Caledonian Sleeper

[JModulo]

If only they could switch off the announcements from those blethering 'universal access toilets'… it's a bit of a nuisance sleeping next door to that thing if it starts chattering during the night!

When the PRM toilets work you mean. Can't actually remember the last time I seen one work in the seated coach.

 

[superalbs]

They did, however they usually don't work properly or are switched off altogether.

Good. Surely that would be a stupid idea on a train where you're meant to sleep?

 

[route101]

Eye masks and ear plugs are still provided in the seats and berths.

Good to know .

 

[185143]

What are the arrangements for passengers using the seated coach as a day train? I'm planning on using it from Fort William a couple of times early next month, do I need a reservation? Will I be turned away if no seats are available?

 

[Bletchleyite]

What are the arrangements for passengers using the seated coach as a day train? I'm planning on using it from Fort William a couple of times early next month, do I need a reservation? Will I be turned away if no seats are available?

Reservations are not available to day passengers. Technically I suppose you could be turned away if it was full, but I never heard of that happening - it can't be 100% reserved for night passengers unless the Aberdeen seats were totally empty, because both sets of passengers need to fit into one coach south of Edinburgh.

 

[BRX]

It's possible to reserve a seat by buying an advance single (can do on Scotrail booking engine at least). If you know you're definitely going to be travelling it's worth doing because it's cheaper than the walk-up fare.

 

[185143]

Just had a text informing me that the planned introduction of the Mk5s on the Highlander route has been delayed further to mid-October.

 

[31160]

Just had a text informing me that the planned introduction of the Mk5s on the Highlander route has been delayed further to mid-October.

Jesus when will this farce end it just seems never ending, like Brexit just less fun

 

[route101]

What are the arrangements for passengers using the seated coach as a day train? I'm planning on using it from Fort William a couple of times early next month, do I need a reservation? Will I be turned away if no seats are available?

I phoned up CS for a reservation Fort William to Glasgow

 

[mcmad]

Given the pending strike then this would seem a logical decision would it not?

 

[47271]

Given the pending strike then this would seem a logical decision would it not?

As far as I know the industrial action's still going ahead on the stated days even with the further postponement of mk5s on the Highlander, but it doesn't alter the fact that the strike has been called over the period when the new stock was due to start.

My take on it is that they're probably doing a load of work in the hopes of heading off the strike, and they can only do that by postponing. So in that sense the action has been effective.

I really am torn at the moment. What's the bigger shambles, this or Scotrail HSTs? It does make you wonder about Transport Scotland's governance, there are so many examples of overruns and chaos, I think that they get off very lightly generally.

 

[Struner]

Jesus when will this farce end it just seems never ending, like Brexit just less fun

You mean: even less fun?

 

[InOban]

Remember that there will be no FW portion for ten days in early October because the line is closed north of Tyndrum. So they're postponing the introduction until after then.

 

[TimboM]

Remember that there will be no FW portion for ten days in early October because the line is closed north of Tyndrum. So they're postponing the introduction until after then.

Are they...?? Depends on your definition of "mid-October".
Would actually make sense to roll them out when there's no FTW portion as means one less split/join at Edinburgh to deal with.

 

[Kite159]

At least I get the chance to say my farewell to the old stock on the Highlander in a couple weeks time. Extension to the hire of a 67 or has the Inverness portion gone over to 73s yet?

 

[47271]

At least I get the chance to say my farewell to the old stock on the Highlander in a couple weeks time. Extension to the hire of a 67 or has the Inverness portion gone over to 73s yet?

It's still the 67 thank God. Not enough 73s is one of the major risks posed by mk5s on the Highlander.

 

[31160]

Well as we are approaching leaf fall time they put a shed on top of the 73 on the Aberdeen portion occasionally so as long as they have one working 73 they could just put a shed on top, the Ft William gets a pair this time of year anyway

 

[Chester1]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Highland Sleeper does not switch to the new stock until 2nd January (first day of services after PRM deadline).

 

[MrEd]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Highland Sleeper does not switch to the new stock until 2nd January (first day of services after PRM deadline).

I kind of wish they’d taken a pragmatic approach and postponed the introduction until then (or December at any rate). That said, there is immense pressure on CS to introduce the Mk5s on the Highlander as soon as possible, both to save face and because the Mk2s/Mk3s really are finished. Understandably this has worried the staff, but CS are caught between the proverbial rock and hard place here. Postponing the introduction any further now could be another source of embarrassment for CS. Let’s hope the Mk5s work reliably when they’re introduced.

 

[37047]

I received an email today informing me that my upcoming journey to Inverness (1st weekend in October) will be on the old stock. It said that they expect the new fleet to be in service by mid-October.

Options offered were:

• Keep existing booking and receive a refund of 1/3 of ticket cost + £20
• Cancel booking and receive a full refund, even if the original booking wasn't a flexible ticket
• CS to rebook tickets on a service when the new trains are in operation, regardless of whether the original ticket was flexible

I'll be taking the first option as the rest of my trip is reliant on me arriving in Inverness at the time originally planned. I booked this so long ago that my original booking was for first class on the old stock, rather than club on the new stock so no real loss to me, beyond the fact that I'm unlikely to ever travel club at the new stock prices so have missed out on that experience.

 

[MrEd]

Are they...?? Depends on your definition of "mid-October".
Would actually make sense to roll them out when there's no FTW portion as means one less split/join at Edinburgh to deal with.

