Caledonian Sleeper

[Bill57p9]

That would fit with the delay to the Highlander, which arrived at Edinburgh over an hour late, at 0542, which presumably gave insufficient time for the loco to get to Glasgow to take the ECS of the Lowlander out of Glasgow Central.

Either that or there was no loco available at Carstairs to take over the Edinburgh portion, so the whole train had to go there (as Edinburgh can take 16 coaches but Glasgow can't). But that seems unlikely as both southbound Lowlander portions ran, suggsting a loco got to Carstairs.

CS/GBRf are currently running short of class 92s with the Glasgow ECS being worked by 73967. This requires the northbound Highlander 92 to run light to Carstairs to haul the Edinburgh portion, rather than the usual trick or the Highlander 92 also working the Glasgow ECS.

The late arrival of the northbound Highlander would have prevented this, so presumably the decision was made to run the entire Lowlander into Edinburgh.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Monday at 18:50 ==

Understandably CS have cancelled tonight's southbound Glasgow portion, advising passengers to make their own way to Edinburgh.

Is that 2 unwell CS 92s (92006 & 92023) in Polmadie and one in Edinburgh now?

 

[SuspectUsual]

This just shows how fragile the CS operation is. Some of it understandable, some of it less so. But combine extreme fragility with the most expensive ticket prices in the country and you have a bit of a nightmare

 

[GordonT]

This just shows how fragile the CS operation is. Some of it understandable, some of it less so. But combine extreme fragility with the most expensive ticket prices in the country and you have a bit of a nightmare

True. At least its similarly wonky cousin, Lumo West Coast, is relatively cheap in its pricing.

 

[JamieL]

True. At least its similarly wonky cousin, Lumo West Coast, is relatively cheap in its pricing.

London to Glasgow First Class on Avanti is about £150 with a railcard. CS Club is about £179. You should compare like with like. I wouldn't step on a Lumo if I was paid £150.

 

[BenBracken]

As a family of four which includes two young children, we find the sleeper a fantastic experience for us all to visit family in Inverness. The family return ticket costs between £600-£700, which breaks down as about £80 each, each way. Put like that it’s less than a normal day train! And I’m not entertaining two young kids on a day train for 8 hours when they could be asleep!

 

[Noseygit]

Has the sleeper failed overnight as I notice that there is a 5m16 from Preston currently on platform 6 according to Traksy with 92014 ? Anybody also have the coaching stock numbers ?

 

[Swedenorer]

Has the sleeper failed overnight as I notice that there is a 5m16 from Preston currently on platform 6 according to Traksy with 92014 ? Anybody also have the coaching stock numbers ?

Cancelled from Preston having arrived 175 late. Problem with traction equipment.

 

[mcmad]

It would seem the 99's with ETH can't come soon enough for GBRF.

 

[marshlinker]

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.

I'm a bit out of date but it used certainly to be the case that nearly all the seated passengers were headed for stations north of Crianlarich, the majority I guess going all the way to Fort William. I think that for South of Crianlarich the lowlander to Glasgow and then a local train/ coach is better as it avoids the early morning traipse along the platform at Edinburgh.

 

[Justin Smith]

London to Glasgow First Class on Avanti is about £150 with a railcard. CS Club is about £179. You should compare like with like. I wouldn't step on a Lumo if I was paid £150.

Those between 25 and 60 travelling on their own have not got a railcard.......

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Today at 11:52 ==

It would seem the 99's with ETH can't come soon enough for GBRF.

Why can't they use class 90s, or even class 87s before they were exported ?

 

[JonathanH]

Why can't they use class 90s, or even class 87s before they were exported ?

Neither can supply enough ETS for the full 16 coach rake, nor do they have the right couplers.

 

[Justin Smith]

Neither can supply enough ETS for the full 16 coach rake, nor do they have the right couplers.

Are we saying they have never had the right couplers ? If so why did CS limit their choices so drastically when they ordered the carriages ?

 

[JamieL]

Those between 25 and 60 travelling on their own have not got a railcard.......

I am in the bracket and I do.

 

[Swedenorer]

Are we saying they have never had the right couplers ? If so why did CS limit their choices so drastically when they ordered the carriages ?

Because the whole business is a basket case???

 

[norbitonflyer]

Are we saying they have never had the right couplers ? If so why did CS limit their choices so drastically when they ordered the carriages ?

