Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[pitdiver]

I'm traveling in the middle of May so I expect it will be getting light reasonably early. Waking up at about 0730 hrs and having breakfast in the lounge car should be good. Hopefully not to busy travelling on a Tuesday and coming back Thursday night.

 

[alexf380]

Yikes, didn't think it would be sold out already. Thanks anyway though!

 

[route101]

I recall seeing elsewhere that it's sold out (currently)

It's going to be one of the ACLG locos - I know there's a few folk who'll be after a particular one, but I don't expect many will cancel depending on whether it's 87002 or 86101 (or 86401) doing it. Will still be a pretty special (unique?) trip with heritage traction on the front.

Class 86 o 87 from Queen St , something special that is !

 

[trainophile]

Yikes, didn't think it would be sold out already. Thanks anyway though!

It's Easter Sunday. (I expect you know that!)

 

[Kite159]

It's Easter Sunday. (I expect you know that!)

It might be the website being unable to see the service due to it going into Queen Street rather than Central

Try giving them a ring just in case this is the case.

 

[alexf380]

It's Easter Sunday. (I expect you know that!)

Aye, I did take that into consideration, however I'd have thought that most people would travel on Easter Monday to get home and ready for work/life resuming on the Tuesday. I shall phone them to double check though.

 

[ScottDarg]

North end tonight (as it stands):

1M11: 92043 (86101 on ECS)
1C11: 90049
1M16: 67018 & 92010
1B01: 73968
1B16: 73966

73969, 971 & 86401 at Craigentinny.
73967 & 970 at Brush.
47749 spare at Polmadie.

 

[GW43125]

92033 on 1S26 tonight, gen from a friend.

 

[ScottDarg]

92033 on 1S26 tonight, gen from a friend.

Thanks, 92018 on S25 I believe.

 

[TimboM]

It might be the website being unable to see the service due to it going into Queen Street rather than Central

Try giving them a ring just in case this is the case.

Short-formed train (Load 12 I think) on Easter weekend, from Queen St High Level, hauled by an 86 or 87... mega rare... it was sold out a good while ago!

 

[anti-pacer]

Just out of interest, from YouTube videos I've seen, people seem to film a lot of the trip when most people would be sleeping, quite often out of the door windows. Have any of you done this and seen the Sleeper passing in the opposite direction?

 

[Kite159]

Short-formed train (Load 12 I think) on Easter weekend, from Queen St High Level, hauled by an 86 or 87... mega rare... it was sold out a good while ago!

I better pack my big ear plugs then

(In case there is some idiots who decide to spend the journey talking loudly when drinking cheap lager instead of attempting sleep)

Cue the 86/87 getting replaced by a run of a mill 90 at the last moment

 

[TimboM]

Cue the 86/87 getting replaced by a run of a mill 90 at the last moment

The 90s are about a metre longer than the 86/87s. I believe it's really tight, so hopefully that makes all the difference!

 

[Scotrail84]

Just out of interest, from YouTube videos I've seen, people seem to film a lot of the trip when most people would be sleeping, quite often out of the door windows. Have any of you done this and seen the Sleeper passing in the opposite direction?

Surely nobody is daft enough to lean out the offside droplight window - or any droplight, at night, with very little or no warning of traffic heading in the opposite direction not to mention not being able to see any signal posts, OHL mast or vegetation that could give you a serious injury or worse. Plus if you get caught by the guard or a host you will be in bother.

 

[anti-pacer]

Surely nobody is daft enough to lean out the offside droplight window - or any droplight, at night, with very little or no warning of traffic heading in the opposite direction not to mention not being able to see any signal posts, OHL mast or vegetation that could give you a serious injury or worse. Plus if you get caught by the guard or a host you will be in bother.

You'd be surprised.

 

[TimboM]

Just out of interest, from YouTube videos I've seen, people seem to film a lot of the trip when most people would be sleeping, quite often out of the door windows. Have any of you done this and seen the Sleeper passing in the opposite direction?

Surely nobody is daft enough to lean out the offside droplight window - or any droplight, at night, with very little or no warning of traffic heading in the opposite direction not to mention not being able to see any signal posts, OHL mast or vegetation that could give you a serious injury or worse. Plus if you get caught by the guard or a host you will be in bother.

