Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[87015]

But "hellfire" none the less!

Not with a can on the front, let’s hope it’s the superior ACLG machine!!

In actual matters, some (the?) new coaches are on the move today, heading north from Velim towards Dresden and beyond.

 

[ScottDarg]

Not with a can on the front, let’s hope it’s the superior ACLG machine!!

In actual matters, some (the?) new coaches are on the move today, heading north from Velim towards Dresden and beyond.

Thanks for the update on the coaches, went silent for a good while.

The CS twitter team seems pretty confident they will be in service in the Spring, which I think is rather optimistic if they've only just started moving again.

 

[waynemorrell]

According to the National Rail app the train left Inverness 29 minutes late due to 'damage to the overhead electric wires'. There might be a cable or two around Inverness station, I've never looked, but this seems an unlikely reason!

No OHLE for miles AFAIK, not sure were it starts exactly, after Sterling I think towards Glasgow anyway.

 

[Melancholia]

On the Fort William - Euston sleeper, the only loco change that happens is at Edinburgh, right?

Whilst I'm at it, if anyone's got the allocations for tonight for both parts of the trip (Fort William - Edinburgh, Edinburgh - Euston) that would be great!

 

[ScottDarg]

On the Fort William - Euston sleeper, the only loco change that happens is at Edinburgh, right?

Whilst I'm at it, if anyone's got the allocations for tonight for both parts of the trip (Fort William - Edinburgh, Edinburgh - Euston) that would be great!

Correct, if nothing breaks then the only attach and detach of locos is at Edinburgh.

73971 is on Fort William at the moment I believe, could swap with another 73 though.

 

[Melancholia]

Correct, if nothing breaks then the only attach and detach of locos is at Edinburgh.

73971 is on Fort William at the moment I believe, could swap with another 73 though.

Hopefully everything goes well tonight, back on baton waving duties tomorrow on lates

 

[Scotrail84]

Not with a can on the front, let’s hope it’s the superior ACLG machine!!

In actual matters, some (the?) new coaches are on the move today, heading north from Velim towards Dresden and beyond.

To where?

 

[Scotrail84]

Thanks for the update on the coaches, went silent for a good while.

The CS twitter team seems pretty confident they will be in service in the Spring, which I think is rather optimistic if they've only just started moving again.

No chance.

 

[ScottDarg]

No chance.

Didn't think so. Someone should probably tell Serco to stop making the claim, they've done it 3 or 4 times in the last few days.

 

[Melancholia]

Correct, if nothing breaks then the only attach and detach of locos is at Edinburgh.

73971 is on Fort William at the moment I believe, could swap with another 73 though.

Can confirm 73971 is at the front of the first portion of the Fort William... portion.

 

[ScottDarg]

Can confirm 73971 is at the front of the first portion of the Fort William... portion.

Misread your first post and was thinking you were going Euston - Fort William which is why I said the 73 may swap, oops

92010 should be your loco from Edinburgh. Enjoy your trip

 

[Mag_seven]

Not with a can on the front, let’s hope it’s the superior ACLG machine!!

Yes I'm a bit embarrassed with my choice of phrase there especially given my Avatar.

 

[Far north 37]

Always some challenge or other.

1S26 departed 66 Late in the end and with the 'traffic' in front and Fasts out of London closed tonight it's not made any inroads into the delay so far.

Was quite gutted when it was planned to be 92043 and never came off

 

[amywok]

Not sure if it's just me but I can't see the attachments .

Oops - thrown by the 3g coming out if Euston!

 

[TimboM]

Oops - thrown by the 3g coming out if Euston!

Nice - thanks for sharing.

92032 left fairly soon after this direct to Bounds Green for tyre-turning. No 92s ever then two in six weeks at Bounds Green...

 

[TimboM]

To where?

Polmadie...?! (eventually)

 

[Scotrail84]

86 xxx and a 90 049 on 1M11 working in multi I believe.

 

[JModulo]

86 xxx and a 90 049 on 1M11 working in multi I believe.

86101. Can confirm they are working in Multi.

 

[TimboM]

86101. Can confirm they are working in Multi.

86101 due to work 1S26 back to Glasgow tonight, subject to the usual caveats.

6,000 posts by the way

 

[Scotrail84]

5B26 T and T this morning, 92 044 leading and 92 033 dead on the rear. 92 043 in the south loop siding now repaired and likely to be tonights 1M16 loco.

 

[TimboM]

5B26 T and T this morning, 92 044 leading and 92 033 dead on the rear. 92 043 in the south loop siding now repaired and likely to be tonights 1M16 loco.

Interesting... I take it that was via Mk1 Eyeball?

Plan for 5B26 originally was 92 043 leading with 92 044 remaining on the rear (after bringing in 1B26) - and that was what was reported on TOPS too - but I guess there was a bit of a change of plan, possibly because 033 had been put on top of 043 in the "Klondike" ex-1S25.

 

[BRX]

As there are quite often questions about how the shunting in Edinburgh works, I filmed the process from the perspective of the Inverness portion during my journey south last weekend.

