Caledonian Sleeper Mk5 Discussion

[Scotrail84]

They look super plush. Looking forward to a trip on these.

Since I'm never satisfied without getting in some sort of grumble, could somebody explain why such large sections of the seating cars appear to have no windows? I'm guessing it's an extended vestibule, but having had to endure the horrific seat alignment on a Meridian recently (90 minutes with no window - glorious!) I'm always wary about anything with a lot of metal on show. :roll: It's a primarily scenic train, so it would be one hell of a letdown to get on-board to find you've got nowhere to enjoy the view during daylight travel!

Also, is there any truth in something I heard earlier about introducing a Far North sleeper service, and if so is old stock being retained for this purpose or are more Mk 5s being considered? I travelled the route once and, while an enjoyable journey with some wonderful scenery, 4 hours on a 158 with a trolley service doesn't do it justice - though the oil rig worker getting slowly more drunk as he took a dram each time it passed was an upside!

The seated coach is the guards van so all "that metal" you see will be brake/luggage van. The new coaches will still only have 31 seats as per current vehicles.

No. Not in the near future anyway.

 

[47271]

Also, is there any truth in something I heard earlier about introducing a Far North sleeper service, and if so is old stock being retained for this purpose or are more Mk 5s being considered?

I refer you to the thread below:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=143068

 

[Altnabreac]

They are large storage areas, equipped to handle everything from bikes to crates of live shellfish.

Which is why the Inverness - London sleeper has limited bike capacity because the van is full of shellfish for top London restaurants.

The shellfish provision was actually safeguarded in the franchise agreement.

 

[Clansman]

Which is why the Inverness - London sleeper has limited bike capacity because the van is full of shellfish for top London restaurants.

The shellfish provision was actually safeguarded in the franchise agreement.

Hopefullynow that the Mk5s are longer than Mk2s there will be an extra few square metres of space in the van, seeing as the quantity of seats is staying the same on them.

 

[Clansman]

Renders showing the lounge car and an ensuite berth.

Looking forward to having the Lounge to myself on the Aberdeen

My only criticism about the berths, as shown in the render and Tam's photos, would be that they don't look homely enough, compared to the current stock.

Other than that everything else looks top notch. Although I see they've ditched the stools at the bar in the lounge in favour of single seats, presumably it's the latest feature to have fallen victim to health and safety.

 

[CardiffKid]

Website launched for the new trains.
Obviously not so many photos yet

http://newtrains.sleeper.scot/

 

[CosherB]

Website launched for the new trains.
Obviously not so many photos yet

http://newtrains.sleeper.scot/

..... but there is a video filmed inside the CAF factory.

 

[Bungle965]

It is being reported by RAIL that the tests of the Mk5s will start from December and will be from Polmadie to Lancaster and as expected GBRF will be doing the testing.
Sam

 

[TimboM]

It is being reported by RAIL that the tests of the Mk5s will start from December and will be from Polmadie to Lancaster and as expected GBRF will be doing the testing.
Sam

The paths for these test runs have been in for several weeks now. Not sure if that gives any clues as to how far behind they are? I suspect they were put in early "just in case" and to secure the paths to some extent, however it's evident they're behind where they'd hope to have been.

I won't link them as there's quite a few of them - can be found on RTT (and other data sites) easily enough. There's one return working most nights from Polmadie to Kingmoor Up Loop -> Kingmoor Up Loop to Lancaster -> Lancaster to Polmadie, plus supporting loco moves to/from Mossend and Polmadie. There's also additional return paths during the day too on some days too.

There's also additional paths now in (appeared last couple of weeks) for the stock delivery moves from the docks.

These paths are typically Activated then cancelled most days, no doubt to make sure they're not 'lost'.

I note this new CS website now says new stock coming in "Spring 2018" rather than the more definite "April 2018" - and they're also hedging their bets with saying January for testing (vs Dec in RAIL).

 

[jon0844]

..... but there is a video filmed inside the CAF factory.

A 2 minute film created from about 6 seconds of footage!

I think the only informative bits were seeing the taps and USB sockets.

 

[marks87]

I guess the "bar stools" will be of the fixed swivel type, thus bringing to an end the last moveable seats on the UK railway?

 

[Scotrail84]

I guess the "bar stools" will be of the fixed swivel type, thus bringing to an end the last moveable seats on the UK railway?

