Caledonian Sleeper

[JonathanH]

The Inverness portion is 8 coaches, adding on the Ft Bill portion would be too long and heavy for the route. Hence two trains.

Previously when the Fort William hasn't run in high season they have added the Fort William coaches to the Inverness portion as one train north of Edinburgh and double headed the train with a 66 on top of the 67.

 

[MrEd]

I notice 1S25 (Highlander from Euston) departed late and is losing time, where it would normally easily claw back the time it had lost. Any ideas what's happening with it?

Not sure, but it’s made up about 12 minutes between Crewe and Preston, now just 15L or so. I wonder if it became out of path after leaving Euston over 10L, when the southern WCML is still busy, and only got a sustained clear run after Crewe?

 

[Scotrail84]

A while ago someone here said there would be diversions to Oban this autumn. I've been trying to get the dates and got a response from Caledonian Sleeper today. They said that there are no plans for diversions to Oban in the autumn of 2019. That's a shame as I was looking forward to using it.

5th-13th October. (subject to change of course)

 

[Bald Rick]

I could be wrong of course. It does happen!

 

[Struner]

I'm not quite sure what point you are making...

but yeah, I did Inverness-London once long ago on an overnight coach, decided never to do that again if I could help it, and since then all overnight seated journeys I've done on the train.

I'll refrase it: you awarded yourself an upgrade.
& quite right too. Only did London-Glasgow vv once. & once was enough.

 

[Essexman]

5th-13th October. (subject to change of course)

This is what I was told by a 'Guest Ambassador' -

'Further to your email I have been advised that at this stage there are no planned diversions to Oban in the autumn of 2019'

 

[Scotrail84]

This is what I was told by a 'Guest Ambassador' -

'Further to your email I have been advised that at this stage there are no planned diversions to Oban in the autumn of 2019'

To be fair theres nothing on the CS website and when you try and book it the journey offered is still to FTW. Even RTT still has the booked paths to FTW that week. Maybe it has been cancelled but it was definitely planned at one stage.

 

[Essexman]

Southbound from Edinburgh cancelled tonight which was obviously going to happen so could more notice have been given.
No indication from CS as to when they’ll have coaches to run both Glasgow and Edinburgh.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Southbound from Edinburgh cancelled tonight which was obviously going to happen so could more notice have been given.
No indication from CS as to when they’ll have coaches to run both Glasgow and Edinburgh.

More notice would have been good, but they have also arranged acceptance with LNER this time which is better, albeit on the Saturday only at the crack of dawn.

 

[Essexman]

I’ve just received another email about Highlander until 7th June explaining what will happen as old trains still in use and refunds. £20 for flexipass holders or can cancel.

 

[woodhouse122]

tonights edinbrough to euston sleeper cancelled ,what a joke of a service (not looking good for this sundays trip on the lowlander to glasgow )

 

[Essexman]

tonights edinbrough to euston sleeper cancelled ,what a joke of a service (not looking good for this sundays trip on the lowlander to glasgow )

Glasgow seems OK. They appear to be using the Ok coaches for this and cancelling Edinburgh.

 

[mcmad]

Given only the lowlander has gone over to mk5's then surely Serco have an abundance of spare stock currently?

 

[31160]

To be fair this is a mess and it just cant limp on in this fashion for much longer, we are a crank site and the sleeper gets a lot of attention on here because its a loco hauled passenger service. But in the wider media the service is being slated where people who are potential customers see all this going on. And who will book this as a first choice now when to fly is so cheap and reasonably predictable

 

[ashkeba]

And who will book this as a first choice now when to fly is so cheap and reasonably predictable

Thus speaks someone who's never dragged a suitcase through the snow off a bus that stopped nowhere near the only Harlow hotel with rooms left at 3am as the result of a delayed arrival into London Stunted (and I can't even remember if that was the airport we were originally scheduled to use...)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thus speaks someone who's never dragged a suitcase through the snow to a Harlow hotel at 3am as the result of a delayed arrival into London Stunted (and I can't even remember if that was the airport we were originally scheduled to use...)

Only during the ash cloud incident have I experienced this level of sustained air travel disruption, though.

 

[haggishunter]

Sleeper introduction of new stock is way behind schedule and now a shambles. ScotRail HST refurb is stupidly behind schedule and the project seems shambolic, thus no saying a big refurb of the old sleeper stock would not have had issues too.

So how did the introduction of the refurbs on the Night Rivera go? I’m guessing a potential advantage of a refurb would have been a gradual switch from old to refurb a few at a time? Would that have meant staff resources less stretched too?

Does seem making the coaches incompatible with other coaching stock limits options, both when disruption occurs, short term in the transition, but also longer term. Such as the potential for extra mk3 or mk4 day coaches on the Inverness and Fort William sections of the Highlander, given the poor service frequency to Fort William the not honouring Highland Railcards and the difficulty booking it as a day train is unacceptable.

