Caledonian Sleeper

[applepie2100]

My perception from this thread is that the sleeper is so unreliable that I stand the reasonable chance of getting my money back from any particular trip.

I quite like the extra excitement this brings to the sleeper experience. Not only a "hotel on wheels" it's a gambling den as well.

I'm booked on the southbound sleeper from Fort William this Sunday coming. Could either end up with no drama or quids in depending how things pan out!

 

[Cheshire Scot]

I dont have any experience of the sleeper in the last 3 years but prior to that the Fort William southbound mid week in November was the really quiet time lucky to make double numbers on the whole train.

'Back in the day' that would not be unusual at this time of year but I have no whether this is typical in the modern era.

 

[Bald Rick]

My perception from this thread is that the sleeper is so unreliable that I stand the reasonable chance of getting my money back from any particular trip.

In the last two months, you have had a 1 in 10 chance of your journey being more than 10 minutes late. I don’t know the figure for 30/60/120 mins late, but I’d be surprised if 60mins+ was more than 1 in 20.

 

[Essexman]

I suspect that the majority (but far from all) passengers on the sleeper are leisure travellers for whom a delay isn’t a huge inconvenience. Extra time in bed on a cold morning might even be welcome. It would be interesting to ask how many on the train would be happy with an hour’s delay and a full refund – the majority I suspect.

Of course there are some who have onward connections or meetings / commitments to whom a delay might be a major inconvenience, hence I wouldn’t’ use the sleeper if an hour’s delay was going cause difficulties.

A cancellation or very long delay is of course as different matter but in my experience CS do their best to get the trains through. They can’t be blamed for weather related delays.

 

[jagardner1984]

Obviously companies like Avanti run more services to a factor of hundreds each week, so your possibility of disruption on “a” GLC - London trip is somewhat different to disruption on “the” GLC -London trip CS run. However, the number of issues that Avanti have control over “we don’t have sufficient staff or have failed at industrial relations to the extent the ones we have won’t staff this service” seems anecdotally to be somewhat greater than those CS do not have control over “a red signal has been set which prevents this service running, since there is 2ft of floodwater covering the rails in the North East and no reasonably practicable diversion.”

As a semi regular sleeper user, I have far more delay repay from Avanti this year.

The sleeper will always be of fascination to travellers since it is (Night Riviera aside) unique in these islands and is therefore of generally more interest than a Sprinter to East Kilbride.

But I don’t think the “catalogue of problems” vibe you might pick up from this thread is representative of the experiences of most who travel each night (silly marketing fluff aside).

 

[Bill57p9]

To be fair the Lowlander rarely has issues these days. Then again it is a much simpler operation to the Highlander, which is usually also exposed to more weather too.

 

[Essexman]

As a semi-regular - about 10 journeys a year for 20 years or so - I estimate that only about 3% have had major delay - an hour or more. Only once has this caused me a real problem.
I don't know how this compares to other TOCs but maybe about the same.
Difference with sleeper as a passenger is it's often not as time critical and one can spend the extra time in bed, and as an operation it has more to go wrong but more slack in the schedules.

 

[adrock1976]

To be fair the Lowlander rarely has issues these days. Then again it is a much simpler operation to the Highlander, which is usually also exposed to more weather too.

The advantage that the Lowlander has is that it does not involve any single track sections along its route, whereas the Highlander does on all three portions north of Edinburgh (yes, there is the short single track section on the Aberdeen portion at Usan Basin, Montrose).

 

[Timmyd]

Used the Highlander last week for the first time since the new trains and was nervous reading this thread. Faultless experience - cabin comfortable, clean, great service in the lounge car, on time.

 

[Essexman]

I noticed that the sleepers have left some stations early this evenin. Presumably they can do this if all the booked boarding passengers have arrived.
Which raises a question that crossed my mind travelling south from Inverness last night - as the train is reservation only, if no passengers are booked to board or alight, why doesn’t it skip stops with no passengers.

 

[jfowkes]

I noticed that the sleepers have left some stations early this evenin. Presumably they can do this if all the booked boarding passengers have arrived.
Which raises a question that crossed my mind travelling south from Inverness last night - as the train is reservation only, if no passengers are booked to board or alight, why doesn’t it skip stops with no passengers.

I think I'm right in saying that north of Edinburgh/Glasgow the sleeper acts like a "normal" train for local travel, as long as there are free seats available.
It must be very weird for those passengers though, sharing with a bunch of people sleeping. I guess you get used to it if you do it regularly.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

I think I'm right in saying that north of Edinburgh/Glasgow the sleeper acts like a "normal" train for local travel, as long as there are free seats available.

Only the Fort William portion, plus northbound only for the last few stations into Inverness (not sure if the latter still applies).

 

[william.martin]

Hi there, do any of you guys know if you can catch a direct cs from crewe too Corrour
( please don't judge my spelling) I have been meaning to do this journey for a long time however I have been putting it off for years due to the price at the signal box hotel in Corrour.

 

[_toommm_]

Only the Fort William portion, plus northbound only for the last few stations into Inverness (not sure if the latter still applies).

Inverness portion is set to drop off only at all its calls up to Inverness, apart from Kingussie, Aviemore, and Carrbridge. On the way back to London it’s pick up only at all stations up to Falkirk, neither pick up or drop off at Edinburgh, then drop off only at the remaining few stops.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Nov 2022 ==

Hi there, do any of you guys know if you can catch a direct cs from crewe too Corrour
( please don't judge my spelling) I have been meaning to do this journey for a long time however I have been putting it off for years due to the price at the signal box hotel in Corrour.

Indeed you can, booked arrival time 08:58 at Corrour.

