fencing Championships 10-15 November PERTH Childline Christmas Concert Perth Concert Hall and Theatre 4 December The 2014 MTV European Music Awards The SSE Hydro 9 November INVERNESS Christmas Arts, Crafts And Food Fair Eden Court, Bishops Road 5-7 December STIRLING Red Hot Chilli Pipers The Albert Halls 7 December Scottish Open Badminton Grand Prix 2014 Emirates Arena 19-23 November TROON Wintertainment Throughout the town 16 November For information on any of the above events and more go to: visitscotland.com Major Events Services are likely to be particularly busy at times surrounding big events, so please allow plenty of time for travel. For those travelling to the football and rugby there will be queuing systems in place and alcohol bans will apply. To view the new Haymarket station queue layout go to: scotrail.co.uk/sport November 2014 viagogo Autumn Tests 2014 Scotland v Argentina Saturday 8 November 1730 Euro 2016 Qualifying Scotland v Republic of Ireland Friday 14 November 1945 viagogo Autumn Tests 2014 Scotland v New Zealand Saturday 15 November 1730 BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh Celtic Park, Glasgow Scotland v England Tuesday 18 November 2000 viagogo Autumn Tests 2014 Scotland v Tonga Saturday 22 November 1430 Celtic Park, Glasgow Rugby Park, Kilmarnock BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh We strive to ensure that all event information is correct at time of going to print, but customers are advised to check event details and prices prior to travel. Keep up to date Get in touch National Rail Enquiries 08457 48 49 50 ScotRail website scotrail.co.uk Sign up for personal travel and disruption alerts straight to your mobile: scotrail.co.uk/disruption To download our Journey Planning app: Text ‘ScotRail’ to 86688 ScotRail Telesales 0330 303 0111 Customer Relations scotrailcustomer.relations@firstgroup.com 0330 303 0112 ScotRail Customer Relations, PO Box 7030, Fort William, PH33 6WX.
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