Caledonian Sleeper discussion

haddock1000 · 13 Feb 2018

Long time lurker here,

Network Rail has just released its "Strategic Business Plan" for CP6 (2019-2024) https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/publications-resources/strategic-business-plan-2019-2024/
This contains a whole host of documents, most of them quite wordy. I was just skimming through the "Freight and National Passenger Operators Strategic Plan (https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/FNPO-Route-Strategic-Plan.pdf) when I came across the following tidbit on page 77:

Caledonian Sleepers are looking to expand into new markets including Oban and the Far North of Scotland with possible new intermediate markets between England and Scotland and providing its own dedicated lounges at key stations.

There's all sorts of other information in there, much of which is too long to quote. It seems that CS are in conversation with the Network Rail routes about moving to St. Pancras or King's Cross, for example.

RailUK Forums

pitdiver · 13 Feb 2018

If CS are thinking of moving to St Pancras does this mean that they would use the E* platforms. Maybe they are thinking that once we leave the EU and there is a vague possibility that Scotland will be come independent. you will need passport and immigration controls as they exist at STP.

TimboM · 13 Feb 2018

92038 on its way to Polmadie to try out its new Dellner couplings on some Mk5s...

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O68120/2018/02/13/advanced

43096 · 13 Feb 2018

pitdiver said:
If CS are thinking of moving to St Pancras does this mean that they would use the E* platforms. Maybe they are thinking that once we leave the EU and there is a vague possibility that Scotland will be come independent. you will need passport and immigration controls as they exist at STP.

If you actually read the link, the reason CS are looking at it is because of HS2 works at Euston. The vague notions of Scottish independence are an irrelevance.

swaldman · 14 Feb 2018

Once again looking at travel between Aberdeen and London, this time five months ahead (it's for July). The sleeper is £390 return. Do they start off with these prices at ticket release now, for Friday and Sunday nights? With fares like that, how can anybody justify not flying? For less than that money I could fly *and* get a luxury hotel for two nights... Who uses this service nowadays, aside from MPs?

Clansman · 14 Feb 2018

swaldman said:
Who uses this service nowadays, aside from MPs?

Staff.

47271 · 14 Feb 2018

swaldman said:
Once again looking at travel between Aberdeen and London, this time five months ahead (it's for July). The sleeper is £390 return. Do they start off with these prices at ticket release now, for Friday and Sunday nights? With fares like that, how can anybody justify not flying? For less than that money I could fly *and* get a luxury hotel for two nights... Who uses this service nowadays, aside from MPs?

Don't forget that a large part of their business is still regulars on Flexipass at £145 per single journey. That's good value if you're short of time and need to be in central London first thing. You're not going to fly and stay over for that money, but they don't need to push it much further and that'll be out of contention too.

Carlisle · 14 Feb 2018

pitdiver said:
If CS are thinking of moving to St Pancras does this mean that they would use the E* platforms. Maybe they are thinking that once we leave the EU and there is a vague possibility that Scotland will be come independent. you will need passport and immigration controls as they exist at STP.

Presumably your not really serious

pitdiver · 14 Feb 2018

In reply to both 43096 and Carlisle of course I am not being serious. But as a matter of interest would the Sleepers fit in at St Pancras?

swaldman · 14 Feb 2018

pitdiver said:
In reply to both 43096 and Carlisle of course I am not being serious. But as a matter of interest would the Sleepers fit in at St Pancras?

They'd fit in the Eurostar platforms

(which is not to say not the others - I don't know.)

GW43125 · 14 Feb 2018

swaldman said:
They'd fit in the Eurostar platforms

(which is not to say not the others - I don't know.)

The EMT platforms can just fit a double meridian I think so no hope of the beds getting in there.

SE platforms are also just enough for a double 395 so again not enough for the beds. It’d have to be the E* platforms. Is there any scope for cordoning off one island and using it as a domestic platform?

Failing that they may have to run 3/4 trains instead

captainbigun · 14 Feb 2018

Kings Cross not St Pancras. You can’t practically get to the ECML from either side at STp.

fgwrich · 14 Feb 2018

captainbigun said:
Kings Cross not St Pancras. You can’t practically get to the ECML from either side at STp.

