Caledonian Sleeper

[norbitonflyer]

Seems from RTT that all three portions are running tonight, although the Inverness left two hours late.

Can they swap staff between portions to minimise delay while giving staff their statutory off-duty time? Its only 60miles along the Great Glen, and the Inverness departs later than the Fort William and may be less time-critical as there are fewer single track sections on the Highland Main Line.

The Fort William left on time but had lost 26 minutes by the time it reached Crianlarich

 

[paul1609]

Thanks for the clarification....that sounds logical in theory. So what will actually happen tonight? Do the Fort William GBRf drivers drive a van to/from Helensburgh Upper to work the sleeper? When I was there in August, there was a white van parked outside the station in the early afternoon - about an hour before the arrival of the Northbound alumina train, but there was nobody in it, or nearby.

It's been a GBRF liveried Pick up truck when I was there at the beginning of October.

 

[InOban]

Seems from RTT that all three portions are running tonight, although the Inverness left two hours late.

Can they swap staff between portions to minimise delay while giving staff their statutory off-duty time? Its only 60miles along the Great Glen, and the Inverness departs later than the Fort William and may be less time-critical as there are fewer single track sections on the Highland Main Line.

The Fort William left on time but had lost 26 minutes by the time it reached Crianlarich

There are a lot of temporary speed limits because of the wet and windy weather.

 

[John Bishop]

Thanks for the clarification....that sounds logical in theory. So what will actually happen tonight? Do the Fort William GBRf drivers drive a van to/from Helensburgh Upper to work the sleeper? When I was there in August, there was a white van parked outside the station in the early afternoon - about an hour before the arrival of the Northbound alumina train, but there was nobody in it, or nearby.

Yes, they drive the van one way depending which direction they’re driving. Same with the Inverness portions, the drivers will drive from Inverness to/ from Stirling in the pick up.

 

[Caleb2010]

Nice lady has just come into the CS lounge at Inverness to say lounge car closed and no food tonight from Inverness!
There’s probably a text on the way but if not - beware!!

 

[Scotrail314209]

Nice lady has just come into the CS lounge at Inverness to say lounge car closed and no food tonight from Inverness!
There’s probably a text on the way but if not - beware!!

Oh yikes, good luck.

 

[dpsilverba]

The CS Twitter account seems to have gone into hibernation: perhaps on the basis that no news is good news.

The CS Twitter account seems to have gone into hibernation: perhaps on the basis that no news is good news.

Don't know about the CS Twitter account - here's my experience.

On this train on Tuesday - received a text message on (or before arrival) at Waverley next morning apologising for the delay and promising a full refund. Train departed 4 hours(ish) late from EUS. On board crew were fantastic.

At Edinburgh FTW crew were coping with the situation as best they could - including rescuing me from the accessible toilet after Susan Calman had told me it had gone out of service a little too late!

Advised we were going to be bussed to FTW at 09.40 so I bailed and travelled to Inverness (my original destination but wanted to do the FTW sleeper) by SR

Den

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Nov 2021 ==

The attendants (sleeper hosts and team leaders) are entitled to 9 hours’ rest between shifts, while 12 hours is the minimum for train managers as well as drivers.

In answer to your question, there is no way that it would be legal for the London-based hosts from last night to go all the way to Fort William (arriving 15.44) and work the 19.50 back from Fort William. I don’t know what they did about hosts after the train left Edinburgh at 10:46 - that is anyone’s guess and I am amazed that they ran it all the way (I’d have thought they’d have detrained everyone at Edinburgh, which was already at a sociable time, and put them on a bus which would have got them to Fort William for lunchtime with a fair wind). That’s if any rail replacement buses were available at short notice, of course.

I believe the Fort William portion is driven by a Central Belt-based GBRf driver from Edinburgh to Helensburgh (possibly Millerhill/Polmadie?) then a Fort William driver (one of a pool who also works the Alumina tanks over the West Highland Line) from Helensburgh north. I think that these men would probably have been easier to source than hosts/train managers. The CS guards who can work the Fort William portion north of Edinburgh are based at either Edinburgh (north link) or Dalmuir.

Hi!

They did de-train us all at Waverley and offered a coach transfer to FTW. Two customers wanted to go to Crianlarich however the CS host suggested that the coach would have to go via the A9 as passengers were going to Spean Bridge. Not able to say how it was resolved.

 

[Butts]

Don't know about the CS Twitter account - here's my experience.

On this train on Tuesday - received a text message on (or before arrival) at Waverley next morning apologising for the delay and promising a full refund. Train departed 4 hours(ish) late from EUS. On board crew were fantastic.

At Edinburgh FTW crew were coping with the situation as best they could - including rescuing me from the accessible toilet after Susan Calman had told me it had gone out of service a little too late!

Advised we were going to be bussed to FTW at 09.40 so I bailed and travelled to Inverness (my original destination but wanted to do the FTW sleeper) by SR

Den

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Nov 2021 ==


Hi!

They did de-train us all at Waverley and offered a coach transfer to FTW. Two customers wanted to go to Crianlarich however the CS host suggested that the coach would have to go via the A9 as passengers were going to Spean Bridge. Not able to say how it was resolved.

Hope she was not onboard making one of her Travel Documentaries - they don't need any more bad publicity !!

 

[Wyrleybart]

At Edinburgh FTW crew were coping with the situation as best they could - including rescuing me from the accessible toilet after Susan Calman had told me it had gone out of service a little too late!

Can you tell me who Susan Calman is please ?

 

[JamesT]

Can you tell me who Susan Calman is please ?