Since the 87s and 90s can't supply the ETS, there would have been no point in making the couplings compatible (except possibly to operate the Edinburgh portion)

 

[Justin Smith]

I am in the bracket and I do.

Alright, the great majority of peopel between 25 and 60 travelling on ther own, cannot have a Railcard.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Today at 12:31 ==

Since the 87s and 90s can't supply the ETS, there would have been no point in making the couplings compatible (except possibly to operate the Edinburgh portion)

Can you double head and get twice the ETH, and if not why not ?
That said, one could use the same argument about the couplers, ordering in a carriages that hardly any loco can supply ETH for is asking for trouble.

 

[JonathanH]

Are we saying they have never had the right couplers ? If so why did CS limit their choices so drastically when they ordered the carriages ?

The choice of couplers reportedly related to the safety of its shunting staff.

That said, one could use the same argument about the couplers, ordering in a carriages that hardly any loco can supply ETH for is asking for trouble.

They have a fleet of 10 suitably equipped 92s, and need a minimum of 6 each day, so there should not really be a problem. Unfortunately, not all are available right now.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Can you double head and get twice the ETH, and if not why not ?

You'd also increase the overall length of the train, and as I understand that's a pretty tight constraint at Euston

 

[Justin Smith]

The choice of couplers reportedly related to the safety of its shunting staff.

What's changed since, say, the construction of Mk3 coaches ?

 

[Steve Harris]

What's changed since, say, the construction of Mk3 coaches ?

Ok. I'll bite. Health and Safety, Risk Assessments, Law, Regulations (and EU directives before we left).

Or to put it in a more simpler term, has the world changed since 1984 ??

 

[Bald Rick]

Alright, the great majority of peopel between 25 and 60 travelling on ther own, cannot have a Railcard.

100% of those between 25-30 can.

 

[Kite159]

100% of those between 25-30 can.

However you can't use a 26-30 Railcard on Cally Sleeper for some unknown reason (unless it's changed)

 

[Justin Smith]

100% of those between 25-30 can.

What !
There's a 26 to 30 rail card ! !
I can remember as a child in the late 70s having to pay full price over the age of 14 !

 

[styles]

What !
There's a 26 to 30 rail card ! !
I can remember as a child in the late 70s having to pay full price over the age of 14 !

There's been a 26-30 Railcard for some years now. I'm thinking around 7-8 years?

Though similarly to the 16-25 Railcard you can actually use one until the day before your 32nd birthday by buying one a day before your 31st birthday, so it's more like a 26-31.9973 Railcard.

 

[Justin Smith]

can actually use one until the day before your 32nd birthday by buying one a day before your 31st birthday, so it's more like a 26-31.9973 Railcard.

I see what you did there, very good.

 

[styles]

I see what you did there, very good.

I actually will correct myself.

It's valid until the last arrival of the Caledonian Sleeper the day after you started your journey I suppose, and on 'normal' services until 0429, so actually valid in some cases on your 27th (for 16-25) or 32nd (for 26-30) birthday.

 

[teaspoon]

I actually will correct myself.

It's valid until the last arrival of the Caledonian Sleeper the day after you started your journey I suppose, and on 'normal' services until 0429, so actually valid in some cases on your 27th (for 16-25) or 32nd (for 26-30) birthday.

presumably only if you boarded before midnight, and not on one of the early morning stops on the Fort William leg.

 

[3RDGEN]

Are we saying they have never had the right couplers ? If so why did CS limit their choices so drastically when they ordered the carriages ?

Not sure any UK Loco's had the applicable couplers with the Cl73/92's modified for the MkV sleeper stock, the "auto couplers" improve safety and should also reduce impacts during coupling/splitting of the train which is a helpful feature on a sleeper service.

The sleeper stock has a large "Hotel Power" requirement due to modern service requirements so the stock has a different ETS system to the historical ones. I believe the system is the same as planned for the Channel Tunnel Nightstock vehicles hence why the Cl92's were they only real option apart from new build loco's.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Sadly I did not get the coaching stock numbers. If I had known, I would have done. Here is the Caledonian Sleeper stuck at Preston Platform 6 at 07.30 this morning - Septemeber 30th 2026.

 

[styles]

presumably only if you boarded before midnight, and not on one of the early morning stops on the Fort William leg.

Yes, I was thinking of the last possible validity of the Railcard, which would presumably be 10am rolling into Fort William having boarded dahn sarf.

Technically you could experience delays and the Railcard be valid for even longer mind.