Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[TimboM]

Yes and because theres not enough 73's fit and available?

There’s five 73/9s available (and the 47 usually) - one 73/9 is at Brush.

With one 73/9 on Mk5 testing pretty much full time and increased diesel traction requirements due to engineering, keeping the 67 on hire makes operational (and commercial) sense as gives the diesel fleet more capacity and resilience to deal with current demand.

(And it’s not as if DB are desperate to have their 67s back as the fleet is so heavily utilised.)

 

[Far north 37]

There’s five 73/9s available (and the 47 usually) - one 73/9 is at Brush.

With one 73/9 on Mk5 testing pretty much full time and increased diesel traction requirements due to engineering, keeping the 67 on hire makes operational (and commercial) sense as gives the diesel fleet more capacity and resilience to deal with current demand.

(And it’s not as if DB are desperate to have their 67s back as the fleet is so heavily utilised.)

Have always wondered if gbrf would buy any 67s for the sleeper operation if they came up for sale again, i know they have spent a fair amount doing up there class 73s but you never know.

 

[Chrism20]

Virtual reality sneak peak at the new train next week at Glasgow Central

Caledonian Sleeper is giving a unique insight into its new fleet of trains – with a special virtual reality event in Glasgow later this month.

The rail service will be prominent in Glasgow Central Station for two days, inviting members of the public to glimpse into the future of overnight travel.

Entering a virtual reality portal on the station’s main concourse, people will be able to explore a stunning recreation of the new carriages. Created by digital media studio Soluis, the virtual reality tour will allow users to walk through the Club Car and discover the rooms on the new trains, a number of which will be en-suite.

https://www.sleeper.scot/news/313-caledonian-sleeper-goes-virtual-with-sneak-peek-of-new-trains

 

[Mag_seven]

Virtual reality sneak peak at the new train next week at Glasgow Central



https://www.sleeper.scot/news/313-caledonian-sleeper-goes-virtual-with-sneak-peek-of-new-trains

I wonder why they can't just use the real thing - three of these coaches have already been fitted out.

 

[Chrism20]

I wonder why they can't just use the real thing - three of these coaches have already been fitted out.

It would have been nice to see the real thing.

I'm working in Glasgow next week, if I've got time I might take a nosey.

 

[Scotrail84]

I wonder why they can't just use the real thing - three of these coaches have already been fitted out.

Nothing has been signed off by CAF, staff can't even get on them to look around yet.

 

[Far north 37]

Seen in one of the monthly railway magazines earlier that the class 90s are going to be kept on hire till at least the spring next year even though most of the main runs are hauled by class 92s still looks like theres a bit of time to get a run behind a class 90 before they finally disappear for good from the service.

 

[Scotrail84]

Seen in one of the monthly railway magazines earlier that the class 90s are going to be kept on hire till at least the spring next year even though most of the main runs are hauled by class 92s still looks like theres a bit of time to get a run behind a class 90 before they finally disappear for good from the service.

Thats because the Mk2 and Mk3 vehicles will continue in service on all Highlander runs until March 2019 at the earliest.

 

[31160]

Thats because the Mk2 and Mk3 vehicles will continue in service on all Highlander runs until March 2019 at the earliest.

Do you think the skip will continue on the INV beds until the MK5's or will they start using the super shoes before that?

 

[Scotrail84]

Do you think the skip will continue on the INV beds until the MK5's or will they start using the super shoes before that?

That I'm not sure of, 73s are being used for test runs just now so the 67 is required to release them for that. I'm not sure when the 67 is due to go off lease though.

 

[Far north 37]

Any ideas what the locos could be for the highlander to inverness on thursday night are i know its a bit early hoping that 92010 isnt a possibility.

 

[Mag_seven]

Any ideas what the locos could be for the highlander to inverness on thursday night are i know its a bit early hoping that 92010 isnt a possibility.

It is likely to be 92033 as that should go north on Highlander tonight (having worked the southbound highlander last night). Generally the loco for the highlander sticks to the highlander so assuming 92033 works the northbound highlander tonight it should come south on the southbound highlander tomorrow (Wed) night and back north again on Thursday night. All "subject to change" of course!

 

[Far north 37]

It is likely to be 92033 as that should go north on Highlander tonight (having worked the southbound highlander last night). Generally the loco for the highlander sticks to the highlander so assuming 92033 works the northbound highlander tonight it should come south on the southbound highlander tomorrow (Wed) night and back north again on Thursday night. All "subject to change" of course!

Thanks for that i would be happy enough with 92033 hopefully it stays on it then but as you say it can all change.
Any idea whats working the inverness portion it was 67016 i last heard on it i think.

 

[Mag_seven]

Any idea whats working the inverness portion it was 67016 i last heard on it i think.

Yes its still 67016.

 

[Far north 37]

Yes its still 67016.

Ok thanks again hopefully its stays on it too last three times i done the inverness portion all of them been 67007.

 

[Highlandspring]

It certainly won't be 67007 this time anyway.

 

[Far north 37]

It certainly won't be 67007 this time anyway.

Glad to hear it is it stored at toton just now im sure i read that somewhere but not sure.

 

[TimboM]

Glad to hear it is it stored at toton just now im sure i read that somewhere but not sure.

Correct... along with both the "royal" 67s.

 

[47271]

Interesting how quiet this normally very active thread has been recently. I bumped into a contact who's a very regular user of the Highlander earlier today.

- Maybe he's been lucky, but his last 18 arrivals over the past three months have all been on time or within five minutes.

- only one case out of five during the heatwave when lounge aircon hasn't been in full working order. No information on the seated coaches to be fair.

- cabin aircon has been faultless in those 18 trips.

