D1009
Established Member
If I'm not mistaken the peak loads on the service are on Fridays going north and Sundays going south. So it could be that because of the short formation it was not possible to accommodate everyone who had booked.
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Caledonian Sleeper discussion
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MadCommuter
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... and has failed at Perth on the return working with an oil issue.
[Gen courtesy of Scot-Rail.co.uk]
That went well.
CallySleeper
Established Member
I'm booked INV-EUS on the 10th of November so expect misery to ensue
15 down by Aviemore already.
cf111
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Bang on time into Euston though! We were held at Moy and Carrbridge for a while, I was asleep by Pitlochry.
I did only see one 67 at the front of the train at Inverness though, have they went back to that? The only hitch was that none of the card machines on the train were working which meant that I had to go to an ATM in Euston to pay for my dinner!
Being held at Moy is normal, not sure about Carrbridge.
47271
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Picking up on the last few posts, I'm still getting very positive feedback on the operation of the Inverness section. Timekeeping and reliability has been good over the past month, crews (apparently) cheerful, lounge food and drink good and the cabins well presented. The train often turns up minus a coach or two or in an odd order, but they're getting used to that, and noone I've spoken to has suffered as a result of it.
A big contrast with what's been going on with the Lowlander, but it's interesting to note that the problems are impacting on passengers in a far from uniform way.
A big contrast with what's been going on with the Lowlander, but it's interesting to note that the problems are impacting on passengers in a far from uniform way.
D1009
Established Member
It looks as though the situation has been resolved to the extent that the Edinburgh portion has run successfully in both directions on Monday night and last night.
TonyTaysider
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I have just received a full refund from Caledonian Sleepers, in the form of rail travel vouchers, for the cancelled Edinburgh service from Euston on 23 October. I guess a similar refund will arrive in due course for the cancelled train in the other direction on 1 November.
In financial terms, I can't really complain. I did end up getting where I wanted to be on both occasions without any financial loss (although I did miss half a day's conference). I basically got a night in a hotel, one comfortable Virgin East Coast journey and one horrible 10-hour bus journey at Caledonian Sleepers' expense - and now have lots of vouchers I can put to good use for future (daytime!) travel.
But the way the refund is justified is irritating. The company's "Passenger Experience Charter" only refers to compensation for delays (the "Delay-Repay" scheme required in the Franchise Agreement). It doesn't refer to situations where a sleeper is cancelled altogether, or take account of the discomfort when a nice bed and breakfast are replaced with an overnight bus with no refreshment or blankets.
It looks as if any sleeper service failure is treated as analogous to a delay - and you are asked to submit a "Delay-Repay" form which isn't necessarily appropriate. To be fair, it looks as if Caledonian Sleepers are giving full refunds even if the bus got to its destination less than two hours after the scheduled train arrival.
This is then reflected in the language of the standard letter sent with the refund. Here are a couple of quotes from mine:
- "In accordance with the length of the delay, the amount represents 100% of the relevant fare"
- "Please accept my apologies once again for the delay to this service".
I am not asking for any more compensation but it would be nice to get an apology that actually reflects what went wrong and not to a notional "delay".
In financial terms, I can't really complain. I did end up getting where I wanted to be on both occasions without any financial loss (although I did miss half a day's conference). I basically got a night in a hotel, one comfortable Virgin East Coast journey and one horrible 10-hour bus journey at Caledonian Sleepers' expense - and now have lots of vouchers I can put to good use for future (daytime!) travel.
But the way the refund is justified is irritating. The company's "Passenger Experience Charter" only refers to compensation for delays (the "Delay-Repay" scheme required in the Franchise Agreement). It doesn't refer to situations where a sleeper is cancelled altogether, or take account of the discomfort when a nice bed and breakfast are replaced with an overnight bus with no refreshment or blankets.
It looks as if any sleeper service failure is treated as analogous to a delay - and you are asked to submit a "Delay-Repay" form which isn't necessarily appropriate. To be fair, it looks as if Caledonian Sleepers are giving full refunds even if the bus got to its destination less than two hours after the scheduled train arrival.
