Caledonian Sleeper

[cadder toad]

The southbound Highlander arrived at Euston at 1014 on Saturday morning, after, it seems, something happening with the Fort William portion.

On Saturday the wires appeared to be down at Caldercruix. I didn't know trains were reversed with passengers in them these days, as appears to be the solution in this case

 

[D6130]

On Saturday the wires appeared to be down at Caldercruix. I didn't know trains were reversed with passengers in them these days, as appears to be the solution in this case

Surely another loco would have to have been provided on the rear?

 

[JonathanH]

Surely another loco would have to have been provided on the rear?

An emergency situation with no other traffic in the vicinity might allow things which wouldn't happen in normal circumstances.

Looks like it took one minute to get from Airdrie to Drumgelloch in the first place, then, after a wait of over an hour, nearly an hour to get back to the point of reversal.


[Screenshot shows timings from passing Blairhill berth S176 at 00:21:07, to arrival at Drumgelloch at 00:29:17, then reversal at 02:17:06, passing Airdrie at 02:41:00, and arrival at the apparent reversal point between Blairhill and Coatbridge Sunnyside at 03:26:11]

 

[Speed43125]

On Saturday the wires appeared to be down at Caldercruix. I didn't know trains were reversed with passengers in them these days, as appears to be the solution in this case

I've personally witnessed a pair of 73s reversing the up Inverness portion (8* mk5) at Dunblane, when the Kippenross viaduct was closed due to high water levels. Certainly happens every so often.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Surely another loco would have to have been provided on the rear?

Nope. Propelled from Caldercruix to Blairhill. 7 miles or so.

 

[ajrm]

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, or indeed if its claptrap but is 37403's holiday to Craigentinny somehow sleeper cover related? Sure I read a suggestion to that end?
Again sorry if this is piffle!

Contingency cover during the recent strike by Hitachi maintenance at Craigentinny, in case a 73 burst and couldn't immediately be fixed.

 

[doc7austin]

Just one point I am trying to clarify with Scottish Rail Holdings.
The toilets in the sleeping cars often break down.
However, apparently there is a policy in place at Caledonian Sleeper that sleeping car guests are not allowed to use the toilets in the seating car.

 

[Blindtraveler]

More than likely because it's broken too. I don't do the seats now other than for where it operates as a day train but I've had more journeys on the new coaches with out of order facilities then working ones

 

[Kite159]

More than likely because it's broken too. I don't do the seats now other than for where it operates as a day train but I've had more journeys on the new coaches with out of order facilities then working ones

Likewise both times I've used the seats this year the toilet hasn't lasted the full length of the journey. First time it was working on departure from London but by the time the train reached Perth it had locked itself out of use. When I did Edinburgh it was out of order from the start at London.

 

[31160]

Just one point I am trying to clarify with Scottish Rail Holdings.
The toilets in the sleeping cars often break down.
However, apparently there is a policy in place at Caledonian Sleeper that sleeping car guests are not allowed to use the toilets in the seating car.

Best of luck enforcing that rule, I know when I used to do the seats in the mk5s the toilet was usually nackerd so I went up to the bed loos

 

[185143]

Best of luck enforcing that rule, I know when I used to do the seats in the mk5s the toilet was usually nackerd so I went up to the bed loos

I was on from Fort William one night and the bog was locked out. The TM explained this and told me where the next one was, and made it very clear I was more than welcome to pass through the club car to use it.

As I attempted to do so, the staff in there who were evidently unaware of the situation attempted to politely shoo me back to the seats. The TM very quickly stepped in and stopped them. I was the only seated passenger and was only going as far as Rannoch, and also didn't have a reservation so I can understand how the TM may have (intentionally or otherwise) not told the club car staff.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Contingency cover during the recent strike by Hitachi maintenance at Craigentinny, in case a 73 burst and couldn't immediately be fixed.

So how would that work? A 37/4 has an ETS rating of 30, a 73/9 has an ETS rating of 96.

 

[SuspectUsual]

So how would that work? A 37/4 has an ETS rating of 30, a 73/9 has an ETS rating of 96.

The 37 can power four carriages, it was trialled last year

 

[mcmad]

Would still need a 73/9 for coupling anyway

 

[norbitonflyer]

The 37 can power four carriages, it was trialled last year

Suggesting the 73's ETS rating is over-engineered, even for eight carriages?

Would the 37 need assistance, or could it provide sufficient traction as well as ETS?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Would still need a 73/9 for coupling anyway

Indeed

Suggesting the 73's ETS rating is over-engineered, even for eight carriages?

Would the 37 need assistance, or could it provide sufficient traction as well as ETS?