Yes, not very good if theres a crash as flying seats can do some damage.

 

[Tam]

...I see they've ditched the stools at the bar in the lounge in favour of single seats, presumably it's the latest feature to have fallen victim to health and safety.

I wonder how many hips will be whacked off those sharp saw-tooth cornered tables projecting into the aisle?

 

[Mag_seven]

There's also additional paths now in (appeared last couple of weeks) for the stock delivery moves from the docks.

What docks will they be coming into Tim?

 

[TimboM]

What docks will they be coming into Tim?

I'm adding 2+2 and possibly making 5, but if you look at workings to/from Polmadie there's now a couple of paths in most days from South Tees Docks (which are usually activated and then cancelled) as follows:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H03043/2017/08/30/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H03045/2017/08/30/advanced

Trailing load of 600 tonnes... very similar to the current Sleeper rake.

Now of course they could be anything, but I cannot think of any other reason why such regular paths have appeared in the last few weeks heading from a docks to Polmadie.


UPDATE: Confirmed in RAIL article today that new coaches being shipped from Spain (Bilbao) to Tees Dock, apart from the initial test 5 coaches which will travel via land.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I think the only informative bits were seeing the taps and USB sockets.

...and three pin sockets. Good - I can shave properly on these trains.

 

[Bletchleyite]

...and three pin sockets. Good - I can shave properly on these trains.

Some of us would argue that shaving properly does not require a 13A socket or indeed any other form of electricity whatsoever

 

[route:oxford]

I wonder how many hips will be whacked off those sharp saw-tooth cornered tables projecting into the aisle?

They do look like bruisers. Are the booth seats supposed to seat one or two?

 

[Northhighland]

Images look pretty good. this will be a big boost to the service. It is a really good way of doing a days business in London and being back in Inverness the next day.

This is a big step forward.

 

[Tam]

Just passed Velim station on the way to the airport. The sleeper coaches are no longer there, an ICE train stands there now, connected to what looks like a flatbed translator truck. Maybe the ICE was moved out to make way for the sleeper. I'll be back in cz on Monday and will take a run out to the test track on Tuesday for a mooch aboot.

 

[Tam]

Just passed Velim station on the way to the airport. The sleeper coaches are no longer there, an ICE train stands there now, connected to what looks like a flatbed translator truck. Maybe the ICE was moved out to make way for the sleeper. I'll be back in cz on Monday and will take a run out to the test track on Tuesday for a mooch aboot.

Ah well, just passed there again on the way to the airport again, so no mooching aboot Velim test track this week I'm afraid.

 

[Tam]

I'm now back in CZ following an unscheduled extended trip home. I had a quick mooch aboot the test track yard (from the outside) this evening. The five sleeper coaches are shunted away in a corner of the yard, hemmed-in by a DB double-decker http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/rolling-stock/skoda-double-deck-trains-for-db-on-test-at-velim.html. In my experience, this corner of the yard is where stuff gets put out of the way, but that's just based on my casual observations over the years.

 

[Tam]

Another photo...

 

[Bletchleyite]

That is a wonderful illustration as to why UK gauge double deck stock is not sensible, though that one seems to have a very high roof even by DB standards.

 

[43096]

That is a wonderful illustration as to why UK gauge double deck stock is not sensible, though that one seems to have a very high roof even by DB standards.

I think the DB stock are the Skoda built vehicles for the München-Nürnberg services.

 

[Tam]

A short video, taken at the test track yard today (train noise is from the nearby Prague-Vienna main line)...

https://streamable.com/r7ljb

I notice that the order of the coaches has been changed since moving from Velim station - the coach with the SAT gear is now at the end (was second from the end).

What I thought was an ICE train (actually Italian ATR 465) is still at Velim Station, and still with a security guard in attendance.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Looks odd how the displays stick out rather than being flush.

 

[Tam]

I was at the test track today and noticed that two of the coaches were in the same spot as before, but three were not. Then I saw them away in the distance, being hauled around the short track by a Seimens Vectron loco. I walked out to the short track (further than it looks) and managed to capture some video and photos that I will post here tonight.

Of course, as soon as I got close to the action, they packed-up for the day and headed back to the main yard (where I had just come from).

They run very quietly, silently even.

 

[Tam]

Video 1 30th September 2017 at the inner test track, Velim

 

[Tam]

Video 2 30th September 2017 at the inner test track, Velim