This is then reflected in the language of the standard letter sent with the refund. Here are a couple of quotes from mine:
- "In accordance with the length of the delay, the amount represents 100% of the relevant fare"
- "Please accept my apologies once again for the delay to this service".
I am not asking for any more compensation but it would be nice to get an apology that actually reflects what went wrong and not to a notional "delay".
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
QueensCurve
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Brake standard opens I guess? Hope they can find the "half lights" switch
What happened to the "Nightrider" sets that used to have dimmed blue lights?
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I don't know, but blue is a terrible colour for nightlights as it is known to promote wakefulness.
QueensCurve
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My Alma Mater hasn't half changed since 1985.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O40932/2015/11/10/advanced
At one stage the light colour on the "Nightrider" sets changed to orange.
Was this working (and the return that followed) another loco sent to collect it?
67007 carried out the recovery duties:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31115621@N04/22529199967
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31115621@N04/22529199967
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Red is the best colour to use for night lighting as it neither affects night vision nor keeps people awake. I suspect the reason it isn't used is the thought of what the tabloid headlines would be...
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Indeed. The yellow presently used (caused by the filthy diffusers and worn out tubes, though reasonably welcome as it is at least not all that bright) isn't *too* bad either, though it could do with being a bit dimmer. The old DB Talgo night vehicles used a few tungsten bulbs which worked well, or another good option might be to light the central aisle with some very directional warm white spots but nothing other than reading lamps over the seats themselves.
87019Chris
Member
A little bit off topic but, as I stand here waiting for my bus I wondered, the CSA's and other on board staff what do they work, for example do they get on the train at Euston work it to Edinburgh then do they lodge at Edinburgh? Do they get a bed provided to sleep on during the day or?
Just got wondering after I have been doing a couple of night shifts and now going back to day working it got me wondering
Thanks
Just got wondering after I have been doing a couple of night shifts and now going back to day working it got me wondering
Thanks
Certainly when First were running it they had two crews - London-based and Scotland-based. The crew would have accommodation provided at the other end of the route.
cf111
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This is still the case - it's worked so that crew are always at home on the Saturday morning arrival.
I did notice that ScotRail provide the guards though rather than CS having their own.
47271
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It still works like that. There's a general London based pool which works all five services. The Scottish ones are more focused on their own route, so Inverness crew work the Inverness section, Aberdeen the Aberdeen etc but I believe they still get shuffled around a bit. They all work out from home on a Sunday night and keep the cycle going mixed with rest days until finally getting back to base on a Saturday morning. I think they just stay in hotels daytime when away from home.
CS now provide their own guards south of Edinburgh, the last I heard Scotrail were still contracted to provide all points north, but I haven't travelled that recently myself to be sure.
Slightly ironic, considering 67007 was itself rescued after giving up south of Inverness a few weeks ago.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Apparently this Sunday...
The latter is patently false. The ScotRail train is operating from Mallaig calling at all stations to Crianlarich, thence a ScotRail bus to Glasgow, which would connect onto the Lowlander just fine.
The latter is patently false. The ScotRail train is operating from Mallaig calling at all stations to Crianlarich, thence a ScotRail bus to Glasgow, which would connect onto the Lowlander just fine.
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D1009
Established Member
Why is it false? It's the same in the opposite direction on Friday, so presumably the Fort William portion stays coupled to the Inverness portion, and passengers for Tulloch onwards travel by coach from Kingussie. Otherwise all of the Fort William passengers would have to travel on the Lowlander, which probably wouldn't be able to accommodate them.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It's false that there is no way for those at the listed stations (Corrour, Rannoch, Bridge of Orchy or Upper Tyndrum) to catch a Sleeper to London on those days. They would have to start earlier, but a ScotRail connection exists.
OK, it might only be implied, but it's still bad.
47271
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Knowing the location well, the wait for the bus at Tulloch in the dark, wind and rain with traffic hurtling by at 830pm in November doesn't seem too appealing either.
D1009
Established Member
It doesn't say there is no service, it says there is no direct service. What you are suggesting is even more indirect than what they are doing.
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