Might try and do the same for the northbound process on my next trip.

One thing that puzzled me a bit - we came to a stop outside Waverley on the way in. A 73/9 appeared on the adjacent track, then reversed and headed back into the station. I think it's the same one that can be seen in the distance, beyond the scissors crossing, around 1:20 in the video. I assume it came off the Aberdeen portion. But why would it come out of the west end of Waverley, when it would have been at the far end of the Aberdeen section? Why not head out the east end of Waverley, and then back in, to arrive at the point where it can be seen in the video?

 

[TimboM]

As there are quite often questions about how the shunting in Edinburgh works, I filmed the process from the perspective of the Inverness portion during my journey south last weekend.

Might try and do the same for the northbound process on my next trip.

One thing that puzzled me a bit - we came to a stop outside Waverley on the way in. A 73/9 appeared on the adjacent track, then reversed and headed back into the station. I think it's the same one that can be seen in the distance, beyond the scissors crossing, around 1:20 in the video. I assume it came off the Aberdeen portion. But why would it come out of the west end of Waverley, when it would have been at the far end of the Aberdeen section? Why not head out the east end of Waverley, and then back in, to arrive at the point where it can be seen in the video?

Very interesting - thanks for filming/sharing.

This was Sunday night if I recall - if so the Aberdeen portion started from Dundee and was T’n’T (due to engineering - will be the same for the next few weekends). I think that explains the “odd” 73/9 as there would’ve been an extra one on the back (west end) of the “Aberdeen” portion too.

Also, I believe the ABD set was in reverse hence the unusual formation in your video of ABD sleeper cars/ABD lounge + seats/FTW sleeper cars.

This was because the ABD portion Sat morning was cancelled due to the severe delay to 1S25 and it ran straight back to Polmadie ECS. If it’d gone out and “round the corner” to Aberdeen as planned on Sat morning the stock would’ve been the right way round when it ran back to Polmadie ECS (which was planned due to the engineering).

(5M11 Polmadie-Glasgow ECS move went via the Hamilton loop last night to get this set turned the right way round again.)

 

[marks87]

Is the Aberdeen portion the wrong way round in that video? I thought the two Fort William sleepers joined the sleepers end of the Aberdeen, not the seats. Otherwise, you have an odd formation for the following night's northbound lowlander.

Edit: Ah, answered above while I was posting!

 

[TimboM]

Is the Aberdeen portion the wrong way round in that video? I thought the two Fort William sleepers joined the sleepers end of the Aberdeen, not the seats. Otherwise, you have an odd formation for the following night's northbound lowlander.

Edit: Ah, answered above while I was posting!

I think they shunted them back into the right order at Wembley so the lounge/seats were at one end (albeit in reverse still) for Mon night’s Lowlander (EDB portion). However, no easy turning opportunities around Wembley, hence done in Scotland last night.

 

[BRX]

Ah - that all explains a few things. Perhaps I should add some explanation to the video.

I knew the ABD portion had started from Dundee but not that it was the "wrong way round" or TnT.

Add in the missing sleeper coach from Inverness and it was a non-standard formation all round!

 

[Dr Hoo]

Going back to the problems in early December 2017, has anyone actually had any 'satisfaction' in relation to the cancellations on the Highland routes?

I was booked to go to Aberdeen on Thursday 7 December, got text message to say train cancelled and advised to seek refund. No real 'help' offered. Trip scrubbed.

Duly filled in online Delay Repay form, sent ticket scan, etc. Since then heard nothing whatsoever. CS still have my cash.

Appalling customer service. That followed on from my worst train breakfast experience ever earlier in the year.

 

[TimboM]

Going back to the problems in early December 2017, has anyone actually had any 'satisfaction' in relation to the cancellations on the Highland routes?

I was booked to go to Aberdeen on Thursday 7 December, got text message to say train cancelled and advised to seek refund. No real 'help' offered. Trip scrubbed.

Duly filled in online Delay Repay form, sent ticket scan, etc. Since then heard nothing whatsoever. CS still have my cash.

Appalling customer service. That followed on from my worst train breakfast experience ever earlier in the year.

Send them a (public) tweet asking where your response/refund is - usually springs them into action...

 

[TimboM]

Ah - that all explains a few things. Perhaps I should add some explanation to the video.

I knew the ABD portion had started from Dundee but not that it was the "wrong way round" or TnT.

Add in the missing sleeper coach from Inverness and it was a non-standard formation all round!

If my counting skills hadn't deserted me I believe both last night's southbound workings (1M11 / 1M16) were Load 14. Not sure where the "missing" coaches had gone. 1M11 needed to be max Load 15 for it to fit in Euston with the double-headed locos, but other than not sure what was missing from each train.

 

[Scotrail84]

If my counting skills hadn't deserted me I believe both last night's southbound workings (1M11 / 1M16) were Load 14. Not sure where the "missing" coaches had gone. 1M11 needed to be max Load 15 for it to fit in Euston with the double-headed locos, but other than not sure what was missing from each train.

Coaches are being removed from sets just now for planned maintenance, always happens during the quieter months.