Caledonian Sleeper

[A S Leib]

The Sleeper, including northbound (22:42) and southbound (06:20) Highlander calls at Birmingham International are now on RTT for December, but without tickets to / from BHI yet available on the Sleeper website.

 

[JonathanH]

The Sleeper, including northbound (22:42) and southbound (06:20) Highlander calls at Birmingham International are now on RTT for December, but without tickets to / from BHI yet available on the Sleeper website.

Around 17 minutes earlier from Edinburgh to allow that diversion, and not change the time at Euston. Northbound there was already slack before it reached Crewe.

The pathing from Stetchford to Birmingham International is quite critical, as a five minute delay on presenting at Stetchford would result in being behind a LNR stopping service through to Rugby and losing the fast path into Euston.

 

[SuspectUsual]

The pathing from Stetchford to Birmingham International is quite critical, as a five minute delay on presenting at Stetchford would result in being behind a LNR stopping service through to Rugby and losing the fast path into Euston.

If it was right behind the LNR it could overtake it at Coventry

 

[BRX]

A relative was on the highland sleeper a few days ago & told me the AC in the cabins wasn't working (apparently it was in the corridor so they spent the night with their doors propped open).

 

[voyagerdude220]

I've recently been looking into potentially booking a berth on the Caledonian Sleeper from Fort William- however, the Caledonian Sleeper website claims that no trains are running on several dates over the next few weeks.

Caledonian Sleeper state they will be running trains as normal, however, there is a "data feed issue" caused by Network Rail preventing them from offering their trains on quite a few dates. They have no estimation on how long it will take them to fix the fault.

I'm posting this just in case anyone else has encountered the same problem.

 

[InOban]

In case anyone is planning a trip between Christmas and New Year they're inserting a new bridge at Bowling (to give access to a large brownfield site) so there will be no WHL trains. Presumably a coach to Glasgow

 

[alistairlees]

I've recently been looking into potentially booking a berth on the Caledonian Sleeper from Fort William- however, the Caledonian Sleeper website claims that no trains are running on several dates over the next few weeks.

Caledonian Sleeper state they will be running trains as normal, however, there is a "data feed issue" caused by Network Rail preventing them from offering their trains on quite a few dates. They have no estimation on how long it will take them to fix the fault.

I'm posting this just in case anyone else has encountered the same problem.

The Network Rail data is broken, for Mondays to Thursdays only, for Fort William to London and Aberdeen to London (both southbound only), which means that the next 13 weeks are not available to book for those journeys / dates. Fridays and Sundays southbound for FTW and ABD to EUS are ok, as are Inverness to London on all dates southbound. Northbound is unaffected. Edinburgh and Glasgow are unaffected.

 

[JonathanH]

If it was right behind the LNR it could overtake it at Coventry

In which case it will have still lost its path by Rugby, which is fairly critical.

Caledonian Sleeper get round this to some extent by advertising an arrival time of 0800 instead of 0747, but from a practical perspective being put on the slow line at some point between Rugby and Euston may result in an arrival closer to 0830.

 

[voyagerdude220]

The Network Rail data is broken, for Mondays to Thursdays only, for Fort William to London and Aberdeen to London (both southbound only), which means that the next 13 weeks are not available to book for those journeys / dates. Fridays and Sundays southbound for FTW and ABD to EUS are ok, as are Inverness to London on all dates southbound. Northbound is unaffected. Edinburgh and Glasgow are unaffected.

Thanks for that. Any ideas how long it will take to fix? I don't (well can't practically) want to book northbound to Fort William if I can't book on the way back and have the risk of not being able to get back on the Sleeper.

 

[alistairlees]

Thanks for that. Any ideas how long it will take to fix? I don't (well can't practically) want to book northbound to Fort William if I can't book on the way back and have the risk of not being able to get back on the Sleeper.

It's in Network Rail's hands. I have no idea I'm afraid.

 

[voyagerdude220]

It's in Network Rail's hands. I have no idea I'm afraid.

No problem, thank you.

 

[BRX]

Looks like the Highlander portions got through ok this morning - but all cancelled in both directions tonight.

Travel Updates

Travel Updates | Caledonian Sleeper. View the latest travel updates, service alterations and planned engineering works for Caledonian Sleeper services.

www.sleeper.scot

 

[Class 466]

Looks like the Highlander portions got through ok this morning - but all cancelled in both directions tonight.

Travel Updates

Travel Updates | Caledonian Sleeper. View the latest travel updates, service alterations and planned engineering works for Caledonian Sleeper services.

www.sleeper.scot

Helpfully added an extra hour to the schedule at Euston on the lowlander in a classic Caledonian Sleeper attempt to cut down on Delay Repay... Be a shame if it ends up cancelled.

