Caledonian Sleeper

[35B]

via the Seattle & Carlisle Line?

Missed the typo

 

[theironroad]

Missed the typo

Didn't even spot it when I read it but did think that was interesting that s&c was shortest, though shouldn't be a surprise I guess as it goes through middle of country.

 

[Altnabreac]

Pretty direct, bearing in mind how the country is tilted and there's a through route via Motherwell and Cumbernauld. But it's only a mile or so shorter than going from Euston by the same route - the real mileage is added by going via Edinburgh.

Technically it's actually 37 chains shorter to bypass Motherwell and go via Wishaw and Holytown but that would be splitting hairs...

 

[MrEd]

Am I right in thinking that we will need to wait a wee while longer for the Aberdeen portion of the Highlander and the Glasgow portion of the Lowlander to be reinstated? Presumably these are not being reinstated next week as was originally planned?

 

[Hooligan]

Am I right in thinking that we will need to wait a wee while longer for the Aberdeen portion of the Highlander and the Glasgow portion of the Lowlander to be reinstated? Presumably these are not being reinstated next week as was originally planned?

Heard the full lowlander starting again on 16th October and Aberdeen 5th November, when line is projected to reopen

 

[TimboM]

Heard the full lowlander starting again on 16th October and Aberdeen 5th November, when line is projected to reopen

"All reservations for guests booked to travel on Glasgow Central Lowlander services up to and including 14th October 2020 have been cancelled..." (https://www.sleeper.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/)

i.e. Glasgow Lowlander service planned to restart from 15th October.

 

[47271]

The latest guff from RMT. Would their time not be better spent in rationally explaining why we've reached this stage rather than spouting 'rock solid' bile against operator and governments alike?

If I was a rightfully aggrieved CS host I would be very disappointed by this, it does nothing whatsoever to gain passenger sympathy.

Caledonian Sleeper: Staff strike begins as union slams lack of government action

Tonight marks the first of two periods of planned strike action from Caledonian Sleeper staff, leading to services being cancelled.

www.heraldscotland.com

Tonight marks the first of two periods of planned strike action from Caledonian Sleeper staff, leading to services being cancelled.

The Caledonian Sleeper is the overnight service between London and Scotland.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) said operator Serco failed to provide enough berths for rest periods for members who began the first of two 48-hour walkouts from 5.30pm today, as well as action short of a strike.

Staff will be out at a number of stations where the overnight service passes through, including Fort William, Inverness, Glasgow Central, Edinburgh and Euston.

All picket lines are to be supervised with social distancing rules observed.

RMT general secretary Mike Cash criticised the lack of government action in dealing with the dispute.

He said: “RMT members are standing rock solid in their strike action on the Caledonian Sleeper this evening but it remains a scandal that Serco appear to have deliberately provoked this dispute and have never had any intention of entering serious talks.

“Instead of working with the union on a solution to the very real issues of safety and fatigue they have declared war on their staff. That is a disgrace.

“It is also wholly unacceptable that the political leadership in Scotland, distracted by the scandal of one of their own travelling on trains while Covid positive, have not lifted a finger to help us settle this dispute.

“They should get off their backsides and haul Serco into line. Their lack of action is grossly irresponsible.

“Our members on the Caledonian Sleeper, demanding nothing more than a safe working environment, deserve better than this shocking treatment.

“We are grateful for the huge level of support that has flooded in and it’s now down to the company to get serious and negotiate a settlement.”
All hosts and team leaders have been instructed not to book on for shifts until 5.30pm on Tuesday.

The same action will take place from 5.30pm on Sunday October 11 to 5.30pm on Tuesday October 13.

Members have also been instructed not to undertake any rest day working, higher grade duties or voluntary overtime between the evening of October 6 and October 11, and from 5.31pm on October 13 until further notice.

Previously, Serco said the plans for industrial action are “extremely disappointing” and claimed to have “done everything possible to provide staff with rest areas on board”.

Serco operates the service on behalf of Transport Scotland.

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We fully appreciate the challenges faced by the rail industry as we continue to transition through the route map to recovery.

