Caledonian Sleeper

[43096]

I had a good look at the Highlander being serviced in Inverness this morning.
12 Mk 5s, so obviously a 73/9 can provide sufficient ETH (index 70 according to the data plate) for load 12. Which surprised me a bit, as load 16 has an ETH index >100 (hence requires a 92), and when I was at school 12/16=0.75, so if load 16 has ETH index >100, load 12 has ETH index >75. Though the formation only had 1 club car.

All the sleeper mark 5s are apparently rated at ETH index 11 (55kW), so load 8 (the standard on the Inverness) is index 88 and a full train is index 176. A Class 92 on AC is rated at 900kW (index 180), I believe. Don't forget that the ETH index is the maximum power draw and is only likely to be reached either with aircon going at full pelt on a hot day (unlikely on a sleeper train!) or if heating the train from very cold in the depths of winter (which is far more likely!) - even then, if the stock is heated from a shore supply the loco won't have the full load.

 

[peteb]

Did you get your whisky in the club car? Or is it now out of bounds to all but club and double passengers?

 

[Bald Rick]

Did you get your whisky in the club car? Or is it now out of bounds to all but club and double passengers?

the lowlander won’t be boarding yet!

 

[peteb]

the lowlander won’t be boarding yet!

Ah apologies yes well perhaps we will get an update around midnight!

 

[williamn]

Yep I’m here about to indulge!

 

[Lee_Again]

I'm travelling to Inverness tomorrow evening (21/9) and looking forward to my first Mk5 experience. I've got a Club Solo. Prior to Covid I was a 2-4 times per year user, often travelling with family and friends. This time I'm taking two sceptical friends. I know they'll love the sleeper experience but I'm crossing everything that we get no problems with crew or stock. These are potential new customers but a bad experience will mean they'll never consider it again.

 

[williamn]

I had a great trip up to Glasgow last night. Can't really fault it. Only gripes were ongoing ones - lighting in Club Car far too bright and the stupid vinyls over the windows! Crew lovely, great nights sleep. Oh and I was at the end of the carriage for the first time. I did note a few bumps but nothing that prevented me from getting to sleep tbh.

 

[peteb]

I had a great trip up to Glasgow last night. Can't really fault it. Only gripes were ongoing ones - lighting in Club Car far too bright and the stupid vinyls over the windows! Crew lovely, great nights sleep. Oh and I was at the end of the carriage for the first time. I did note a few bumps but nothing that prevented me from getting to sleep tbh.

The fact that you could use the club car on a classic room booking for a nightcap is heartening, were you allowed to use it in the morning or is it just reserved for double and solo club travellers?

We are contemplating Aberdeen or Inverness from Crewe, did it years ago to Inverness and enjoyed it very much. Might form part of a short inter-rail holiday in Europe, flying from ABZ or INV depending on what cheap direct flights on offer, using inter-rail to get to near airport. Is inter-rail permitted on Caledonian Sleeper? I assume there would be a supplement?

 

[williamn]

The fact that you could use the club car on a classic room booking for a nightcap is heartening, were you allowed to use it in the morning or is it just reserved for double and solo club travellers?

No idea, on the Lowlander I want to maximise sleep as you arrive so early, so was happy with just tea in my cabin!

 

[185143]

The fact that you could use the club car on a classic room booking for a nightcap is heartening, were you allowed to use it in the morning or is it just reserved for double and solo club travellers?

We are contemplating Aberdeen or Inverness from Crewe, did it years ago to Inverness and enjoyed it very much. Might form part of a short inter-rail holiday in Europe, flying from ABZ or INV depending on what cheap direct flights on offer, using inter-rail to get to near airport. Is inter-rail permitted on Caledonian Sleeper? I assume there would be a supplement?

If it works the same as "domestic" tickets, they are accepted provided you make a reservation. Seat reservations are free, supplements apply to the rooms.

 

[najaB]

If it works the same as "domestic" tickets, they are accepted provided you make a reservation. Seat reservations are free, supplements apply to the rooms.

This is confirmed on the Room Supplements page here: https://www.sleeper.scot/tickets/

Britrail / Inter-Rail / Eurail / FIP Coupons will need to be valid on the date you arrive in your destination but not necessarily on the date you join the train for departures before midnight.

