Caledonian Sleeper

[Bletchleyite]

Although people also talk about going up to London.

You go "up town" in some places, or "up the city" in MK (quirky as it's not actually a city), though the latter makes some sense as all of MK is downhill from the centre. I've not heard about going "up to London" from somewhere substantially outside it myself.

 

[Speed43125]

You go "up town" in some places, or "up the city" in MK (quirky as it's not actually a city), though the latter makes some sense as all of MK is downhill from the centre. I've not heard about going "up to London" from somewhere substantially outside it myself.

Certainly in Scotland, travelling to virtually anyplace in England, including London, would more likely be referred to as 'going down south.'

 

[InOban]

And in most places you go, as Petula Clark sang, Down Town.

 

[paul1609]

You go "up town" in some places, or "up the city" in MK (quirky as it's not actually a city), though the latter makes some sense as all of MK is downhill from the centre. I've not heard about going "up to London" from somewhere substantially outside it myself.

In Kent and Sussex you go up to London, up to town is generally reserved for a local town.
DFL (down from London) is a generally derogatory term for a Londoner. DFLs generally say up to town (or the smoke) when they really mean up to London.
In the Dads Army theme tune, "Mr Brown goes up to town on the a21 but he comes home each evening and he's ready with his gun"

 

[Lancs]

In the Dads Army theme tune, "Mr Brown goes up to town on the a21 but he comes home each evening and he's ready with his gun"

8:21 - a train or bus, not an a-road...

 

[Bletchleyite]

8:21 - a train or bus, not an a-road...

It's also "off to town".

 

[Deafdoggie]

In the Dads Army theme tune, "Mr Brown goes up to town on the a21 but he comes home each evening and he's ready with his gun"

Watch it with subtitles
"Mr Brown goes off to town on the 8:21. But he comes home each evening and he's ready with his gun."

 

[GordonT]

It's also "off to town".

And almost certainly a train rather than a bus being depicted.

 

[paul1609]

I love the fact that we are word checking Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler on a thread about the Caledonian Sleeper.

 

[Bletchleyite]

And almost certainly a train rather than a bus being depicted.

Yep, the image I have is of a London commute, given where they are located.

 

[adrock1976]

As the last few threads have delved into mondegreens (misheard lyrics), I have started a thread in the General Discussion section at https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/mondegreens-misheard-lyrics.227432/

 

[6Z09]

We've had this issue before. In the outside world you go up North and down South.

I tend to use Northbound and Southbound, I wouldn't want to fall foul of the terminology " Police"

 

[norbitonflyer]

8:21 - a train or bus, not an a-road...

Although the A21 does go in the right direction - Hastings to London, when Dad's Army is set on the South Coast - petrol rationing would have made a car commute, particularly over that distance, a little unlikely.
Incidentally, the trains depicted in Dad's Army are all anachronistic for that area - they should have been 2BILs and 6PANs, not steam powered, inthe 1940s.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2022 ==

And in most places you go, as Petula Clark sang, Down Town.

Growing up in Lincoln, the commercial centre was clearly "down town", being 200 feet lower than the residential area around the cathedral.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2022 ==

Certainly in Scotland, travelling to virtually anyplace in England, including London, would more likely be referred to as 'going down south.'

I did a double-take when asked by a ticket clerk if I was "going south tonight" when buying a ticket to Glasgow in the early evening.

But then, I was in Inverness. (This was back in the days when there were overnight trains on the Highland Line)

 

[Gonzoiku]

I tend to use Northbound and Southbound, I wouldn't want to fall foul of the terminology " Police"

I trust you are not referring to Rail Forums users when using that disparaging term! The simple truth is that railway terminology was being used in a specialist railway context, and I could not understand the point being made. No police, no charges, not even a penalty fare.

But thanks to all for the diversionary route through Walmington-on-Sea.

GZ

 

[InOban]

Although the A21 does go in the right direction - Hastings to London, when Dad's Army is set on the South Coast - petrol rationing would have made a car commute, particularly over that distance, a little unlikely.
Incidentally, the trains depicted in Dad's Army are all anachronistic for that area - they should have been 2BILs and 6PANs, not steam powered, inthe 1940s.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2022 ==


Growing up in Lincoln, the commercial centre was clearly "down town", being 200 feet lower than the residential area around the cathedral.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2022 ==


I did a double-take when asked by a ticket clerk if I was "going south tonight" when buying a ticket to Glasgow in the early evening.

But then, I was in Inverness. (This was back in the days when there were overnight trains on the Highland Line)

It occurs to me that most settlements began around the river and spread uphill as the town grew. I go into town because I live at sea level, I
must ask friends who live on the surrounding hills what they say.

 

[philthetube]

It occurs to me that most settlements began around the river and spread uphill as the town grew. I go into town because I live at sea level, I
must ask friends who live on the surrounding hills what they say.

partly true but many built on hills because this was a good defensive position.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It appears from a Twitter thread (and their website) that CS no longer carries electric bicycles, for "risk assessment" reasons. Does anyone know the basis behind this, when the rest of the railway does carry them? Was there an incident of a battery fire, or is it to do with them being too heavy for whatever mountings they use that other trains don't? Or is it because of the more stringent fire regulations applying to Sleepers over day trains?

