Caledonian Sleeper

[JohnMcL7]

Yet members frequently come on this thread claiming the berth prices are too high, citing unsatisfied demand for cheaper ways of travelling by train overnight. For example entirely seated train journeys running late at night or early in the morning. Your experience that berths are approaching capacity despite their seemingly expensive fares while last-minute or budget-conscious passengers can still travel on the low cost seats suggests the sleeper model isn't quite so badly-pitched as some people imagine.

Bear in mind though that those high prices are still heavily subisidised.

And the prices for berths are too high for me not just the cost itself but the fact it's a rough night's sleep, there is some convenience with the sleeper if I'm going centre to centre but not nearly enough to offset the hassles. I'd really hoped for something between a seat and a berth on the new carriages with a more reasonable cost but of course didn't happen for a number of reasons, I can put up with a bad night if it's cheap but certainly not if if I have to pay much more for it.

 

[kjetilniki]

Am I reading this correctly?

The entire manifest of passengers for the evening may have fitted in one carriage?

I know it’s a quiet time of the year but if that is the case someone needs to seriously question what CS are playing at with regards to pricing.

I’m not saying sell the tickets for peanuts but perhaps promoting the quiet nights and selling the tickets (advance) at but less that £140 standard and £180 1st class might stimulate demand. Given that the service will presumably run with crew for the six carriages the only additional outlay will be cleaning and laundering. Flogging tickets at £100 and £140 would more than cover that and reduce the running costs for the night.

Bring back Scotrail and BargainBerths......

 

[JamieL]

Bear in mind though that those high prices are still heavily subisidised.

And the prices for berths are too high for me not just the cost itself but the fact it's a rough night's sleep, there is some convenience with the sleeper if I'm going centre to centre but not nearly enough to offset the hassles. I'd really hoped for something between a seat and a berth on the new carriages with a more reasonable cost but of course didn't happen for a number of reasons, I can put up with a bad night if it's cheap but certainly not if if I have to pay much more for it.

The railway as a whole is heavily subsidised and selected regional services often receive fare subsidy where there is a community benefit - so the CS is entirely consistent.

The point I believe Siemens was making, and which I wholeheartedly agree, is that there is no shortage of "advice" on this thread about how CS should change its business model - but the current arrangements are working well with the service successfully attracting tourist and professional trade. As such, there is no imperative to change at all. Moreover, the idea that CS shifts its model to attract customers who are reluctant to get off at final destination or are likely to overly demanding on host time, to the detriment of other passengers, is clearly counterproductive.

There are certainly things CS can improve but, on the whole, the current offering is fairly good.

 

[Turbo004]

I caught the Lowland sleeper last night (Sunday night) between London Euston and Glasgow Central mainly because the sleeper was going on an unusual freight line in the London Area.

We got delayed just South of Berwick upon Tweed coming to a stand for nearly two hours. Does anyone know the cause of the delay?

Thanks in advance.

 

[RGM654]

I caught the Lowland sleeper last night (Sunday night) between London Euston and Glasgow Central mainly because the sleeper was going on an unusual freight line in the London Area.

We got delayed just South of Berwick upon Tweed coming to a stand for nearly two hours. Does anyone know the cause of the delay?

Thanks in advance.

How did last night's route around north London differ from what the sleepers usually do when they go on the ECML?

 

[Turbo004]

How did last night's route around north London differ from what the sleepers usually do when they go on the ECML?

The train used Harlesden Junction - Kensal Green Junction before proceeding to Gospel Oak and then the North London Incline as unusual.

 

[Bald Rick]

I caught the Lowland sleeper last night (Sunday night) between London Euston and Glasgow Central mainly because the sleeper was going on an unusual freight line in the London Area.

We got delayed just South of Berwick upon Tweed coming to a stand for nearly two hours. Does anyone know the cause of the delay?

Thanks in advance.

Brake issues.

 

[Turbo004]

Brake issues.

Thanks Rick.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jun 2023 ==

Thanks Rick.

As a footnote despite being stopped for two hours near Berwick we arrived into Glasgow only 20 minutes late so no problem for me.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

As a footnote despite being stopped for two hours near Berwick we arrived into Glasgow only 20 minutes late so no problem for me.

I guess the 75 minute recess at Edinburgh Waverley helped with that?

I caught the Lowland sleeper last night (Sunday night) between London Euston and Glasgow Central mainly because the sleeper was going on an unusual freight line in the London Area.

Did you also need some of the unusual track between Edinburgh and Glasgow?

 

[Turbo004]

Yes the booked long recess at Edinburgh helped. Also between Edinburgh and Glasgow the train was booked to go via Coatbridge. However the train went via Carstairs which also helped gain time. I didn't mind as I've done the route via Coatbridge before.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Yes the booked long recess at Edinburgh helped. Also between Edinburgh and Glasgow the train was booked to go via Coatbridge. However the train went via Carstairs which also helped gain time. I didn't mind as I've done the route via Coatbridge before.

And via Carstairs you presumably traversed the 'new' chord.

 

[SandsofEss]

I just received an email from the Callie Sleeper team about their improved booking engine.

Looks like some very good improvements, including a much-needed calendar view.

A summary of the changes here.

 

[jagardner1984]

It is a big improvement.