 

[Essexman]

I had some very positive interactions with CS today.

I booked a new Club Flexipass on Saturday and emailed CS to get a credit on the remaining vouchers on my ‘Classic’ Flexipass. I also pointed out that the berth selection facility isn’t working on the booking website.

Someone called me this afternoon. Because my bank card has changed he couldn’t process the refund but arranged for someone to call later to do this. He changed the berth 2 booking I’ve made for next Sunday to my preferred berth 5 so I’m in the centre of the coach. He said they’re working on getting the online berth selector working again but passengers can phone up and get berths changed if they wish.

A lady called this evening and took new bank details. We talked about their many positives of the sleeper and the niggles like the light on the switch in the berth that can’t be turned off. She said that they are going to alter their website to more reflect the benefits of the sleeper but without giving the ‘Orient Express’ impression that some people pay £200 and expect to receive.

 

[38Cto15E]

Lee_again,
Have a good trip and do not forget to update the board on how everything went, I am thinking of travelling Euston to Inverness in Club in November.

 

[Lee_Again]

Lee_again,
Have a good trip and do not forget to update the board on how everything went, I am thinking of travelling Euston to Inverness in Club in November.

Thank you. I will.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Sep 2021 ==

Thank you. I will.

Had a great trip. A little late boarding but nothing of significance. My room was moved but ‍so what... Great seats in the lounge car. Staff were all very good.
Enjoyed a bacon roll travelling through the highlands before an on time arrival at Inverness. My only [very minor] gripe… the upper deck bed wasn’t put away. Other than that, perfect.

 

[peteb]

Thank you. I will.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Sep 2021 ==


Had a great trip. A little late boarding but nothing of significance. My room was moved but ‍so what... Great seats in the lounge car. Staff were all very good.
Enjoyed a bacon roll travelling through the highlands before an on time arrival at Inverness. My only [very minor] gripe… the upper deck bed wasn’t put away. Other than that, perfect.

Don't the upper bunks just fold up like they do on continental sleepers? I wonder if they would have folded it away if they were asked? A bit irksome if you wake early and want to sit up for the last hour or two, but compensated by being able to eat in the lounge (which was my favourite part of the trip when I did it years ago).

 

[Speed43125]

Thank you. I will.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Sep 2021 ==


Had a great trip. A little late boarding but nothing of significance. My room was moved but ‍so what... Great seats in the lounge car. Staff were all very good.
Enjoyed a bacon roll travelling through the highlands before an on time arrival at Inverness. My only [very minor] gripe… the upper deck bed wasn’t put away. Other than that, perfect.

That last bit was on this thread some ways back, essentially they decided that they were no longer going to fold away the top bunk for single occupancy bookings. The way they framed this operational change was... emm.. rather irksome to many on here with it's rather fake and condescending tone I recall.

Glad you enjoyed your trip nonetheless.

 

[williamn]

I always take the ladder off the upper bunk, frees up a bit of space.

But yeah the reason they don’t fold it up is essentially operational convenience. Not very high end hotel!

 

[fgwrich]

But that's precisely what they did with the 92s that are also doing freight work. That said the more fun albeit ridiculous idea would be to mount Dellners onto the freight trains a la DB/SBB's experimentation.

(It's likely to be financially irresponsible to Dellnerise the 66s seeing as GBRF have a perfectly good barrier vehicle already, but the technical side doesn't seeem like an issue.)

It is possible to Dellnerise a 66 but it isn't pretty. The main problem though in trying to Dellnerise a 66 for sleeper operations would be the necessity to fit some kind of ETS / ETH Through feed, i.e to allow the 73 to still provide the ETS if it ends up as the leading loco.

GB Railfreight Class 66 66751 'Inspiration Delivered', Hitachi IEP Class 800s, EWS Class 67 67008 & 67023, & London Underground 'S' Stock

Old Dalby Test Track, Asfordby Depot 22.07.15

www.flickr.com

66751 18/07/15

GBRf 66751 stands in the Down Goods Loop at Langham with a Hitachi IEP Class 800 EMU on Saturday 18th July 2015. The unit (800.001) had been testing on the East Coast Main Line and was returning to Old Dalby as 5M98 the 05.51 from Tallington. Note 66751 has been fitted with a special coupler for...

www.flickr.com

 

[xotGD]

If there was a desire to move away from the 73s, wouldn't 67s or 68s be the viable alternatives?

