Caledonian Sleeper

[Highlandspring]

The operations experts are out in force today I see...

Anyway,

Looks to have spent nearly an hour and a half at Edinburgh Waverley. Does anybody know what caused that? The three portions all seem to have arrived at roughly the right time.

67007 off 1M16 was used to rescue failed a track machine (DR77001, 6J98) which was blocking the Up line at Slateford, 1M16 couldn’t depart until this was moved.

 

[robbeech]

That’s a brute of a cancellation. I was trying to book on that very train, but it was full (the Inverness part, at least). What can CS do? Offer people seats on the Chieftain?

I’ve known this happen, though a Glasgow service as mentioned is usually the first option. I’d assume the chieftain will be full today as it is anyway.

 

[47271]

The operations experts are out in force today I see...

He he, I don't claim to be an operations expert but I am a passenger-aboard-a-cocked-up-sleeper-at-Euston expert!

 

[sprinterguy]

67007 off 1M16 was used to rescue failed a track machine (DR77001, 6J98) which was blocking the Up line at Slateford, 1M16 couldn’t depart until this was moved.

Ah, mystery solved, thanks for that!

 

[185143]

He he, I don't claim to be an operations expert but I am a passenger-aboard-a-cocked-up-sleeper-at-Euston expert!

Beats being a passenger at Preston waiting for a cocked up sleeper!

Would Crewe/Preston passengers be given priority for space on the Lowlander, given their "Static Hotel" will be a waiting room on the station? When I boarded the Lowlander at Preston, 2 seats had been reserved for me-but I suspect that was just the Guard being sympathetic.

 

[TimboM]

Would Crewe/Preston passengers be given priority for space on the Lowlander, given their "Static Hotel" will be a waiting room on the station? When I boarded the Lowlander at Preston, 2 seats had been reserved for me-but I suspect that was just the Guard being sympathetic.

Any Lowlander passengers at Crewe would be waving to 1S26 as it flew through the centre tracks on the Down Fast at 80+ mph.

 

[33Hz]

Just found a reason for a meeting in Scotland in the first week of June

However on trying to book the "room only supplement" and add it to a return I wanted to purchase separately, I see the Calendonian Double is not available for this, even if I tell the system I have 2 passengers. If I wish to buy the rooms outright with travel on the same trains, then it magically becomes available. Why this policy?

 

[causton]

Just found a reason for a meeting in Scotland in the first week of June

However on trying to book the "room only supplement" and add it to a return I wanted to purchase separately, I see the Calendonian Double is not available for this, even if I tell the system I have 2 passengers. If I wish to buy the rooms outright with travel on the same trains, then it magically becomes available. Why this policy?

Can't say why, but it doesn't appear to be a mistake but a deliberate decision:

Room Supplements Room supplements are available in Classic or Club accommodation. Holders of 1st Class tickets may travel in either Classic or Club accommodation on payment of the supplement. Holders of Standard tickets may only travel in Classic accommodation. Room supplements are prices for both solo and twin accommodation in both Classes.

 

[TimboM]

Can't say why, but it doesn't appear to be a mistake but a deliberate decision:

CS are not offering the room supplement option on the Caledonian Double suites. They are the premium “above First Class” offering and only a handful on each train (6 rooms per 16-coach set). They can only be booked/purchased direct.

 

[Surreytraveller]

CS are not offering the room supplement option on the Caledonian Double suites. They are the premium “above First Class” offering and only a handful on each train (6 rooms per 16-coach set). They can only be booked/purchased direct.

The Caledonian Sleeper version of the penthouse suite?

 

[Mathew S]

The Caledonian Sleeper version of the penthouse suite?

Indeed. To be fair they do look, considering they're on a train, rather nice.

 

[alangla]

The Caledonian Sleeper version of the penthouse suite?

More like Etihad’s The Residence surely? Wonder if you get a butler...

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The Caledonian Sleeper version of the penthouse suite?

Indeed. To be fair they do look, considering they're on a train, rather nice.

More like Etihad’s The Residence surely? Wonder if you get a butler...

Picture 070 in my post - linked below - a few pages back shows the inside of one of the suites from my ride on the Mk5s last week:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/caledonian-sleeper.176365/page-24#post-3958805

 

[185143]

Any Lowlander passengers at Crewe would be waving to 1S26 as it flew through the centre tracks on the Down Fast at 80+ mph.

Well yes, they'd be sent to Preston to board there.

 

[Mathew S]

Well yes, they'd be sent to Preston to board there.

I think what was being got at was that there was an East coast diversion, so no service from Crewe, Carlisle, or Preston; therefore no passengers stranded there waiting in the first place.

 

[Flying Snail]

Just found a reason for a meeting in Scotland in the first week of June

However on trying to book the "room only supplement" and add it to a return I wanted to purchase separately, I see the Calendonian Double is not available for this, even if I tell the system I have 2 passengers. If I wish to buy the rooms outright with travel on the same trains, then it magically becomes available. Why this policy?

