Caledonian Sleeper

[Starmill]

Ma and Pa had an en suite twin room that cost around £180 last June. I must admit I've looked at the prices recently and my eyebrows nearly fell off.

Hotels in Great Britain in any vaguely touristy sort of place all seem to be adopting the same approach at the moment, which is charge their highest normal rates and don't bother with the more competitive ones.

It's a strategy that's worked very well with on-off lockdown fear for the past however many months since hotels reopened in 2020. Most chains probably aren't fussed if the lack of bargain rooms means that some do go unsold, because a) they probably aren't losing market share (where else are people going to stay the night? In their car?) and b) they might not actually have enough staff on payroll to cover the housekeeping anyway.

Because so much money that might normally have gone on holidays abroad went on domestic hotels last year, lots genuinely were sold out at very high prices anyway. But it's also noticeable that if the hotel isn't in a touristy location e.g. Business parks or out of town locations, it's actually very much more competitive.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jan 2022 ==

Theres no through coach but there's through coach fares on Megabus + Citylink, every day next week for £47.50 one way.
The 10 ish and 3 ish coaches from Glasgow also call at the airport from where an advance is £19.60 to Fort William.
My last trip up (Sept 2021) was Easyjet + Citylink going North just under £80 total including a checked 20kg rucksack, returning on Citylink + Megabus overnight for £44.
I actually prefer the non stop Megabus to the sleeper seats because I sleep better on them it also avoids the unpleasant change at Edinburgh and the inter terminal change in London.[

It's worth noting that the train only does London to Fort William for political reasons and is (and has always been) heavily subsidised to do so.

It's not done because there's a strong market between Fort William and surrounding area and London. If there were there'd probably be a through coach.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jan 2022 ==

Theres no through coach but there's through coach fares on Megabus + Citylink, every day next week for £47.50 one way.
The 10 ish and 3 ish coaches from Glasgow also call at the airport from where an advance is £19.60 to Fort William.
My last trip up (Sept 2021) was Easyjet + Citylink going North just under £80 total including a checked 20kg rucksack, returning on Citylink + Megabus overnight for £44.
I actually prefer the non stop Megabus to the sleeper seats because I sleep better on them it also avoids the unpleasant change at Edinburgh and the inter terminal change in London.[

It's worth noting that the train only does London to Fort William for political reasons and is (and has always been) heavily subsidised to do so.

It's not done because there's a strong market between Fort William and surrounding area and London. If there were there'd probably be a through coach.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Though some of the chains aren't, I've had plenty of bargain Premier Inns (£35 being typically the lowest rate) the last couple of years.

Edit: though you're right that these were often the ones that would normally have been business oriented, with little or no business travel they've had to price dump to sell them.

 

[Butts]

Hotels in Great Britain in any vaguely touristy sort of place all seem to be adopting the same approach at the moment, which is charge their highest normal rates and don't bother with the more competitive ones.

It's a strategy that's worked very well with on-off lockdown fear for the past however many months since hotels reopened in 2020. Most chains probably aren't fussed if the lack of bargain rooms means that some do go unsold, because a) they probably aren't losing market share (where else are people going to stay the night? In their car?) and b) they might not actually have enough staff on payroll to cover the housekeeping anyway.

Because so much money that might normally have gone on holidays abroad went on domestic hotels last year, lots genuinely were sold out at very high prices anyway. But it's also noticeable that if the hotel isn't in a touristy location e.g. Business parks or out of town locations, it's actually very much more competitive.

Not forgetting they are still paying a reduced rate of VAT at the moment which everyone seems to have forgotten about !!

 

[GS250]

Though some of the chains aren't, I've had plenty of bargain Premier Inns (£35 being typically the lowest rate) the last couple of years.

Edit: though you're right that these were often the ones that would normally have been business oriented, with little or no business travel they've had to price dump to sell them.

Agreed. Last September I got rooms for £29, £29, £35, £35, £35, £40, £40 in Worcester, Abergavenny and Barnstaple during a Portillo-eqsue tour around the UK.

 

[185143]

Agreed. Last September I got rooms for £29, £29, £35, £35, £35, £40, £40 in Worcester, Abergavenny and Barnstaple during a Portillo-eqsue tour around the UK.

Whereas I saw rooms in Cornwall that were more expensive than I'd paid for a room on the Night Riviera! And no. I don't mean just the supplement, I mean the whole lot.

 

[Tormod]

thank you

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jan 2022 ==


thank you


£300 for a single to FW/Inv is a little excessive. I've used the sleeper numerous times over the years for both business and pleasure and never paid anywhere near this amount. Nevermind!

I've just booked a Club room for £180 for March, to FTW.

 

[Lee_Again]

That’s a little better. Is that full fare or any discounts?

 

[route101]

Maybe not Fort William but the sleeper can be had for £190 Club single / £130 Classic single from London to Glasgow on the night of Tuesday 15 February. I suggest that may be the starting price now and presumably there aren't very many at that level.

I got it for £80 one way with railcard for the Tuesday just before Christmas. I hadn't seen it below £100 for some time.

 

[JonathanH]

I got it for £80 one way with railcard for the Tuesday just before Christmas. I hadn't seen it below £100 for some time.

That may be before the January price rise - I think £130 full fare was previously £125. Was it exactly £80?

 

[route101]

That may be before the January price rise - I think £130 full fare was previously £125. Was it exactly £80?

Perhaps it was £82 but wasn't anymore than that.