She’s a Scottish comedian who’s recorded the voice announcements for the sleeper: https://www.sleeper.scot/susan-calman-on-board-as-voice-of-new-caledonian-sleeper/

 

[kylemore]

She’s a Scottish comedian

That's debatable

 

[6Z09]

That's debatable

After a few sleeper journeys she is certainly not funny.

 

[InOban]

Don't know about the CS Twitter account - here's my experience.

On this train on Tuesday - received a text message on (or before arrival) at Waverley next morning apologising for the delay and promising a full refund. Train departed 4 hours(ish) late from EUS. On board crew were fantastic.

At Edinburgh FTW crew were coping with the situation as best they could - including rescuing me from the accessible toilet after Susan Calman had told me it had gone out of service a little too late!

Advised we were going to be bussed to FTW at 09.40 so I bailed and travelled to Inverness (my original destination but wanted to do the FTW sleeper) by SR

Den

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Nov 2021 ==


Hi!

They did de-train us all at Waverley and offered a coach transfer to FTW. Two customers wanted to go to Crianlarich however the CS host suggested that the coach would have to go via the A9 as passengers were going to Spean Bridge. Not able to say how it was resolved.

I would have thought that the coach would normally go via Dalwhinnie and Spean Bridge because it's the shortest and quickest route from Edinburgh to FW, whether or not there were passengers for Tulloch, Roy Bridge or Spean Bridge.

 

[Bald Rick]

I would have thought that the coach would normally go via Dalwhinnie and Spean Bridge because it's the shortest and quickest route from Edinburgh to FW, whether or not there were passengers for Tulloch, Roy Bridge or Spean Bridge.

Did it get diverted because of the earthquake

 

[AberdeenBill]

The 'Service Alterations' section of the CS website states that for the Northbound & Southbound Highlanders during the period Monday 27 December to Thursday 30th Dec that 'these services are expected to operate as normal'. However trying to book a ticket during this period shows 'No Service runs on that day'. I was trying to book for Aberdeen but out of interest also tried Inverness and FW. These gave the same message. Can anyone confirm if it is running during this period?

 

[alistairlees]

The 'Service Alterations' section of the CS website states that for the Northbound & Southbound Highlanders during the period Monday 27 December to Thursday 30th Dec that 'these services are expected to operate as normal'. However trying to book a ticket during this period shows 'No Service runs on that day'. I was trying to book for Aberdeen but out of interest also tried Inverness and FW. These gave the same message. Can anyone confirm if it is running during this period?

It is running but there is a website glitch, should be fixed shortly.

 

[6Z09]

Northbound to Fort William doesn't seem to have run this morning?

 

[92002]

Northbound to Fort William doesn't seem to have run this morning?

There currently is a points problem on the WHL.

 

[AberdeenBill]

It is running but there is a website glitch, should be fixed shortly.

Thanks.

 

[6Z09]

There currently is a points problem on the WHL.

Never left Edinburgh, must be cancelled, it's a nice morning for a road trip though, "every cloud " and all that.

 

[92002]

Never left Edinburgh, must be cancelled, it's a nice morning for a road trip though, "every cloud " and all that.

7 coaches today on the Aberdeen portion. So looks like the coaches went there.

 

[najaB]

7 coaches today on the Aberdeen portion. So looks like the coaches went there.

I wonder why Aberdeen instead of taking them all up to Inverness - wait, never mind, answered my own question. It would be too long for the platform.

 

[va2809valentin]

right, Perth is one of those stations where you can't avoid the feeling that it's fallen a long, long way from its prime. 3-car DMUs calling at platforms capable of handling 20 coaches and two locomotives seems like a waste.

 

[najaB]

right, Perth is one of those stations where you can't avoid the feeling that it's fallen a long, long way from its prime. 3-car DMUs calling at platforms capable of handling 20 coaches and two locomotives seems like a waste.

Indeed, it comes up from time to time that Perth is rather over-sized for the traffic it gets since the Strathmore Route closed.

 

[Sleepy]

It is running but there is a website glitch, should be fixed shortly.

Surprised they run between Christmas & New Year, Night Riveria doesn't....

 

[AberdeenBill]

Surprised they run between Christmas & New Year, Night Riveria doesn't....

I would have thought that period would have been relatively busy (particularly compared to January / February). Some families maybe spending Xmas with one set of in-laws down south then travelling North for hogmany or single people spending Xmas with their parents then travelling to spend New Year's Eve with their friends.

 

[AberdeenBill]

Perth is one of those stations where you can't avoid the feeling that it's fallen a long, long way from its prime.

I was decanted from CS to Aberdeen at Perth at 6am during the summer due to staff shortages (all advised in advance). We missed the Scotrail connection so had a bit of time in Perth station. I was surprised and impressed by its size, and obvious past grandeur for a relatively small city.

 

[92002]

I was decanted from CS to Aberdeen at Perth at 6am during the summer due to staff shortages (all advised in advance). We missed the Scotrail connection so had a bit of time in Perth station. I was surprised and impressed by its size, and obvious past grandeur for a relatively small city.

Due to be moving to a new location as part of the re-design and electrification shortly. More fit for pupose.

 

[Bill57p9]

I wonder why Aberdeen instead of taking them all up to Inverness - wait, never mind, answered my own question. It would be too long for the platform.

It should fit:
I saw load 12 on the sleeper at Inverness back in mid September when the WHL had a planned closure, so not only does it fit but a 73/9 can (to my surprise) provide sufficient ETS. There was also 66 for traction.

Back in the early 90s InterCity used to run load 15 to Inverness IIRC, with 2 37s.

 

[Gonzoiku]

Due to be moving to a new location as part of the re-design and electrification shortly. More fit for pupose.

Perth re-locating? Do tell! Glenrothes? Cumbernauld?

GZ