A slight irritation of mine - and it is not exclusive to CS by any means. But surely it would make sense for the default on these booking engines to be 1 Adult travelling, which you can then add or subtract others as you wish. It feels like a bad bit of UI design !

Month view is a total game changer, though again the language is unhelpful "Fully booked in Classic" should surely be accompanied by "Seats Available, Club Available" or indeed "Travel via Edinburgh" on dates where Glasgow is sold out, and vice versa.

To be clear, I think its a BIG improvement, but still not sure why they can't sell Scotrail tickets to boost their sales even more - particularly as capacity is low and often other options will present only a minor inconvenience to the travel - e.g. Dalmuir and the Fort William is full, but plenty on the lowlander a few miles away .... Lots of travellers will click around to discover it, yes, but some won't and reach for another option instead ...

 

[55002]

Looks like 1S25 Highlander with 92010 on front, has a problem at Helpston, north of Peterborough, blocking 1N36 2205 KGX-YRK. 1D36 2235 KGX-LDS has gone slow line past it

 

[800001]

Looks like 1S25 Highlander with 92010 on front, has a problem at Helpston, north of Peterborough, blocking 1N36 2205 KGX-YRK. 1D36 2235 KGX-LDS has gone slow line past it

HABD alert on train, checked, no issue, on the move.

 

[Bill57p9]

What does HABD stand for? Hot Axle Box Device?

 

[Tormod]

HABD alert on train, checked, no issue, on the move.

Currently stuck outside Carrbridge...

 

[D6130]

What does HABD stand for? Hot Axle Box Device?

Hot Axle Box Detector.

 

[ld0595]

Currently stuck outside Carrbridge...

Scotrail reporting a track issue in the Carrbridge area.

 

[62484GlenLyon]

NRE reporting a landslip between Fort William and Crianlarich and the line is expected to be shut until end of tomorrow, 13/6. Tonight's 1B01 remains blank on RTT, neither showing cancelled or running.

 

[Bill57p9]

Hot Axle Box Detector.

Thanks
Every day is a school day

 

[jagardner1984]

An interesting question about the recent disruption to Fort William - if this was a more longstanding issue (I believe cancelled to the weekend and locked all the other services to try and fit in FTW passengers) - are the Mk5s cleared to Oban (or indeed any diversionary routes) and are there sufficient spares to form some kind of rake given the Fort William portion is stuck in … Fort William ?

Clearly they’ve decided not practical on this occasion - but if it was say a 6 week blockade ? Or could they terminate at Crianlarich ? Dundee seems an awfy long drive on a coach !

I note Oban happened relatively recently

The Oban Sleeper

Over the next three weekends, the overnight sleeper from London which would normally run to Fort William will instead run to Oban — travelling out Friday night from London and returning from Oban on Sunday night. It is a rare experiment, but let's hope it might presage the reintroduction of...

www.hiddeneurope.eu

(Pre Mk5, hence the question)

 

[InOban]

There are no facilities to service the vehicles in Oban. When it did visit Oban the set had to be hauled to an from Polmadie during the day.

 

[31160]

According to Caledonian sleeper the train is either showing cancelled or diverted to Dundee

 

[marks87]

According to Caledonian sleeper the train is either showing cancelled or diverted to Dundee

Dundee tends to be where Fort William passengers are diverted to when there's unexpected disruption. Which seems odd at first, but makes sense in terms of matching up those passengers with their part of the train (the full half-set ends up in Aberdeen).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Dundee tends to be where Fort William passengers are diverted to when there's unexpected disruption. Which seems odd at first, but makes sense in terms of matching up those passengers with their part of the train (the full half-set ends up in Aberdeen).

Presumably they've only got one set of FW coaches so every other day will have those and every other day won't? Worth trucking them out if the damage is such that it'll be weeks?

Are all the other portions fully booked? Seems odd to say it's cancelled with no overnight alternative otherwise.

 

[marks87]

Presumably they've only got one set of FW coaches so every other day will have those and every other day won't? Worth trucking them out if the damage is such that it'll be weeks?

Are all the other portions fully booked? Seems odd to say it's cancelled with no overnight alternative otherwise.

I suppose the alternating cancelled/Dundee is because only every other night will have a Fort William portion (to/from Aberdeen). Although seated passengers should still be able to travel, but maybe road transport only for them isn't worth it?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I suppose the alternating cancelled/Dundee is because only every other night will have a Fort William portion (to/from Aberdeen). Although seated passengers should still be able to travel, but maybe road transport only for them isn't worth it?

Yes, agreed, but does that mean all other portions are booked up? They don't seem to be offering CS to Glasgow thence SR as an option, only day trains.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

According to Caledonian sleeper the train is either showing cancelled or diverted to Dundee

Dundee has the advantage of a more civilised arrival time than e.g. Perth (and probably no capacity on the Inverness anyway which would also rule out Kingussie) although for pass at the south end of the WHL Glasgow would make much more sense.

 

[Gonzoiku]

Good points indeed, and it (with Perth) has the additional advantage of the route to and from the Fort being on a halfway decent, reasonably straight, and to a large extent dualled road. Hard to say the same about routes which appear to be closer.

GZ

PS Yes, it's the A9, but still....