 

[marks87]

It is possible to Dellnerise a 66 but it isn't pretty. The main problem though in trying to Dellnerise a 66 for sleeper operations would be the necessity to fit some kind of ETS / ETH Through feed, i.e to allow the 73 to still provide the ETS if it ends up as the leading loco.

GB Railfreight Class 66 66751 'Inspiration Delivered', Hitachi IEP Class 800s, EWS Class 67 67008 & 67023, & London Underground 'S' Stock

Old Dalby Test Track, Asfordby Depot 22.07.15

www.flickr.com

66751 18/07/15

GBRf 66751 stands in the Down Goods Loop at Langham with a Hitachi IEP Class 800 EMU on Saturday 18th July 2015. The unit (800.001) had been testing on the East Coast Main Line and was returning to Old Dalby as 5M98 the 05.51 from Tallington. Note 66751 has been fitted with a special coupler for...

www.flickr.com

Those are works of art compared to the Class 57 Thunderbirds that ended up looking like the Ood from Doctor Who.

 

[38Cto15E]

Thank you Lee_Again, glad you had a good experience of the sleeper.

 

[43 302]

If there was a desire to move away from the 73s, wouldn't 67s or 68s be the viable alternatives?

How many 67s or 68s do GB lease again?

 

[norbitonflyer]

I always take the ladder off the upper bunk, frees up a bit of space.

I thought the ladders were fixed on the new sleepers. That's what a friend who travelled on one recently told me.

 

[xotGD]

How many 67s or 68s do GB lease again?

Well obviously none when they have no need for them. If they did see a need, then conversations would be taking place.

Of course, this is merely hypothetical. The 73 plus 66 lash up may well be here for the long term.

 

[XAM2175]

Well obviously none when they have no need for them. If they did see a need, then conversations would be taking place.

Leaving aside the question of ownership and availability it would be theoretically possible, provided of course that the locos could be fitted with Dellner couplers. ETH supply could be a bit tight with the 67s (they index 66 compared to 70 for a 73/9), but would be no problem for a 68 (index of 96, apparently).

Off the top of my head 68s would also need to have the route clearance paperwork done for the lines they've not already covered as part of their previous Fife Circle work, but as they're RA 7 (compared to RA 8 for a 67) it shouldn't be too much of a pain.

 

[Merseysider]

I thought the ladders were fixed on the new sleepers. That's what a friend who travelled on one recently told me.

That might be CS’s intention but I was able to remove mine fairly easily.

 

[Bald Rick]

I thought the ladders were fixed on the new sleepers. That's what a friend who travelled on one recently told me.

Definitely not. Easily removed - I’ve done it myself. Clearly they have to be, for when the top bunk is put away.

 

[alangla]

Off the top of my head 68s would also need to have the route clearance paperwork done for the lines they've not already covered as part of their previous Fife Circle work, but as they're RA 7 (compared to RA 8 for a 67) it shouldn't be too much of a pain.

Surely that’s only a problem for the WHL given they drag containers to both Aberdeen & Inverness regularly?

 

[najaB]

Surely that’s only a problem for the WHL given they drag containers to both Aberdeen & Inverness regularly?

68s? I've definitely seen 66s and 67s up this way but don't recall seeing any 68s. What flow is that on?

 

[alangla]

68s? I've definitely seen 66s and 67s up this way but don't recall seeing any 68s. What flow is that on?

I actually doubted myself after posting this & checked through postings on scot-rail. Just looking at 4A13, 68006 was reported to be operating it on 7th June. I’ve not looked at any other Aberdeen trains.
For Inverness, 4H47 and 4D47 produce 68s pretty much daily, though they seem to struggle in autumn.
Both of them are supermarket containers.

EDIT: digging a bit further, 68006 seems to have worked that trip daily during May & early June of this year