Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[Highlandspring]

There was also an issue with the loco which may have played a part.

 

[Scotrail84]

90 041 on 1S26

 

[leedstraindude]

No lounge car on the Inverness portion south tonight. My first time on it as well. Bummer.

 

[Essexman]

I've just had that text too. Shame I was looking forward to cheeseboard tonight. But good communication to let us know.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It seems rather suspicious to me that the Mk2s have all of a sudden started falling to bits with such regularity - it's not like they aren't something like 50 years old to start with - not dissimilar to the point in time when Virgin XC's Mk2 services all started being short formed all of a sudden when Voyagers were on the horizon.

Have they cut back maintenance to a bare legal minimum pending the arrival of the new stock?

 

[BRX]

That's what I reckon and i think people should be complaining and asking for some money back if the lounge car is out of action.

 

[davmet]

member: 5372"]No lounge car on the Inverness portion south tonight. My first time on it as well. Bummer.

Does that mean no lounge car tomorow night.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's what I reckon and i think people should be complaining and asking for some money back if the lounge car is out of action.

The possibility of this happening (or of me booking seated and either ending up on a road coach[1] or having to share a berth with a stranger, a situation I find very uncomfortable and not likely to lead to an enjoyable journey) has put me right off using it at the start of December, to be honest, I'm going to rejig to use day trains instead. Shame, as I'd love to do one more go on the Mk3s and would happily cough up for 1st for a solo cabin - but *not* if I'm not going to be able to have the best bit of the experience, namely a nice pre-bed meal and a few Scotches in what is sort-of a traditional restaurant car.

[1] Much cheaper - last time I looked you could do the overnight NatEx on the dates I wanted for about a tenner.

 

[Bungle965]

It seems rather suspicious to me that the Mk2s have all of a sudden started falling to bits with such regularity - it's not like they aren't something like 50 years old to start with - not dissimilar to the point in time when Virgin XC's Mk2 services all started being short formed all of a sudden when Voyagers were on the horizon.

Have they cut back maintenance to a bare legal minimum pending the arrival of the new stock?

I'm sure I read somewhere that Serco no longer actually own the stock, instead it is owned by another company and leased back to Serco.
There was a period of dire reliability a few months before the new owners took over the stock which could potentially been seen as Serco cutting down to the bare minimum, however their new owners should have more incentive to keep them in decent condition for future use.
Sam

 

[Scotrail84]

No lounge car on the Inverness portion south tonight. My first time on it as well. Bummer.

I've just had that text too. Shame I was looking forward to cheeseboard tonight. But good communication to let us know.

It seems rather suspicious to me that the Mk2s have all of a sudden started falling to bits with such regularity - it's not like they aren't something like 50 years old to start with - not dissimilar to the point in time when Virgin XC's Mk2 services all started being short formed all of a sudden when Voyagers were on the horizon.

Have they cut back maintenance to a bare legal minimum pending the arrival of the new stock?

It was shunted out the rake on Sunday night at Polmadie due to wheel flats. Southbound Glasgow on Sunday had no lounge, Northbound Inverness last night and Southbound tonight no lounge and unless they shunt one in at Wembley tomorrow the Northbound Glasgow will not have a lounge either.

 

[Scotrail84]

I'm sure I read somewhere that Serco no longer actually own the stock, instead it is owned by another company and leased back to Serco.
There was a period of dire reliability a few months before the new owners took over the stock which could potentially been seen as Serco cutting down to the bare minimum, however their new owners should have more incentive to keep them in decent condition for future use.
Sam

Serco own the MK2's but some have been sold to a private company and leased back to Serco until the new sets arrive, Serco have never owned any of the MK3's. They are owned by Porterbrook and leased by serco.

 

[Highlandspring]

All three northbound portions seperately experienced ETS faults on the mk2s this morning after the spilt, 1Y11 was most heavily delayed by 45 mins. The new coaches can’t come soon enough.

 

[Scotrail84]

All three northbound portions seperately experienced ETS faults on the mk2s this morning after the spilt, 1Y11 was most heavily delayed by 45 mins. The new coaches can’t come soon enough.

Just bad luck. Next year for the Highlander sets getting changed over.

 

[31160]

Just bad luck. Next year for the Highlander sets getting changed over.

Any idea as to what month

 

[Scotrail84]

Any idea as to what month

March/April. Subject to change of course.

