The way such is done in continental europe is by staying in intermediary stations/sidings en route for hours (The Paris-Toulouse sleepers stays roughly 2-3h in Toulouse station sidings before dropping off and the onward carriages depart)
Ironically, the faster they run the better they ride....at 110 on a decent bit of rail they weren't too bad.
I guess the issue with this is occupying a platform at Euston for like 4 hours? I don't know enough about scheduling to know if this is really an issue at Euston mind, and in my experience the sleeper often arrives early to the point that I can't imagine it has a huge knock-on effect at that hour.
As long as the sleeper arrives before the rush hour a platform at Euston will be easy. Certainly easier I should imagine than finding somewhere for it to wait out of the way on the West Coast Mainline !. Perhaps Wembley Yard would be the only easy place ?.
Thats absolutely mental. Low speeds they're uncomfortable but a speeds the coaches will never run at and they're smooth operators.
Been known to stable at Exeter for a while as well at silly o'clock in the morning
Err....it doesn't run at 110 mph. The maximum permitted speed for a class 92 is 140 km/h (87 mph). If that speed were to be exceeded - especially by 23 mph - it would be recorded by the OTDR (On-train Data Recorder) and the driver would be subject to disciplinary action.
Can confirm the Monkey (and associated human) traveled on a seat using the ECML on the 19th and I definitely have a new found respect for the Azumas, it does seem they have alot of recovery time on the sleeper. Most of the night between booked staffing stops we were ahead, even getting into Inverness slightly early. I do think the turnaround for the lowlander is short but if I can get a good deal I will still partake in a room especially if I can can get a double.
The seats are absolutely dreadful aren't they.
What’s Robbie Williams doing in the seats? (Joke)
The use of the word "dreadful" has a certain ambiguity on a rail forum.
Yes, the user isn't saying that however. Just that they do ride better at higher speed. They were tested to 110mph during acceptance with class 90s.
Were they? How did they manage to couple up a 90 to them?
Drophead Dellner couplers on a pair of MK3 sleeper coaches as translators.
Ahh, every day is a school day.
The operators of the Riviera seem to primarily view it as a way for people who live in Cornwall to get to London and back.
Prices are off the scale for the CS, ridiculously overpriced for whats on offer. You're better travelling off season as they knock 25% off the fares in desperation to get folk on the train.
£19 at one point as well.
I fear that, when the rolling stock comes up for replacement, fares on the Riviera sleeper will rise to pay for the new sleeper stock required.
Yet it sells out well in advance. They're just charging what the market will pay.
Only in the summer months. They are heavily reliant on the tourist market and they shouldn't be exploiting themby rinsing them in my opinion. At this time of year sets are running about barely half full so its nowhere near selling out in advanced every night.
Just announced, all CS services cancelled Thursday night and Friday night
Finally they've done the right thing. Learned from that Blair Atholl carry on back on xmas eve.
All the northbound portions were fully booked this Friday evening when I looked yesterday.
Weekends are different, however I refuse to believe every Northbound service was fully booked in January, 7 days before pay day for many people. I suspect they closed the bookings with the incoming weather.
The GWR sleepers are more comfortable than the Mk5 sleepers too. GWR did a really high quality refurb on their stock and it really shows.The MK3 GWR sleeper stock looks much more stylish that what CS was offering, prior to the MK5s arriving.
And the award for the most pointless comment goes to...
Thats what Abellio wanted to do but they lost out to those absolute jokers called Serco who said they'd buy new trains. Terrible decision in the long run as you all know.
