Caledonian Sleeper Drivers

[SkinnyDave]

Hi There,
Couple of questions

How many drivers operate the sleeper service each night?
Are there any drivers at Perth who do a turn on the service?

Thanks

D

 

[Essexman]

I was interested to find out yesterday that the southbound Highland sleeper is driven from Preston to Euston by the driver of a northbound sleeper (not sure which one).

Reason I found out was I was travelling back from Inverness and we were delayed because the northbound sleeper was late so we had no driver. I slept through a 3 hour stop at Preston so on waking around 7am was somewhat surprised to see us pass an Arriva Trains Wales train north of Crewe. We changed drivers again at Crewe and with a good run (fast lines) to Euston arrive 108 minutes late. Just wished I'd have ordered breakfast though!

 

[Liam]

IIRC, All the Highland sleepers are DBS drivers who bring the Southbound sleeper to Edinburgh, then take the Northbound portions North to Aberdeen and Inverness. The FW is slightly different as a Scotrail man takes it from FW to Rannoch, then a DBS man comes up on the SR service from Glasgow, then takes the sleeper, to either Dalmuir or Edinburgh, can't remember if there is a swap at Dalmuir or not. In the morning, the opposite happens.

 

[scotraildriver]

No, that's wrong. The FW sleeper is crewed by FW staff to Rannoch then a Queen St crew from Rannoch to Dalmuir. (They travel, north on the 18.21 sprinter). Then another Scotrail Queen St crew (nightshift) take it to Edinburgh and do all the shunting. The same crew then take the northbound sleeper back to Dalmuir in the morning, hand over to another Queen St crew (Early shift) who take it to Rannoch who hand it to a FW crew! That's partly why the sleeper costs so much to operate. It's a bit of a nightmare staffing wise.

 

[Liam]

No, that's wrong. The FW sleeper is crewed by FW staff to Rannoch then a Queen St crew from Rannoch to Dalmuir. (They travel, north on the 18.21 sprinter). Then another Scotrail Queen St crew (nightshift) take it to Edinburgh and do all the shunting. The same crew then take the northbound sleeper back to Dalmuir in the morning, hand over to another Queen St crew (Early shift) who take it to Rannoch who hand it to a FW crew! That's partly why the sleeper costs so much to operate. It's a bit of a nightmare staffing wise.

Thanks, I knew something happened at Dalmuir, wasn't sure if it was crew, driver or both. I wonder how they will do it if another firm wins the franchise?

 

[jamesontheroad]

No, that's wrong. The FW sleeper is crewed by FW staff to Rannoch then a Queen St crew from Rannoch to Dalmuir. (They travel, north on the 18.21 sprinter). Then another Scotrail Queen St crew (nightshift) take it to Edinburgh and do all the shunting. The same crew then take the northbound sleeper back to Dalmuir in the morning, hand over to another Queen St crew (Early shift) who take it to Rannoch who hand it to a FW crew! That's partly why the sleeper costs so much to operate. It's a bit of a nightmare staffing wise.

What does the FW crew do between 21:30 and 08:30 at Rannoch? Do they have accommodation there or ride back to FW?

 

[34D]

What does the FW crew do between 21:30 and 08:30 at Rannoch? Do they have accommodation there or ride back to FW?

Presumably it is a different crew. I'd be surprised whether the unions were happy with a 10/11 hour overnight break.

 

[Tomnick]

If I'm not mistaken, the two trains swap crews at Rannoch - so the FW crew will work the last one from Rannoch back to FW and book off duty.

 

[Johnuk123]

What does the FW crew do between 21:30 and 08:30 at Rannoch? Do they have accommodation there or ride back to FW?

You would be hard pressed to find anywhere with less to do than Rannoch other than admire the scenery.

 

[scotraildriver]

The FW crew travel back on the sprinter to FW but as passengers. You are not allowed to work a class 67 and a 156 in the same shift.

 

[hello]

The FW crew travel back on the sprinter to FW but as passengers. You are not allowed to work a class 67 and a 156 in the same shift.

whys that then?

 

[westcoaster]

whys that then?

Maybe due to the differences in train driving characteristics between loco+stock and a multiple unit.

 

[CallySleeper]

The FW crew travel back on the sprinter to FW but as passengers. You are not allowed to work a class 67 and a 156 in the same shift.

Same also occurs in the morning. Driver change is at Rannoch (Glasgow crews won't sign further north/FW crew further south) so the sleeper driver disembarks at Rannoch and returns to Glasgow on 1Y42 which is timed to pass the sleeper at Rannoch. His replacement travels down from FW on that train.

 

[4SRKT]

Doesn't the crew that takes the 19:50 beds from FW to Rannoch previously work the 18:15 156 ex-Mallaig?

 

[work-traveller]

You would be hard pressed to find anywhere with less to do than Rannoch other than admire the scenery.

I'll see your Rannoch and raise your Corrour

 

[Essexman]

I'll raise stakes to Altnabreac - not one inhabited house close to the station there - so one less than Courrour & Rannoch.

 

[cjp]

I'll raise stakes to Altnabreac - not one inhabited house close to the station there - so one less than Courrour & Rannoch.

So what is the big house in the picture then?
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/84058

 

[Gathursty]

So what is the big house in the picture then?
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/84058

I looked in the window of that house on 14 July this year. The state of damp affecting the wallpapers and dirty underlay indicated whoever lived here packed up and went home many months ago, or may be very close by *ghostly cackles*

 

[S N Barnes]

The Edinburgh-Glasgow morning crew changes take place at Springburn or Ashfield both considerably more convenient places to catch or leave the FW portion on its way North, if you can get away with it, and a taxi delivers and collects the crew. The Glasgow-Edinburgh-Glasgow run is done by a crew who stay with the bit of the train that gets left behind in Edinburgh (between 01.20 and 04.30 - although the shunt usually starts at 03.30)

 

[Essexman]

So what is the big house in the picture then?
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/84058

I was at Altnabreac last September and the house was empty. The nearest lived in house is across the little river at least 1/4 mile away.

 

[scotraildriver]

The Edinburgh-Glasgow morning crew changes take place at Springburn or Ashfield both considerably more convenient places to catch or leave the FW portion on its way North, if you can get away with it, and a taxi delivers and collects the crew. The Glasgow-Edinburgh-Glasgow run is done by a crew who stay with the bit of the train that gets left behind in Edinburgh (between 01.20 and 04.30 - although the shunt usually starts at 03.30)

That depends who the boss is if that happens...... Its MEANT to be done at Dalmuir.