Caledonian Sleeper

[Mathew S]

I am, doing nothing for a couple of days, lets give the sleeper a try and see if I can get a cheapie.

Yes, but you - like the rest of us on here - aren't a "normal" customer.

 

[Altfish]

I apologise if this has been asked before; I've not been through the 5700+ posts but ...

Why does the Caledonian Sleeper not show up on the likes of Trainline?

 

[Chrism20]

With regards to discounting tickets, is there really a need to do so at the moment?

Looking at availability for the next week or so I’d honestly say no. The only service that looks like there is potential over capacity is the Fort William service which is to be expected at this time of year. If anything a coach should removed and added to the Aberdeen portion as it certainly doesn’t look to be running with the low occupancy some would like to have people believe.

 

[yorkie]

I apologise if this has been asked before; I've not been through the 5700+ posts but ...

Why does the Caledonian Sleeper not show up on the likes of Trainline?

I think you'd need to ask Trainline that; it appears on other sites (see attached screenshot for example).

(I'm sure Trainline do read this forum, but I doubt they read this thread)

 

[Altfish]

I think you'd need to ask Trainline that; it appears on other sites (see attached screenshot for example).

(I'm sure Trainline do read this forum, but I doubt they read this thread)

Thanks, I looked on Trans Pennine's site too (as I usually use that for the Nectar Points) and that shows the train but says something like "No fares available"

 

[Flying Snail]

With regards to discounting tickets, is there really a need to do so at the moment?

Looking at availability for the next week or so I’d honestly say no. The only service that looks like there is potential over capacity is the Fort William service which is to be expected at this time of year. If anything a coach should removed and added to the Aberdeen portion as it certainly doesn’t look to be running with the low occupancy some would like to have people believe.

Looking at tomorrows Eus-ABD, it is only about half full. Half of the seats are available, 3 of 10 Classic, 6 of 12 Club and both Double berths.

Eus-FTW only has 2 Classic, 4 Club and both Double available.

 

[Chrism20]

Looking at tomorrows Eus-ABD, it is only about half full. Half of the seats are available, 3 of 10 Classic, 6 of 12 Club and both Double berths.

Eus-FTW only has 2 Classic, 4 Club and both Double available.

I’ll hold my hands up and admit I only looked southbound and admit I should have looked at both.

There is no availability for classic or club southbound this week out of Aberdeen.

 

[InOban]

Perhaps because the southbound timetable, from Dundee and Fife in particular, is much more customer friendly than the northbound one?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Looking at tomorrows Eus-ABD, it is only about half full. Half of the seats are available, 3 of 10 Classic, 6 of 12 Club and both Double berths.

Eus-FTW only has 2 Classic, 4 Club and both Double available.

Given that the FTW goes halves on the seats with the ABD, does that mean all the seats are in fact available?

 

[marks87]

Given that the FTW goes halves on the seats with the ABD, does that mean all the seats are in fact available?

Is that how it works, or is it just first-booked-first-served for whichever route, i.e. in theory the seats could be 100% Aberdeen or 100% Fort William?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is that how it works, or is it just first-booked-first-served for whichever route, i.e. in theory the seats could be 100% Aberdeen or 100% Fort William?

They must be allocated to one or the other, as were that not the case the FW seats wouldn't be full as noted above but the Aberdeen ones empty.

 

[JonathanH]

They must be allocated to one or the other, as were that not the case the FW seats wouldn't be full as noted above but the Aberdeen ones empty.

No, playing around with the booking engine, it is quite possible to reserve all 31 seats for journeys on the Aberdeen route (and presumably for Fort William).

A reservation to Fort William is just a reservation from London to Edinburgh on the Aberdeen train rather than anything special that recognises you are going through to Fort William. If 31 bookings were made for Fort William before anyone booked for Aberdeen, the seats would just be empty from Edinburgh. Not really any different to 31 people booking for Inverkeithing.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No, playing around with the booking engine, it is quite possible to reserve all 31 seats for journeys on the Aberdeen route (and presumably for Fort William).

A reservation to Fort William is just a reservation from London to Edinburgh on the Aberdeen train rather than anything special that recognises you are going through to Fort William. If 31 bookings were made for Fort William before anyone booked for Aberdeen, the seats would just be empty from Edinburgh. Not really any different to 31 people booking for Inverkeithing.

Ah, in that case the post upthread probably just omitted to mention it then.

 

[marks87]

Here’s an oddity.

I’m pricing a trip to Dundee-London for February, down on the Monday on LNER and back overnight on the Wednesday. The LNER website wouldn’t let me check for February so I went to ScotRail instead where I’m able to choose any of the sleeper options except Caledonian Double.

