Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[smudga331]

What actually was the problem, the last time it never got further than Crewe?

It appears to be the third carriage from the front, possibly and air line/brake problem. The carriage now appears to be being shunted into either platform 9 or 10 at Crewe. I assume after this the loco and two remaining coaches will reattach and continue its journey.

 

[Scotrail84]

looks as thought 1S25 is having problems again. 82 Late into Crewe and lots of people in Orange Hi-viz's sniffing around the tracks with torches.

Edit: Appears to be some shunting occurring as the Class 90 has just pulled forward with just 4 mk3's attached leaving the remainder in the platform.

Just done the same again with only 3 Mk3's.

That's not correct. It drew forward with 3X mk3s then set back on top again due to track circuit failures preventing a shunt over into the number ten bay platform. Second time was so that s and t could come out and clamp points to allow the move to take place. A defective coach was then detached and left in platform ten allowing the train to continue 218 late from Crewe.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Poor sods from said coach being woken and bundled off at 2am. Iether that or they aint gunna wake up where they planned!

 

[38Cto15E]

I thought that things had been a bit quiet regarding the Caledonian Sleeper just lately.
1Y11 to Fort William is looking like a 1335 hours arrival into Fort William.

 

[Scotrail84]

Poor sods from said coach being woken and bundled off at 2am. Iether that or they aint gunna wake up where they planned!

Yes they will. Just a bit later than planned

 

[47271]

Inverness section cancelled at Perth at 0930 for want of a guard and everyone loaded onto following Scotrail service, that will have been well filled I imagine.

 

[37038]

The track circuit issue added to the delay but the incident report given for 75 minutes of the delay (between Weedon and Rugby) was due to "a smouldering microwave"

 

[Blindtraveler]

That Scotrail unit is almost always full with its regular load anyway and is of course a 3 car 170. Im v glad I was nowhere near that one.

 

[Scotrail84]

The track circuit issue added to the delay but the incident report given for 75 minutes of the delay (between Weedon and Rugby) was due to "a smouldering microwave"

I can assure you there was more to it than a smouldering microwave.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Inverness section cancelled at Perth at 0930 for want of a guard and everyone loaded onto following Scotrail service, that will have been well filled I imagine.

That's correct. Aberdeen and ft William portions ran straight through to their destinations.

 

[LeylandLen]

So whats going to happen to the defective coach which is in platform 10 at Crewe? Surely if it was usable it would be attached to another sleeper service. I assume therefore it will need repairing and checked inspected for safety.. Can it be done at Crewe , or will it have to be moved by road?

 

[Scotrail84]

So whats going

In regards to what?

 

[cf111]

So whats going to happen to the defective coach which is in platform 10 at Crewe? Surely if it was usable it would be attached to another sleeper service. I assume therefore it will need repairing and checked inspected for safety.. Can it be done at Crewe , or will it have to be moved by road?

If it can't be made safe and moved by rail it will be moved by road to Polmadie to be fixed.

 

[reb0118]

If it can't be made safe and moved by rail it will be moved by road to Polmadie to be fixed.

Probably easier just to torch it in situ. [emoji6]

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

[Scotrail84]

So whats going to happen to the defective coach which is in platform 10 at Crewe? Surely if it was usable it would be attached to another sleeper service. I assume therefore it will need repairing and checked inspected for safety.. Can it be done at Crewe , or will it have to be moved by road?

It can run no problem, just can't have and power to it so it needs to be dragged back up the road by a loco.

 

[paul1609]

Yes they will. Just a bit later than planned

My records are waking up in a Goods loop somewhere on the outskirts of the Lake District when I should have been in Edinburgh and waking up in Garelochead when I was expecting to be passing Watford Junction.

 

[TimboM]

I've been on the sleeper twice in (fairly) recent times. Both times hauled by a Class 92 (pre "modifications") and both times arrived in London early with no problems. I feel like I'm missing out. Waking up in a goods loop in the Lakes sounds far more entertaining!!

 

[47271]

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=118901

Sorry to bring this one up again, but it is a classic of its type.

CS have got their act together quite a bit since this happened, but if you're looking for an 'entertaining' account of unforgettable trip on the sleeper, read on...

 

[TimboM]

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=118901

Sorry to bring this one up again, but it is a classic of its type.