 

[william.martin]

Inverness portion is set to drop off only at all its calls up to Inverness, apart from Kingussie, Aviemore, and Carrbridge. On the way back to London it’s pick up only at all stations up to Falkirk, neither pick up or drop off at Edinburgh, then drop off only at the remaining few stops.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Nov 2022 ==



Indeed you can, booked arrival time 08:58 at Corrour.

Thanks!

 

[Falcon1200]

The advantage that the Lowlander has is that it does not involve any single track sections along its route

**Extreme Pedant Alert**
The Lowlander does have a short section of single line, for the Edinburgh portion between Carstairs station and Carstairs East Junction; But of course your overall point is valid.

 

[adrock1976]

**Extreme Pedant Alert**
The Lowlander does have a short section of single line, for the Edinburgh portion between Carstairs station and Carstairs East Junction; But of course your overall point is valid.

I admit that I forgot about that one a few hours after my previous post.

 

[Bill57p9]

Hi there, do any of you guys know if you can catch a direct cs from crewe too Corrour
( please don't judge my spelling) I have been meaning to do this journey for a long time however I have been putting it off for years due to the price at the signal box hotel in Corrour.

Just be aware that whilst it is a through service in the beds, seated passengers have to move at Edinburgh as the seated coaches at Crewe are scheduled to go forward to Aberdeen and Inverness rather than Fort William.

(Though Aberdeen has been very unreliable this week due to the weather)

Inverness portion is set to drop off only at all its calls up to Inverness, apart from Kingussie, Aviemore, and Carrbridge. On the way back to London it’s pick up only at all stations up to Falkirk, neither pick up or drop off at Edinburgh, then drop off only at the remaining few stops.

If I recall correctly those stops are sold as reservation mandatory therefore technically they don't require the service to wait for time.
(I certainly know of a couple of passengers on the Fort William over the summer who received an ear bashing from the TM because they hadn't reserved it. On the upside for them he either couldn't or wouldn't sell them a ticket)

 

[lachlan]

Hi there, do any of you guys know if you can catch a direct cs from crewe too Corrour
( please don't judge my spelling) I have been meaning to do this journey for a long time however I have been putting it off for years due to the price at the signal box hotel in Corrour

There is also the youth hostel, if you fancy that instead

 

[Caleb2010]

There were only six of us in the lounge so I have a choice of five in guessing who Caleb2010 may be!

Mobility scooter - sitting by door!!

 

[Essexman]

Mobility scooter - sitting by door!!

Blue rucksack, sitting in corner, last to arrive. Nicked extra packet of biscuits on my way out.

Perhaps there should be some secret sign for members to identify that they are part of the forum.

On another occasion posts told me there was another forum member on the sleeper from Inverness. I thought I’d identified the person as he was taking photos and quite knowledgeable about railways when I spoke to him, but he denied any knowledge of the forum. Could have just wanted to remain incognito of course.

 

[philthetube]

Maybe some enterprising member should produce a forum badge, to be worn when out and about.
Proceeds to charity of course.

 

[Bald Rick]

Maybe some enterprising member should produce a forum badge, to be worn when out and about.
Proceeds to charity of course.

Perhaps a branded anorak

 

[Iskra]

Maybe some enterprising member should produce a forum badge, to be worn when out and about.
Proceeds to charity of course.

There already is one, has a class 68 on it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Nov 2022 ==

Perhaps a branded anorak

Very good

 

[Techniquest]

I'd like to think I'd be easy to recognise when out and about, as while it's a little old now (more than 16 years!) my avatar on here gives my appearance away That and I'm often wearing a railway-themed face mask when on trains!

I fully expect to be on the sleeper again in the spring, depending upon whether or not I make up my mind what I'm going to up there, and I'll be sure to mention it here without a doubt. Chances are though that anyone here on the same train as me would not necessarily see me anyway, as I'd be pretty much straight to my berth and staying there for the whole trip. Possibly into the lounge car for a decaf, but we'll see eh?

 

[Peter Sarf]

Maybe some enterprising member should produce a forum badge, to be worn when out and about.
Proceeds to charity of course.

I got one - beaten too it by below.

There already is one, has a class 68 on it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Nov 2022 ==


Very good

But I never remember to find/wear the badge.

An anorak would be harder to forget in winter !.

 

[Mag_seven]

Looks like we may be starting to drift a bit off topic here so can we get back to discussing the Caledonian Sleeper please.

 

[furgus2]

I have not travelled on the Mk5 stock yet but I’m actually booked to Fort William this Sunday. Still in two minds as to whether or not to go ahead with this as the prospect of any possible disruption overnight really puts me off.

Replying to my own post, I have not cancelled my booking for tonight so am keeping fingers crossed it runs as planned. I did contact CS this morning to try and find out if the Avanti lounge at Euston would be open or closed this evening. I was told they had asked Avanti but we’re still awaiting a response.

 

[Rockhopperr]

Currently on the ‘new’ sleeper for my 3rd time. I’ve struggled to sleep in the past but I’ve always been over the bogies. This Room is in the middle of the coach so it was looking promising.
I’m afraid the Ride is terrible. Noisy clack and bang from the suspension, if there is any. It’s Like it’s rose jointed. Interior rattles. Brakes are groaning. The stop/start shunting is done with no finesse. What part of this is meant to encourage sleep?!

 

[Butts]

Currently on the ‘new’ sleeper for my 3rd time. I’ve struggled to sleep in the past but I’ve always been over the bogies. This Room is in the middle of the coach so it was looking promising.
I’m afraid the Ride is terrible. Noisy clack and bang from the suspension, if there is any. It’s Like it’s rose jointed. Interior rattles. Brakes are groaning. The stop/start shunting is done with no finesse. What part of this is meant to encourage sleep?!

Not quite an "Orient Express" experience then ?