Caledonian Sleeper

[johnnychips]

After every journey / use. They came in sealed packets.

The airlines give you blankets in sealed packets. It doesn’t always mean they’ve been cleaned. Some do, and some just check and clean blankets with obvious soiling. However we have an autoimmune system to deal with this.

 

[side effect]

May affect the change of drivers working north who then work the southbound portions back to euston i think.

I was thinking something similar. Like would we have to wait for the 1S25 service until it reached Edinburgh.

 

[Far north 37]

I was thinking something similar. Like would we have to wait for the 1S25 service until it reached Edinburgh.

Think the driver changes take place at crewe or preston if i remember right.

 

[side effect]

Think the driver changes take place at crewe or preston if i remember right.

That would work out better as i couldnt envisage a driver going as far as Edinburgh and the driving back.

 

[AndrewE]

The airlines give you blankets in sealed packets. It doesn’t always mean they’ve been cleaned. Some do, and some just check and clean blankets with obvious soiling. However we have an autoimmune system to deal with this.

It's your immune system that deals with external threats, it works absolutely all the time and mostly very successfully. The worst thing you can do is deprive it of a role - so don't sterilise things unnecessarily, and make sure that you eat a sandwich with grubby hands occasionally.
The problem with auto-immune problems is that it's your own defence system attacking yourself.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's your immune system that deals with external threats, it works absolutely all the time and mostly very successfully. The worst thing you can do is deprive it of a role - so don't sterilise things unnecessarily, and eat a sandwich with grubby hands occasionally.
The problem with auto-immune problems is that it's your own defence system attacking yourself.

Indeed, some people think (though it isn't proven) that autoimmune issues are caused in part by excessive cleanliness causing the immune system to attack things it shouldn't because it never gets a chance at things it should.

 

[John Bishop]

Think the driver changes take place at crewe or preston if i remember right.

Driver change at Preston.

 

[Ian Wallbank]

A southbound highlander I was on earlier this year had a driver change at Crewe. He returned to Crewe on a Virgin train.

 

[158820]

So 1s25 left Euston late at 2300 due to the disruption but what caused it loose an hour between Edinburgh and Falkirk this morning?

 

[TimboM]

Driver change at Preston.

A southbound highlander I was on earlier this year had a driver change at Crewe. He returned to Crewe on a Virgin train.

Generally speaking (although not always) Sun-Thu nights there are driver changes at Crewe and Preston on 1S25 and 1M16 and Preston only on 1S26 and 1M11. On Fri nights it's Preston only for all four services.

• 1S25 driver north into Preston works 1M11 south - there's 2h 25m between so can absorb a fair delay on 1S25 without disrupting 1M11.
  
• 1S26 driver north into Preston works 1M16 south - this is a tighter change-over (54 mins) so a delayed 1S26 has a higher risk of impacting 1M16.
  
• The driver for 1S26 north from Preston comes south on 1M11 - that's a 43 min change over, so again more/most susceptible to a knock-on delay.

Depending on the exact circumstances (e.g. what's delayed, how much, which drivers are on etc) the change-overs can sometimes be altered to avoid/reduce delays.

 

[TimboM]

A Rake of around 13 Mk3 Sleepers headed up from London to Crewe LSL this evening - Make of that what you want!

As for 9497 - This is one of the Eastern Rail Services Mk2s and one of a batch of Mk2s Purchased from HSBC Rail a few years ago. This along with a few of ERS's Mk2s arrived in faded Intercity Swallow livery - now since adopted by ERS for the rest of their Mk2s. The ERS Mk2s came in around late 2017 early 2018 when the Mk2s were sold off from Porterbrook to ERS, who then swapped in some of their own while the Caley Sleeper Mk2s underwent overhauls at Wolsingham Works. 9497 was previously in IC Swallow but received a fresh coat of Caley Sleeper Midnight Teal upon overhaul - This and BSO 9513 (in IC Swallow) were then used on the Fort William "shuttles" only.

I'm pretty sure the Mk2s were owned by Caledonian Sleepers/Serco direct prior to sale to ERS. Only the Mk3s were owned/leased from Porterbrook.

15x Mk3s went to Crewe on Thursday afternoon, reported as 9 for Locomotive Services Ltd/Saphos Trains; 4 for East Lancs and 2 for private owners/preserved railways. 92038 worked the rake Wembley to Crewe Gresty Green loop and LSL's BR Green 37667 collected them from their and took them into Crewe Diesel depot.