There is rather a Twitter furore on it because e-bikes are often used by people with disabilities to allow them the same access to cycling as the able-bodied.

 

[185143]

It appears from a Twitter thread (and their website) that CS no longer carries electric bicycles, for "risk assessment" reasons. Does anyone know the basis behind this, when the rest of the railway does carry them? Was there an incident of a battery fire, or is it to do with them being too heavy for whatever mountings they use that other trains don't? Or is it because of the more stringent fire regulations applying to Sleepers over day trains?

There is rather a Twitter furore on it because e-bikes are often used by people with disabilities to allow them the same access to cycling as the able-bodied.

Then I'd say what about the Night Riviera? I appreciate you're just speculating though, and I too would like to know the real reason. I suspect there's been an incident, possibly even something like someone heading to Fort William hasn't woken up to move their bike, it's gone to Aberdeen and gone missing.

And slightly off topic, but Lumo have just banned ALL non folding bikes.

 

[JonathanH]

And slightly off topic, but Lumo have just banned ALL non folding bikes.

For Lumo, that seems entirely reasonable given the maximisation of passenger space and limited facilities for luggage.

There is rather a Twitter furore on it because e-bikes are often used by people with disabilities to allow them the same access to cycling as the able-bodied.

The answer then is to ban all non-folding bikes. While there is some space for bikes it isn't that considerable. How much traffic would they actually lose if bikes weren't carried?

 

[adrock1976]

For Lumo, that seems entirely reasonable given the maximisation of passenger space and limited facilities for luggage.


The answer then is to ban all non-folding bikes. While there is some space for bikes it isn't that considerable. How much traffic would they actually lose if bikes weren't carried?

Don't forget that there are various mountain bike events and tournaments in Fort William, and some people use the sleeper train to get to/from there.

 

[Bletchleyite]

For Lumo, that seems entirely reasonable given the maximisation of passenger space and limited facilities for luggage.

I suspect that is indeed it for Lumo - they don't have the luggage racks in the "blank" seats like LNER and GWR do.

The answer then is to ban all non-folding bikes. While there is some space for bikes it isn't that considerable. How much traffic would they actually lose if bikes weren't carried?

At present, full size manual bikes are permitted but folding e-bikes not, if I read it right. E-bikes don't take more space than manual bikes.

CS wouldn't gain from banning bikes entirely as there is a sort-of traditional van area.

 

[najaB]

Does anyone know the basis behind this, when the rest of the railway does carry them? Was there an incident of a battery fire, or is it to do with them being too heavy for whatever mountings they use that other trains don't? Or is it because of the more stringent fire regulations applying to Sleepers over day trains?

I don't know the reason but suspect it's your latter suggestion. Someone probably asked a "What if?" question so they've imposed a moratorium on carriage until they have a satisfactory answer.

 

[mcmad]

Has there not been recent issues with batteries combusting spontaneously leading to a ban somewhere, TfL perhaps?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Has there not been recent issues with batteries combusting spontaneously leading to a ban somewhere, TfL perhaps?

Scooters, which tend to be cheap Chinese tat vs. e-bikes which are generally premium products. But it could be relevant, given the sensitivities over fire on sleeper trains.

 

[Steve Harris]

I don't know the reason but suspect it's your latter suggestion. Someone probably asked a "What if?" question so they've imposed a moratorium on carriage until they have a satisfactory answer.

I think they might already have the answer.
As reading post #12137 it looks to me a risk assessment has already been carried out and the result was a ban. But as the PR is rather badly worded (regarding "risk assessment ") it could mean the opposite, and there's a ban until a risk assessment has been carried out !

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think they might already have the answer.
As reading post #12137 it looks to me a risk assessment has already been carried out and the result was a ban. But as the PR is rather badly worded (regarding "risk assessment ") it could mean the opposite, and there's a ban until a risk assessment has been carried out !

There are a few risks they could pose, not only batteries but also weight if they're hung from a hook (are they?)

 

[4COR]

You go "up town" in some places, or "up the city" in MK (quirky as it's not actually a city), though the latter makes some sense as all of MK is downhill from the centre. I've not heard about going "up to London" from somewhere substantially outside it myself.

From anywhere in Britain, you go up/down to/from Cambridge and Oxford at the start/end of term. Getting "sent down" is a Very Bad Thing...

 

[erk]

In early October we travelled up from Inverness on the sleeper, with our bikes. We fell into conversationwith another group of cyclists, one of whom had an electric bike. They said this had been accepted "this time," but were told a ban on them was imminent.

There were six bikes on our service, which suggest that, sometimes at least, bike carriage brings useful patronage to the sleeper.

 

[alistairlees]

Maximum number of bikes on any service is 6. Three are on the floor, three are hung from the celing (and require a bike bag).

 

[popeter45]

Any idea on what would be the rule on an e-bike that had its battery removed?