Caledonian Sleeper

[L401CJF]

Yes I used the seats on the old stock and it wasn’t a great nights sleep but it was ok. Dark carriage. Nice cosy chair. Warm. Reclining. It was sleeping in a chair which is generally crap. But it was cheap and it was fine for the price.

My brother and I went up to Fort William on the sleeper in Feb last year. We got on at Crewe and had seats booked going North , so of course had to get off and wait for the carriages to appear at Edinburgh before heading up to Fort William. It was only around Rannoch that we worked out you could recline them, doh!

Return journey we had berths and thoroughly enjoyed the experience on the old stock, great watching the sunset on the WHL with your head out of the window (the conductor (??) was more than happy for us to pop our heads out and warned us where to watch out for branches) .We spent a good few hours in the lounge car - mainly because there wasn't any service on the chip and pin machine to pay for our drinks and it was nice and relaxed if a bit dated. Not sampled the new stock yet and probably wont for a while.

 

[JonathanH]

I seen that bus on the booking system and wondered why it takes so long . Hits the morning peak?

It stops at Manchester, Manchester Airport and Birmingham, hitting Birmingham around 7.20am. The detour for these stops just adds time relative to going direct on the M6.

 

[route101]

It stops at Manchester, Manchester Airport and Birmingham, hitting Birmingham around 7.20am. The detour for these stops just adds time relative to going direct on the M6.

I see , the 2245 from Glasgow to London appears to be non stop now

 

[Norther Monkey]

£30 with a railcard on less busy services , didnt realise there was at seat catering.

There is but, in my experience, it's next to useless. Staff give priority to those in cabins using the lounge car. This means that you may not have the opportunity (on the Highlander) to get anything within 2 hours of departure. It worked much better when you could walk to a hatch and the steward could take just a few seconds to serve you between lounge customers.

With a railcard it's a great price, but manage your expectations to avoid disappointment.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Awful. Truly awful.

I was in physical pain when I reached Euston, from Glasgow and had a very poor sleep. Couldn't dissuade anyone from the seats highly enough. I was willing to attribute it to maybe being a dodgy seat, but I used the sleeper as a day train recently and after a couple of hours I started to go numb again. Noticeably not something that happened on the TPE 802 I went North on a few days earlier, bizarrely if they're the same seats.

They are exactly the same seats as Class 80x First Class, yes.

 

[swapmeetpete]

They are exactly the same seats as Class 80x First Class, yes.

The seats are not ideal but the ride is a bigger problem imho.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51425482

Network Rail has imposed a blanket speed restriction of 50mph across the network on Sunday, warning passengers to only travel by train that day "if absolutely necessary".

All above just so that I can ask if the “blanket speed restriction” will apply to the Sleeper

 

[Far north 37]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51425482


All above just so that I can ask if the “blanket speed restriction” will apply to the Sleeper

I would imagine so if its a network wide restriction.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would expect the Sleeper to be cancelled throughout in both directions to be honest.

 

[alistairlees]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51425482


All above just so that I can ask if the “blanket speed restriction” will apply to the Sleeper

I believe they use duvets these days so, strictly speaking, no.

 

[Qwerty133]

All services cancelled tonight due to the weather according to them on Twitter

#StormCiara Service Update: Network Rail have
advised us that there is no available route for us to operate our services this evening. All services are therefore cancelled. http://sleeper.scot/service-alterations/… We offer our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience.

 

[DelW]

Oh dear, a bit of a sense of humour failure in response to PaxVobiscum's post, only one out of four got the joke

 

[Samuel88]

Giving people refunds or allowing them to travel later in the week is all well and good, but what are those people going to do in the meantime? Serco should be providing anyone who purchased a ticket hotel accommodation until they can get passengers to their destination.

 

[TimboM]

Giving people refunds or allowing them to travel later in the week is all well and good, but what are those people going to do in the meantime? Serco should be providing anyone who purchased a ticket hotel accommodation until they can get passengers to their destination.

Why should they?

 

[Samuel88]

Why should they?

Because it fosters a good feeling with passengers, which will encourage repeat business, something the sleeper desperately needs!

 

[Highland37]

Because it fosters a good feeling with passengers, which will encourage repeat business, something the sleeper desperately needs!

And given the terrible PR the service is getting from its own passengers, it would seem to be a good idea. The service is widely regarded as over priced and unreliable. It needs to change in its attitude to customers, or massively reduce prices.