CS have got their act together quite a bit since this happened, but if you're looking for an 'entertaining' account of unforgettable trip on the sleeper, read on...

Now that IS entertaining!!

 

[Essexman]

I was on the sleeper from Edinburgh last night. We arrived in Euston at 6.30 and the steward said the train has been arriving very early most days recently. Normally I find that they tend to arrive almost on the dot of the scheduled time. Personally I'd prefer it not to be early as I like my sleep!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I’m invariably woken at Carstairs or Edinburgh by shunting on the sleeper. It seems to be done with a lot of banging and bumping. My recollection from days gone by of locomotives backing onto trains, or coaches being added, was that you could just feel a bump but not the lurch that seems to happen on the sleeper. Is my recollection wrong, do shunters use less care on the sleeper, or is there another reason for all the bumping and banging?

 

[JonathanH]

I was on the sleeper from Edinburgh last night. We arrived in Euston at 6.30 and the steward said the train has been arriving very early most days recently. Normally I find that they tend to arrive almost on the dot of the scheduled time. Personally I'd prefer it not to be early as I like my sleep!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I’m invariably woken at Carstairs or Edinburgh by shunting on the sleeper. It seems to be done with a lot of banging and bumping. My recollection from days gone by of locomotives backing onto trains, or coaches being added, was that you could just feel a bump but not the lurch that seems to happen on the sleeper. Is my recollection wrong, do shunters use less care on the sleeper, or is there another reason for all the bumping and banging?

If you look at the timings, the lowland sleeper should arrive early if the fast lines are open all the way from Crewe. If it goes via Northampton or there are other closures of the fast line, it tends to arrive closer to the advertised time just after 0700 as it gets caught up in the early London Midland traffic.

The Highland sleeper is much more tightly timed and, assuming it is on time, isn't going to get to Euston much before its booked time of 0747. If it is late, it may end up on the slow line into Euston as it basically preceeds the ramping up of the Pendolino timetable to the VHF frequency for the day.

 

[BRX]

I’m invariably woken at Carstairs or Edinburgh by shunting on the sleeper. It seems to be done with a lot of banging and bumping. My recollection from days gone by of locomotives backing onto trains, or coaches being added, was that you could just feel a bump but not the lurch that seems to happen on the sleeper. Is my recollection wrong, do shunters use less care on the sleeper, or is there another reason for all the bumping and banging?

I've noted this too and wondered if it's the result of the careful driving/shunting of loco-hauled passenger trains becoming a bit of a dying art, as there are so few of them left now.

 

[ShortShovel]

Inverness this afternoon

 

[Bungle965]

Inverness this afternoon View attachment 28093

That is normal, as there is currently a shortage of available refurbished 73s and as they are needed in pairs to work that line (due to the steep gradients) the 66 are there in the short term to provide adequate power.
Sam

 

[gsnedders]

That is normal, as there is currently a shortage of available refurbished 73s and as they are needed in pairs to work that line (due to the steep gradients) the 66 are there in the short term to provide adequate power.
Sam

The 66 doesn't have any ETS, does it? Given AFAIK they can't work in multiple, I presume the 73 is just there for ETS?

 

[BRX]

Is a pair of 73s the long term plan for fort william too, or just as a backup measure in case of failures, for now? Only ever 4 or 5 coaches on that portion.

 

[Bungle965]

The 66 doesn't have any ETS, does it? Given AFAIK they can't work in multiple, I presume the 73 is just there for ETS?

Yes the 73 is solely there for ETS at the minute.
Sam

 

[captainbigun]

They run in multi. The 73 also provides traction.

 

[Clansman]

How come 66705 was on the Aberdeen portion (Southbound) on August 14th when I was on, if the dual units are specifically for both Highland lines? Unless the 73s are supposed to run dual to Aberdeen also?
What loco was on the Edinburgh to London section of the Highland sleeper on the night of 14th August (to the morning of 15th) just for curiosity?

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes the 73 is solely there for ETS at the minute.
Sam

The return of ETHEL?!

 

[Johnuk123]

I've noted this too and wondered if it's the result of the careful driving/shunting of loco-hauled passenger trains becoming a bit of a dying art, as there are so few of them left now.

If a driver can't shunt properly and carefully then he shouldn't be driving at all as he's incompetent.