Edinburgh and Sleeper Questions

[NX]

I'm off to Scottland in a few weeks, my plan is to go vis the sleeper to Inverness for The Far North Line, then back to Edinburgh for the evening.

Is Weaverley open to the public 24hrs ? Or do the they shut up at a certain time?
I'm hoping to take some pictures of the sleeper attachments etc.

Also regards to the sleeper, are you permitted alight at Edinburgh and reboard when they are hocking and unlocking the portions ?

Cheers.
NX

 

[CallySleeper]

Edinburgh is not open 24 hours no. Opening hours are 4am (Sunday 6am) - 00.45; though if on time the full sleeper is still sat in Edinburgh (departure time for the Inverness portion is 04.15)

Can't say whether you'd be able to alight, sorry. Depends whether the doors are unlocked which they might be for seated Fort William passengers but not for the remainder. Doors will be locked during shunting anyway. When I last did the Fort William run you could get out, but I think this was after shunting had been completed. The Fort William portion boards at Edinburgh anyway.

e: IIRC Fort William seaters are in the Aberdeen portion in which case it's definitely unlikely you coach would be unlocked.

 

[scotraildriver]

Yes you can get off. The doors are unlocked on arrival to allow catering and crew change. Ive had my photo taken more times on the nightshift shunt than anywhere else!

 

[leightonbd]

A few years back I was told by Scotrail that it was permitted to alight (ie end your journey) from the Highland Sleeper at Edinburgh if you booked on the Fort William section.

Never ended up doing so but I've kept the thought. I find the Lowland departure a bit later than I would wish and would accept alighting at 4.30 am as a quid pro quo. Incidentally Serco say they are looking into earlier boarding.

 

[NX]

Would I be able stay on the station after closing ? I'm Railway staff.

NX

 

[185143]

A few years back I was told by Scotrail that it was permitted to alight (ie end your journey) from the Highland Sleeper at Edinburgh if you booked on the Fort William section.

Never ended up doing so but I've kept the thought. I find the Lowland departure a bit later than I would wish and would accept alighting at 4.30 am as a quid pro quo. Incidentally Serco say they are looking into earlier boarding.

that's good to see, I'm eventually going to do an ALR and wanting to catch the EC service that just stops at Newcastle and KX. There are no day trains that will get me to Edinburgh, so this would be the only option.

 

[scotraildriver]

Would I be able stay on the station after closing ? I'm Railway staff.

NX

No. Once the sleeper is coupled up the station is shut until 4. Network Rail are quite strict.

 

[FQ]

that's good to see, I'm eventually going to do an ALR and wanting to catch the EC service that just stops at Newcastle and KX. There are no day trains that will get me to Edinburgh, so this would be the only option.

Hotel it in Edinburgh?

It is a shame that Edinburgh station isn't open 24 7 as it would be much easier to get off the sleeper!

 

[CallySleeper]

The 19.50 Fort William - Ed is classed as a day train. Two sleeper coaches, a mk2 lounge car and a seated car for seaters and 'day' passengers. As is the reverse 04.50 ex Edinburgh.

 

[Hadders]

A couple of things based on my own experiences of using the sleeper at Edinburgh:

- If you travel to/from Fort William in the seated coach you have to change carriages at Edinburgh. Officially you're not allowed to start/finish short on the Highland Sleeper although I'm not sure how they could enforce you finishing short on the Fort William seats. Starting short would be harder because a steward checks you in.

- I've alighted at Edinburgh from the seated Fort William a couple of times before (at 0050 iirc). I wanted to exit via the Carlton Road exit but it was closed and I had to go via Waverley Bridge and walk round. From what I remember there's no way of closing the ramps from Waverley Bridge so the station is accessible 24/7 although I'd expect security to move you on if they found you loitering on the station.

 

[185143]

that's good to see, I'm eventually going to do an ALR and wanting to catch the EC service that just stops at Newcastle and KX. There are no day trains that will get me to Edinburgh, so this would be the only option.

Hotel it in Edinburgh?

It is a shame that Edinburgh station isn't open 24 7 as it would be much easier to get off the sleeper!

I'd much rather use the sleeper, I don't trust myself not to oversleep in a hotel!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Starting short would be harder because a steward checks you in.

And because if you don't arrive to board at your booked starting station, your bed might be given away to a walk-up passenger.

Possibly also true of the seats, but I'd assume standing is permitted between Fort William and Edinburgh when it is officially a day train?

Neil

 

[JonathanH]

that's good to see, I'm eventually going to do an ALR and wanting to catch the EC service that just stops at Newcastle and KX. There are no day trains that will get me to Edinburgh, so this would be the only option.

One other option - Late train to Glasgow - shuttle bus to Glasgow Airport, wait an hour or two, then back to Glasgow, then 0400 Megabus / Citylink coach from Glasgow to Edinburgh.

 

[Hadders]

Possibly also true of the seats, but I'd assume standing is permitted between Fort William and Edinburgh when it is officially a day train?

I've never been 'checked in' by a steward when doing the seats between Fort William and Edinburgh. Officially it's compulsory reservations but I've seen tickets purchased from the guard on board, particularly where passengers board at unstaffed stations.

I've done this train a couple of times in the height of summer and the seated carriage has never been anywhere near full.

It's a beautiful journey - especially in June when it's light till 11pm.

