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I do believe it's an admin error rather than an actual confirmation.
The full 16 Mk5 stock for the northbound lowlander is approaching Euston. RTT is showing 1S26 running normally to Glasgow.
There is however a cancelled 1S26 Euston to Edinburgh (not Glasgow) and CS' travel status page is showing the northbound Edinburgh service cancelled.
However 16 coaches don't fit in Glasgow Central, so I think the information doesn't match facts on the ground.
The southbound is running normally: portions sat at both Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley.
I do believe it's an admin error rather than an actual confirmation.
The full 16 Mk5 stock for the northbound lowlander is approaching Euston. RTT is showing 1S26 running normally to Glasgow.
There is however a cancelled 1S26 Euston to Edinburgh (not Glasgow) and CS' travel status page is showing the northbound Edinburgh service cancelled.
However 16 coaches don't fit in Glasgow Central, so I think the information doesn't match facts on the ground.
The southbound is running normally: portions sat at both Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley.
I do believe it's an admin error rather than an actual confirmation.
The full 16 Mk5 stock for the northbound lowlander is approaching Euston. RTT is showing 1S26 running normally to Glasgow.
There is however a cancelled 1S26 Euston to Edinburgh (not Glasgow) and CS' travel status page is showing the northbound Edinburgh service cancelled.
However 16 coaches don't fit in Glasgow Central, so I think the information doesn't match facts on the ground.
The southbound is running normally: portions sat at both Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley.
Last night's debacle. Stock for 1S25 had a problem after arriving in Euston. 1S26 stock in platform 15 was utilised for 1S25 and eventually left 2347. Passengers for 1S26 sent to Watford. The original 1S25 stock went to Wembley yard for defective coach to be removed and reformed. The stock then ran empty to Watford and started from there at 0254. That's the operational side of it, I have no knowledge on whether 1S25 had started loading before the stock swap or if the fault was discovered prior to boarding. Whatever happened it's been a rough week for sleeper passengers.
Something along those lines could have been a good plan but (a) the Highlander apparently ran non-stop through Watford and (b) even if it had stopped the passengers would have been left there for nearly three hours before the Lowlander ECS arrived. Anyone know what was actually done? Could they have stayed in the lounge at Euston and been sent to Watford on 2K83 at 0139?
the YouTube algorithm has just served me a travel vlogger's account of this night - passengers were indeed sent to Watford on the 0139 LNWR service (and were allowed to wait in the lounge).
It looks like information was thin on the ground at Euston - it's one thing for faults to occur, but as the video demonstrates, keep people informed and they'll be slightly happier.
Another interesting undocumented tidbit is that if you've booked solo occupancy of a room, and want to add a second passenger, they can turn up with you and pay a supplement of '£80 or £90'. The chap in the video didn't pay it, presumably because everyone involved knew it would just get refunded anyway. I guess this is an excess between a classic solo and a classic twin fare?
Sadly not - will need to be booked in advance (via ScotRail site I believe for the seats on the Fort William portion ) as the train is “reservations compulsory”.
That’s a risky strategy, especially at somewhere like Corrour because the train will only stop if someone else is booked to get on or off, I don’t think the driver would respond to an unexpected signal from an unbooked passenger.
The sleeper isn’t booked to cross anything at Corrour - if this is the case and nobody is booked to get on or off, does the train have to stop to get the (virtual) token or can it pass through at line speed?
That’s a risky strategy, especially at somewhere like Corrour because the train will only stop if someone else is booked to get on or off, I don’t think the driver would respond to an unexpected signal from an unbooked passenger.
The sleeper isn’t booked to cross anything at Corrour - if this is the case and nobody is booked to get on or off, does the train have to stop to get the (virtual) token or can it pass through at line speed?
The sleeper isn’t booked to cross anything at Corrour - if this is the case and nobody is booked to get on or off, does the train have to stop to get the (virtual) token or can it pass through at line speed?
