-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Caledonian Sleeper
- Thread starter Essexman
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Highlandspring
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Oct 2017
- Messages
- 2,777
No those photos are definitely of the damage between Ardlui and Crianlarich.
theironroad
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2014
- Messages
- 3,717
There was a photo in s cotrail Twitter of moving water flooding between lower tyndrum and dalmally earlier closing crianlarich to Oban, seems now that more problems with the photos posted north of ardlui.
Can't really blame serco for this one...
Has the a83 just south of rest and be thankful survived this time?
Can't really blame serco for this one...
Has the a83 just south of rest and be thankful survived this time?
haggishunter
Member
- Joined
- 25 Aug 2016
- Messages
- 349
It was very slow moving convective downpours / thunderstorms, so fairly localised.
There is some confusion as the Scotrail update is only reporting the line being closed between Tyndrum Lower and Dalmally, not further south. I had assumed no trains south of Crianlarich was due to crew availability, not physical obstruction.
Unplanned rail replacement is a problem as there aren't many operators with available resources locally, hence operators from the other side of Glasgow being utilised. If repairs run in to next week there is the further complication of the schools starting to go back, further reducing the availability of coaches and drivers.
Likewise, I sense there might be some buses in our future having seen the state of that line
Highlandspring
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Oct 2017
- Messages
- 2,777
There is flooding between Dalmally and Tyndrum Lower, and washouts between Crianlarich and Ardlui.
Likewise, I sense there might be some buses in our future having seen the state of that line
It looks like they're asking passengers to change at Edinburgh for a coach the rest of the way, which sort of defeats the object of a sleeper train. I wonder if there will be a refund? It's hardly like for like!
nlogax
Established Member
This is the point where priorities take over. Getting passengers to their intended destinations wins over 'hotel on wheels'.
47271
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Apr 2015
- Messages
- 2,983
A bit unfair on CS that the sole thread discussing a major infrastructure issue affecting other operators is focused on the sleeper. The sleeper doesn't have its troubles to seek at the moment, but the casual reader could just see this as yet another failing in the service.
50% refund if you're 30 minutes to an hour late at your destination, 100% if you're over an hour late. In any other circumstances, rail replacement buses would lead to a longer journey time, but I'm not so sure between Edinburgh and Fort Wiliam!
Which is fine. However, as I paid more for said service specifically because it provided something different, I don't think it's fair to charge the same with an inferior service.
In descending order, the best ways to travel would be a berth, then sleeper seats, then normal seats, then a coach.
The RRB arrangements seem a bit odd. Going by their website, road transport tonight will be provided southbound from Fort William, Crianlarich, Arrochar & Tarbet, Helensburgh Upper, Dumbarton Central and Dalmuir. Northbound a bus will run only to Fort William.
Tomorrow is different - southbound service from Fort William, Crianlarich and Dumbarton only. Northbound to Fort William as well as Glasgow Queen Street, Dalmuir, Helensburgh Upper, Arrochar & Tarbet, Crianlarich and Upper Tyndrum.
Why are the stops so random? Are they not expecting any passengers to any of the intermediate stations tonight?
Tomorrow is different - southbound service from Fort William, Crianlarich and Dumbarton only. Northbound to Fort William as well as Glasgow Queen Street, Dalmuir, Helensburgh Upper, Arrochar & Tarbet, Crianlarich and Upper Tyndrum.
Why are the stops so random? Are they not expecting any passengers to any of the intermediate stations tonight?
Wilts Wanderer
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2016
- Messages
- 3,199
Well, that’s my summer mini-break ruined. I’ve got a double berth booked on the Wednesday night Euston-Fort William next week, then a room at Corrour station on Thursday night, followed by two nights in Glasgow. Mea culpa for thinking the rail network would be working in mid-AUGUST!
Wilts Wanderer
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2016
- Messages
- 3,199
Looking at that major washout photo south of Crianlarich I’ll be surprised if it’s open this month.
Highlandspring
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Oct 2017
- Messages
- 2,777
Don’t write it off yet.
The worst photo was on the Oban line; the damage on the Fort William line is bad, but nowhere near as bad. Keep the faith!
Is times like this when Net Rail get stuck in and get things fixed, when there is an incident like this, there is no other Company in the UK better ! seems to falll down when they plan things long term !
It’s not that bad. The issue on the WHL is usually getting plant / staff / materials to site, but all the washouts in Glen Falloch (south of Crianlarich) are right by the A82 - there’s a couple of access points and a decent car park as well - normally used for accessing An Caisteal / Beinn Chabhair etc.
7 days is easily doable, just as long as the weather holds and it doesn’t chuck it down again.
Wilts Wanderer
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2016
- Messages
- 3,199
Thanks for your positive responses, fingers very crossed. This line is cursed whenever we’ve tried to use it, last time it was October 2017 and the West Highland portion was cancelled due to problems with the stock, we ended up going to Skye via Inverness instead of Mallaig. (Good job too as the ferries were cancelled as well!)
BRX
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2008
- Messages
- 4,477
There's so many things that can go wrong with the fort william portion, it feels extra special when it runs to plan, the lounge car is working and the weather puts on a good show too!
John Bishop
Member
Lots of heavy downpours and rain forecast this week and into the weekend! It’s not going to be easy.
Well, if anyone can do it, it’s the NR Scotland team.
MrEd
Member
- Joined
- 13 Jan 2019
- Messages
- 599
The Fort William portion has always been very reliable for me, I can’t recall a time when I was supposed to go to Fort William on the sleeper and the Sleeper didn’t arrive there. Admittedly there have been occasions when it’s arrived very late, but I’ve never known an occasion when I’ve not got there (or had to be turfed off onto a bus at either Kingussie or Edinburgh). Out of the two, Kingussie would be a much more sociable place to be put onto a bus, but I suppose there’s not enough room in the Inverness portion to accommodate both the Inverness passengers and the displaced Fort William passengers. Another more sociable option might be using the spare berths on the Glasgow portion of the Lowlander and bussing the Fort William passengers from Central, but there may not be enough space on that either. I feel sorry for the passengers booked to go there this week, and for the poor folk cut off by the severe weather.
The West Highland weather can be extremely unpredictable, and you’ll never know what weather you’ll get on the northbound Fort William Sleeper until you open the blind at Ardlui and find out... then the weather may change every fifteen minutes... I’ve known mist/rain in Ardlui to give way to sunshine by Tulloch... I can safely say that I’ve done the journey in every season of the year and in every type of weather imaginable, and it’s a fantastic journey every time.
Thinking of the poor NR lads as they battle the conditions to get the line reopened!
MrEd
Member
- Joined
- 13 Jan 2019
- Messages
- 599
Oh no, hope you have some better luck one day! Crossing my fingers for you, when are you planning to use the Fort William Sleeper next? At least last time you got to enjoy the Kyle line (assuming you did use the Kyle line to get from Inverness to Skye- it offers good connections with the sleeper), which is another spectacular journey. October is generally quite a stormy month up there, although I will say that the reliability of those ferries from Mallaig to Skye is very hit-and-miss even in fair weather (often tidal conditions prevent the current vessels, which are not really designed for the Mallaig to Skye route, from sailing).
jfowkes
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 1,266
Random sleeper question: if you're booked from say Aberdeen to Crewe, will you get woken up? Or is it entirely down to you to make sure you're up?
Asking theoretically and definitely not because I'm speeding through the early morning countryside near Tamworth feeling like an idiot. Definitely not that.
Asking theoretically and definitely not because I'm speeding through the early morning countryside near Tamworth feeling like an idiot. Definitely not that.