 

[InOban]

So 1s25 left Euston late at 2300 due to the disruption but what caused it loose an hour between Edinburgh and Falkirk this morning?

Broke down at Polmont. Caused disruption to the early ScotRail services.

 

[fgwrich]

I'm pretty sure the Mk2s were owned by Caledonian Sleepers/Serco direct prior to sale to ERS. Only the Mk3s were owned/leased from Porterbrook.

15x Mk3s went to Crewe on Thursday afternoon, reported as 9 for Locomotive Services Ltd/Saphos Trains; 4 for East Lancs and 2 for private owners/preserved railways. 92038 worked the rake Wembley to Crewe Gresty Green loop and LSL's BR Green 37667 collected them from their and took them into Crewe Diesel depot.

Thanks Timbo, I couldn’t remember if they were owned directly by PB or CS themselves. Also thanks for the clarification on the destination of the sleepers, I wonder if a few will end up in “The Statesman” rake, turning it into a rival for the Bellmond “Royal Scotsman” Set up.

 

[158820]

Broke down at Polmont. Caused disruption to the early ScotRail services.

Thanks inoban, ..not good.

 

[tshanazt]

So 1s25 left Euston late at 2300 due to the disruption but what caused it loose an hour between Edinburgh and Falkirk this morning?

Unsolicited brake applications on rolling stock requiring faultfinding procedures and multiple resets.

 

[John Bishop]

Unsolicited brake applications on rolling stock requiring faultfinding procedures and multiple resets.

Sounds like the same issues from earlier in the week. The MK 5s strike again.

 

[tshanazt]

Sounds like the same issues from earlier in the week. The MK 5s strike again.

Correct.

 

[TimboM]

Sounds like the same issues from earlier in the week. The MK 5s strike again.

Probably more accurate to say "the Mk5" (singular).

 

[side effect]

Well that's 3 seated journeys and young Mac says its births from now on so its carry on saving.

 

[JModulo]

Onboard faults atleast seem to be decreasing ever so slightly now and enjoyed a shower that worked and I could atleast use tonight. Just a shame theres no lounge available at Edinburgh.

 

[cambsy]

What exactly is the splitting and attaching procedure at Edinburgh on the Highlander? It seems to regularly lose time on the South bound run attaching the portions.

 

[JModulo]

66704 on 1S25 to Inverness this morning with 73971 tucked inside as a barrier / providing ETH.

 

[BRX]

I see the aberdeen portion has arrived with >1hr delay this morning.

 

[Far north 37]

66704 on 1S25 to Inverness this morning with 73971 tucked inside as a barrier / providing ETH.

Tops showing 73968 on the inverness portion and 971 on the aberdeen is that a mistake on the system.

 

[JModulo]

Tops showing 73968 on the inverness portion and 971 on the aberdeen is that a mistake on the system.

Yes. Would appear to be the other way around.

 

[Far north 37]

Yes. Would appear to be the other way around.

73968 now showing at inverness motorail siding with 66704 and 971 at aberdeen did u eyeball 971 on the inverness portion?

 

[JModulo]

73968 now showing at inverness motorail siding with 66704 and 971 at aberdeen did u eyeball 971 on the inverness portion?

From a friend that was on the train, yes.

 

[JonathanH]

What led to the Shed'n'Ed combination this morning? Expectation of poor rail conditions or just a simple lack of 73s with one still away?

I though that sticking a 66 (or 67) on the front makes things more complicated without the train manager to cab communication fitted to the 73s / 92s such that it would be very much a last resort.

 

[TimboM]

What led to the Shed'n'Ed combination this morning? Expectation of poor rail conditions or just a simple lack of 73s with one still away?

I though that sticking a 66 (or 67) on the front makes things more complicated without the train manager to cab communication fitted to the 73s / 92s such that it would be very much a last resort.

73970 came back from Eastleigh 14 October, so none are away currently. It's on exam/repair and two others have suffered wheelflats, hence the 66 (and 67 from tonight probably).
There's currently little difference with train manager/cab comms whether it's a 66, 67 or another 73/9 on the front.

 

[trebor79]

What exactly is the splitting and attaching procedure at Edinburgh on the Highlander? It seems to regularly lose time on the South bound run attaching the portions.

There are some videos on YouTube. Fort William, Inverness and Aberdeen portions split/join at Edinburgh. In addition, a lounge and seated coach are attached/detached from the Fort William portion.