Im not sure if you can cross over to the ECML link from the SouthEastern side but there is the single link available to the ECML from the Eurostar side - the route currently taken by the GB66s + withdrawn Eurostars sets. However, for practical reasons whether or not this may be useable for 2 Caley Sleeper services per night I don't know.

pitdiver · 14 Feb 2018

Retired staff with Priv Travel Facilities also use the sleeper service :lol:

Edinburgh2000 · 15 Feb 2018

Lowland sleeper still sitting in Waverley P11 at 0007.

Highlandspring · 15 Feb 2018

Wires down at Hest Bank, waiting to find out whether SLW over the down line is an option..

Edinburgh2000 · 15 Feb 2018

We're moving now! I take that as a good sign.

Edinburgh2000 · 15 Feb 2018

Just gone past Hest Bank at 10mph.

Edinburgh2000 · 15 Feb 2018

Arriving into Euston at 0730 after NR keeping us on the fast line and some 90mph running. Quite impressive. Lying in my stationary bed at Waverley I had thought today could be a write off. But well done NR and CS for a good recovery.

Mag_seven · 15 Feb 2018

On top of all this the northbound lowlander (1S26) appears to have failed just short of Carlisle station.

EDIT: Looks like the issue might be station congestion as its been suggested that a freight train may have failed in the station.

PaxVobiscum · 15 Feb 2018

According to RealTimeTrains 1S26 left Euston 67 late and ran roughly an hour late all the way up to Carlisle where it has stayed put. Wonder if the loco was a bit creaky from the start?

Highlandspring · 15 Feb 2018

PaxVobiscum said:
According to RealTimeTrains 1S26 left Euston 67 late and ran roughly an hour late all the way up to Carlisle where it has stayed put. Wonder if the loco was a bit creaky from the start?

Nothing wrong with the loco; the late start was due to the OLE issues at Hest Bank. The delay at Carlisle is down to 86610 and 86622 failing ahead of 1S26 on 4S88 1613 Felixstowe to Coatbridge.

TimboM · 15 Feb 2018

Highlandspring said:
nothing wrong with theloco; the late start was due to the OLE issues at Hest Bank. The delay at Carlisle is down to 86610 and 86622 failing on 4S88 1613 Felixstowe to Coatbridge failing ahead of 1S26.

4S88 just been dragged out of the way, so 1S26 should be able to get moving.

Any idea what 1Z32 was in P3 as that seemed to be blocking things too?

PaxVobiscum · 15 Feb 2018

Highlandspring said:
Nothing wrong with the loco; the late start was due to the OLE issues at Hest Bank. The delay at Carlisle is down to 86610 and 86622 failing ahead of 1S26 on 4S88 1613 Felixstowe to Coatbridge.

I humbly apologise to the forum and the locomotive for groundless speculation. :oops:

ScottDarg · 15 Feb 2018

TimboM said:
Any idea what 1Z32 was in P3 as that seemed to be blocking things too?

1Z32: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O68478/2018/02/15/advanced

cf111 · 15 Feb 2018

Is there something up with the lounge car on tonight's Inverness-Euston? Passed by as I was alighting from the Chieftain, the doors were marked out of use and it was in darkness.

Caleb2010 · 15 Feb 2018

Probably!!

Scotrail84 · 16 Feb 2018

cf111 said:
Is there something up with the lounge car on tonight's Inverness-Euston? Passed by as I was alighting from the Chieftain, the doors were marked out of use and it was in darkness.

No power due to an overspeeding MA.

PaxVobiscum · 16 Feb 2018

Locked out Lounge is lousy, but can’t be helped when there’s a fault like that.

Happened to me once when I was trying to impress the advantages of sleeper travel on my dear wife. The TM saved the day (OK, night) by finding a way of getting us a bottle of wine having previously advised getting food from M & S before it closed (too late for them to sell alcohol). Man of the match.

aar0 · 16 Feb 2018

swaldman said:
They'd fit in the Eurostar platforms

(which is not to say not the others - I don't know.)

I believe that the buffer end of the eurostar platforms have a weight limit that a 92 would breach - this came up when the Orient Express carriages had to be propelled in for that film advert.

Caledonian Sleeper discussion

Member

RailUK Forums

Member

Established Member

On Moderation

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Member

Forum Staff

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member