That’s a risky strategy, especially at somewhere like Corrour because the train will only stop if someone else is booked to get on or off, I don’t think the driver would respond to an unexpected signal from an unbooked passenger.
The sleeper isn’t booked to cross anything at Corrour - if this is the case and nobody is booked to get on or off, does the train have to stop to get the (virtual) token or can it pass through at line speed?
Also Corrour is not an official passing point, as the loop is effectively a double-ended siding which is used from-to-time to stable on-track maintenance machines, inspection trolleys, etc. Normally long section (electronic) token working applies from Rannoch to Tulloch. Because the 'loop' points are normally manually-locked, the Sleeper can pass through at line speed (40 mph) instead of having to slow to 15 mph through the automatically-ressetting points at the official crossing stations.
I’ve used it from Rannoch to Corrour; it was so late on arrival the guard didn’t bother charging, as she knew it’d be delay repaid in full.
I did not have a reservation, I simply got on the train (with a dog) : I don’t think there was any grumbling.
The National rail planner lists it as a valid route, so I’m surprised others are saying it might not stop - any citations available?
If you get word back on the official process, do share: on my trip up last month it was very much acting as the first service of the day from Glasgow: a fair number of people boarded at the intermediate stations.
Attached a screenshot of the relevant text from the National Rail website - tickets must be bought in advance and reservations are compulsory
Your experience is probably not unusual - if the train is stopping at your station anyway and there is a spare seat the guard would probably allow you to travel. But "if" and "probably" are doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence
Is it possible that all seats would be reserved right through to Fort William, in which case nobody would be able to reserve a seat intermediately, but would they be allowed to board anyway and stand? Or do seats become available by passengers alighting en route? Either way, difficult to know what will actually happen on any given day.
Is it possible that all seats would be reserved right through to Fort William, in which case nobody would be able to reserve a seat intermediately, but would they be allowed to board anyway and stand? Or do seats become available by passengers alighting en route? Either way, difficult to know what will actually happen on any given day.
I don't know, and to be honest I don't know how their booking system works in terms of priorities, booking horizons etc. I'd presume they wouldn't want a block booking for 20 walkers between (say) Crianlarich and Corrour, as it'd mean 20 less seats available from London to Fort William and far greater revenue
I don't know, and to be honest I don't know how their booking system works in terms of priorities, booking horizons etc. I'd presume they wouldn't want a block booking for 20 walkers between (say) Crianlarich and Corrour, as it'd mean 20 less seats available from London to Fort William and far greater revenue
Attached a screenshot of the relevant text from the National Rail website - tickets must be bought in advance and reservations are compulsory
Your experience is probably not unusual - if the train is stopping at your station anyway and there is a spare seat the guard would probably allow you to travel. But "if" and "probably" are doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence
I don't know, and to be honest I don't know how their booking system works in terms of priorities, booking horizons etc. I'd presume they wouldn't want a block booking for 20 walkers between (say) Crianlarich and Corrour, as it'd mean 20 less seats available from London to Fort William and far greater revenue
I think you cannot reserve seats between Edinburgh and Fort William more than 2 weeks in advance, this may have changed but I am sure this was the case that seats for local West Highland journeys would only be reservable no earlier than 2 weeks prior to travel.
Caledonian Sleeper do not sell tickets for these local journeys through their website, which is the one place unfamiliar travellers would likely look first for tickets given its the operator of the service they will use.
The point is that, south of Edinburgh, the FW and Aberdeen passengers are in the same coach, but have separate coaches north thereof. Thus the number of passengers for Aberdeen affects the number of spare seats in the FW portion beyond Edinburgh, available for passengers using it as a local service.
The point is that, south of Edinburgh, the FW and Aberdeen passengers are in the same coach, but have separate coaches north thereof. Thus the number of passengers for Aberdeen affects the number of spare seats in the FW portion beyond Edinburgh, available for passengers using it as a local service.
Most of the year, there are more seated passengers for the Aberdeen route than the Fort William route, so it would be very rare for local seated passengers not to be accommodated on the West Highland route.
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