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Caledonian Sleeper

BRX

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Great footage there - you have captured the end of an era - the last rake of Mark 2/3 vehicles in normal timetabled passenger service at Euston.
Thanks.
Last timetabled mk 2/3 combination anywhere I think, in fact?
 
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paul1609

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Only about 1 or 2 coaches worth of punters on the Aberdeen s/b tonight out've 8 from what I could see! Once upon a time bargain berths would fill the rest!
Even in Bargain Berth Days you were lucky if there were double figures on the Fort William section in Winter and there weren't that many more on the Aberdeen section unless they all stayed away from the lounge car Northbound. The Glasgow section of the Lowlander hasn't loaded that well mid week since the West Coast Modernisation either. I've never been on the Inverness portion.
 

Bald Rick

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Even in Bargain Berth Days you were lucky if there were double figures on the Fort William section in Winter and there weren't that many more on the Aberdeen section unless they all stayed away from the lounge car Northbound. The Glasgow section of the Lowlander hasn't loaded that well mid week since the West Coast Modernisation either. I've never been on the Inverness portion.

I was on the Glasgow northbound a few Wednesdays ago, and it was full.
 

185143

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I was on the last Mk2/3 service last night from Aberdeen as I mentioned above. The seated coach was out of use due to a door being locked out and the lounge car had no power. I was upgraded to a room, which I got solo occupancy of.

In the morning I took the opportunity to get some pics-there was a member of staff sat in the lounge car, and someone else (I presume staff) sat in the very toasty seated coach. Otherwise they were completely empty. It was a shame the lounge was OOU though, a farewell party to the old stock would have been great. There was no food/drink service whatsoever, apparently breakfast was served to rooms in the morning but nothing for us that should have been in the seats.

We were allowed to sit in the lounge in the morning if we wished, arriving into Euston in the morning peak sat on a sofa was a bit odd! And the last time anyone will ever do it.

I've put some of the pictures on below, most won't upload due to the files being too large. If I find a workaround to that, I'll post the result.
 

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xotGD

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the very toasty seated coach
Quite a contrast from the night before!

You could try PhotoPad to make your photo file sizes smaller.

BTW, I assume that the Inverness portion is now 2 x 73 with the Mark 5s.
 

Alanko

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I saw a DRS 57 outside Polmadie today in place of the 92s I usually see there. The 92 usually corresponds, in livery at least, with the 92 that brings the sleeper into Waverley at 7:20 or so the same morning, so presumably the same machine takes the Glasgow portion of the train over?

Was the 57 on thunderbird duties today, making up for a poorly 92? Or was it a mere coincidence?
 

185143

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Quite a contrast from the night before!

You could try PhotoPad to make your photo file sizes smaller.

BTW, I assume that the Inverness portion is now 2 x 73 with the Mark 5s.
The team leader mentioned that it had been very cold in there, and was cold last night too until the heating suddenly started working again!
 

JonathanH

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It is possible that last night is the last ever time people get a free upgrade from the seats to a berth.
 

_toommm_

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I've put some of the pictures on below, most won't upload due to the files being too large. If I find a workaround to that, I'll post the result

If you've took the photos on your phone, take a screenshot and that'll reduce the file size a lot. As long as the photos are below 2MB each it should upload fine.
 
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I'm guessing the lack of news in this thread about mishaps on the new stock on the Highlander route is a sign that things are going well so far? *tentative thumbs up*
 

Bald Rick

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I'm guessing the lack of news in this thread about mishaps on the new stock on the Highlander route is a sign that things are going well so far? *tentative thumbs up*

Southbound highlander is currently 86L just south of Crewe. Seems to have been some sort of hold up at Preston - which looks like it also delayed the northbound lowlander. Also a further delay to the highlander between Preston and Wigan.
 

John Bishop

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I'm guessing the lack of news in this thread about mishaps on the new stock on the Highlander route is a sign that things are going well so far? *tentative thumbs up*


Was circa 50 late into Inverness yesterday morning. Heavy delay at Waverley presumably uncoupling the portions.
 