 

[sheff1]

Giving people refunds or allowing them to travel later in the week is all well and good, but what are those people going to do in the meantime? Serco should be providing anyone who purchased a ticket hotel accommodation until they can get passengers to their destination.

Why should they?

Because that is exactly what a hotel in the category* to which CS compare themselves would do if they were not able to honour the booked room and also what airlines do (another comparison made by CS).

Obviously someone already at home would not need a hotel.

* and many at the cheaper end of the market

 

[TimboM]

Because it fosters a good feeling with passengers, which will encourage repeat business, something the sleeper desperately needs!

Really? You do know Sleeper bookings are up and notably higher than last year? Not sure they're in as desperate need of the PR as some on here like to think...

And I'm referring to the National Rail Conditions of Travel and/or their Guest Charter. Any requirement in there?

And given the terrible PR the service is getting from its own passengers, it would seem to be a good idea. The service is widely regarded as over priced and unreliable. It needs to change in its attitude to customers, or massively reduce prices.

Terrible PR? Doesn't seem to be harming patronage that much... see above.

Passengers already pay less than half it costs for them to be on the train. How can that be "over-priced"?! Who should fund the massive reduction in prices you suggest? It's down to either Serco (who already lose millions running the franchise, so I'd count them out) or even more taxpayers' money to subsidise the service even further. Is that a fair use of such funds?

 

[Samuel88]

Really? You do know Sleeper bookings are up and notably higher than last year? Not sure they're in as desperate need of the PR as some on here like to think...

And I'm referring to the National Rail Conditions of Travel and/or their Guest Charter. Any requirement in there?


Terrible PR? Doesn't seem to be harming patronage that much... see above.

Passengers already pay less than half it costs for them to be on the train. How can that be "over-priced"?! Who should fund the massive reduction in prices you suggest - it's down to either Serco (who already lose millions running the franchise, so I'd count them out) or even more taxpayers' money to subsidise the service even further. Is that a fair use of such funds?

Don’t be silly, we both know the problems the Sleeper has, failures every other day, extremely poor seating etc etc...

 

[Bald Rick]

Giving people refunds or allowing them to travel later in the week is all well and good, but what are those people going to do in the meantime? Serco should be providing anyone who purchased a ticket hotel accommodation until they can get passengers to their destination.

Why should CS do any different from any other operator? Are LNER or Avanti providing hotels?

 

[Samuel88]

Why should CS do any different from any other operator? Are LNER or Avanti providing hotels?

Avanti and LNER don’t run overnight services and don’t portray themselves as being a hotel on wheels.

 

[alistairlees]

Don’t be silly, we both know the problems the Sleeper has, failures every other day, extremely poor seating etc etc...

Whilst the service is clearly not perfect, TimboM is quite correct that bookings are much improved. It was even reported in the Scottish Parliament about a month ago!

 

[Struner]

Just a thought:
Was on the €* when I got such message.
So yes, where should I go once I got to London?

 

[Darandio]

And I'm referring to the National Rail Conditions of Travel and/or their Guest Charter. Any requirement in there?

No. Caledonian Sleeper find themselves in the fantastic position of being able to advertise their service as a luxury hotel on wheels, but when the crap hits the fan they can hide behind a piss poor set of conditions.

 

[Mathew S]

Avanti and LNER don’t run overnight services and don’t portray themselves as being a hotel on wheels.

It really doesn't make any difference (whether it should or not is something for a speculative ideas thread). The sleeper is, when it comes to passenger rights in the event of disruption, just another train.

 

[Sleepy]

It really doesn't make any difference (whether it should or not is something for a speculative ideas thread). The sleeper is, when it comes to passenger rights in the event of disruption, just another train.

As GWR do for their Sleeper, hotel & day train should be offered.

 

[Hattie.smores7]

The Caledonian Sleeper could run this evening as the WCML is now open all the way from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

 

[Mathew S]

As GWR do for their Sleeper, hotel & day train should be offered.

Yes, but the falsehood of the point that some were making above, that they should go beyond the requirements of the conditions of travel, is what I was getting at.

 

[Struner]

As GWR do for their Sleeper, hotel & day train should be offered.

Thank you for pointing out the difference!

 

[Samuel88]

Yes, but the falsehood of the point that some were making above, that they should go beyond the requirements of the conditions of travel, is what I was getting at.

Under the consumer rights act the law states that if a hotel provider cannot give you a room at the hotel you booked, they must provide an alternative.
As the Sleeper provides overnight accommodation I would argue that Serco’s obligations are the same.