Caledonian Sleeper

[garethep]

If the mk5s travelled at 100mph it would be absolutely unbearable both noise and rough riding.

Ironically, the faster they run the better they ride....at 110 on a decent bit of rail they weren't too bad.

 

[styles]

The way such is done in continental europe is by staying in intermediary stations/sidings en route for hours (The Paris-Toulouse sleepers stays roughly 2-3h in Toulouse station sidings before dropping off and the onward carriages depart)

I would say it's better to arrive at your destination earlier and allowing people to sleep as calmly as possible while stationnary.

I guess the issue with this is occupying a platform at Euston for like 4 hours? I don't know enough about scheduling to know if this is really an issue at Euston mind, and in my experience the sleeper often arrives early to the point that I can't imagine it has a huge knock-on effect at that hour.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I guess the issue with this is occupying a platform at Euston for like 4 hours? I don't know enough about scheduling to know if this is really an issue at Euston mind, and in my experience the sleeper often arrives early to the point that I can't imagine it has a huge knock-on effect at that hour.

As long as the sleeper arrives before the rush hour a platform at Euston will be easy. Certainly easier I should imagine than finding somewhere for it to wait out of the way on the West Coast Mainline !. Perhaps Wembley Yard would be the only easy place ?.

 

[Scotrail84]

Ironically, the faster they run the better they ride....at 110 on a decent bit of rail they weren't too bad.

Thats absolutely mental. Low speeds they're uncomfortable but a speeds the coaches will never run at and they're smooth operators.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The way such is done in continental europe is by staying in intermediary stations/sidings en route for hours (The Paris-Toulouse sleepers stays roughly 2-3h in Toulouse station sidings before dropping off and the onward carriages depart)

I would say it's better to arrive at your destination earlier and allowing people to sleep as calmly as possible while stationnary.

This is also done on the Night Riviera, it sits at Reading, Taunton and possibly Plymouth for quite a while.

 

[irp]

This is also done on the Night Riviera, it sits at Reading, Taunton and possibly Plymouth for quite a while.

Been known to stable at Exeter for a while as well at silly o'clock in the morning

 

[D6130]

Ironically, the faster they run the better they ride....at 110 on a decent bit of rail they weren't too bad.

Err....it doesn't run at 110 mph. The maximum permitted speed for a class 92 is 140 km/h (87 mph). If that speed were to be exceeded - especially by 23 mph - it would be recorded by the OTDR (On-train Data Recorder) and the driver would be subject to disciplinary action.

 

[Travelmonkey]

I was on last night's 1M11 in a berth. First time on the mk5s since they came into play and good god the ride quality over the ECML was awful to say the least. I barely slept!!

Can confirm the Monkey (and associated human) traveled on a seat using the ECML on the 19th and I definitely have a new found respect for the Azumas, it does seem they have alot of recovery time on the sleeper. Most of the night between booked staffing stops we were ahead, even getting into Inverness slightly early. I do think the turnaround for the lowlander is short but if I can get a good deal I will still partake in a room especially if I can can get a double.

*photo of a monkey plush toy on a Caledonian sleeper seat*

 

[Scotrail84]

Can confirm the Monkey (and associated human) traveled on a seat using the ECML on the 19th and I definitely have a new found respect for the Azumas, it does seem they have alot of recovery time on the sleeper. Most of the night between booked staffing stops we were ahead, even getting into Inverness slightly early. I do think the turnaround for the lowlander is short but if I can get a good deal I will still partake in a room especially if I can can get a double.

*photo of a monkey plush toy on a Caledonian sleeper seat*
View attachment 173150

The seats are absolutely dreadful aren't they.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Can confirm the Monkey (and associated human) traveled on a seat using the ECML on the 19th and I definitely have a new found respect for the Azumas, it does seem they have alot of recovery time on the sleeper. Most of the night between booked staffing stops we were ahead, even getting into Inverness slightly early. I do think the turnaround for the lowlander is short but if I can get a good deal I will still partake in a room especially if I can can get a double.