“While staff rosters and conditions are matters for Caledonian Sleeper and the unions concerned, we would urge all parties to continue meaningful dialogue to reach a mutually agreeable solution.

 

[Scotrail84]

Are bogies and suspension on the sleeper mk5s the same as the ones on TPE day coaches?

 

[TimboM]

Are bogies and suspension on the sleeper mk5s the same as the ones on TPE day coaches?

My understanding is that the NIR doesn't cover the Sleeper Mk5s if that sort of answers your question...

 

[Tormod]

The latest guff from RMT. Would their time not be better spent in rationally explaining why we've reached this stage rather than spouting 'rock solid' bile against operator and governments alike?

If I was a rightfully aggrieved CS host I would be very disappointed by this, it does nothing whatsoever to gain passenger sympathy.

Caledonian Sleeper: Staff strike begins as union slams lack of government action

Tonight marks the first of two periods of planned strike action from Caledonian Sleeper staff, leading to services being cancelled.

www.heraldscotland.com

Tonight marks the first of two periods of planned strike action from Caledonian Sleeper staff, leading to services being cancelled.

The Caledonian Sleeper is the overnight service between London and Scotland.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) said operator Serco failed to provide enough berths for rest periods for members who began the first of two 48-hour walkouts from 5.30pm today, as well as action short of a strike.

Staff will be out at a number of stations where the overnight service passes through, including Fort William, Inverness, Glasgow Central, Edinburgh and Euston.

All picket lines are to be supervised with social distancing rules observed.

RMT general secretary Mike Cash criticised the lack of government action in dealing with the dispute.

He said: “RMT members are standing rock solid in their strike action on the Caledonian Sleeper this evening but it remains a scandal that Serco appear to have deliberately provoked this dispute and have never had any intention of entering serious talks.

“Instead of working with the union on a solution to the very real issues of safety and fatigue they have declared war on their staff. That is a disgrace.

“It is also wholly unacceptable that the political leadership in Scotland, distracted by the scandal of one of their own travelling on trains while Covid positive, have not lifted a finger to help us settle this dispute.

“They should get off their backsides and haul Serco into line. Their lack of action is grossly irresponsible.

“Our members on the Caledonian Sleeper, demanding nothing more than a safe working environment, deserve better than this shocking treatment.

“We are grateful for the huge level of support that has flooded in and it’s now down to the company to get serious and negotiate a settlement.”
All hosts and team leaders have been instructed not to book on for shifts until 5.30pm on Tuesday.

The same action will take place from 5.30pm on Sunday October 11 to 5.30pm on Tuesday October 13.

Members have also been instructed not to undertake any rest day working, higher grade duties or voluntary overtime between the evening of October 6 and October 11, and from 5.31pm on October 13 until further notice.

Previously, Serco said the plans for industrial action are “extremely disappointing” and claimed to have “done everything possible to provide staff with rest areas on board”.

Serco operates the service on behalf of Transport Scotland.

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We fully appreciate the challenges faced by the rail industry as we continue to transition through the route map to recovery.

“While staff rosters and conditions are matters for Caledonian Sleeper and the unions concerned, we would urge all parties to continue meaningful dialogue to reach a mutually agreeable solution.

Certainly not getting any sympathy from me, with that kind of intemperate language.

 

[Scotrail84]

My understanding is that the NIR doesn't cover the Sleeper Mk5s if that sort of answers your question...

I have no idea what that means. Sorry.

 

[island]

The only rail abbreviation I can map NIR to is Northern Ireland Railways.

 

[35B]

The only rail abbreviation I can map NIR to is Northern Ireland Railways.

NIR is an incident report (forget the precise meaning), and as other CAF vehicles have had to be pulled from service, it was a fair question whether the CS fleet would also need to be.

 

[PG]

Even Network Rail's Jargon Buster doesn't list NIR, though as I type I see 35B has enlightened us on the meaning

 

[47271]

Does it stand for Nasty Irritating Rattle? It's a standard feature on all CAF stock.

 

[TimboM]

I have no idea what that means. Sorry.