From memory the trial was 37 + dead 73 + 4 x mk5 up to Aberdeen and it was OK. I can't remember any more than that, but its probably somewhere a long way up this thread - maybe August / September last year

 

[ajrm]

The proof of concept from earlier this year was that a 37 hauling a dead 73 could still supply ETS via the 73 to the Mark 5 coaches (just 2 on this occasion because of engineering work IIRC). Blatant plug:

1Z72 at Grassy Beach, West Ferry

After musing that you now need to go to Portugal for haulage by EE traction on a scheduled service... here's 37403 piloting 73967 on 1Z72, the Aberdeen portion of the Caledonian Sleeper.

flic.kr

 

[mr_hobbles]

Hi everyone, a question - did a new liveried Caledonian Sleeper Class 67 ever haul the new Caledonian Sleeper Mk.5 cars? As far as I'm aware the 67's were replaced by the time the Mk.5's came into service, but (and my mind may be playing tricks on me) I swear I saw a photo of a Caledonian Sleeper 67 + Mk.5's at Fort William one time.

 

[LambicHedgehog]

Hi everyone, a question - did a new liveried Caledonian Sleeper Class 67 ever haul the new Caledonian Sleeper Mk.5 cars? As far as I'm aware the 67's were replaced by the time the Mk.5's came into service, but (and my mind may be playing tricks on me) I swear I saw a photo of a Caledonian Sleeper 67 + Mk.5's at Fort William one time.

I found a photo on flickr (not mine) of a CS-liveried 67004 hauling Mk 5 stock taken in April 2015, can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/56551...R-gwfqj9-EKswrZ-uer1wj-gwfjdw-2m36KnR-2gwQFs3

 

[mr_hobbles]

I found a photo on flickr (not mine) of a CS-liveried 67004 hauling Mk 5 stock taken in April 2015, can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/56551...R-gwfqj9-EKswrZ-uer1wj-gwfjdw-2m36KnR-2gwQFs3

I believe those are Mk.2 cars in the new livery (with Mk.3 cars in the old livery at the back). Also the Mk.5’s didn’t come into service until 2019!

However it’s a lovely picture regardless, thanks for the link.

 

[JonathanH]

Hi everyone, a question - did a new liveried Caledonian Sleeper Class 67 ever haul the new Caledonian Sleeper Mk.5 cars? As far as I'm aware the 67's were replaced by the time the Mk.5's came into service, but (and my mind may be playing tricks on me) I swear I saw a photo of a Caledonian Sleeper 67 + Mk.5's at Fort William one time.

Class 67s can't couple directly to Mark 5s as they don't have compatible couplers.

67023 hauled Mark 5s on Caledonian Sleeper services but with a class 73 as coupling adapter, and not painted in Caledonian Sleeper livery.

 

[mr_hobbles]

Class 67s can't couple directly to Mark 5s as they don't have compatible couplers.

67023 hauled Mark 5s on Caledonian Sleeper services but with a class 73 as coupling adapter, and not painted in Caledonian Sleeper livery.

I see, thanks! I guess my mind was playing tricks on me, or perhaps I saw a similar photo to the one posted where I mistook new liveried Mk.2's as the Mk.5 fleet.

 

[185143]

I was looking at booking Northbound this Sunday night. All portions in all accommodation shown as fully booked.

Are there issues with the website, as that does seem a tad unlikely?

 

[greatkingrat]

It's the start of half term (at least in some areas) so it is not very surprising.

 

[Mike395]

Yes, I think the consist, at least on the Highlander, is also slightly shorter still which won't be helping.

 

[popeter45]

Yes, I think the consist, at least on the Highlander, is also slightly shorter still which won't be helping.

lowlander too, 2 weeks ago both were 14 long rather than 16 from Euston

 

[3RDGEN]

The inevitable cracking was found recently on some of the fleet so they are presumably going to be short of coaches for a while; "https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/cracks-found-on-caledonian-sleeper-vehicles/65753.article".

UK: A National Incident Report issued on January 10 confirmed that hairline cracks have been found in the T slots of eight of 75 MkV coaches in the Caledonian Sleeper fleet at points where the yaw damper bracket joins the body of the vehicle.

Industry sources report that cracks have since been identified on a ninth vehicle.

The coaches with cracks have been stood down and will not re-enter traffic until suitable mitigation is in place.

The timing is unfortunate for CAF as these cracks have been discovered before the completion of the testing and validation of long-term mitigation, already underway, which involves a redesigned attachment method.

 

[enginedin]

All portions in all accommodation shown as fully booked

I've found the cabins are booked out several weeks in advance on many services - it's unusual to see the seats fully booked though

 

[BRX]

Last Sunday night, the seats to Inverness were near enough fully occupied.

 

[185143]

I've found the cabins are booked out several weeks in advance on many services - it's unusual to see the seats fully booked though

I was looking for seats ideally.

For them all to be booked on all four portions was what made me suspect something was amiss. Ah well.