Caledonian Sleeper Mk5 Discussion

[BRX]

Some photos (not mine) of mk5 testing on WHL here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/1276-busstop/sets/72157693715889361

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Some photos (not mine) of mk5 testing on WHL here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/1276-busstop/sets/72157693715889361

Thanks for posting. Didn't think that I'd be able to notice that they're 1m or so shorter than the Mk3s, but in some of those shots it seems quite noticeable. Could be the camera angle that makes it more obvious, or possibly the darker colour- as the TPE coaches didn't look noticeably shorter than Mk3s.

 

[jopsuk]

Nice photos. Something that does disappoint a little- the doors to close off the gangway appear not to have windows. On the Mark 3s it's quite fun to watch out the back!

 

[marks87]

Nice photos. Something that does disappoint a little- the doors to close off the gangway appear not to have windows. On the Mark 3s it's quite fun to watch out the back!

I would imagine that in normal service the “blind” on the gangway would be pulled down anyway.

 

[BRX]

Nice photos. Something that does disappoint a little- the doors to close off the gangway appear not to have windows. On the Mark 3s it's quite fun to watch out the back!

I thought the same. But looking carefully, I think that actually what you can see are the internal sliding doors with some kind of protective film on them? Are these doors in fact glazed?

 

[Highlandspring]

I saw the coaches twice today. The gangway doors at the rear are indeed glazed to their full height but, as mentioned above, I’d expect the funny roller blind arrangement to be pulled down when they’re in service. The whole gangway/coupling looked very clumsy and the coaches themselves are pretty ungainly tubby looking things.

 

[TimboM]

...The whole gangway/coupling looked very clumsy and the coaches themselves are pretty ungainly tubby looking things.

Good job they'll be running in the dark mostly then

 

[BRX]

Swap the roller blind for a chest height railing, open the gangway doors and you'd have a wee balcony at the back a la Royal Scotsman.

 

[ScottDarg]

90048 took 5 Mk.5s (sandwiched between modified Sleeper Mk.3s) on a run down to Lancaster last night. I believe this was to test the coaches at their design speed of 110mph. Paths:

1. 5M01 21:38 Polmadie - Kingmoor Up Loop: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G60129/2018/04/24/advanced
2. 5C01 00:25 Kingmoor Up Loop - Lancaster: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G60124/2018/04/25/advanced
3. 5S08 03:00 Lancaster - Polmadie: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G60144/2018/04/25/advanced

 

[ScottDarg]

An animated fly-through of the new stock has been posted on the Caledonian Sleeper Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/caledoniansleeper/posts/1828503320535337

(Thanks to @TimboM for pointing this out in the main Sleeper thread)

 

[Clansman]

More interior photos

 

[59CosG95]

More interior photos

Judging by the width of the corridor in that last picture, your suitcase would definitely need 4 wheels to navigate that!
(My suitcase currently has 2 and it's a very ungainly case indeed)

 

[Spartacus]

Judging by the width of the corridor in that last picture, your suitcase would definitely need 4 wheels to navigate that!
(My suitcase currently has 2 and it's a very ungainly case indeed)

Judging by the width of the corridor I can see some people not being able to get big cases down without serious difficulty, and meeting someone coming the other way will make things VERY cosy I know one or two folk who might have a job getting down there on their own too!

 

[Caleb2010]

I shouldn't think it's much wider or narrower than the corridor on the Mk 3 sleepers!
I wonder though if the 240v power will be constant or, like the usb power provided now will drop at certain points in the journey?
Nice to see the accessible space in the buffet (sorry - club car!)

 

[Clansman]

It seems as if the 'booth' proposal for the club car has been cut back - ie no longitudinal seating running parallel to the windows and connecting with the 'facing' seats, as originally planned.

 

[Spartacus]

I shouldn't think it's much wider or narrower than the corridor on the Mk 3 sleepers!
I wonder though if the 240v power will be constant or, like the usb power provided now will drop at certain points in the journey?
Nice to see the accessible space in the buffet (sorry - club car!)

Hopefully it's just a trick of the eye given the flooring and the position of the door.