@Scotrail84 's fair point noted, there is this footage (from @BRX ) taken last summer during an ECML diversion where the ECS for the Lowlander (5M11 T'n'T 90042 and 92032) passing in the opposite direction as the Highlander (1M16) completes its journey with the drag-back from Wembley towards Euston courtesy of 87002 (at 13:48 in the video):

 

[Highlandspring]

If everything is running to time then M16/S25 pass each other between Lockerbie and Nethercleugh around 0245 and M11/S26 pass each other between Bamfurlong Junction and Wigan around 0320. Best viewed from miles away on CCF with a cup of tea, the heating on full and the lights dimmed.

 

[TimboM]

If everything is running to time then M16/S25 pass each other between Lockerbie and Nethercleugh around 0245 and M11/S26 pass each other between Bamfurlong Junction and Wigan around 0320. Best viewed from miles away on CCF with a cup of tea, the heating on full and the lights dimmed.

"Control Centre of the Future"?

 

[TimboM]

If everything is running to time then M16/S25 pass each other between Lockerbie and Nethercleugh around 0245 and M11/S26 pass each other between Bamfurlong Junction and Wigan around 0320. Best viewed from miles away on CCF with a cup of tea, the heating on full and the lights dimmed.

To complete the cross-overs, M16/S26 pass each other just south of Lancaster about 0405 and M11/S25 just south of Penrith about 0200.

 

[BRX]

Just out of interest, from YouTube videos I've seen, people seem to film a lot of the trip when most people would be sleeping, quite often out of the door windows. Have any of you done this and seen the Sleeper passing in the opposite direction?

Challenge accepted for my next trip.
Not sure the footage would be much more than a dark blurry mess though.
For those concerned about safety, when i film out of the windows at anything other than low speeds, its generally only the camera that's sticking out, rather than my head.

 

[nom de guerre]

"Control Centre of the Future"?

Yes...

 

[Highland37]

I was really impressed by the 73 from Tulloch to Corrour on Friday night. It pulled really well and sounded pretty good. Incredibly rattly though when in the station.

 

[GW43125]

It appears 92044 is doing the honours on 1S26 tonight.

 

[Scotrail84]

90 049 taking care of 1M11

92 033 on 1B26

 

[James James]

I'll be travelling on this just before easter, and similar to what some others have seen: I didn't get the berth selection screen (I was told "reservations automatically applied"), and I didn't get a meal booking option either. This could just be a busy train since its around easter. Price was a whopping GBP 240 but I luckily discovered I just scrape into eligibility for the 16-25 railcard which brought it down to GBP 160. Given that I'm on holiday, and would otherwise need a hotel + flight and a train, I can't really complain.

Doing a test booking on a different day closer to now, and I can select both a berth and meal...

(I got a first class ticket since that's the only option when travelling alone, and got given a berth right over the bogies, I was under the impression that that wasn't supposed to happen but oh well.)

 

[DeeGee]

I had an excellent time on the Highland on Friday night through to Inverness. Just enough room for me, and eight year old and a rucksack. Goodness knows how cramped it would be with two adults and related luggage. The boy slept really well, right through until the steward came through with our coffee/juice. I didn't sleep so well, though.

Just a question for those who know, I might be able to search, though. On the screens at Euston, BRINKLW appeared with the list of destinations. It also appears to be a stopping point on RTT. I'm aware there hasn't been a station at Brinklow for a good many years. What happens there?

 

[Scotrail84]

I had an excellent time on the Highland on Friday night through to Inverness. Just enough room for me, and eight year old and a rucksack. Goodness knows how cramped it would be with two adults and related luggage. The boy slept really well, right through until the steward came through with our coffee/juice. I didn't sleep so well, though.

Just a question for those who know, I might be able to search, though. On the screens at Euston, BRINKLW appeared with the list of destinations. It also appears to be a stopping point on RTT. I'm aware there hasn't been a station at Brinklow for a good many years. What happens there?

Glitch in the system but 1S25 is supposed to held before the jn to allow a pendolino to pass on the fast line.

 

[BRX]

I was really impressed by the 73 from Tulloch to Corrour on Friday night. It pulled really well and sounded pretty good. Incredibly rattly though when in the station.

I've found them to be disappointingly quiet compared to a 67! Almost to the extent you could tell me 3rd rail had been installed on the WHL and they run off that.

 

[87015]

Glitch in the system but 1S25 is supposed to held before the jn to allow a pendolino to pass on the fast line.

Looks like an error not a glitch, the stop is shown as open and not for operational reasons. Presume Serco/GB not bothered enough to get it changed as a three minute job!

 

[route101]

I've found them to be disappointingly quiet compared to a 67! Almost to the extent you could tell me 3rd rail had been installed on the WHL and they run off that.

I found them quiet too , cant remember what the distinguishable class 73 noise is