Caledonian Sleeper Layout.

[Class325Guy]

So forgive for the poor title, but I am curious to know how the cars on the CS are set up. Looking at Wikipedia, it shows the Lowland sleeper as having 16 cars which are then split in half at Car stairs, but it doesn't mention in which order the cars are arranged.

So does anyone have info as to the order of the cars used on the CS? And is it the same for all the journeys?

Thanks

 

[hexagon789]

So forgive for the poor title, but I am curious to know how the cars on the CS are set up. Looking at Wikipedia, it shows the Lowland sleeper as having 16 cars which are then split in half at Car stairs, but it doesn't mention in which order the cars are arranged.

So does anyone have info as to the order of the cars used on the CS? And is it the same for all the journeys?

Thanks

This thread might help:

Caledonian Sleeper train formations

I understand that the Caledonian Sleeper is one of the longest passenger trains in Britain and I would like to find out how it is formed, as I am curious about the shunting activities that take place to split and rejoin the service. Therefore, I was wondering if anyone could help me, please. I...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[norbitonflyer]

So forgive for the poor title, but I am curious to know how the cars on the CS are set up. Looking at Wikipedia, it shows the Lowland sleeper as having 16 cars which are then split in half at Car stairs, but it doesn't mention in which order the cars are arranged.

So does anyone have info as to the order of the cars used on the CS? And is it the same for all the journeys?

Thanks

On the Lowlander, before splitting/after joining at Carstairs, the Edinburgh portion is the rear one in each direction. If I recall the Highlander correctly, the Inverness portion is at the rear in both directions. The Aberdeen portion is at the London end of the other portion.

Unless a reversal has taken place somewhere, the usual arrangement is, reading from the London end.

• Seating
• Club car
• Sleeping cars

then repeat for the other portion

The "accessible" sleeping compartments are in the vehicles adjacent to the club cars, with another one at the other end of the Glasgow and Fort William portions. (This is necessary so that there is an accessible compartment for FW - the rakes alternate Highlander/Lowlander, so the Glasgow portion gets two such carriages as well)

From RTT it seems the rakes are not always the same way round, but in my experience the club/seating cars are usually at the London end of each portion.

The Fort William club and seating cars are attached to the south (Edinburgh) end of that portion, so as to be adjacent the accessible sleeping compartment.

 

[Class325Guy]

This thread might help:

Caledonian Sleeper train formations

I understand that the Caledonian Sleeper is one of the longest passenger trains in Britain and I would like to find out how it is formed, as I am curious about the shunting activities that take place to split and rejoin the service. Therefore, I was wondering if anyone could help me, please. I...

www.railforums.co.uk

Thank you. I found exactly what I was looking for in that thread.

 

[hexagon789]

Thank you. I found exactly what I was looking for in that thread.

Glad to be of assistance

 

[norbitonflyer]

Thank you. I found exactly what I was looking for in that thread.

That "Revolutions Trains" pdf shpuld be treated with a large pinch of salt though.
It shows the Edinburgh portion next to the loco on the Lowlander, which is wrong in both directions (it is detached from, and attached to, the rear of the Glasgow portion)

And it shows the seated accomodation and club car at the rear of both legs of the Highlander (furthest from the loco) despite the reversal at Edinburgh.

Actual formations on RTT this evening

Northbound Highlander 1S25. Seats/Club at leading (country) end of both portions. Two accessible cars in first portion so that will be the Aberdeen/FW one

Northbound Lowlander. 1S26/1c26 Seats/club at London end of each portion

Southbound Highlander Seats/club at rear of each portion (1B16 Aberdeen/1M16 Inverness) which will be the London end after reversal at Edinburgh. 1B01 formation not shown, but the third accessible sleeper (Fort William) is at the rear of the train as it approaches London, so formed Inverness- Aberdeen - FW

Southbound Lowlander - 1M11 -Seats / club at London end of Glasgow portion, but at front end of Edinburgh portion (1C11) which became the country end when the trains combined, so arrived at Euston with the two seated portions and club cars at the extreme ends of the train.

It looks like the northbound Highlander is back to front tonight (Monday). This is probably because last night (Sunday night) was unusual as the trains ran via the ECML. This requires a reversal at Wembley, and using the "wrong" end of Waverley. These effects cancel out for the Highlander, but result in both Lowlanders ending up back to front.

A Lowlander that has arrived in Glasgow back to front can be turned round using the Hamilton Circle - the 5S26 ECS ran from Glasgow to Polmadie via Hamilton this morning, so that rake is are now facing the right way. (There is also a path for 5M11 to go from Polmadie to Glasgow the same way in the evening) However, tonight the Edinburgh portion is still reversed. But it's not so easy in London (or indeed Inverness, Aberdeen or Fort William), so that rake will probbaly not be turned the right way round until it next arrives in Glasgow, on Thursday.

EDIT. Any Highlander rake that gets to Edinburgh back to front can be reversed while on diesel power by going round the "Sub" (Edinburgh Suburban line)