Makes sense. Thanks.
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Caledonian Sleeper
- Thread starter Essexman
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gordonjahn
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Train describer feed from NR Open Data says that yes, it went via the E&G (area_id ED corresponds to the CE prefix on the signalling diagram and from/to numbers match up with the signal ID numbers):
Highlandspring
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It went via the E&G. The problem was with 92043 causing an OLE trip, which blocked in the day coaches.
AberdeenBill
Member
Does anyone have any further update on this? CS still does not seem to appear as one of the TO participants on Seatfrog.
What dates are you looking at? If it's next month remember that the Festival and Fringe are on, and I think CS are still running with reduced capacity.
alistairlees
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The Caledonian Sleeper is very busy at the moment, with many trains and dates sold out in most (or all) classes.
I can see availability for London Euston to Averdeen and Glasgow, in different classes of accommodation, on many (but, of course, not all) dates. You will need to be more specific as to the dates that you see issues with.
There is indeed an issue with Flexipass cancellation at the moment, but this should be fixed soon.
I think it really is just sold out. Gosh! I'll keep checking back for cancellations I guess. Clearly need to plan my travel a bit further out...
Though just to check I was looking at Aberdeen to London on Friday 27th August. Weirdly there is availability from Edinburgh that night!
Though just to check I was looking at Aberdeen to London on Friday 27th August. Weirdly there is availability from Edinburgh that night!
Ashley Hill
Established Member
I was quite surprised to find this on the South Devon Railway this morning.
It must be a recent arrival as id heard no mention of it coming.
It must be a recent arrival as id heard no mention of it coming.
alistairlees
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Ah, ok, there is an issue with Aberdeen services on Fridays only from Friday 27th august to xmas. It should be fixed soon but not next week. Friday 27th august should become available next Saturday or Sunday though.
Thank you! CS just told me it was sold out, so I will hang on and see.
Highlandspring
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Just south of Killiecrankie, so closer to Pitlochry. Line open this morning with a 5mph ESR and watchman in place.
Steddenm
Member
Just noticed on the CIS at Crewe that the 2348 CS service to Wilderness has been cancelled and snowing as "empty to depot". Which depot will this then go to? Wembley?
RealTimeTrains shows the service starting at Inverkeithing for the Aberdeen portion too.
The up Aberdeen is running ECS to Edinburgh: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:42196/2021-07-12/detailed#allox_id=0
The original up Aberdeen was "cancelled due to an issue with the train crew":
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C83837/2021-07-12/detailed
The up Fort William and Inverness portions of the Highlander are progressing however the up Glasgow has been cancelled whilst the up Edinburgh portion is still in Waverley.
The down services have been cancelled.
The original up Aberdeen was "cancelled due to an issue with the train crew":
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C83837/2021-07-12/detailed
The up Fort William and Inverness portions of the Highlander are progressing however the up Glasgow has been cancelled whilst the up Edinburgh portion is still in Waverley.
The down services have been cancelled.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Not a good night for CS then
No, the southbound sleepers didn't run south of the Central Belt - eg Inverness and Fort William portions shown terminating at Edinburgh and the lowland sleeper never left Glasgow/ Edinburgh.
Stock running back empty to Aberdeen / Inverness / Fort William this morning.
From Twitter:
I took the Caledonian Sleeper for the first time last week. Would I do it again? Probably not at almost £500 for a double room one way. At that price, it was excessively functional, as we all know the dining car was still closed but to make matters worse, there was no room service which was only announced on boarding and having passed the barriers. Luckily, we had provisions, but there were many furious passengers and rightly so as there was plenty of time to communicate this in advance as the train was late.
As for the comfort levels, I perhaps stupidly expected a nice rocking soporific motion to send me off to sleep, but we rattled and vibrated our way up to Aberdeen at what felt like a very high speed (I know it wasn't) which made for a very fitful rest, nothing like the comfort of a ferry or even business class flight let alone a hotel. The breakfast was appalling too, I am sure I saw a coffee machine but we had DIY Nescafe.
Although I am glad I got to at least try it, as looking at all the strikes and cancellations of late it seems very sporadic.
As for the comfort levels, I perhaps stupidly expected a nice rocking soporific motion to send me off to sleep, but we rattled and vibrated our way up to Aberdeen at what felt like a very high speed (I know it wasn't) which made for a very fitful rest, nothing like the comfort of a ferry or even business class flight let alone a hotel. The breakfast was appalling too, I am sure I saw a coffee machine but we had DIY Nescafe.
Although I am glad I got to at least try it, as looking at all the strikes and cancellations of late it seems very sporadic.
I've not used the sleeper in a while, but I used to get a really good night's kip on the Mk3s.
AberdeenBill
Member
This is bad customer service. I would think that virtually everyone books online so CS have email and text details to give people the chance of finding out before boarding in addition to station announcements.
It used to be the case that a phone number was always taken at time of booking, even if at the station.
I got emails and SMS from CS relating to the changed departure times due to the ECML diversion, so it is very possible. But there were passengers on the platform who needed room service to keep them fed and watered (myself given the recalcitrance over the Dining Car, I did not trust them to do the basics!) All of which would be fine for a short hop, but to stop customers from eating and drinking for such a long stint felt inhumane. I get the impression that the staff made the decision on the spot.
There were numerous service updates in the Euston Avanti Lounge and none mentioned the lack of food and drink.
For the customers spending £500 it seems there are very few good nights. On the rare occasion it runs, there's no food, and warnings.
It's like the staff want it to close down.
Few of the problems affecting the service at the moment are the result of, or within the control of, the day to day operational staff.
Was there a fundamental reason the Southbound sleepers couldn’t have run given services appeared to have resumed to & from Euston before their booked arrival time ?
Presumably that could not be known with any certainty before the latest feasible departure time. Also if they'd run unbalanced workings then you'd need a VSTP ECS move to get the train and staff back into position for tonight, which would require additional drivers (or bumping a freight) and finding a spare path (or bumping a freight).
Falcon1200
Established Member
Presumably Euston's re-opening time was not known at the southbound Sleeper departure times ? And if the southbounds had run, but not the northbounds, all the stock would have ended up in London, with none in Scotland for tonight !
I think the staff on the ground are often even more bewildered than the passengers as to some of the decisions taken!
Those making those decisions apparently actively keep out of the way of "guests " leaving it to onboard staff to take the understandable grief from aforementioned "guests ".
Cancellations, landslips, flooding - of course. But not reopening the Club Car, or not announcing that there would be no room service in advance - yes, I do believe there is some sway held here by the team delivering the service.