 

[Tam]

The seating colour scheme reminds me of an Aeroflot flight I made circa 1994.

 

[Martin222002]

More interior photos

From those photos it looks like there will be two different accessible berths. One with the standard twin bunks configuration and another with a double bed. I assume this means that the accessible sleeper coach will have 1 of each type, so 2 accessible berths, which will be double that which is provided today.

 

[TimboM]

Has anyone else noticed the en suites are a combined toilet / shower cubicle; with a cover/lid that folds over the WC (and neatly tucks away the toilet roll) and then you sit/stand over it to shower?

Very efficient space-wise, but may feel a bit odd having a shower on/over the WC?!

Not sure how much room they’ll be either...?

Annotated stills from the fly-through:

 

[Scotrail88]

Will the new coaches enable a quicker shunt process at Carstairs as lights are already on units, electric coupling, etc.
Possibility for quicker journeys??
Not heard of any timetable changes though.

 

[hexagon789]

Very efficient space-wise, but may feel a bit odd having a shower on/over the WC

Not the strangest arrangement by any means, there are some sleeping cars in Canada where in single-occupant rooms the toilet is under the bed and you have to lift the bed up to use it!

I think it's actually a fairly sensible use of the space, certainly it's an improvement that not only will there be en-suite rooms now but showers as well.

 

[Pete_uk]

How much water will these carry? Is there a limit to how long you van shower for?

 

[mark-h]

there are some sleeping cars in Canada where in single-occupant rooms the toilet is under the bed and you have to lift the bed up to use it!

Amtrak Viewliner Roomettes have a toilet next to the head end of the lower berth.

 

[TimboM]

Will the new coaches enable a quicker shunt process at Carstairs as lights are already on units, electric coupling, etc.
Possibility for quicker journeys??
Not heard of any timetable changes though.

May be a bit quicker at Carstairs, Edinburgh etc, but separate ETS cables still need disconnecting, gangways need to be sorted, trains still manoeuvred into position, etc...

It’s more about making the current process easier/safer (in theory) - any time saved will just help the existing tight windows for shunting to be achieved more readily. The Sleeper timetables in general are already heavily “padded” - the Sleeper is more about leaving and arriving at sensible times for “guests” not getting from A to B as fast as possible.

 

[hexagon789]

Amtrak Viewliner Roomettes have a toilet next to the head end of the lower berth.

That's probably worse!

 

[BRX]

Amtrak Viewliner Roomettes have a toilet next to the head end of the lower berth.

This baffles me. How can it be more desirable to have a toilet right in the room where you sleep (and sit all day) than to use a shared one down the corridor!

 

[Highlandspring]

That (Amtrak roomette) looks worse than a jail cell!

 

[route101]

May be a bit quicker at Carstairs, Edinburgh etc, but separate ETS cables still need disconnecting, gangways need to be sorted, trains still manoeuvred into position, etc...

It’s more about making the current process easier/safer (in theory) - any time saved will just help the existing tight windows for shunting to be achieved more readily. The Sleeper timetables in general are already heavily “padded” - the Sleeper is more about leaving and arriving at sensible times for “guests” not getting from A to B as fast as possible.

Heavily Padded indeed , took the sleeper from London to Glasgow via ecml and we waited at Newcastle and Edinburgh for some time .

 

[TimboM]

This baffles me. How can it be more desirable to have a toilet right in the room where you sleep (and sit all day) than to use a shared one down the corridor!

It's OK, it'll be pretty clean after you've showered over it...

For me not having to traipse down the corridor in pyjamas or quickly thrown on jeans/T-shirt when you have the need to visit the WC in the middle of the night will be a big plus (subject to affordability!) Each to their own, though.

 

[BRX]

It's OK, it'll be pretty clean after you've showered over it...

For me not having to traipse down the corridor in pyjamas or quickly thrown on jeans/T-shirt when you have the need to visit the WC in the middle of the night will be a big plus (subject to affordability!) Each to their own, though.

I meant the Amtrak one. The CS one is fine, has a door on it!