That raises a completely different question: the Glasgow Queen Street stop north/west bound, is pick up only. But yes, it can and does happen.
What, if any, arrangements are made for affected pick up passengers is a good question.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Caledonian Sleeper
- Thread starter Essexman
- Start date
What, if any, arrangements are made for affected pick up passengers is a good question.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Cheshire Scot
Established Member
Maybe Dalmuir - although possibly not much in the way of overnight accomodation around there (could be wrong), or Dumbarton or Helensburgh? Or be prepared to get to Queen St in time to catch the 05.20 Oban if it is happening on the day.Sorry for dredging this one up again - but if one were to assume a reservation was in hand for 1Y11 off GLQ (Did check RTT and can see it stops to uplift Pax only) would there still be a risk of the late running divert by passing GLQ (I mean I get it, just trying to balance off where to overnight the night before with my kiddo thats not miles from the embarkation station)
Stops after GLQ would seem to be the risk averse option! 
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,331
I'd say being near Queen Street and keeping an eye on things is the best strategy. Is your journey time critical?
If so, be prepared to jump on the 05:20 Oban. If not, get the 08:23 and rake in the £££.
From experience down south, CS are very good at contacting passengers. So if it does divert, I'd expect a phone call. I got one when I was boarding at Crewe and the train got cancelled. They were going to book me a taxi to Preston to pick up the Lowlander, but Virgin beat them to it as I'd arrived early and got put on a Pendo up to Preston to wait for it.
But on the phone they explained what was being done for me, as did the onboard staff both on the Lowlander and, impressively, on the ScotRail HST approaching Inverness. That was my first time travelling with CS and they certainly handled it very well indeed! I was only in the Highlands for the day and they upgraded me to a room heading down to London. Very much appreciated that was!
If so, be prepared to jump on the 05:20 Oban. If not, get the 08:23 and rake in the £££.
From experience down south, CS are very good at contacting passengers. So if it does divert, I'd expect a phone call. I got one when I was boarding at Crewe and the train got cancelled. They were going to book me a taxi to Preston to pick up the Lowlander, but Virgin beat them to it as I'd arrived early and got put on a Pendo up to Preston to wait for it.
But on the phone they explained what was being done for me, as did the onboard staff both on the Lowlander and, impressively, on the ScotRail HST approaching Inverness. That was my first time travelling with CS and they certainly handled it very well indeed! I was only in the Highlands for the day and they upgraded me to a room heading down to London. Very much appreciated that was!
VT 390
Established Member
- Joined
- 7 Dec 2018
- Messages
- 1,730
Something I have not seen mentioned anywhere is that the Fort William and Inverness lounges have had a minor refurbishment with all new furniture with a slightly different interior layout. The Euston lounge has also had some of its furniture replaced. This must have happened in the last 3 months as my last sleeper journey in March still had the old lounge interiors. They also have many of the items from the online shop displayed in the lounges which can be purchased.
I find it strange there has been no mention of this anywhere as far as I can tell and the Caledonian Sleeper website still shows the old lounge photos with no mention of the refurbishment.
Some photos attached from my recent trip of the new lounge interiors:
I find it strange there has been no mention of this anywhere as far as I can tell and the Caledonian Sleeper website still shows the old lounge photos with no mention of the refurbishment.
Some photos attached from my recent trip of the new lounge interiors:
How long is it since that lounge opened?
VT 390
Established Member
- Joined
- 7 Dec 2018
- Messages
- 1,730
The London Euston lounge opened in October 2023, around 2 1/2 years ago.
The Fort William lounge opened in summer 2018 around 8 years ago.
I believe the Inverness lounge opened in spring 2015 but I only first used this one in 2022 so am unsure if the original interior had been in operation for the full 11 years.
jagardner1984
Member
- Joined
- 11 May 2008
- Messages
- 763
Obviously with the caveats that they operate one of the most complicated networks where a single point of failure can have a knock on for the entirety of the service that night, and sometimes the next one too, and with the caveat winters can be especially tough for the sleepers given the terrain covered, and that when running a fixed, small number of services, a delay to one of them can impact the statistics way more than the same delay to a single train on, say, LNER or AWC ...
But it does appear that year on year, punctuality was 8% down in the last set of numbers, and cancellations have tripled over the previous year, to 3.2% of all services ?
Certainly someone who uses and values the sleeper, however infrequently I can now afford it ... but given the "well heeled traveller" it has been seeking to attract (without going down the "hotel on wheels" rabbit hole) - I can't imagine a night at Camden Road was in many of their plans.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Hope everyone gets on the move and to somewhere near where they want to go soon !
But it does appear that year on year, punctuality was 8% down in the last set of numbers, and cancellations have tripled over the previous year, to 3.2% of all services ?
Certainly someone who uses and values the sleeper, however infrequently I can now afford it ... but given the "well heeled traveller" it has been seeking to attract (without going down the "hotel on wheels" rabbit hole) - I can't imagine a night at Camden Road was in many of their plans.
Realtime Trains | 1S25 2024 London Euston to Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William | 21/06/2026
Real-time train running information for 1S25 2024 departure from London Euston to Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William on 21/06/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Hope everyone gets on the move and to somewhere near where they want to go soon !
flymo
Established Member
Both 1S26 and 1S25 currently (0230) standing south of Stoke Tunnel, both heavily delayed. Traksy showed that there I14A berth codes on all 4 tracks near the south portal, is the tunnel closed for engineering? Going to be a long night for staff and customers. Still, the sun will be up soon.....
