The sleepers divert via Birmingham every week and have diverted via Manchester few times in recent months, so no gauging issues.
Western Europe's largest naval base is on the Night Riviera route so I think that there would be enough essential workers who it would be advantageous to put in compartments with sinks.
Emphasis on could. I doubt anyone would say it was a grand idea
I am getting at the sinks being an asset during this and that a truncated NR should have been run for essential workers, like CS, contrary to the earlier claim there's no essential work on its route.
Can you imagine the panic when the squaddies roll in in full camo NBC suits!
It took CS less than a day to refund my ticket after I called them whereas it took EasyJet three weeks! A barely minor inconvenience during these strange times but once this is all over I'd be much happier to hand my money over to CS than EasyJet.
I've never had to get a refund from EasyJet but my last attempt to use CS ended up with the train cancelled in advance (adverse weather), trip completely aborted and over three months of email correspondence to get my money back. These things seem to be completely random.
Interest rates won't earn them much right now, more a case of cashflow.
There's sufficient available (only one stopped at Craigentinny per TOPS list this evening - 73970). The 66 is being used out of choice.
All the drivers with the route knowledge would have the traction knowledge finding a driver with class 66 knowledge doesnt mean they have route knowledge also.
The 66s are a lot heavier... however, the Class 66 fuel tank holds 3,600 more litres of fuel than the 73/9's (3.4x as big). The 66 also won't be pushing itself at all to haul a Load 8, so its fuel consumption will be considerably less than hauling a heavy freight. The factors noted above were more around range and reliability than cost, though.
The driver still needs to have traction knowledge of the 73/9 as that that's in multi and under power.
