Caledonian Sleeper

[Bald Rick]

Only on this thread could posts about what you put in Whisky, and the technicalities of TUPE be in adjacent posts!

 

[Struner]

I’ll have another small Highland Park, thank you.

 

[D6130]

I’ll have another small Highland Park, thank you.

One of my favourites too. I'll have a double please....with a tiny drop of spring water at room temperature!

Haven't been on the Caledonian Sleeper yet, but a dram or two before turning-in will feature strongly on the post-dinner agenda.

 

[Facing Back]

Only on this thread could posts about what you put in Whisky, and the technicalities of TUPE be in adjacent posts!

It would seem the subject is versatile!

 

[Tezza1978]

Providing I get a seat in the lounge car Wednesday night I will post a whisky update!

The technicalities of TUPE - that's another matter! (although I should probably know a little more about it than the basics that I do - its not directly related to my job, but payroll/taxes is a chunk)

 

[Falcon1200]

I suspect you would get less grief setting fire to the train than putting ginger beer in single malt in Scotland.

When I first moved to Scotland, going out after work I would take lemonade with my whisky. I was very quickly, and with no chance of doubt, educated on the error of my ways....

 

[martyn.connoll]

One of my favourites too. I'll have a double please....with a tiny drop of spring water at room temperature!

Haven't been on the Caledonian Sleeper yet, but a dram or two before turning-in will feature strongly on the post-dinner agenda.

Unfortunately room temperature water is not available on the sleeper service. It's either freezing cold, or none at all !

Oh nope wait, sorry that is actually the showers.

 

[norbitonflyer]

I think it is standard practice for the 8 coach Inverness to be double headed, maybe the others. The smaller Aberdeen and Fort William portions get double headed when rail conditions are expected to be difficult iirc. The 73/9s are more for the ETH and get paired with any other loco if more power is needed, GBRF of course so 66/67 iirc. But I seem to recall the 73/9s get worked hard.

That was not the original intention. The Fort William and Aberdeen portions were supposed to be hauled by single 73s, and the Inverness (with its longer formation and bigger hills) by a pair. That's not how it has worked out - they are now essentially used as generator vans.

 

[BRX]

What in fact is the current arrangement? The Inverness portion seems to be consistently 73+66/67 and the Fort William similar - or just at certain times of year? Does the Aberdeen portion now run double headed too, and if so is that with a pair of 73s or also using a 66/67?

 

[najaB]

Does the Aberdeen portion now run double headed too, and if so is that with a pair of 73s or also using a 66/67?

When I have seen it recently it's been a single 73.

 

[Bill57p9]

The Fort William and Aberdeen portions seem to be running with just a 73 currently.
To be fair, the formations are slightly shorter this time of year.
The Aberdeen portion is almost always double headed in leaf fall season.

 

[BRX]

Does even a pair of 73/9s struggle with the Inverness portion then? As I understand it there are 6 73/9s so you'd think there'd at least be enough for one on the Aberdeen, one on FW, and two on Inverness.

 

[airantraigh]

When I have seen it recently it's been a single 73.

At least on RTT for tonight its showing as one 73, will update when it comes in

Edit- Aye
Quite chuffed w it all

 

[Bill57p9]

Does even a pair of 73/9s struggle with the Inverness portion then? As I understand it there are 6 73/9s so you'd think there'd at least be enough for one on the Aberdeen, one on FW, and two on Inverness.

IIRC that was the original intention however the 73/9s didn't seem to react well to long periods of high power running, hence the preference for additional traction. The 73/9s are still required as translators for the dellner couplings on the mk5s and possibly to keep the TMCS happy, hence additional rather than replacement traction. Obviously a 66 would need something to provide ETS too.

No doubt the 67s recently acquired by GBRf could in theory be fitted with Dellners and TMCS jumpers however no doubt the cost for just 2 locos combined with potential uncertainty arising from the Serco exit make this currently unappealing.

 

[Balders]

Does even a pair of 73/9s struggle with the Inverness portion then? As I understand it there are 6 73/9s so you'd think there'd at least be enough for one on the Aberdeen, one on FW, and two on Inverness.

Had a pair on 24th Feb on the Ed- Inverness portion.......970 and 971. They fair flew along. Quite impressed. The 67 is out of action with square wheels at the moment. 66303 is the current substitute with a 73.

Given the snow prediction for today there will be a potential for my journey up tonight to be somewhat longer than predicted!

Regards
Guy

 

[JModulo]

IIRC that was the original intention however the 73/9s didn't seem to react well to long periods of high power running, hence the preference for additional traction. The 73/9s are still required as translators for the dellner couplings on the mk5s and possibly to keep the TMCS happy, hence additional rather than replacement traction. Obviously a 66 would need something to provide ETS too.

