Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[Bletchleyite]

The printed timetable says:

C Overnight Sleeper and limited seated service to London Euston.
Reservations compulsory. Passengers on seated service change coaches
at Edinburgh

 

[najaB]

The printed timetable says:

C Overnight Sleeper and limited seated service to London Euston.
Reservations compulsory. Passengers on seated service change coaches
at Edinburgh

The issue is that it is (or at least used to be) impossible to get reservations to Edinburgh.

 

[reb0118]

That is true, but i feel that information is aimed at Anglo-Scottish traffic and not local traffic. Serco seem not to be interested in this in my opinion but crucially they have to serve this market as it is a franchise requirement.

As I have stated above the guard in charge of the train is a ScotRail employee based at Fort William not a Serco man. I have a contact up there and will ask what the custom & practice is.

Standby........

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Franchise Agreement states

4.4. Subject to paragraph 4.3 the Franchisee shall permit passengers holding tickets for Inter-available Fares to use any unoccupied and unreserved seats and all accommodation (excluding Cabins), or alternatively to stand on services between Stations within or between Edinburgh and Fort William and between Aviemore and Inverness and that without having made a reservation

 

[reb0118]

Thanks for that. I knew that you didn't require a reservation ~ but wasn't 100% re standing (but always suspected it was OK)?

Although I'm an irregular traveller on the Fort Bill I've never seen it full & standing - except maybe a few walkers going one stop.

 

[Hadders]

The issue is that it is (or at least used to be) impossible to get reservations to Edinburgh.

No problem getting seat reservations on the FTW-EDB portion these days - any station that does seat reservations can do them. I've had many of them myself.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I've also had a an FW to Edin reservation, made without question 7.5hrs before travel by the booking office at Oban, this was in Sept.

 

[marks87]

Franchise Agreement states

Does that mean "day" passengers can occupy seats in the lounge car?

 

[najaB]

Does that mean "day" passengers can occupy seats in the lounge car?

Reads that way - assuming that they aren't required by first class ticket holders.

 

[reb0118]

Does that mean "day" passengers can occupy seats in the lounge car?

What lounge car? (See above).

A good few years age I picked up the sleeper after a walking trip to R(h)um. I didn't fancy the full minibus back with smelly gear &c.. The seated coach was OOU so a free "upgrade" to the lounge car where I enjoyed a chicken (hot), crisps, & salad meal washed down with a few beers (in a glass) as the sun lowered over a beautiful Scottish landscape. An excellent trip.

 

[Observer]

The 92s should be back on the sleeper by Easter ( the advantage of being on a postal subscription to Rail... there's a big article about this on page 16 of issue 791, which arrived on Wednesday... )

Wonder what they'll do when they still cause issues even after reliability fixes. I'd personally be eyeing up new loco orders to just save any more hassle.

 

[ainsworth74]

Why would they still cause issues if the reliability fixes have been completed?

 

[marks87]

I was looking at the disruption page on the CS website and on 10/17 January, the Aberdeen portion is starting short at Dundee and running via Perth, complete with a stop at 2317 to pick up passengers. The Inverness portion isn't stopping at Perth (normally 2307).

Is there any particular reason for that?

 

[najaB]

Is there any particular reason for that?

My guess is that there's engineering work so they're balancing the load between the two portions since the Aberdeen portion would be almost empty otherwise.

 

[marks87]

My guess is that there's engineering work so they're balancing the load between the two portions since the Aberdeen portion would be almost empty otherwise.

There's a bus Aberdeen-Dundee calling at all usual intermediate stations, but that could put people off I suppose.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

I was looking at the disruption page on the CS website and on 10/17 January, the Aberdeen portion is starting short at Dundee and running via Perth, complete with a stop at 2317 to pick up passengers. The Inverness portion isn't stopping at Perth (normally 2307).

Is there any particular reason for that?

10 January has preparatory work and permanent way doing their (rerail, resleeper, reballast) stuff north of Montrose, 17 January has the same plus work between Broughty Ferry and Arbroath, just rerail, resleeper, reballast.

 

[marks87]

Sorry, I should have been cleared in my post - I was wondering if there was any reason for the Aberdeen (well, Dundee) portion missing Leuchars and picking up at Perth, instead of the Inverness picking up at Perth as usual.

 

[reb0118]

I've not checked the route but if it's going via Perth then it will bypass Leuchars and return to the East Coast North [ECN] at Ladybank.

 

[marks87]

I've not checked the route but if it's going via Perth then it will bypass Leuchars and return to the East Coast North [ECN] at Ladybank.

Yes, but why is it going via Perth in the first place? AFAIK, the line between Dundee and Ladybank is open at that time on those dates. The only closure is Aberdeen-Dundee.

As najaB suggests, it might just be to spread the load. Seems a bit unfair on potential Leuchars (and, by extension, St Andrews) passengers, though.

 

[reb0118]

Seems a bit unfair on potential Leuchars (and, by extension, St Andrews) passengers, though.

Especially since after Dundee it's the busiest intermediate pick up en route.

 

[najaB]

Especially since after Dundee it's the busiest intermediate pick up en route.

I'd guess that they'll either head down to Edinburgh to get the lowland, or be treated to a short bus ride across the Tay to board at Dundee.

 

[37038]

All via Hartlepool tomorrow night with locos added to front Doncaster - Newcastle

1S25/1M16 > 47812 47847
1S26 > 47843 47848
1M11 > 66720 67009

 

[Starmill]

I'd guess that they'll either head down to Edinburgh to get the lowland, or be treated to a short bus ride across the Tay to board at Dundee.

I would have thought there'd be a suitable ScotRail service to Dundee?

 

[PHILIPE]

At the moment, line closed between Dundee and Aberdeen due flooding. NRE says until 2000 as ETA but on BBC News still raining.

 

[LeylandLen]

All via Hartlepool tomorrow night with locos added to front Doncaster - Newcastle

1S25/1M16 > 47812 47847
1S26 > 47843 47848
1M11 > 66720 67009

According to RTT 1S25 2116 ex Euston is running up WCML as usual to Carlisle and diverted via Dumfries , Kilmarnock with splitting at Coatbridge D.G.L for Aberdeen and Fort William .

 

[najaB]

I would have thought there'd be a suitable ScotRail service to Dundee?

Possibly. If it's starting from Dundee there's a Scotrail service due in at 2303 - though I'm not sure if that will run on it's normal timetable as it's Aberdeen bound. Need to look at RTT.

 

[Class 170101]

According to RTT 1S25 2116 ex Euston is running up WCML as usual to Carlisle and diverted via Dumfries , Kilmarnock with splitting at Coatbridge D.G.L for Aberdeen and Fort William .

RTT isn't showing this at the moment. Its still running via the ECML.

 

[marks87]

RTT isn't showing this at the moment. Its still running via the ECML.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G67162/2016/01/08/advanced

Note that "tomorrow night" means "early hours of Saturday".
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Inverness and Aberdeen both cancelled tonight. Not much choice with both routes south closed and the stock trapped in Inverness/Aberdeen.

Fort William portion set to run as scheduled (via ECML). A rare treat for seated passengers, not having to move at Edinburgh.

 

[jopsuk]

so will the Fort William portion run as a four-carriage train all the way to London?

 

[LeylandLen]

Yes I was referring to Fridays 2116 departure from Euston to Inverness up the WCML via Dumfries .