Both now on the move (0315) but severely delayed, 1S25 245L through Grantham, 1S26 175L.
(Edited to remove redundant link as they are now moving)
Both now on the move (0315) but severely delayed, 1S25 245L through Grantham, 1S26 175L.
(Edited to remove redundant link as they are now moving)
Last edited:
rower40
Member
- Joined
- 1 Jan 2008
- Messages
- 577
Northbound Highland Sleeper now at Newcastle, making it 250 mins late. That means the complex split at Edinburgh, normally between 0340 and 0420, will be right in the morning peak when platforms are scarce. Good luck to the Edinburgh signallers and station staff.
SuspectUsual
Established Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2018
- Messages
- 6,671
How many of the portions have been cancelled at Edinburgh?
DelW
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 5,935
RTT is showing Aberdeen as cancelled*, and Inverness as approaching Perth. It's not showing any information for Fort William, but oddly Traksy is showing a similar but erroneous code for a train still at Waverley.
The lowlander arrived just before 8am, so at least beat the first day train by a couple of hours.
*(Edit: the Aberdeen apparently diverted via Fife, so disappeared from RTT between Haymarket and Dundee).
Last edited:
None, 1A25 & 1S25 are on their way, 1Y11 seems about to depart.
Morayshire
Member
- Joined
- 6 Feb 2019
- Messages
- 299
Is the Aberdeen portion running? There was a signal fault between Dundee and Perth earlier with lines shut (supposed to be reopened now though).
flymo
Established Member
The lowlander was terminated at Edinburgh then empty to Polmadie (5B26). The Inverness portion is running, currently around Perth, the Aberdeen portion is near Dundee. No idea yet on the Ft William. Waiting for a driver ? Empty to somewhere ?
Edit: The Ft William portion is on the move. 295L
Last edited:
DelW
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 5,935
Not cancelled but diverted, it reappeared at Dundee at 0952, presumably because of the issue noted in #19,157.
Presumably it was originally planned to go via Stirling and Perth due to engineering works in Fife, however these works would have been completed by the time the delayed train left Edinburgh and therefore it could follow the normal (quicker) route.
Fort William portion caught a little time up by going via the Edinburgh Glasgow main line rather than Bathgate, however it has subsequently been delayed with pathing.
Departed Garelochhead 5 hours 19 minutes late.
I wonder what the lounge car offers on the lunchtime menu?
DelW
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 5,935
Yes, that sounds a likely explanation.
Does a fresh catering crew join at Waverley? If they're the same staff as have been on board since around 20:00 (or before) yesterday, the offering might be a bit limited
(Actually I think the Fort Bill lounge car starts at Waverley, so it probably is a fresh crew).
Cheshire Scot
Established Member
Or the crew work down from Fort William, have around 4 hours through the night in Edinburgh and work back north. An Edinburgh crew would have about nine hours in Fort William before working back.
No doubt someone on the forum will have first hand knwledge of how it works.
prasa
Member
When I've asked as a regular traveller have been told there is a mix of crewing on the the Fort William portion - mostly Fort William/London crew working all the way through from EUS-FTW and one or two support hosts that work some of the worst turns in the Caledonian Sleeper, FTW-EDI break and then EDI-FTW home (1845 book on/1015 book off) - that gets them lots of Rest Days.
Being delayed on a Sunday would have been a London crew working to Fort William, who should be coming home tonight - not sure how they managed it (unless there wasn't different crewing procedure's than normal as it went via the east coast).
Hats off to Caledonian Sleeper for running these services - many TOCs would have been tempted to cancel these services and send the carriages empty stock.
SuspectUsual
Established Member
- Joined
- 11 Jul 2018
- Messages
- 6,671
Anyome know what happened to the down Fort William this morning? Looking at RTT it was +2 at Rannoch but then +45 in Fort William, but there's no data for any intermediate point.
The only train heading south at that time is 1Y42, and they crossed at Rannoch as planned, so I can't see the delay being waiting for a crossing
Also the morning Jacobite was 42 late starting
Was the sleeper delayed between Fort William Junction and Fort William, thus delaying the Jacobite, or was it delayed further south and the Jacobite held to make a connection?
The only train heading south at that time is 1Y42, and they crossed at Rannoch as planned, so I can't see the delay being waiting for a crossing
Also the morning Jacobite was 42 late starting
Was the sleeper delayed between Fort William Junction and Fort William, thus delaying the Jacobite, or was it delayed further south and the Jacobite held to make a connection?
TheWierdOne
Member
Maybe 1Y42 reported something that had to be checked via a driver running slow?
voyagerdude220
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2005
- Messages
- 4,247
Down on Trust as Track Circuit Failure.
prasa
Member
Sad to report quite a few Caledonian sleeper carriages out of service due to poor or inoperable air conditioning - my journey got cancelled , full refund and ticket acceptance on LNER. Advised via call from the Guest Service Centre and SMS day prior to travel
Disappointing given these are new carriages Hope they demand money back from RBS/ the leasing company, surely this would be part of the outsourced maintenance agreement, but from the outside it never looks the TOCs hold them to account.
Have had to rebook for the following week
Disappointing given these are new carriages Hope they demand money back from RBS/ the leasing company, surely this would be part of the outsourced maintenance agreement, but from the outside it never looks the TOCs hold them to account.
Have had to rebook for the following week
One would think that a Spanish manufacturer would be good at getting the aircon reliable.
Depends whether it was spec'd to a certain level i suppose