Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[najaB]

- Appalling reliability (to be fair they did well during the Lamington closure)
- Massive increase in Berth fees

While we're being fair, berth supplements are back to £44.20/£50 the worst of the reliability problems seem to have been sorted.

 

[Hadders]

The berth fee for solo occupancy of a standard class berth is still far higher than it used to be.

 

[backontrack]

Nothing would surprise me. Since Serco took over we've had:

- Appalling reliability (to be fair they did well during the Lamington closure)
- Massive increase in Berth fees
- Refusal to recognise Scottish Local Routeing Guide Easements
- Refusal to accept ALRs on their last day of validity
- Withdrawal of Advance fares on the seated sleeper between Fort William and Glasgow/Edinburgh
- Seat reservations not possible between Fort William and Edinburgh despite the train being 'reservations compulsory'

Well...*sigh*...they are Serco...

 

[najaB]

The berth fee for solo occupancy of a standard class berth is still far higher than it used to be.

Yeah, but there's an argument that they were too cheap before since you were able to pay c. £60 for use of two berths that they would otherwise potentially be able to sell for c. £90.

 

[Agent_c]

Yeah, but there's an argument that they were too cheap before since you were able to pay c. £60 for use of two berths that they would otherwise potentially be able to sell for c. £90.

How much does it cost to device that extra passenger, rather than leaving a bed empty?

 

[IslandDweller]

Was using the new sleeper website yesterday to price up a trip to Argyll. (Sadly comes in way more expensive than flights into GLA and a rental car...)
Noticed that the fancy new site gives completely the wrong arrival times. Going north, it shows the correct departure time from London, but shows the arrival (on west highland line) as 0350. That is the arrival time of the "joint" train into Edinburgh - where the portions divide - but it isn't the arrival time for stations on the WestHighland line.
Similar problem on return. Correct departure time out of Argyll but arrival into London is shown as 0050 - that's the arrival of the portion into Edinburgh where it joins the other portions.
Looks like this wasn't tested by anyone who understands how the different portion workings operate.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Was using the new sleeper website yesterday to price up a trip to Argyll. (Sadly comes in way more expensive than flights into GLA and a rental car...)
Noticed that the fancy new site gives completely the wrong arrival times. Going north, it shows the correct departure time from London, but shows the arrival (on west highland line) as 0350. That is the arrival time of the "joint" train into Edinburgh - where the portions divide - but it isn't the arrival time for stations on the WestHighland line.
Similar problem on return. Correct departure time out of Argyll but arrival into London is shown as 0050 - that's the arrival of the portion into Edinburgh where it joins the other portions.
Looks like this wasn't tested by anyone who understands how the different portion workings operate.

Can you give some more details? What date and which stations - maybe a screen shot?

 

[Flying Snail]

Yeah, but there's an argument that they were too cheap before since you were able to pay c. £60 for use of two berths that they would otherwise potentially be able to sell for c. £90.

Except that the allocations are fixed, shared berths are always shared and solo ones (there are only 3 on each full set) always solo.

Being more flexible with berths and fares would probably bring in more revenue as I'm sure there are plenty of people who would take a cheaper solo but refuse to share with a stranger at any price. Most services outside of the weekend directional peak run with empty beds so there is definitely potential for increasing custom.

 

[Requeststop]

Doing a little research today for a planned visit once again to the UK.
I'm not sure this has been answered in this forum before but with 90 pages to look through and 1336 postings.........
I was looking into connecting to the Fort William sleeper to Euston from Oban on 1Y32 at Crianlarich. Yesterday (21/04/16) 1Y32 departed Oban 64L and arrived at Crianlarich at 22:46 - 59L. The Sleeper ran ahead of the Glasgow train departing Crianlarich at 22:06. My question is, if I faced some sort of similar delay, would I be able to claim a berth in the Lowland Sleeper from Glasgow Central down to Euston? What sort of compensation could I claim if the Lowland Sleeper was full?

 

[47271]

Doing a little research today for a planned visit once again to the UK.
I'm not sure this has been answered in this forum before but with 90 pages to look through and 1336 postings.........
I was looking into connecting to the Fort William sleeper to Euston from Oban on 1Y32 at Crianlarich. Yesterday (21/04/16) 1Y32 departed Oban 64L and arrived at Crianlarich at 22:46 - 59L. The Sleeper ran ahead of the Glasgow train departing Crianlarich at 22:06. My question is, if I faced some sort of similar delay, would I be able to claim a berth in the Lowland Sleeper from Glasgow Central down to Euston? What sort of compensation could I claim if the Lowland Sleeper was full?