The second point amazes me. I'd been led to believe that they've all but given up on aircon in the mk2s but, here we are, in the last few months of their lives with them seemingly running better than they have in years - my personal recollection was that mk2 a/c was pretty dire under First as well.

Does anyone have background on what appears to be a maintenance renaissance, or is it just luck?

 

[TimboM]

Interesting how quiet this normally very active thread has been recently. I bumped into a contact who's a very regular user of the Highlander earlier today.

- Maybe he's been lucky, but his last 18 arrivals over the past three months have all been on time or within five minutes.

- only one case out of five during the heatwave when lounge aircon hasn't been in full working order. No information on the seated coaches to be fair.

- cabin aircon has been faultless in those 18 trips.

The second point amazes me. I'd been led to believe that they've all but given up on aircon in the mk2s but, here we are, in the last few months of their lives with them seemingly running better than they have in years - my personal recollection was that mk2 a/c was pretty dire under First as well.

Does anyone have background on what appears to be a maintenance renaissance, or is it just luck?

Couple of factors that may be contributing to this. 92 033 and 023 have done the majority of recent Highlanders - they are performing very well by all accounts. The north of Edinburgh diesels have been behaving too (but that's not hugely surprising as it's snow and leaves the 73/9s tend to object to).

In terms of the Mk2s, I believe some/all have been sold to Eastern Rail Services by Serco (sale and lease-back for now) and ERS and progressively working through them as the new owners doing some fairly extensive work on the mechanicals. Some of it is probably luck, but this may have had a bearing on it - in essence the Mk2s are no longer in the last few months of their lives, but the first few months with their new owners who presumably want them in decent shape for whatever they have planned for them beyond early-ish next year when the Mk5s on fully rolled-out.

As a foot note, a lot of the major sleeper delays are caused by heavy winds (taking down OHLE), floods and snow - not been much of those around over the past three months.

 

[47271]

Some of it is probably luck, but this may have had a bearing on it - in essence the Mk2s are no longer in the last few months of their lives, but the first few months with their new owners who presumably want them in decent shape for whatever they have planned for them beyond early-ish next year when the Mk5s on fully rolled-out.

Thanks for the explanation, that all makes sense, but I'm struggling to get my head round anyone wanting those mk2s after CS have finished with them. They're not going to be put to any sort of intensive use I hope!

 

[garethep]

What Tim says is all more or less true but not necessarily the whole story. A lot of work has been put into ensuring the fleet was fit for summer...while I hope luck didn't have too much to do with it, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a bit more

As to the desirability of the mk2s, the lounges are probably the only vehicles left on the network with grandfather rights to run with loose seating and are, in my biased opinion, a bit special...the brake coaches have good comfortable seats and of course you need a brake coaches to run a train. Whilst I struggle to imagine any future use that matches the sleeper for intensive use, I'm fairly certain that a good number of the mk2s have plenty of life in them yet.

 

[DuncanS]

Was at Cambuslang yesterday and on the way back into Central noticed a rather odd looking set of carriages at Rutherglen - a sort of greeny blue colour that led me to think they may be the new Sleeper stock, can anyone confirm or are they something different?

 

[najaB]

Was at Cambuslang yesterday and on the way back into Central noticed a rather odd looking set of carriages at Rutherglen - a sort of greeny blue colour that led me to think they may be the new Sleeper stock, can anyone confirm or are they something different?

AFAIK the new stock hasn't arrived yet. Would be happy to find out I'm wrong though!.

Ignore that! I completely missed that they were here and out testing already.

 

[FQTV]

In terms of the Mk2s, I believe some/all have been sold to Eastern Rail Services by Serco (sale and lease-back for now) and ERS and progressively working through them as the new owners doing some fairly extensive work on the mechanicals. Some of it is probably luck, but this may have had a bearing on it - in essence the Mk2s are no longer in the last few months of their lives, but the first few months with their new owners who presumably want them in decent shape for whatever they have planned for them beyond early-ish next year when the Mk5s on fully rolled-out.

Correct - and for a bit of further detail, the Mk2s are being cycled through the maintenance facility at The Weardale Railway's Wolsingham shed, making for some very unusual movements down the ECML to Darlington, then reversing up The Bishop Line, passing through Bishop Auckland and on to The Weardale -and vice versa.

 

[InOban]

AFAIK the new stock hasn't arrived yet. Would be happy to find out I'm wrong though!.

Ignore that! I completely missed that they were here and out testing already.

And are meant to come into service on the Lowlander at end of October.

 

[Bletchleyite]

And are meant to come into service on the Lowlander at end of October.

If I book a trip on the Highlander (FW) the first week of December what am I likely to get?

 

[najaB]

...[Fort William] the first week of December what am I likely to get?

Soaked through to the skin by the rain?

 

[Mingulay]

Not sure if this has ever been raised

I am a user of the sleeper, typically twice a year , my colleagues are more frequent users. Over the last year we have all suffered from a dramatic skin irritation/itch from the bedding on the sleeper . 4 of us all experience it regularly and only after using the sleeper . We have concluded there is a different sheet material or detergent which is causing it . None of us are prone to an allergic reaction and its very specific to contact skin contact with the sheets . I can only liken it to when you get fibreglass wool on your skin . We all use the office shower after arriving and it seems to quickly stop the dreadful itchy irritation . One of my colleagues packs a silk sleeping bag liner to avoid contact with the bedding . Given this is now a routine experience and affects nearly all of us that use the sleeper, bar one , I assume others have experienced it but perhaps never report it ? It does put me off using the sleeper now and I was hoping the new rolling stock will use different bedding , but perhaps not . I would stress its only surfaced in the last year , never had any reaction before now in decades of using the service .

 

[ShwervinMervin]

Any idea what's hauling EUS - GLC Tomorrow evening??