 

[ScotsRail]

Anyway, little cameo for the Sleeper on this weeks episode of US gameshow The Amazing Race as the contestants took the train from Euston to Glasgow.

(filmed just as the pandemic hit in 2020 and released now as it took them 18 months to work out how to finish the Race in the time of Covid)

 

[MotCO]

Anyway, little cameo for the Sleeper on this weeks episode of US gameshow The Amazing Race as the contestants took the train from Euston to Glasgow.

(filmed just as the pandemic hit in 2020 and released now as it took them 18 months to work out how to finish the Race in the time of Covid)

The Amazing Race looks like a good show to watch, but how can you watch it in the UK?

 

[Steddenm]

The Amazing Race looks like a good show to watch, but how can you watch it in the UK?

Its on Amazon Prime Video

 

[Butts]

Anyway, little cameo for the Sleeper on this weeks episode of US gameshow The Amazing Race as the contestants took the train from Euston to Glasgow.

(filmed just as the pandemic hit in 2020 and released now as it took them 18 months to work out how to finish the Race in the time of Covid)

Was it on time and problem free (the journey) ?

 

[Berliner]

Its on Amazon Prime Video

Seems to be unavailable on my account and I can find nothing beyond 2013 anyway.

 

[MotCO]

Seems to be unavailable on my account and I can find nothing beyond 2013 anyway.

Same here. @Steddenm appears to be based in Ireland so maybe Amazon Prime access is different.

 

[Crepello]

Was it on time and problem free (the journey) ?

It didn't get much airtime - couple of shots of contestants, while the camera operator was standing in a bathroom... not the roomiest of filming environments! Then all off a sudden the sun was up, and they were sprinting past GBRf-liveried 92 043 on the blocks at Glasga Central. Always a fun show though, been running quite a few years now.

 

[williamn]

It appears to be fairly typical for the going rate these days. Is it actually possible to get a single at less than £200 these days?

I don't include the seats in that because they're absolutely horrendous to spend twelve hours or so in trying to sleep.

Lots of fares for £100/£125 single in a classic about at the moment. Frequently get these.

 

[Essexman]

I'm looking at a possible trip in a couple of weeks and was surprised to find that even late Jan / early Feb there is limited availability to Fort William. Often only a couple of club rooms left, sometimes all gone. Good to see.

 

[JonathanH]

I'm looking at a possible trip in a couple of weeks and was surprised to find that even late Jan / early Feb there is limited availability to Fort William. Often only a couple of club rooms left, sometimes all gone. Good to see.

The trains are shorter over the winter though so there are fewer rooms in the first place.

 

[Scotrail88]

With Bi mode traction available, would we ever see them used to pull Fort Bill and Inverness to Cardross and Bridge of Allan to further improve emissions and pulling power?

The amount of diesel burn during shunt moves at Waverley is immense.

I know that coupling might be needing some work but could make some massive differences.

 

[JonathanH]

With Bi mode traction available, would we ever see them used to pull Fort Bill and Inverness to Cardross and Bridge of Allan to further improve emissions and pulling power?

GBRf don't yet have bi-mode 25kV / Diesel locomotives. They will have to consider whether the business case stacks up for bi-mode locomotives (which of course the 73s were but with the wrong power pick up) within the requirements of Transport Scotland.

Remember that there is due to be a further extension of wires north of Dunblane towards Perth at some point.

The amount of diesel burn during shunt moves at Waverley is immense.

Is it immense? The shunt moves aren't really that complex and the 92 does some of it. I appreciate that the locomotives are idling for quite a while as part of the operation.

 

[Speed43125]

With Bi mode traction available, would we ever see them used to pull Fort Bill and Inverness to Cardross and Bridge of Allan to further improve emissions and pulling power?

The amount of diesel burn during shunt moves at Waverley is immense.

I know that coupling might be needing some work but could make some massive differences.

I suppose the down Inverness could swap to a 92 at Stirling, and vice versa for the up, thought this may involve a rejig of the movements in Waverley. Obviously the wires go slightly further, but even sending a 92 to Stirling every night, and back down in the morning is likely deemed not worth it, especially if either 73s or 92 fail to couple to the train for whatever reason, compared to if this happened in Edinburgh.

I have known the loop at Dunblane to be used to turn the sleeper around when the bridge just south over the Allan is closed at the last minute, but given the availability of the former platform 1 in Stirling, you may as well changeover there.

 

[island]

The Amazing Race looks like a good show to watch, but how can you watch it in the UK?

Up until the last season one could watch it on Apple TV if setting up an account with a US address. No geoblocking nor is the address verified, although in some cases one must buy US iTunes gift cards such as via Amazon's US website in order to fund the account.

The latest season however is on half a dozen other platforms which do enforce geoblocking, and I do not have the patience to sort out VPNs.

edit: scratch that, you've made me check and it's been released on Apple TV normally.

 

[Gonzoiku]

I suppose the down Inverness could swap to a 92 at Stirling, ....

Down?

GZ

 

[MCSHF007]

 

[InOban]

We've had this issue before. In the outside world you go up North and down South.

 

[Speed43125]

Down?

GZ

Oh yeah, my bad, 1M16 is the train I'm thinking of. Which would be the up Inverness.

 

[43096]

We've had this issue before. In the outside world you go up North and down South.

Although people also talk about going up to London.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Although people also talk about going up to London.

You go "up town" in some places, or "up the city" in MK (quirky as it's not actually a city), though the latter makes some sense as all of MK is downhill from the centre. I've not heard about going "up to London" from somewhere substantially outside it myself.