 

[Highlandspring]

Rugby ROC evacuated due to fire in the server room, may have a bit of an impact on tonight's CS services...

 

[TimboM]

It seems rather suspicious to me that the Mk2s have all of a sudden started falling to bits with such regularity - it's not like they aren't something like 50 years old to start with - not dissimilar to the point in time when Virgin XC's Mk2 services all started being short formed all of a sudden when Voyagers were on the horizon.

Have they cut back maintenance to a bare legal minimum pending the arrival of the new stock?

It's not suspicious that 40-odd year old, life-expired coaches that are still worked hundreds of miles daily (or nightly) don't have 95% reliability. They're not suddenly started falling to bits either - they've been flaky for a good while now.

I suspect it's more the other way round - i.e. Serco/their suppliers are investing far more than they'd ever have wanted to or expected keeping the Mk2s (especially) going. This was alluded to in the not-so-great financials reported earlier this year.

As noted above, all (I believe) Mk2s have been sold by Serco to Eastern Rail Services, which I suspect was a way of getting some certainty over their running costs. ERS have been working through the fleet doing significant mechanical work to their "new" coaches presumably so they can provide decent reliability to their customer (Serco). A lot of work was done on them by Serco/Alstom too during the off-peak season earlier this year ahead of the summer season. Hardly "bare legal minimum". But even the ERS overhauls aren't guaranteed to give reliability as one of the recently refurbed ones I believe was involved in the ETS shenanigans on M16 with 044 and another Mk2 the other week.

You'd think the Mk5s coming on the Lowlander should improve things for the Highlander in interim, as the better Mk2s will be able to be retained, with some back-up from the ones no longer required on the Lowlander.

 

[47271]

Just hearsay - aircon in the mk2s improved a lot this summer due to work done, and I understand that when it's functioning it's put additional strain on the ropey motor alternators, so the whole lot packs up. They urgently need a quiet retirement.

 

[Highlandspring]

1S25 will be diverting via Dundee and Aberdeen this morning due to a derailment at Culloden on the Highland Main Line.

 

[Scotrail84]

1S25 will be diverting via Dundee and Aberdeen this morning due to a derailment at Culloden on the Highland Main Line.

Adding around 2 hours onto the journey, maybe longer due to pathing issues.

 

[Highlandspring]

CS requested the diversion rather than terminate the service en route; the alternative would be turfing everybody off and onto a bus at Perth which would add a similar amount of time onto the journey. As it is resourcing buses seems to be proving a difficult task.

 

[Scotrail84]

CS requested the diversion rather than terminate the service en route; the alternative would be turfing everybody off and onto a bus at Perth which would add a similar amount of time onto the journey. As it is resourcing buses seems to be proving a difficult task.

I thought they may have terminated at Aviemore then used onward road transport but I guess diverting via Aberdeen and arriving 2-3 hours late and giving everyone 100% refunds would still be cheaper than using buses. It will be tight getting the stock cleaned and ready for tonight, the crew may also be over their hours as well depending what time they arrive at.

 

[31160]

March/April. Subject to change of course.

Thanks for that, I'm planning on coming up to INV in Feb, not really bothered what the stock is to be fair I just want a pair of 73's not a skip and as far as I know skips can't pull MK5's

 

[Essexman]

Good to see they chose to divert rather than use buses this morning.
I assume the money CS pay in refunds will eventually be claimed from Network Rail or whoever was responsible for the derailment?

 

[BRX]

What derailed?

 

[Scotrail84]

What derailed?

Some freight train. not sure what it was.

 

[Scotrail84]

Good to see they chose to divert rather than use buses this morning.
I assume the money CS pay in refunds will eventually be claimed from Network Rail or whoever was responsible for the derailment?

Thats correct.

 

[Scotrail84]

Thanks for that, I'm planning on coming up to INV in Feb, not really bothered what the stock is to be fair I just want a pair of 73's not a skip and as far as I know skips can't pull MK5's

Chances are it will be a 67 and not 73's. It will still be the old stock in Feb, that much I am certain.

 

[SC318250]

6X88
Post on scot-rail says driver reported hitting trees then derailed on points around 5mph at Culloden

 

[PHILIPE]

What derailed?

www.railforums.co.uk/threads/derailment-on-the-highland-main-line-19-09.169954