Through ScotRail, I can get a Club room for £150 (non-flexible ticket); on Caledonian Sleeper’s own site, the same ticket in the same class of room on the same night is £185 (see attached screenshots).

Am I missing something? It seems very bizarre that CS aren’t offering the cheapest ticket on their own site.

 

[alistairlees]

Here’s an oddity.

I’m pricing a trip to Dundee-London for February, down on the Monday on LNER and back overnight on the Wednesday. The LNER website wouldn’t let me check for February so I went to ScotRail instead where I’m able to choose any of the sleeper options except Caledonian Double.

Through ScotRail, I can get a Club room for £150 (non-flexible ticket); on Caledonian Sleeper’s own site, the same ticket in the same class of room on the same night is £185 (see attached screenshots).

Am I missing something? It seems very bizarre that CS aren’t offering the cheapest ticket on their own site.

View attachment 70809 View attachment 70810

£150.00 is the 1GA product
£185.00 is the 1GB product (the next tier up)

Are you sure you haven't taken the last one on the ScotRail site (which is holding it in case you book), so are looking at the next tier up on the sleeper.scot site?

 

[JModulo]

Seems to just be the usual case of the sleeper robbing people...

 

[alistairlees]

£150.00 is the 1GA product
£185.00 is the 1GB product (the next tier up)

Are you sure you haven't taken the last one on the ScotRail site (which is holding it in case you book), so are looking at the next tier up on the sleeper.scot site?

No, you are right. I get £150.00 on the ScotRail site too.

 

[marks87]

£150.00 is the 1GA product
£185.00 is the 1GB product (the next tier up)

Are you sure you haven't taken the last one on the ScotRail site (which is holding it in case you book), so are looking at the next tier up on the sleeper.scot site?

I don’t think so. I searched again in a private window (so a different session) and same £150 ticket is available on ScotRail.

I also searched on CS yesterday and was getting only the £185 fare.

 

[tigerroar]

I went to Edinburgh last monday. Very comfortable ride but the shower was terrible.

 

[JonathanH]

Time for another look at the coaching stock formations based on information posted on a gen group on Saturday morning, presumably from the 'magic box' rather than observations. For comparison, I have posted the previous formations.

CS01 14-Oct 15004-15101-15201-15308-15307-15303-15304-15206
>>>> 08-Nov 15004-15101-15201-15308-15307-15303-15304-15206
>>>> 23-Nov 15004-15101-15201-15308-15307-15303-15304-15206

CS02 14-Oct 15005-15103-15202-15311-15312-15313-15322-15306
>>>> 08-Nov 15005-15103-15202-15311-15312-15313-15322-15306
>>>> 23-Nov 15005-15103-15202-15311-15312-15313-15322-15306

CS03 14-Oct 15008-15106-15203-15316-15324-15325-15329-15209
>>>> 08-Nov 15008-15106-15203-15316-15324-15325-15329-15209
>>>> 23-Nov 15008-15106-15203-15316-15324-15325-15329-15209

CS04 14-Oct 15007-15105-15205-15314-15333-15332-15331-15330
>>>> 08-Nov 15006-15105-15205-15314-____-15332-15331-15330
>>>> 23-Nov 15006-15105-15205-15314-15332-15331-15330-15333

CS05 14-Oct 15009-15108-15204-15318-15328-15320-15319-15309
>>>> 08-Nov 15009-15108-15204-15318-_____-15320-15319-15309
>>>> 23-Nov 15009-15108-15204-15318-15328-15320-15319-15309

CS06 14-Oct 15003-15109-15207-15323-15321-15317-15310-15208
>>>> 08-Nov 15003-15109-15207-15323-15321-15317-15310-_____
>>>> 23-Nov 15003-15109-15207-15323-15321-15317-15310-15208

CS07 14-Oct 15010-15107-15210-15334-15305-15327-15335-15315
>>>> 08-Nov 15010-15107-15210-15334-15305-15327-15335-15315
>>>> 23-Nov 15010-15107-15210-15334-15305-15327-15335-15315

CS08 14-Oct 15011-15102-15212-15339-15338-15340-15326-15211
>>>> 08-Nov 15002-15110-15212-15339-_____-_____-15326-15211
>>>> 23-Nov 15002-15110-15212-15339-15337-15338-15326-15211

Tonight, 15011 is in place of 15009 in CS05 so I guess were swapped at Polmadie over the weekend. This set, and CS03 are working the Highland Sleeper with 92006 at the front.

Noticeable is that 15337 from the 'spare set' has replaced damaged 15340 but otherwise none of the initially spare sleeping coaches has been used. All of 15101-15110 have carried passengers. I reckon that sleeping cars 15213, 15214, 15301, 15302 and 15336 and seating car 15001 have not.