Network Rail National Incident Reporting (NIR) system - for reporting high risk defects and the actions required by the relevant parties (e.g. Train Operating Companies) in response to them.

Used to be paper/fax, but been online since 2006 I think. It's a way of a) getting information out quickly re defects that need resolving and b) ensuring its clear what must be done, by whom and by when.

This particular NIR re the bogies / shims* covers Mk5As and Class 397s but not any other CAF stock/units as far as I'm aware.

*shim = type of washer between bogie and vehicle frame designed to reduce wear at points where parts move against each other, or to act as a spacer of a specific size to take up any play.

 

[JModulo]

Does it stand for Nasty Irritating Rattle? It's a standard feature on all CAF stock.

Travelled on them for what was my 2nd time in a week on Wednesday (and a year before that) and was dissapointed that the ride, knocks, things not working is still all too common.

 

[PG]

Travelled on them for what was my 2nd time in a week on Wednesday (and a year before that) and was dissapointed that the ride, knocks, things not working is still all too common.

Presumably since the 12 months manufacturers warranty has now expired the manufacturer now says CgAF - Couldn't give A F***

 

[popeter45]

Presumably since the 12 months manufacturers warranty has now expired the manufacturer now says CgAF - Couldn't give A F***

yea i suspect the debacle with Most of CAF's Recent UK rolling stock will put them in the same Position Alstom was in after the Issues with Coradia/Juniper Units

 

[Bletchleyite]

yea i suspect the debacle with Most of CAF's Recent UK rolling stock will put them in the same Position Alstom was in after the Issues with Coradia/Juniper Units

I think the CAF issues far outweigh the Juniper ones.

 

[popeter45]

I think the CAF issues far outweigh the Juniper ones.

either way i dont see anything else on there order books for a long time if at all after the 196's & 197's are done

 

[Peter Sarf]

either way i dont see anything else on there order books for a long time if at all after the 196's & 197's are done

Compare with Stadler. They might actually be throwing some weight behind their warranty/reputation ?. And Stadler trains seem to be better.

Trouble is, I am afraid, people easily forget about quality when the price is cheap enough.

 

[D6975]

“As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind - every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder.”
― John Glenn

I think he had the right idea. There are times when the cheapest option is not the best path...

 

[47271]

Caledonian Sleeper told by own experts to 'change culture' over fatigue as next strike looms

A "change in culture" over staff fatigue is needed at Caledonian Sleeper, according to experts drafted in to investigate the problem which has triggered a series of strikes.

www.scotsman.com

I wish that I could paste the text of this article but The Scotsman's website is useless and ad ridden and it's proved to be impossible, unless I'd posted ads on how you could get extra income from something or other.

Suffice to say that CS have brought in an expert who's said that, whilst working arrangements are legally compliant, their trains are so full of faults that staff are worn out dealing with them and need better rest facilities. The RMT weigh in etc...

I'm not quite sure how this report found its way into the media, but it really isn't great and confirms everything that's been raised on this forum over the past 18 months.

Read it for yourself if you can get in. Enjoy the ads.

 

[TimboM]

Compare with Stadler. They might actually be throwing some weight behind their warranty/reputation ?. And Stadler trains seem to be better.

Trouble is, I am afraid, people easily forget about quality when the price is cheap enough.

“As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind - every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder.”
― John Glenn

I think he had the right idea. There are times when the cheapest option is not the best path...

I seem to recall there were very few, if any, other companies willing to even bid for such a (comparatively) small order of bespoke coaches.

Great quote by John Glenn, though...

 

[mirodo]

Caledonian Sleeper told by own experts to 'change culture' over fatigue as next strike looms

A "change in culture" over staff fatigue is needed at Caledonian Sleeper, according to experts drafted in to investigate the problem which has triggered a series of strikes.

www.scotsman.com

I wish that I could paste the text of this article but The Scotsman's website is useless and ad ridden and it's proved to be impossible, unless I'd posted ads on how you could get extra income from something or other.