 

[Tony2215]

Sleepers arnt like they used to be. Once upon a time they used to run on Sundays and you could use the sleeper to travel between Crewe to Euston at 3.30am on a Sunday morning, it would even be an advertised service displayed on the monitor. Nowadays they evolve around set down only/pick up only which to me is pointless. Ive tried to board the Inverness train at Euston to return to Preston but I was turned down thanks to the pick up only rule, even though the train stops there.

 

[flymo]

that's good to see, I'm eventually going to do an ALR and wanting to catch the EC service that just stops at Newcastle and KX. There are no day trains that will get me to Edinburgh, so this would be the only option.

Bear in mind that the ALR will not be valid on this service beyond Newcastle as it arrives into KX before 10:00.

 

[LeylandLen]

Bear in mind that the ALR will not be valid on this service beyond Newcastle as it arrives into KX before 10:00.

Unless of course its on a Friday night/Sat morning when you are allowed to Kings Cross before 1000 ???

 

[theageofthetra]

From reading the above is it right you can just get the sleeper from Fort William to Edinburgh? I quite fancy doing that in late May/early June (pre midge season!) as it will be light for the whole journey.Is the fare the same as a 'normal' train (I have non protected Priv)

 

[CallySleeper]

From reading the above is it right you can just get the sleeper from Fort William to Edinburgh? I quite fancy doing that in late May/early June (pre midge season!) as it will be light for the whole journey.Is the fare the same as a 'normal' train (I have non protected Priv)

Yes, albeit in the seated car. Yes, including advance tickets. Would recommend to book/reserve seats in advance.

 

[Hadders]

From reading the above is it right you can just get the sleeper from Fort William to Edinburgh? I quite fancy doing that in late May/early June (pre midge season!) as it will be light for the whole journey.Is the fare the same as a 'normal' train (I have non protected Priv)

It's a normal train between Fort William and Edinburgh if you're in the seated coach (which is basically a declassified 1st class mark II coach with 2+1 seating).

Normal fares apply but you can normally get a cheap Advance which can reduce the cost (although you'll have to book an Advance via Scotrail because it's on a sleeper service and other TOC's can't sell tickets for it). As you have Priv a walk up fare is probably best anyway.

Technically it's compulsory reservations although in my experience I've never had a problem getting a seat, even in the height of summer.

 

[Scotrail84]

Hotel it in Edinburgh?

It is a shame that Edinburgh station isn't open 24 7 as it would be much easier to get off the sleeper!

Then every dosser in edinburgh would try to sleep/rest in the station.

 

[jopsuk]

There can't be much demand for a useable service from London arriving in Edinburgh at four-ish in the morning. After all, the actual Edinburgh sleeper arrives about 7am- a much more civilised time.

Even if there was demand, I reckon they'd still rather not have people alight at Edinburgh- it keeps the capacity reserved for stations further north

 

[QJ]

From reading the above is it right you can just get the sleeper from Fort William to Edinburgh? I quite fancy doing that in late May/early June (pre midge season!) as it will be light for the whole journey.Is the fare the same as a 'normal' train (I have non protected Priv)

It would appear from the ATOC Staff Travel restrictions booklet that the sleeper trains have restrictions for PRIV tickets that apply to the day carriages to the effect that PRIV tickets/ boxes are not valid. You will have to obtain PRIV sleeper berth or purchase a ticket in the seating accommodation that would be available to the general public to travel on the Scotrail sleepers.

Unless someone knows differently. Of course these restrictions have been advised by Scotrail so could all change once SERCO take over (I am expecting no PRIV rate tickets at all once that happens).

 

[D6975]

It's a normal train between Fort William and Edinburgh if you're in the seated coach (which is basically a declassified 1st class mark II coach with 2+1 seating).

Technically it's compulsory reservations although in my experience I've never had a problem getting a seat, even in the height of summer.

I think the compulsory reservation thing is only south of Edinburgh on the Fort Bill. It's not possible in the timetable format currently used to display compulsory reservations for part of a journey, only for the whole service.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Unless of course its on a Friday night/Sat morning when you are allowed to Kings Cross before 1000 ???

Slight problem with that.
It only runs M-F.

 

[Tony2215]

The highland arrival at Preston from North is 04:30ish and yet the station is open. How is it Preston can open its doors for 04.30 but Edinburgh cant?

 

[Hadders]

The highland arrival at Preston from North is 04:30ish and yet the station is open. How is it Preston can open its doors for 04.30 but Edinburgh cant?

Preston is open at 0430 because the Highland sleeper stops to set down passengers.

The Highland sleeper does not make a passenger call at Edinburgh - it just happens to split/divide in the station therefore the station does not need to be open.

(To be precise the seated portion to/from Fort William is a 'day' train which means you can officially board and alight from this carriage only - ie. you can depart Edinburgh at 0450 arriving Fort William at 0955; and you can leave Fort William at 1950 arriving Edinburgh at 0110)

 

[CallySleeper]

The highland arrival at Preston from North is 04:30ish and yet the station is open. How is it Preston can open its doors for 04.30 but Edinburgh cant?

Edinburgh is open at 4am, yet alighting from the sleeper is not publically permitted for the reasons listed by jopsuk.

 

[Bletchleyite]

(To be precise the seated portion to/from Fort William is a 'day' train which means you can officially board and alight from this carriage only - ie. you can depart Edinburgh at 0450 arriving Fort William at 0955; and you can leave Fort William at 1950 arriving Edinburgh at 0110)

And you may find that the doors are only unlocked on that coach (and the other seated coach for passengers to transfer) - when I did the Fort Bill a few months ago they used local door as required near enough throughout.

Neil