Caledonian Sleeper

[Krokodil]

Sounds like a good gig actually. Escape your racist uncle for a few hours sat in the cab not even having to drive anywhere.

Two drivers on earlies, two on lates (can't have lone working). Paid something like triple time with a day in lieu. Obviously such turns are popular so the reps organise a draw.

 

[boiledbeans2]

Last night's debacle. Stock for 1S25 had a problem after arriving in Euston. 1S26 stock in platform 15 was utilised for 1S25 and eventually left 2347. Passengers for 1S26 sent to Watford. The original 1S25 stock went to Wembley yard for defective coach to be removed and reformed. The stock then ran empty to Watford and started from there at 0254. That's the operational side of it, I have no knowledge on whether 1S25 had started loading before the stock swap or if the fault was discovered prior to boarding. Whatever happened it's been a rough week for sleeper passengers.

Thanks for the details.

There was a single Mk5 coach at Wembley yard today (21/8) at about 1600, very close to the WCML tracks. There was a Class 92 + another single Mk5 coach a bit further from the WCML tracks.

 

[johnr57]

Was it a significant sale? I assume so, given the cost of the sleeper.

Indeed it was and my best efforts of presenting remotely were thwarted by inadequate connectivity. Just unfortunate- these things happen, losses occur for many reasons, this being unusual as totally out of my control

 

[cats_five]

Two drivers on earlies, two on lates (can't have lone working). Paid something like triple time with a day in lieu. Obviously such turns are popular so the reps organise a draw.

If I had to work out of normal hours Sunday or a Bank Holiday was preferred. At that time it was double time plus a day off. However it was not a day of idleness. I worked in IT and we only worked those times for something specific, plus as I was usually on my own I had to be able to resolve an issues without help. I always did.

 

[Sealink]

Might be worth reporting to the Network Rail helpline

I have done this via their online form. As it was five days ago I doubt a phone call would be necessary.

 

[BenBracken]

I remember the Inverness frozen pipes incident. Recent enough to have been on the mk5s. The real irony is that Inverness has shore ETS available however it is not used by CS.

It was Dec 21, so they would have had two winters with MK5s to figure that out! We actually got as far as being sat outside Inverness station about an hour before departure for them to decide the service wasn’t going anywhere!

 

[najaB]

It was Dec 21, so they would have had two winters with MK5s to figure that out!

Aye, but were either of those winters particularly cold? I can't speak for Inverness, but here in Tayside the last "pipe bursting" winter we've had would be 2020/21 and before that probably during the Beast from the East so 2018.

 

[BenBracken]

Aye, but were either of those winters particularly cold? I can't speak for Inverness, but here in Tayside the last "pipe bursting" winter we've had would be 2020/21 and before that probably during the Beast from the East so 2018.

I remember it was a bitterly cold Christmas, black ice everywhere!

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Aye, but were either of those winters particularly cold? I can't speak for Inverness, but here in Tayside the last "pipe bursting" winter we've had would be 2020/21 and before that probably during the Beast from the East so 2018.

I remember it was a bitterly cold Christmas, black ice everywhere!

It was certainly a few years ago so pehaps as suggested the winter of 2020/21 - the 'beast from the east' was prior to MK5 introduction.

 

[najaB]

It was certainly a few years ago so pehaps as suggested the winter of 2020/21 - the 'beast from the east' was prior to MK5 introduction.

The question still stands though - the suggestion was that they had two winters to realise that they needed to do more to protect the stock against cold weather, but if those two winters had been mild it would explain why they hadn't done so.

 

[cb a1]

I guess it would be "less worse" if it's the journey home that's delayed rather than missing meetings, etc.

Out of curiosity, have any of your work trips suffered significant disruption or have you been lucky to date (knock wood)?

Appreciate the question wasn't directed at me, but I'm a business user. Thanks to Teams, less frequently than in the past, but still typically 3 return journeys p.a. nowadays.

The meetings / events I attend in London are usually bringing in people from across the UK, so a 10:00 or 10:30 start is typical. The earliest i can get to London by day train is just after midday.

I have had partial and full delay repay a few times over the years, but the most I've missed workwise was arriving 5 minutes late.

I've mentioned on this mega thread a gew times before, what I love about the Sleeper back to Scotland is that I get a few hours in London in the evening. Would never live in London again, but I love visiting it. I did once rock up to Euston at 11pm (was on Lowlander) to find it cancelled. That could have been awkward, but Sis was living in London at the time, so she got an impromptu visit from her wee brother and I was able to take the next day as Annual Leave.

I acknowledge that I am lucky to not have caring responsibilities and have sufficient financial security that I can make the most of unexpected situations.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Just gone past the repairs move at Wembley; it's 92 023 hauling the two carriages, one is 15208 but I couldn't see the other as something was in the way.

 

[BenBracken]

I've mentioned on this mega thread a few times before, what I love about the Sleeper back to Scotland is that I get a few hours in London in the evening.

We live in west Wales and have family in Inverness area, plus a cousin in London. It’s 12 hours drive door to door, and we’ve just done it as a road trip. With young kids we have to do two hotels up and two hotels back to save all our sanities! We’ve also flown a couple of times from Bristol/Birmingham, and yes low cost airlines look attractive to start with but the price soon racks up for four people with baggage. So cost wise several tanks of fuel plus hotels, meals out and breakfasts on a road trip, versus flying and hiring a car, or driving to London, taking the sleeper and hiring a car all works out pretty much the same! The sleeper is a firm favourite for us, hours and hours on the M6 is no fun for anyone and the train is a far more environmentally friendly option than flying. And I agree having a day/evening in London is a welcome bonus!