*photo of a monkey plush toy on a Caledonian sleeper seat*
View attachment 173150

What’s Robbie Williams doing in the seats? (Joke)

 

[xotGD]

The seats are absolutely dreadful aren't they.

The use of the word "dreadful" has a certain ambiguity on a rail forum.

 

[JModulo]

Err....it doesn't run at 110 mph. The maximum permitted speed for a class 92 is 140 km/h (87 mph). If that speed were to be exceeded - especially by 23 mph - it would be recorded by the OTDR (On-train Data Recorder) and the driver would be subject to disciplinary action.

Yes, the user isn't saying that however. Just that they do ride better at higher speed. They were tested to 110mph during acceptance with class 90s.

 

[Scotrail84]

Yes, the user isn't saying that however. Just that they do ride better at higher speed. They were tested to 110mph during acceptance with class 90s.

Were they? How did they manage to couple up a 90 to them?

They were tested at length in the Czech Republic prior to moving to Polmadie.

 

[garethep]

Were they? How did they manage to couple up a 90 to them?

They were tested at length in the Czech Republic prior to moving to Polmadie.

Drophead Dellner couplers on a pair of MK3 sleeper coaches as translators.

 

[Scotrail84]

Drophead Dellner couplers on a pair of MK3 sleeper coaches as translators.

Ahh, every day is a school day.

 

[Tetragon213]

Any reason why the Caledonian Sleeper is so expensive compared to the Riviera? Rooms on the Caledonian seem to go for approx. 2-2.5 times as much as a cabin on the Night Riviera, and that's not even adding in the cost of food (which is included in the fare of a cabin on the Riviera, whereas on the Caledonian, the promotional material seems to suggest a £10 supplement on the Sleeper for a "continental breakfast", rather than a hot meal).

I was quite surprised to see the pricing difference. It's always been a bit of a pipe dream to travel by sleeper at least once just for the hell of it, and it was quite surprising to see Cabin fares on the Caledonian going for over £250 for a basic cabin fare!

 

[Indigo Soup]

Any reason why the Caledonian Sleeper is so expensive compared to the Riviera? Rooms on the Caledonian seem to go for approx. 2-2.5 times as much as a cabin on the Night Riviera, and that's not even adding in the cost of food (which is included in the fare of a cabin on the Riviera, whereas on the Caledonian, the promotional material seems to suggest a £10 supplement on the Sleeper for a "continental breakfast", rather than a hot meal).

The operators of the Riviera seem to primarily view it as a way for people who live in Cornwall to get to London and back.

The operators of the Caledonian Sleeper primarily view it as a way for people who live, or fly into, London to get to Scotland and back.

They sound similar, but actually they're totally different markets.

 

[Butts]

Any reason why the Caledonian Sleeper is so expensive compared to the Riviera? Rooms on the Caledonian seem to go for approx. 2-2.5 times as much as a cabin on the Night Riviera, and that's not even adding in the cost of food (which is included in the fare of a cabin on the Riviera, whereas on the Caledonian, the promotional material seems to suggest a £10 supplement on the Sleeper for a "continental breakfast", rather than a hot meal).

I was quite surprised to see the pricing difference. It's always been a bit of a pipe dream to travel by sleeper at least once just for the hell of it, and it was quite surprising to see Cabin fares on the Caledonian going for over £250 for a basic cabin fare!

First Great Western run The Riviera ?

Strangely when they ran the predecessor to The Caledonian Bargain Berths were available for £39 !!

 

[Scotrail84]

Any reason why the Caledonian Sleeper is so expensive compared to the Riviera? Rooms on the Caledonian seem to go for approx. 2-2.5 times as much as a cabin on the Night Riviera, and that's not even adding in the cost of food (which is included in the fare of a cabin on the Riviera, whereas on the Caledonian, the promotional material seems to suggest a £10 supplement on the Sleeper for a "continental breakfast", rather than a hot meal).

I was quite surprised to see the pricing difference. It's always been a bit of a pipe dream to travel by sleeper at least once just for the hell of it, and it was quite surprising to see Cabin fares on the Caledonian going for over £250 for a basic cabin fare!