No doubt the 67s recently acquired by GBRf could in theory be fitted with Dellners and TMCS jumpers however no doubt the cost for just 2 locos combined with potential uncertainty arising from the Serco exit make this currently unappealing.

The TCMS jumpers haven't been used for quite some time. Theres only one coach been modded (15004) with a new design of jumper and has completed a few trial runs.

 

[zero]

The lowlander is booked to use the rare route of Langloan Junction - Coatbridge Junction, in both directions, pretty much every day until around 19 May, I believe because of the Carstairs remodelling.

Unfortunately I am not able to travel on it during this period, however I noticed it also appears to be routed this way, from Glasgow to London only, on Sundays from 21 May to 18 June.

What is the reason for this and will it definitely use this route, as I want to book it on one of these nights.

 

[mcmad]

The Carstairs works continues at weekend only past the 19th, hence the continued diversions.

 

[route101]

The lowlander is booked to use the rare route of Langloan Junction - Coatbridge Junction, in both directions, pretty much every day until around 19 May, I believe because of the Carstairs remodelling.

Unfortunately I am not able to travel on it during this period, however I noticed it also appears to be routed this way, from Glasgow to London only, on Sundays from 21 May to 18 June.

What is the reason for this and will it definitely use this route, as I want to book it on one of these nights.

Sleeper going via Cumbernauld?3

 

[Tezza1978]

You’ll get some dinner, but no whiskeys. Plenty of Whisky available though ; I recommend the Bunnahabhain.

Took your advice @Bald Rick . It's really rather nice! Couple of these will/may take my mind off Spurs being knocked out of the Champions League!

Lounge car very quiet when I boarded at Dundee. First impressions very good, nice little lounge at Dundee, friendly and warm staff there and on the train, berth looks cosy!

 

[airantraigh]

Took your advice @Bald Rick . It's really rather nice! Couple of these will/may take my mind off Spurs being knocked out of the Champions League!

Lounge car very quiet when I boarded at Dundee. First impressions very good, nice little lounge at Dundee, friendly and warm staff there and on the train, berth looks cosy!

Hope you enjoy it, was lovely last night. I had the lounge at Leuchars to myself. The only grievances i had were caused by being woken up by what my disgruntled self regarded as aggressive shunting and a long wait in Edinburgh for the FW portion to catch up, and the toodle round west London, i think we passed the big depot at stonebridge park and waited somewhere near there for a wee while. Arrived into euston still well before the advertised time. Back up the cheapo way with Lumo

 

[jagardner1984]

Hope you enjoy it, was lovely last night. I had the lounge at Leuchars to myself. The only grievances i had were caused by being woken up by what my disgruntled self regarded as aggressive shunting and a long wait in Edinburgh for the FW portion to catch up, and the toodle round west London, i think we passed the big depot at stonebridge park and waited somewhere near there for a wee while. Arrived into euston still well before the advertised time. Back up the cheapo way with Lumo

Ah CS then Lumo, two extremes of the Anglo-Scottish travel experience !

 

[Bald Rick]

Took your advice @Bald Rick . It's really rather nice! Couple of these will/may take my mind off Spurs being knocked out of the Champions League!

Lounge car very quiet when I boarded at Dundee. First impressions very good, nice little lounge at Dundee, friendly and warm staff there and on the train, berth looks cosy!

Excellent choice!

 

[airantraigh]

Ah CS then Lumo, two extremes of the Anglo-Scottish travel experience !

Probably evens out to your average LNER return

 

[Intercity110]

won't HS2 make the CS all but pointless

 

[Bletchleyite]

won't HS2 make the CS all but pointless

Arguably if built in full it would the Lowlander, but not the Highlander, certainly not the Fort Bill and Inverness.

 

[najaB]

Arguably if built in full it would the Lowlander, but not the Highlander, certainly not the Fort Bill and Inverness.

And that's at least a decade years out from now in any case.

 

[jagardner1984]

And that's at least a decade years out from now in any case.

And at this point is anyone putting money on even that .....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64901985

 

[trebor79]

Arguably if built in full it would the Lowlander, but not the Highlander, certainly not the Fort Bill and Inverness.

If you read between the lines of the BBC report today, it's going to be an OOC to Birmingham white elephant.

 

[JamieL]

won't HS2 make the CS all but pointless

Considering that HS2 might only offer a 30 minute time dividend over the current arrangements (and that is being optimistic) - and that the Lowlander is normally fairly full - I doubt it will make any difference whatsoever to the demand for the CS.