 

[SuspectUsual]

The question still stands though - the suggestion was that they had two winters to realise that they needed to do more to protect the stock against cold weather, but if those two winters had been mild it would explain why they hadn't done so.

Surely they don’t need to be so reactive?

Did nobody go through a list of all the contingencies and mitigations and what ifs they had for the old stock and ask if they needed to be replicated for the new stock? It sounds pretty much replacement product 101 to me….

 

[Megafuss]

Just gone past the repairs move at Wembley; it's 92 023 hauling the two carriages, one is 15208 but I couldn't see the other as something was in the way.

Not sure what unit' but it was definitely two carriages going through Newark Northgate about 17:05

 

[najaB]

Did nobody go through a list of all the contingencies and mitigations and what ifs they had for the old stock and ask if they needed to be replicated for the new stock? It sounds pretty much replacement product 101 to me.

I am not involved in any way, but if I had to guess I would say that if frozen plumbing was a problem with the old stock, they likely specified a more robust design in the new stock. Which was suitable for the typical winter, but not for the extreme.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I am not involved in any way, but if I had to guess I would say that if frozen plumbing was a problem with the old stock, they likely specified a more robust design in the new stock. Which was suitable for the typical winter, but not for the extreme.

And testing?!?

 

[14xxDave]

I am not involved in any way, but if I had to guess I would say that if frozen plumbing was a problem with the old stock, they likely specified a more robust design in the new stock. Which was suitable for the typical winter, but not for the extreme.

Err having been involved with forward planning I would respectfully suggest that this would not be the case. A lot of designers and engineers are somewhat stuck in a rut.

 

[BenBracken]

Can’t think CAF have much experience with frozen pipes in the Spanish climate!

 

[Sleepy]

Am I understanding correctly, all the way to Cornwall on those awful ironing board bolt upright seats, overnight? No, gracias!

HST 1st class was just about bearable but would insist on hotel instead of all nighter IET everytime.

 

[43096]

I remember the Inverness frozen pipes incident. Recent enough to have been on the mk5s. The real irony is that Inverness has shore ETS available however it is not used by CS.

Ah, but what type of shore supply is it? I am assuming 415V three phase for use with the HST fleet. If so, not a case of CS not using it so much as the shore supply being completely incompatible with the sleeper stock.

 

[TheLancsNinja]

Ah, but what type of shore supply is it? I am assuming 415V three phase for use with the HST fleet. If so, not a case of CS not using it so much as the shore supply being completely incompatible with the sleeper stock.

Not sure on the specifics, but it is usually used by LNER for stabling their 800 set for the Chieftan overnight; that's why there's the CS path to Aberdeen on winter Saturdays so the stock can be stabled until the Sunday service on a vacant shore supply

 

[Steve Harris]

Not sure on the specifics, but it is usually used by LNER for stabling their 800 set for the Chieftan overnight; that's why there's the CS path to Aberdeen on winter Saturdays so the stock can be stabled until the Sunday service on a vacant shore supply

As an aside, (If we are talking about the shore supply in the station) it was originally put in to keep coaching stock warm and was used for the sleeper stock pre privatisation (especially on the sleeper service from Glasgow, as the loco could then be shut down). I'm guessing the actual asset is now owned by Scotrail ?*

*Obviously if it is owned by CS one would of thought that it would of been uprated to work with the new Mk5's

 

[Bill57p9]

Ah, but what type of shore supply is it? I am assuming 415V three phase for use with the HST fleet. If so, not a case of CS not using it so much as the shore supply being completely incompatible with the sleeper stock.

Last time I was there (2021) it was conventional loco hauled (single phase) ETS. As others have mentioned, it predates privatisation.

 

[InvHst]

I remember the Inverness frozen pipes incident. Recent enough to have been on the mk5s. The real irony is that Inverness has shore ETS available however it is not used by CS.

Sleeper does use platform 2s ETS available however platform 1 doesn't work and hasn't for a while

 

[Sealink]

I have done this via their online form. As it was five days ago I doubt a phone call would be necessary.

So I have received a confusing reply (with no apparent way to log-in to do a further reply)

SUBJECT: Very sudden jolt felt on train - Golborne, Warrington, WA3 3UA (their subject line - I never mentioned Warrington!)

Thanks for making me aware of the sudden jolt when travelling from Glasgow Central to London Euston, on the evening of Tuesday 18th August.
Can you let me know what area you felt a jolt in the seated cabin as the train went over points just south of Wigan?
As Wigan is nowhere near Euston, I want to ensure you are reporting the correct area to enable me to pass this to the correct team.
Look forward to hearing from you.



I don't know what to reply - they know I was in the seated sleeper, and the postcode in the subject is the correct area. They also referto Wigan. What can they be referring to?

 

[Bletchleyite]

That looks suspiciously AI to me.

 

[Sealink]

The person's name is listed and department shown in the reply, which I haven't shared.

 

[Tetragon213]

The person's name is listed and department shown in the reply, which I haven't shared.

Even though you can put a name and department on an email, doesn't mean you weren't talking to a clanker.

There's every possibility that they use an alias account for their AI rubbish, or it might be a real person who's making excessive use of Copilot/OpenAI to do their job for them

 

[najaB]

I don't know what to reply - they know I was in the seated sleeper, and the postcode in the subject is the correct area. They also referto Wigan. What can they be referring to?

As noted above, this is likely a real person who has hit the "Copilot" button to send their reply.

I would reply to their email and provide as accurate geo coordinates as you can. Then at least you have done what you can do.