I don't know the official answer to your question, or the likelihood of compensation, others will be more expert on that, but if I found myself on the train from Oban and it was clear that the connection at Crianlarich was about to be missed:

1. I'd ask the Scotrail conductor for help, they may have plans to deal with the problem already.
2. I'd be reasonably secure in the knowledge that the Glasgow section is unlikely to be full.
3. If no joy from Scotrail, I'd immediately email the excellent Inverness-based CS customer service team on enquiry@sleeper.scot (or Tweet) to describe my predicament and request a move to the Glasgow train. They stay on in the evening until the boarders rush has passed. I believe they are extremely helpful if they can be - I've heard of people getting booking problems sorted out on the hoof by return.

 

[Requeststop]

I don't know the official answer to your question, or the likelihood of compensation, others will be more expert on that, but if I found myself on the train from Oban and it was clear that the connection at Crianlarich was about to be missed:

1. I'd ask the Scotrail conductor for help, they may have plans to deal with the problem already.
2. I'd be reasonably secure in the knowledge that the Glasgow section is unlikely to be full.
3. If no joy from Scotrail, I'd immediately email the excellent Inverness-based CS customer service team on enquiry@sleeper.scot (or Tweet) to describe my predicament and request a move to the Glasgow train. They stay on in the evening until the boarders rush has passed. I believe they are extremely helpful if they can be - I've heard of people getting booking problems sorted out on the hoof by return.

Thanks for the very interesting reply.

Point 1.: I'm sure the Scotrail conductor should have some information or knowledge as to what to do.
Point 2.: Would anyone on the 1Y32 have any way of finding out if there was spaces available on the Glasgow lowland sleeper.
Point 3.: We are travelling from Crianlarich to say Helensburg Upper and maybe even because of known delays back to Oban, that we'd be able to e-mail or (god help me) Tweet the predicament? My understanding is that internet connections via Wifi and G3/4 are pretty pathetic over vast stretches of the area, and even if there was an attentive recipient in Glasgow/Edinburgh/Sterling/Perth, would you get a reply to ease your mind?
I know there are a lot of contentious issues here, and this is indeed hypothetical. A journey from Oban/Mallaig/Fort William with a sleeper supplement can be quite costly. Something going unfortunately wrong could turn out to be quite expensive, and could have unfortunate consequences. What I have in mind for my journey is to get to Oban, explore the area, have a decent and memorable dinner say at the Royal Hotel, and catch the connection to Crianlarich, Get the Fort William sleeper to Euston and have a double Laphroaig Select Cask (it's my drink and my taste) and hit the sack and wake up in London.

What I see in planning is a potential balls up not of my making. Can I get the lowlander back to London? What help would I get in Glasgow? Or will I wake up on the lower platforms of Glasgow Queen Street at 01:30 or so minus my bags* etc with Glaswegians (and let me say as a Cornishman and proud Celt) staring own at me saying "Och look at that poor Sasanach, (I ain't ; I'm Cornish) peed out his oak tree and nowhere to stay"?

I'D LIKE TO STRESS TO MANY GLASWEGIANS, THAT THE ONLY PLACE THAT I WAS MUGGED AND HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCAL POPULACE WAS IN EDINBURGH. GLASGOW HAS ALWAYS TREATED ME FACTASTICALLY WELL AND I HAVE THE DEEPEST RESPECT FOR THEM.

 

[najaB]

What I see in planning is a potential balls up not of my making.

Just remember that if delays leave you stranded there is an obligation for any TOC who can help to do so. So it would be up to the Scotrail guard to contact CS, arrange onward transport or sort out accommodation.

 

[47271]

Wait a minute, I've checked, and even when it's running to time under present diversions that Oban train is only due into Queen Street at exactly the time the Lowlander leaves Central. So you would be asking to be rebooked to the following night, is that what you're asking, sorry if I misunderstood originally?

 

[cf111]

Two 73s heading up the southbound Inverness sleeper this evening!