You are aware that a 1st class travel ticket is needed for a supplement in Club, Standard class tickets can only be used with supplements in Classic. Obviously they do not want to sell Doubles to people with travel tickets at all.

Another strange pricing discrepancy with supplements is that it is £100 for either a Classic or a Club en-suite for a solo traveller but if you try to book for 2 people it only offers a shared Classic for £140 or shared Club for £200. They are selling one room in all scenarios, an extra £40 for sharing a Classic but the same price for sharing a Club as you would pay for making 2 separate bookings, that makes no sense.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Another strange pricing discrepancy with supplements is that it is £100 for either a Classic or a Club en-suite for a solo traveller but if you try to book for 2 people it only offers a shared Classic for £140 or shared Club for £200. They are selling one room in all scenarios, an extra £40 for sharing a Classic but the same price for sharing a Club as you would pay for making 2 separate bookings, that makes no sense.

That will be to encourage people who are booking and travelling together to occupy one room rather than two - so as they sell their capacity on a per room basis it does make sense.

 

[TimboM]

I think what was being got at was that there was an East coast diversion, so no service from Crewe, Carlisle, or Preston; therefore no passengers stranded there waiting in the first place.

No, I was referring to the fact 1S26 doesn't stop at Crewe.

 

[Flying Snail]

That will be to encourage people who are booking and travelling together to occupy one room rather than two - so as they sell their capacity on a per room basis it does make sense.

Huh? It does the exact opposite.

If I am travelling with someone on 1st class tickets I can have one en-suite room with bunk beds for £200 or 2 en-suite rooms with single beds for £200, I'll be taking the 2 rooms or choosing a different alternative to the sleeper because £200 on top of travel tickets is too bloody expensive.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Sorry, I thought you were talking about standard class passengers!

 

[33Hz]

Can't say why, but it doesn't appear to be a mistake but a deliberate decision:

It's not the most helpful policy for the business traveler. Under our corporate system I could claim the return rail ticket as one legitimate expense and the room supplement as a hotel.

As it is I'm going to have to show them the cost of a return, try to claim that and hope for the best.

As a large chunk of our admin people are provided by Serco they should know better!

 

[island]

Northbound Highlander appears to be going in two parts tonight, 1S66 to Inverness at 21:20 and 1S70 to Aberdeen and Fort William at 22:14, both from Kings Cross. Is this a consequence of the engineering works, or what has happened?

 

[Caleb2010]

Yes, it doesn't all fit in kings cross, so they split it into two when it has to go into/from there!

 

[Mag_seven]

Northbound Highlander appears to be going in two parts tonight, 1S66 to Inverness at 21:20 and 1S70 to Aberdeen and Fort William at 22:14, both from Kings Cross. Is this a consequence of the engineering works, or what has happened?

They always operate like that when operating out of Kings Cross due to platform length restrictions.

 

[_toommm_]

They always operate like that when operating out of Kings Cross due to platform length restrictions.

Out of curiosity, what can Kings X fit? Is it 2 locos and 10/11 coaches?

 

[theironroad]

Well apparently the NB lowlander has a coach removed from tonight's service and they are having to move people around.

Reading the Cal sleeprs Twitter, seems the NB Highlander has some very unhappy customer last Wednesday night ...

 

[BRX]

It's sort of nice that they have made some posters... shame they don't seem to have been drawn by someone who's much interested in trains though.

 

[jagardner1984]

I’m really fascinated, and I don’t know the answer, how much business these kind of campaigns drive. Maybe it has a subliminal impact. Mainly when I want to go somewhere I look on NRES website or on Skyscanner to try and establish the best / cheapest / quickest way of going there. Are many people choosing destinations on the basis of posters ?

There was a real push on Virgin Trains advertising in Glasgow last year, strongly emphasising the £30 price point and it going to “Actual London”.

I suppose given the cost of flights to Glasgow and car hire / Scotrail on from there to Fort William, it’s unlikely any CS posters will feature pricing any time soon !

 

[Mag_seven]

It's sort of nice that they have made some posters... shame they don't seem to have been drawn by someone who's much interested in trains though.

What on earth.....

 

[BRX]

I’m really fascinated, and I don’t know the answer, how much business these kind of campaigns drive. Maybe it has a subliminal impact. Mainly when I want to go somewhere I look on NRES website or on Skyscanner to try and establish the best / cheapest / quickest way of going there. Are many people choosing destinations on the basis of posters ?

There was a real push on Virgin Trains advertising in Glasgow last year, strongly emphasising the £30 price point and it going to “Actual London”.

I suppose given the cost of flights to Glasgow and car hire / Scotrail on from there to Fort William, it’s unlikely any CS posters will feature pricing any time soon !

I doubt they are aimed at people mainly choosing on the basis of cost. I think they are aimed at people who might like to do it as an experience; maybe they haven't heard about the CS before and posters like this would make them intrigued to find out what it was.