The “Reader View” in iOS, which strips websites of unnecessary gubbins and presents a simple view comes in very handy for annoying sites like this. Here’s the article text:

Caledonian Sleeper told by own experts to 'change culture' over fatigue as next strike looms
A "change in culture" over staff fatigue is needed at Caledonian Sleeper, according to experts drafted in to investigate the problem which has triggered a series of strikes.
Saturday, 10th October 2020, 7:00 am

Faults with the new fleet were a identified by the report as a major cause of staff stress
The conclusion in their report seen by The Scotsman comes as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) prepare to stage a second 48-hour walkout which will force the cancellation of some services on Sunday and Monday nights.
Staff voted to take action after operator Serco refused to allow them to use spare cabins for rest breaks during shifts which can last more than 16 hours.
The report by fatigue specialist Dr Paul Jackson concluded the firm complied with health and safety laws but its “approach to fatigue management could be improved”.

Staff want access to spare rooms to rest during shift breaks
It said staff breaks should be extended beyond one hour on longer routes, rest areas improved and the working of multiple nights on end be reduced.
The report stated: "Of the available options, a berth provides the best conditions for rest away from interruptions, as well as affording the best opportunity to obtain proper rest.”
Dr Jackson highlighted faults with the new Sleeper fleet as a major cause of extra staff stress, especially when they had to find alternative cabins for arriving passengers at short notice.
Problems on a London-Fort William service observed by his team in August included with air conditioning, toilets and doors.

The report stated: "It was clear that the extra workload arising from factors outside crews’ control causes unnecessary stress. A poor start to a long night duty.”

It concluded: “Fatigue management initiatives have been developed, but have not always been adequately documented, or communicated to the workforce, leaving many crew with the impression that management don’t understand their situation.
"Positive initiatives are also undermined by one of the main causes of crew stress and workload – the ongoing issues with train defects.
“A change in culture is required at Serco Caledonian Sleeper, focusing on alertness management rather than fatigue.”

The RMT described the report as “damning” and said it supported staff concerns.
The union said: “It shows fatigue has been an issue for years but has been allowed to fester, staff are reluctant to report fatigue for fear of victimisation, and train faults are rife, which adds to the stress.
“We want the report to be implemented in its entirety plus the provision of two more berths for rest breaks – that would settle the dispute.”
Caledonian Sleeper managing director Ryan Flaherty said: “When some of our employees raised concerns about fatigue, we brought in an independent specialist to conduct a risk assessment on our services.
"His report clearly concludes that not only is Caledonian Sleeper operating within all regulations, but that only two people raised the issue of additional rooms for hosts, which has become the RMT’s main demand."
The firm said it planned further discussions with the RMT “to agree specific actions relating to the recommendations” to resolve the dispute but the union had made this conditional on being given the extra cabins.
Serco has cancelled its London-Glasgow-Fort William/Inverness services on Sunday and Monday because of the strike but will operate its London-Edinburgh services.

 

[43 302]

The “Reader View” in iOS, which strips websites of unnecessary gubbins and presents a simple view comes in very handy for annoying sites like this. Here’s the article text:

Thank you kindly.

 

[47271]

The “Reader View” in iOS, which strips websites of unnecessary gubbins and presents a simple view comes in very handy for annoying sites like this. Here’s the article text:

Thank you - very helpful.

 

[Sleepy]

Thank God GWR didn't add to the order for Night Riveria stock and went for mk3 updating !!!

 

[Peter Sarf]

I seem to recall there were very few, if any, other companies willing to even bid for such a (comparatively) small order of bespoke coaches.

Great quote by John Glenn, though...

Your right. Basically beggars cannot be choosers.

And Stadler had to be enticed into making UK gauge DMUs by a healthy order for long EMUs.

The “Reader View” in iOS, which strips websites of unnecessary gubbins and presents a simple view comes in very handy for annoying sites like this. Here’s the article text:

Phew - thanks. I must learn how to do this. Usually newspaper sites grind my web connection to a halt.

Thank God GWR didn't add to the order for Night Riveria stock and went for mk3 updating !!!

Better the devil you know. Which might be why SWT were willing to squeeze more life out of the 442s.