 

[RobertsN]

Maybe get off at Watford Junction instead... (and get to claim the Delay Repay...)

 

[enginedin]

I guess there's a reason the Lowland is much earlier when using the East Coast Mainline e.g. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C00463/2025-10-19/detailed (it normally leaves Euston at 23:30)

Is this always the case? Or will there be very specific reasons on those nights?

 

[styles]

I guess there's a reason the Lowland is much earlier when using the East Coast Mainline e.g. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C00463/2025-10-19/detailed (it normally leaves Euston at 23:30)

Is this always the case? Or will there be very specific reasons on those nights?

It's night, it's quiet, it can overtake freight. That's my guess anyway. I take the Edinburgh to London service for client meetings and am usually 30-60 minutes early into Euston, to the point that I actually rely on it being early for some transfers.

 

[enginedin]

It's night, it's quiet, it can overtake freight. That's my guess anyway. I take the Edinburgh to London service for client meetings and am usually 30-60 minutes early into Euston, to the point that I actually rely on it being early for some transfers.

ah, sorry, I mean why is it timetabled to leave 2 hours earlier?

 

[Western Gaffer]

If you look at the timings, it takes an hour and a quarter even to reach the ECML!

 

[BRX]

The Edinburgh portion was cancelled last night, apparently due to a "fault with the seating car".

I'm travelling to Fort William tonight though and there is even worse news - no hot drinks in the morning! The crucial coffee will be absent.

 

[62484GlenLyon]

I believe that it departs London earlier than normal in order to preserve the 07.30 arrival time in Glasgow.

 

[A S Leib]

I don't know if it's already been asked; now that Avanti training paths via Settle are in databases, will the Sleepers be diverted that way as well?

 

[JonathanH]

I don't know if it's already been asked; now that Avanti training paths via Settle are in databases, will the Sleepers be diverted that way as well?

It is much easier to divert sleepers via the East Coast than via Settle.

Inspection of the Caledonian Sleeper website shows earlier departures from Euston and no calls at Crewe during the relevant period.

 

[PG]

I don't know if it's already been asked; now that Avanti training paths via Settle are in databases, will the Sleepers be diverted that way as well?

The thing is what could provide both traction and hotel power for a load 16 other than a Class 92 which is of little use on an unelectrified route?

 

[MatthewHutton]

The thing is what could provide both traction and hotel power for a load 16 other than a Class 92 which is of little use on an unelectrified route?

They could I guess split the train at Leeds?

 

[D1511]

What's happened to the Highland sleeper this morning. It surprised me by rolling through MKC just now 139 late. It looks to have been 76 late into Edinburgh and then 167 late leaving!

 

[Caleb2010]

Signal problems at Abington apparently!

Our eta into Euston is just after 10.

Not the latest it’s been - we did sit at Edinburgh for some time.

 

[rower40]

In case anyone is planning a trip between Christmas and New Year they're inserting a new bridge at Bowling (to give access to a large brownfield site) so there will be no WHL trains. Presumably a coach to Glasgow

Well, you wouldn't want a Bowling Green Field site - someone might still be bowling there.

 

[DanielCF]

Apologies if this has been asked before (I'm sure it has but can't find a specific answer).

I'm thinking of taking the CS back to Glasgow, getting in the morning, and going to work that day. I'm not sure I want to splash £200 on a bed, but the seated option looks good value. Is it actually comfortable enough to sleep in? Some previous comments refer to it being too cold which is music to my ears (can always put on an extra layer, and hot weather is nightmare for me). The seats recline 10 degrees, which doesn't sound like a lot to me, but still sounds better than the Avanti ones!

 

[Tester]

Apologies if this has been asked before (I'm sure it has but can't find a specific answer).

I'm thinking of taking the CS back to Glasgow, getting in the morning, and going to work that day. I'm not sure I want to splash £200 on a bed, but the seated option looks good value. Is it actually comfortable enough to sleep in? Some previous comments refer to it being too cold which is music to my ears (can always put on an extra layer, and hot weather is nightmare for me). The seats recline 10 degrees, which doesn't sound like a lot to me, but still sounds better than the Avanti ones!

Sample of one, but I can do it fine.

 

[BRX]

There's so much variability in what people are happy to sleep in, that I don't know if it's really possible to get a useful answer to that question. For me personally, there's no way I'd want to attempt doing a proper day's work after spending a night in the seats. But I'm not a great sleeper and usually feel a bit wrecked after a night on the sleeper even in a bed. So I generally don't do it if I've got to do something demanding or important the next day.

Last time i did the mk5 seats, the main issue was the lighting (pretty bright all night). It may have improved since then.