Prices are off the scale for the CS, ridiculously overpriced for whats on offer. You're better travelling off season as they knock 25% off the fares in desperation to get folk on the train.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jan 2025 ==

First Great Western run The Riviera ?

Strangely when they ran the predecessor to The Caledonian Bargain Berths were available for £39 !!

£19 at one point as well.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Any reason why the Caledonian Sleeper is so expensive compared to the Riviera? Rooms on the Caledonian seem to go for approx. 2-2.5 times as much as a cabin on the Night Riviera, and that's not even adding in the cost of food (which is included in the fare of a cabin on the Riviera, whereas on the Caledonian, the promotional material seems to suggest a £10 supplement on the Sleeper for a "continental breakfast", rather than a hot meal).

I was quite surprised to see the pricing difference. It's always been a bit of a pipe dream to travel by sleeper at least once just for the hell of it, and it was quite surprising to see Cabin fares on the Caledonian going for over £250 for a basic cabin fare!

I fear that, when the rolling stock comes up for replacement, fares on the Riviera sleeper will rise to pay for the new sleeper stock required.

So I think the Caledonian sleeper is more expensive due to having to pay for highly specified new sleeper stock and also possibly due to delusions of grandeur.

 

[Krokodil]

Prices are off the scale for the CS, ridiculously overpriced for whats on offer.

Yet it sells out well in advance. They're just charging what the market will pay.

 

[Scotrail84]

Yet it sells out well in advance. They're just charging what the market will pay.

Only in the summer months. They are heavily reliant on the tourist market and they shouldn't be exploiting themby rinsing them in my opinion. At this time of year sets are running about barely half full so its nowhere near selling out in advanced every night.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jan 2025 ==

Don't be surprised if the services get altered/cancelled or 'retimed' over the next few days due to the incoming storm.

 

[Sealink]

The MK3 GWR sleeper stock looks much more stylish that what CS was offering, prior to the MK5s arriving.
And the award for the most pointless comment goes to...

 

[alholmes]

Don't be surprised if the services get altered/cancelled or 'retimed' over the next few days due to the incoming storm.

Just announced, all CS services cancelled Thursday night and Friday night

 

[Scotrail84]

Just announced, all CS services cancelled Thursday night and Friday night

Finally they've done the right thing. Learned from that Blair Atholl carry on back on xmas eve.

 

[Bill57p9]

Only in the summer months. They are heavily reliant on the tourist market and they shouldn't be exploiting themby rinsing them in my opinion. At this time of year sets are running about barely half full so its nowhere near selling out in advanced every night.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jan 2025 ==

Don't be surprised if the services get altered/cancelled or 'retimed' over the next few days due to the incoming storm.

All the northbound portions were fully booked this Friday evening when I looked yesterday.
Though they have now been cancelled.
They are doing something right in terms of matching price to what the market will bear.

 

[Scotrail84]

All the northbound portions were fully booked this Friday evening when I looked yesterday.
Though they have now been cancelled.
They are doing something right in terms of matching price to what the market will bear.

Weekends are different, however I refuse to believe every Northbound service was fully booked in January, 7 days before pay day for many people. I suspect they closed the bookings with the incoming weather.

 

[trebor79]

The MK3 GWR sleeper stock looks much more stylish that what CS was offering, prior to the MK5s arriving.
And the award for the most pointless comment goes to...

The GWR sleepers are more comfortable than the Mk5 sleepers too. GWR did a really high quality refurb on their stock and it really shows.

 

[Scotrail84]

The GWR sleepers are more comfortable than the Mk5 sleepers too. GWR did a really high quality refurb on their stock and it really shows.

Thats what Abellio wanted to do but they lost out to those absolute jokers called Serco who said they'd buy new trains. Terrible decision in the long run as you all know.

 

[JamieL]

Weekends are different, however I refuse to believe every Northbound service was fully booked in January, 7 days before pay day for many people. I suspect they closed the bookings with the incoming weather.

Just tried to book a Club ensuite EUS-WHL on 6 Feb 25 - nil availability