 

[haggishunter]

As an aside to the above, are the TPE MkVs compatible with the sleepers?

 

[ashkeba]

Only during the ash cloud incident have I experienced this level of sustained air travel disruption, though.

Lucky you(!) I was safely book on Eurostar when that one went up!

Bottom line is bad stuff happens to all modes of transport from time to time - let's wait and see what the cause is before condeming it all. Doesn't anyone else think it's a bit bonkers to eschew all trains and fly just because CS seem to be fluffing the introduction of the Mk5s? Nevertheless, I hope someone will get a grip on it soon and await news from those more in the know than me about what Serco, Transport Scotland, CAF and DaFT are doing.

I've also been very interested to read the possible reasons why it's gone down this "Hotel on Wheels" route rather than the more mass-market route of more simple doubles and pods, so thanks to those discussing that. Why does the stock seem to arrive in Euston relatively late even when it's on-time? I'm pretty sure other sleepers I've used board earlier and mostly depart earlier - wouldn't that help the operator sell more in the service car, plus have time to deal with the things that go bump in the night and arrive on time more often? Would some UK access charges be higher if it did? Or is there not space in Euston any earlier?

 

[Chester1]

Sleeper introduction of new stock is way behind schedule and now a shambles. ScotRail HST refurb is stupidly behind schedule and the project seems shambolic, thus no saying a big refurb of the old sleeper stock would not have had issues too.

So how did the introduction of the refurbs on the Night Rivera go? I’m guessing a potential advantage of a refurb would have been a gradual switch from old to refurb a few at a time? Would that have meant staff resources less stretched too?

Does seem making the coaches incompatible with other coaching stock limits options, both when disruption occurs, short term in the transition, but also longer term. Such as the potential for extra mk3 or mk4 day coaches on the Inverness and Fort William sections of the Highlander, given the poor service frequency to Fort William the not honouring Highland Railcards and the difficulty booking it as a day train is unacceptable.

The Night Rivera upgrade was successful but it had a different aim to the Sleeper replacement. The new sleeper stock will probably be in service for 30+ years while the Rivera upgrade will probably suffice for another 10 years or ao and then the service will probably be stopped. The new stock will be worth it once everything is in service and reliable.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

The Night Rivera upgrade was successful but it had a different aim to the Sleeper replacement. The new sleeper stock will probably be in service for 30+ years while the Rivera upgrade will probably suffice for another 10 years or ao and then the service will probably be stopped. The new stock will be worth it once everything is in service and reliable.

Whilst the Night Rivera was successful it was seriously behind schedule, at least a year (?) late so similar delays to both Cally new sleepers and Scotrail HSTs. The last buffet car only recently returned.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whilst the Night Rivera was successful it was seriously behind schedule, at least a year (?) late so similar delays to both Cally new sleepers and Scotrail HSTs. The last buffet car only recently returned.

Because it was a fairly conservative upgrade over a period of time, there wasn't a high publicity launch then equally high priority collapse, though. Though it is a very high quality refurb and is easily as good as new, slamdoors aside. Easily the best quality Mk3 job.

 

[JohnMcL7]

As an aside to the above, are the TPE MkVs compatible with the sleepers?

Don't they use different couplers?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Don't they use different couplers?

Yes. The TPEs are fixed formation sets with bar couplers inside and drawhook and buffers on the end. The CSs are individual coaches with Scharfenbergs.

 

[SideshowBob]

Don't they use different couplers?

If you zoom in on the header photo on their Wikipedia entry, it certainly looks that way...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Mark_5A?wprov=sfla1

 

[47271]

Transport Scotland usually gets a better press on here than the DfT, but given that just about everything they touch at the moment is going haywire you've really got to wonder.

Not just CS and Scotrail - ferries and road projects are two other areas where we're in turmoil.

 

[Kendalian]

Sunday night's Euston-Edinburgh now cancelled as well.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Sunday night's Euston-Edinburgh now cancelled as well.

I bet Sleasyjet have cranked their prices up...that's going to hit business travellers badly. At least they are announcing it in advance to allow people to plan.

 

[haggishunter]

Sunday night's Euston-Edinburgh now cancelled as well.

At least a decent amount of notice rather than sitting on it till sometime on Sunday when it would be harder for those affected to make alternative arrangements.

 

[Sleepy]

The Night Rivera upgrade was successful but it had a different aim to the Sleeper replacement. The new sleeper stock will probably be in service for 30+ years while the Rivera upgrade will probably suffice for another 10 years or ao and then the service will probably be stopped. The new stock will be worth it once everything is in service and reliable.

Given the huge outcry last time Night Riveria scrapping was on the cards and GWR adding more coaches recently to meet demand don't think this will happen.