BRX

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Looks like both the northbound highlander portions are running ok this morning.
 

atillathehunn

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Looks like both the northbound highlander portions are running ok this morning.
The southbound has not faired so well. 15 mins late all the way from Aviemore to Preston where delays compounded and it's now about 90 late ish.
 

marks87

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The southbound has not faired so well. 15 mins late all the way from Aviemore to Preston where delays compounded and it's now about 90 late ish.

Power supply problems at Preston.

That was also the cause of the delay to the northbound lowlander.
 

BRX

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The southbound has not faired so well. 15 mins late all the way from Aviemore to Preston where delays compounded and it's now about 90 late ish.
15 mins would normally be recoverable. It seems the delays at preston weren't to do with the sleeper itself.
 

atillathehunn

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15 mins would normally be recoverable. It seems the delays at preston weren't to do with the sleeper itself.
Well it was a consistent 15 minutes late all the way from Aviemore, so not totally recoverable.
 

paul1609

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I was on the Glasgow northbound a few Wednesdays ago, and it was full.
Thats interesting, if its a regular occurrence it means the new stock is attracting new business at its premium prices. Up until the spring Id been using the Glasgow Portion fairly regularly for 2 to 3 years and in winter Tuesday Wednesday Nights northbound would have typically loaded to no more than 33 to 50%. Thurs/ Friday nights northbound would be busy/full. Northbound generally seems to be much busier than southbound (I haven't used the Southbound much as my circumstances meant it better to fly).
Since I retired in the spring Ive used Megabus!
 

BRX

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Well it was a consistent 15 minutes late all the way from Aviemore, so not totally recoverable.
I'm fairly sure that more than 15 mins can usually be made up between Preston and Euston if and when necessary.
 

paul1609

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Well it was a consistent 15 minutes late all the way from Aviemore, so not totally recoverable.
Is the Inverness portion that tightly timed? Ive been on a West Highland portion train with a 73/9 that was over an hour late departing Fort William due to rolling stock problems but had nearly pulled back 50 mins by Edinburgh and still managed an slightly early arrival at Euston!
 

87015

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I'm fairly sure that more than 15 mins can usually be made up between Preston and Euston if and when necessary.
Don’t forget it’s now 87mph limited 92s so even more likely to be regulated out the way - at least with 100mph traction it had a chance of staying on the fasts for longer, regularly being allowed to run via Weedon when late which didn’t happen today.
 

47271

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Is the Inverness portion that tightly timed? Ive been on a West Highland portion train with a 73/9 that was over an hour late departing Fort William due to rolling stock problems but had nearly pulled back 50 mins by Edinburgh and still managed an slightly early arrival at Euston!
There's a bit of slack south of Perth but very little north.

I heard there was some bother with the 73s on the southbound Inverness section last night but that's just local gossip.
 

mikey9

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Before departure last night - 1st Southbound Highlander - 73969 and 73967 in charge - lots of staff in and out the vehicles.
 

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Chrism20

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Well it was a consistent 15 minutes late all the way from Aviemore, so not totally recoverable.

Anything to do with 1H53 (1806 Glasgow-Inverness running 7L at Aviemore rather than an issue with the sleeper itself?

The sleeper is timed for a wait at Moy, I’m assuming it’s waiting on the late running clearing a single line.
 

atillathehunn

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Anything to do with 1H53 (1806 Glasgow-Inverness running 7L at Aviemore rather than an issue with the sleeper itself?

The sleeper is timed for a wait at Moy, I’m assuming it’s waiting on the late running clearing a single line.
I have no idea. I wrote this as an observation - it picked up a 15 minute delay, and then another larger delay at Preston. I don't make any pretense at identifying the cause. I made the same point again because someone said 15 minutes is recoverable and I highlighted that it ran with a 15 minute delay for a good several hundred miles, rather disproving the point. I do accept that in the old days it would have had a chance at making that up south of Preston, but no longer with slower locos.
 

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