 

[reb0118]

Wait a minute, I've checked, and even when it's running to time under present diversions that Oban train is only due into Queen Street at exactly the time the Lowlander leaves Central. So you would be asking to be rebooked to the following night, is that what you're asking, sorry if I misunderstood originally?

Cheers, saves me responding. That said a taxi from Crianlarich to either Stirling or Edinburgh would in most cases catch up with the Highlander.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

[Hadders]

CS would have the following options:

- Get you to Glasgow Central and onto the Lowland (by taxi from Crianlarich or by holding the lowland for your arrival)
- Arrange overnight accommodation and allow you to travel to London the following day (by either Virgin Trains or on the following day's sleeper).
- Arrange road transport all the way to London.

Depending on how late your arrival is in London then you'd be entitled to claim Delay Repay as well.

 

[Altnabreac]

Cheers, saves me responding. That said a taxi from Crianlarich to either Stirling or Edinburgh would in most cases catch up with the Highlander.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

Taxi from Crianlarich to Dumbarton would usually catch up with the Fort William portion unless you were a long way behind it.

 

[backontrack]

http://www.247taxis.co.uk/

 

[ld0595]

Aberdeen portion had to be cancelled at Montrose tonight due to a train fault. Could this be the first fault on one of the 73s?

 

[causton]

Aberdeen portion had to be cancelled at Montrose tonight due to a train fault. Could this be the first fault on one of the 73s?

It is a loco fault on 73966 according to the initial TRUST report so is definitely a fault with the loco (as opposed to the carriages), but no idea on whether it is the first!

 

[47271]

Ouch, I see both Inverness sections on the Highlanders had a rough time last night.

Going by RTT the down was fine until Edinburgh and then it suddenly lost two hours, this growing to nearly three by the time it finally shuffled into Inverness around 1130.

The up didn't leave Inverness until 2329 - two and three quarters late - although they'd pulled it back to just over an hour late into Euston.

Aberdeen and Fort William sections were fine. Well, other than having to wait in Waverley for hours before setting off for London...

Any ideas what happened?

 

[Julian G]

Ouch, I see both Inverness sections on the Highlanders had a rough time last night.

Going by RTT the down was fine until Edinburgh and then it suddenly lost two hours, this growing to nearly three by the time it finally shuffled into Inverness around 1130.

The up didn't leave Inverness until 2329 - two and three quarters late - although they'd pulled it back to just over an hour late into Euston.

Aberdeen and Fort William sections were fine. Well, other than having to wait in Waverley for hours before setting off for London...

Any ideas what happened?

67011 suffered an ETS fault. Had to be replaced by 67010 at Edinburgh.

 

[66Yorks]

Looking at RTT this evening all Sleeper services are diverted onto the ECML. Does anyone know if this is all week?

 

[sonic2009]

Not all week no, there has been engineering work this weekend on the WCML so imagine the possession doesn't end until early hours of Monday.

 

[47271]

It's quite common for Sunday night sleepers to use the East Coast.

 

[92002]

It's quite common for Sunday night sleepers to use the East Coast.

Also expected to be for the next 2 weekends.

Work on the WCML both North and South of Carlisle.

 

[kevinwaltets]

http://www.247taxis.co.uk/

Now find the link to the 09

 

[a_c_skinner]

A friend has asked me what is going on with bikes on the Inverness portion. Apparently if there are too many a carrier is driving up the M6/M74/etc with them in a van. I know why but it isn't very dignified. Is there a brake vehicle in the formation?

AS

(yes I know they all have brakes now, but I think that is what they are called)

 

[Crossover]

A friend has asked me what is going on with bikes on the Inverness portion. Apparently if there are too many a carrier is driving up the M6/M74/etc with them in a van. I know why but it isn't very dignified. Is there a brake vehicle in the formation?

AS

(yes I know they all have brakes now, but I think that is what they are called)

Yes, there is a guards van as part of the seated IIRC which has a luggage cage. There is just the one for each portion though (which will become too as it departs from Edinburgh on the Highlander)

 

[Techniquest]

Is it common for a rough departure on the Cally Insomnie out of Preston? I was very rudely awakened at 04:36 on Monday night's Up Highland by a rough departure, everywhere else was fine and smooth but this was most unwelcome and has put me off using the sleeper again.

Quite, next time I'll either go by coach or book a hotel and catch a flight instead!