I’m thinking that they’ll have to do the three way split with Mk5s sooner or later so they might as well do it from the start... mid-October could mean anything in a PR department, though some staff members I know were giving an even vaguer ‘at some point before Christmas’ recently... what I’m wondering is this, are there sufficient paths/is there the crew availability to rehearse the three-way split one night before the Mk5s enter public service? Perhaps there aren’t given capacity constraints at Waverley.

 

[MrEd]

Well as we are approaching leaf fall time they put a shed on top of the 73 on the Aberdeen portion occasionally so as long as they have one working 73 they could just put a shed on top, the Ft William gets a pair this time of year anyway

The second 73 on the Fort William at leaf-fall season can be a bit hit or miss I’m afraid as sometimes there just aren’t enough 73s... I can remember poor 73968 struggling last October, working solo on load 5 in the worst railhead conditions imaginable (a combination of leaf fall and freezing temperatures).

 

[JohnMcL7]

It's still the 67 thank God. Not enough 73s is one of the major risks posed by mk5s on the Highlander.

Why 'thank god' for the 67, is it better than a pair of 73's?

 

[MrEd]

Why 'thank god' for the 67, is it better than a pair of 73's?

I’ve had 67s fail on me a couple of times actually... but I think @47271 makes a very fair point in that the Inverness portion (load 7/8 over Druimuachdar and Slochd) will absolutely need a pair of 73s, and sometimes 73 availability is very stretched. Ideally the sleeper pool could do with a couple more 73s.

 

[TimboM]

I’m thinking that they’ll have to do the three way split with Mk5s sooner or later so they might as well do it from the start... mid-October could mean anything in a PR department, though some staff members I know were giving an even vaguer ‘at some point before Christmas’ recently... what I’m wondering is this, are there sufficient paths/is there the crew availability to rehearse the three-way split one night before the Mk5s enter public service? Perhaps there aren’t given capacity constraints at Waverley.

There's already been a few "rehearsals" of the three way splits and joins in Waverley. It's clearly not feasible loco, crew and probably paths wise to do a full dress rehearsal, but not sure why that's needed as long as the individual routes and the Waverley shunts have been all tested a few times individually - the only difference in doing the three parts + shunts together is making sure they all arrive at the right times in Waverley, but that's 'practised' that every night...

I’ve had 67s fail on me a couple of times actually... but I think @47271 makes a very fair point in that the Inverness portion (load 7/8 over Druimuachdar and Slochd) will absolutely need a pair of 73s, and sometimes 73 availability is very stretched. Ideally the sleeper pool could do with a couple more 73s.

Good job they have AAR multi and can work with 66s and 67s

 

[TimboM]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Highland Sleeper does not switch to the new stock until 2nd January (first day of services after PRM deadline).

I would be.

 

[awsnews]

I’m thinking that they’ll have to do the three way split with Mk5s sooner or later so they might as well do it from the start... mid-October could mean anything in a PR department, though some staff members I know were giving an even vaguer ‘at some point before Christmas’ recently... what I’m wondering is this, are there sufficient paths/is there the crew availability to rehearse the three-way split one night before the Mk5s enter public service? Perhaps there aren’t given capacity constraints at Waverley.

I am guessing that is what was planned, in part at least, earlier this week but didn't proceed for some reason. As has been pointed out the availability of the 73s can become a bit stretched which would make it difficult to find sufficient motive power to do a test run on the same night as the highlander was running, this leaves either a Saturday night or finding something else to run the sections of the service train and using the 73s on the test service.

 

[Amlag]

Are they...?? Depends on your definition of "mid-October".
Would actually make sense to roll them out when there's no FTW portion as means one less split/join at Edinburgh to deal with.

There's already been a few "rehearsals" of the three way splits and joins in Waverley. It's clearly not feasible loco, crew and probably paths wise to do a full dress rehearsal, but not sure why that's needed as long as the individual routes and the Waverley shunts have been all tested a few times individually - the only difference in doing the three parts + shunts together is making sure they all arrive at the right times in Waverley, but that's 'practised' that every night...


Good job they have AAR multi and can work with 66s and 67s

Noted at Inverness just as I was leaving on the 0845 unmodified Baby HST to Glasgow on Weds 18/9/19 was a Highlander Sleeper train MKIII coach in GWR Green livery ..can anyone explain why this vehicle has got into the Caledonia Slpr workings please ? Temp. loan from GWR or in due course to be transferred into the GWR Padd/ Pz Night Riviera workings?

 

[47271]

I’ve had 67s fail on me a couple of times actually... but I think @47271 makes a very fair point in that the Inverness portion (load 7/8 over Druimuachdar and Slochd) will absolutely need a pair of 73s, and sometimes 73 availability is very stretched. Ideally the sleeper pool could do with a couple more 73s.

Exactly, I don't believe that the Highlander will stand up on mk5s if it relies on the too few 73s they have.

But I'm sure they know what they're doing...

 

[TimboM]

Exactly, I don't believe that the Highlander will stand up on mk5s if it relies on the too few 73s they have.

But I'm sure they know what they're doing...

A minimum of three of six 73/9s are required to operate the service each night (can stick a 66/67 on front of one if you really have to - not ideal, but would work). That's only 50% fleet availability - typically you'd be looking for 80% plus.
Not sure how many more you think are required? If the contract requirements / costs / penalties were such that more were needed, there would be more.