Caledonian Sleeper

[JasmineDM]

Online support are confident that it's about to leave Polmadie

 

[gabrielhj07]

Online support are confident that it's about to leave Polmadie

EDB staff less so

 

[JasmineDM]

Announcement at Edinburgh that it's apparently finally left, but I see no sign of it on RTT or Traksy

 

[gabrielhj07]

5M16 moving south now, not showing on RTT.

 

[JasmineDM]

It's on the move but extremely slowly. It's been stuck at Rutherglen for the last ten minutes if Traksy is to be believed.

 

[GordonT]

Presumably will be around an hour late leaving Edinburgh but if no further significant delays some of that will be recovered.

 

[JasmineDM]

5M16 does now seem to be making up time, and they've told us to go to the platform in 15 minutes.

 

[gabrielhj07]

Seems a touch premature, it’s still the wrong side of Midcalder Jn

 

[JasmineDM]

Exactly, we're just standing here now.

 

[GordonT]

1M16 departed Edinburgh 0254 (90L).

 

[cats_five]

The Fringe doesn't actually start until Friday, although that just nudges the city from rammed to gridlocked!

It wasn't that busy on Wednesday, and North Bridge being fully open now must help travel over it.

 

[JasmineDM]

Getting later and later near Cheddington now. Unsurprisingly on the slow not the fast line, including diverting through Northampton, and have been overtaken by 3 Up Pendolinos already.

 

[marshlinker]

Yes, but Fort William to Edinburgh is 5h18m by the CS timetable. On a coach, maybe it's closer to 4.5h given their lower speed limit on national speed limit roads and the calling points making a direct route unachievable. That's a long portion of sleeping time lost if, like me, you can't sleep very well sat upright. A 50% discount sounds fine, but I'd be pretty annoyed still because I won't be getting to sleep until the wee hours.

The 20.15 Ember bus Fort William to Edinburgh is scheduled 3 HR 30 including all the intermediate stops. It's a lot faster by road to either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

 

[gabrielhj07]

Getting later and later near Cheddington now. Unsurprisingly on the slow not the fast line, including diverting through Northampton, and have been overtaken by 3 Up Pendolinos already.

It was all going so well until we went via Northampton. Anyway 92 late into Euston, not as bad as it could have been.

 

[GordonT]

It was all going so well until we went via Northampton. Anyway 92 late into Euston, not as bad as it could have been.

1R22 the first daytime train from Glasgow Central managed to beat the Edinburgh sleeper into Euston by 5 and a half minutes.

 

[Tetragon213]

1R22 the first daytime train from Glasgow Central managed to beat the Edinburgh sleeper into Euston by 5 and a half minutes.

That must be a right old kick in the teeth for anyone who'd endured a night of being rattled on a Mk5, to be in London for a morning meeting; only for the first normal service to beat them in!

I imagine "sorry, my train was late" works even less well as an excuse when you've charged the company triple the rate for an overnight bunk...

 

[VT 390]

Something I have only just noticed is that the southbound Highlander Aberdeen portion departs at 20:26 Sundays to Thursdays boarding from 20:00 but departs 21:43 Fridays only boarding from 21:00.
Does anyone know why this is the case?

 

[Morayshire]

Something I have only just noticed is that the southbound Highlander Aberdeen portion departs at 20:26 Sundays to Thursdays boarding from 20:00 but departs 21:43 Fridays only boarding from 21:00.
Does anyone know why this is the case?

Southbound from Aberdeen goes through Fife on a Friday, other days it runs through Perth and Stirling

 

[Merle Haggard]

It was all going so well until we went via Northampton. Anyway 92 late into Euston, not as bad as it could have been.

It only lost 7 minutes going via Northampton according to RTT.
Probably left a trail on the up LNw services though.

 

[gabrielhj07]

It only lost 7 minutes going via Northampton according to RTT.
Probably left a trail on the up LNw services though.

Yes, but then had to wait at Bourne End I think it was to let a few Pendolinos past before going out on the fast.

 

[VT 390]

Southbound from Aberdeen goes through Fife on a Friday, other days it runs through Perth and Stirling

On the dates I have checked it goes via Fife all days.
Or is the earlier time so it can divert vie Perth when required but will not always do so, to avoid varying times on different weeks?
I would have thought they would also retime the Friday to keep it consistent all week or at least keep boarding times the same.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Southbound from Aberdeen goes through Fife on a Friday, other days it runs through Perth and Stirling

But they sell tickets to and from the three stations in Fife for all operating days?

 

[Morayshire]

Well, I'm probably wrong then but my recollection was that was the reason why it was leaving earlier.

 

[Bill57p9]

I believe the earlier running via Fife is to get through before the line closes for overnight engineering work.

 

[AWCook]

I believe the earlier running via Fife is to get through before the line closes for overnight engineering work.

Yes, it's for the installation of the electrification masts.

 

[BenBracken]

I was on a road trip with the family on Friday heading to Scotland and we stopped off at Shap. It’s a great place for kids, open air pool, multi sports area and play park right next to the WCML! I noticed a CS branded loco passed by on its own, heading south around mid afternoon. Does anyone know what that working was? I’m not sure why it would run all the way from Scotland to London without any coaches?!

 

[D6130]

I was on a road trip with the family on Friday heading to Scotland and we stopped off at Shap. It’s a great place for kids, open air pool, multi sports area and play park right next to the WCML! I noticed a CS branded loco passed by on its own, heading south around mid afternoon. Does anyone know what that working was? I’m not sure why it would run all the way from Scotland to London without any coaches?!

Can you remember the loco number? It could have been the one which failed earlier in the week returning South after repairs at Polmadie.

 

[JonathanH]

Can you remember the loco number? It could have been the one which failed earlier in the week returning South after repairs at Polmadie.

92018 - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:01886/2026-08-07/detailed

 

[Caleb2010]

92018 - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:01886/2026-08-07/detailed

Obviously it gives it a run to prove the work that’s been done is ok but, is there any other reason for it to go light engine all the way to London. Surely the engines that worked in on the previous services are already in situ.

just a question!

 

[Mike395]

Looks like the Northbound Lowlander was cancelled due to a fault last night, so they took an operational decision to cancel the southbound Highlander from Edinburgh, presumably to ensure the sets are still balanced. As someone who doesn't pay attention to the sleeper operation nowadays on a regular basis, is this normal? It seems an odd operational decision to wake people up at 4:30am from a train that is working perfectly fine to put them on LNER vs trying to get a path the following day and cancelling a train with plenty of notice if they're unable to do so.