Early Morning Scotrail Glasgow <> Oban

[Richard P]

What has happened to the early morning services in both directions between Glasgow Queen Street and Oban? They seem to have disappeared off the timetable yet I thought he service in to Oban in a morning was critical to schoolchildren making their schools? Can't see any replacement buses either

 

[alangla]

There’s an ECS from Oban https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G40667/2020-12-16/detailed#allox_id=0 and the train starts from Dalmally. The opposite in the afternoon.
It’s one of many services that have been dumped in the December service cuts, though I do wonder how much fresh air it carries in normal times, certainly the Northbound from Queen Street to Dalmally and the southbound from Oban to maybe Garelochead where it used to start

EDIT: the afternoon one actually comes back from Dalmally in service. Both were 156477 today apparently

 

[MrEd]

There’s an ECS from Oban https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G40667/2020-12-16/detailed#allox_id=0 and the train starts from Dalmally. The opposite in the afternoon.
It’s one of many services that have been dumped in the December service cuts, though I do wonder how much fresh air it carries in normal times, certainly the Northbound from Queen Street to Dalmally and the southbound from Oban to maybe Garelochead where it used to start

EDIT: the afternoon one actually comes back from Dalmally in service. Both were 156477 today apparently

The northbound 05:21 from Glasgow QS as far as Dalmally must have carried lots of fresh air all year round. I never understood the purpose of it to begin with, other than providing a school service from Dalmally onwards. Presumably it connects with one of the ferries?

 

[InOban]

The Northbound is no great loss, but the southbound is. It carried a small but significant number of people who needed get Glasgow before 12. Unfortunately for staffing reasons you can't lose one without the other. The 16.36 Northbound is also a major loss,. It had become the most popular train to Oban, at least in winter.

 

[scotraildriver]

The Northbound is no great loss, but the southbound is. It carried a small but significant number of people who needed get Glasgow before 12. Unfortunately for staffing reasons you can't lose one without the other. The 16.36 Northbound is also a major loss,. It had become the most popular train to Oban, at least in winter.

The 16. 36 has carried no more than 8 passengers northbound during the pandemic and usually none after Taynuilt southbound. It was unsustainable in the current situation. Even in normal times the 20.36 ex Oban is usually empty southbound.

 

[InOban]

I agree about the 20.36.
Have many of the trains carried more than 8?
I guess the disappearance of day trips to Glasgow will have have been the major factor.

 

[westralian]

The northbound 05:21 from Glasgow QS as far as Dalmally must have carried lots of fresh air all year round. I never understood the purpose of it to begin with, other than providing a school service from Dalmally onwards. Presumably it connects with one of the ferries?

Yeah I think it connected with ferries some days.

A few years ago (when I lived within 20 minutes walk of Queen Street) I usually caught the first northbound Oban train once a week when I was heading out for a hike and there was usually at least a few people, mostly other hikers, on the train. Not caught it in a while now though as it would have involved having to leave home at the back of 4.