Pairs on Saturday morning were reported as
1M11 CS08+CS02
1M16 CS07+CS06
1S25 CS04+CS01
1S26 CS03+CS05

As they should be on a four day cycle and there isn't yet a spare set it should be possible to determine which coaching stock set goes to each destination each day in advance.

 

[cf111]

Hopefully you’ll have better luck next time with the Mk5s, as one thing that can definitely be said of the Mk5 lounges is that they are more reliable than their Mk2 predecessors! The worst of the staff shortages seem to be over now too, so hopefully you can look forward to a full lounge car service. Here are some pics of meals I had on my last trip. As the lounge was absolutely packed until Crewe, I had soup, then chicken, then a lovely chocolate mousse cake served to my room. This was all of surprisingly good quality and served (even to a room in coach P) with proper cutlery on proper plates. Then in the morning, I had the Highland breakfast in the lounge which I thought was very nice (100 times better than it was in the days of the Mk2s). On the trip back, I had the sea trout in the lounge followed by the whisky marmalade pudding; both were very nice I thought.View attachment 70757

Cheers! Looks very good, breakfast is much improved at least aesthetically.

Are you still able to access the Euston lounge on arrival? I'm in a club room.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Issue with the up Lowlander from Glasgow tonight apparently - service is going to start from Motherwell.

 

[47271]

Cheers! Looks very good, breakfast is much improved at least aesthetically.

Are you still able to access the Euston lounge on arrival? I'm in a club room.

Yes, a Club ticket allows you access to the Euston lounge.

 

[JonathanH]

Issue with the up Lowlander from Glasgow tonight apparently - service is going to start from Motherwell.

Not enough 92s?

 

[BRX]

Interesting article here on design proposals for new nightjet trains. Includes a sort of pod/capsule option for solo travellers a bit like what has been discussed on here at various points.

I thought it's also interesting that OBB see the splitting/combining of portions as a positive aspect of services, and a way of maximising destination options. Because many might view this as just another operational complication to make night services more difficult to justify financially.

https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/nightjet-plans-mini-capsules-for-private-travellers/55208.article

 

[Peter Sarf]

Very interesting JonathanH.

When on the Lowland sleeper does the set with two 152xxs in it go to/from Glasgow or Edinburgh ?.

I too have noticed the sets rotate through each of the four WCML legs (Up/Down Highland/Lowland). It does seem to happen every day they are at Wembley. But it, nonetheless, does mean four of the sets NEVER get an opportunity to mix with the other four sets. Simply that is because they are always at opposing ends of the UK of course. The sets seem to stay in their pairs as well.

Do you have any info on what has been working the Edinburgh/Fort-William leg ?. I Know it must be a 150xx and 151xx.

 

[JonathanH]

Do you have any info on what has been working the Edinburgh/Fort-William leg ?. I Know it must be a 150xx and 151xx.

Saturday was reported as 15007 and 15104. It started off in October as 15006 and 15104.

When on the Lowland sleeper does the set with two 152xxs in it go to/from Glasgow or Edinburgh ?

The set with 152xx coaches always goes to Glasgow - ensures more 'classic' rooms to Edinburgh.

I too have noticed the sets rotate through each of the four WCML legs (Up/Down Highland/Lowland). It does seem to happen every day they are at Wembley. But it, nonetheless, does mean four of the sets NEVER get an opportunity to mix with the other four sets. Simply that is because they are always at opposing ends of the UK of course. The sets seem to stay in their pairs as well.

Yes, until there is a spare set, the four sets at each end of the country won't be able to swap. In a way it seems a bit odd that set 9 isn't in the mix (although there have been occasional swaps of the 150xx and 151xx vehicles).

 

[Essexman]

Glasgow portion of Lowlander starting from Motherwell tonight. Passengers to make their way their by Scotrail services.

 

[JonathanH]

Please do let me know!

The northbound highland sleeper arrived in Edinburgh at 0351 this morning. I was the only passenger changing for the Fort William seats out of 15 passengers on the Aberdeen portion.

The doors on the Aberdeen portion are not released on arrival - a crew door in the 151xx vehicle is opened for staff. It was 0415 before the guard for the Aberdeen portion indicated that I should leave the train to change for the Fort William portion (by which time the Inverness bit had gone)

The Fort William portion was then ready for boarding about 15 minutes later (by which time the Aberdeen portion had left).

Therefore, when travelling on the Fort William seats expect now to stay sat on the Aberdeen portion until the Inverness portion has gone (about 20 minutes) and have a 15 minute wait on the platform.

 

[JonathanH]

Issue with the up Lowlander from Glasgow tonight apparently - service is going to start from Motherwell.

Not enough 92s?

It does appear that a shortage of 92s might have been the problem as 92006 off the down Highlander has appeared at Glasgow to take the empties (and 92043) to Polmadie.