Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Plenty do, yes, it gives you a full day in the hills and a meal out before heading home.
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Caledonian Sleeper
- Thread starter Essexman
- Start date
Plenty do, yes, it gives you a full day in the hills and a meal out before heading home.
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VT 390
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Perhaps the sleeper could call there to pick up only northbound and set down only southbound.
Given the limited capacity of the train - 26 seats that can be sold at a higher unit price for through passengers from London (or even Edinburgh) picking up a handful of hill walkers from Airdrie and Coatbridge a few times a year isn't going to help the finances that much. Probably not a market worth going for.
The last time I collected my daughter off the sleeper at crianlarich there was a guy joining the train to get to Corrour to bag some hills. He lived in Bathgate! There are quite a few people who use the sleeper to access the hills for a day's fresh air.
Ive used the sleeper back to Glasgow from fw and quite a few got off too . useful to have a later train
47271
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I know at least one person who used to regularly get a very early train from Blairhill to connect with the sleeper for a day in the hills points north of Crianlarich. You'd have to be very dedicated and energetic to consider this in the first place, so to get on at Airdrie rather than Westerton (as it was in those days) would only be a tiny added incentive. Queen Street has got to be the best of all worlds as far as offering facilities for the change.
Although I'm still convinced that the Low Level platform at Queen Street is the coldest place in the world!
Although I'm still convinced that the Low Level platform at Queen Street is the coldest place in the world!
I know people who’ve done a day in the hills by sleeper from London, then sleeper back. I’m toying with doing it myself in the summer, after I’ve tried the new sleepers to see if I can actually sleep on them that is!
Higginsafcb
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I've done Crewe to Corrour for a day in the hills.
alex17595
Member
I went from Crewe to Corrour - Walked to Rannoch - Train to Fort William and Sleeper back to Crewe. Costs about £70 altogether.
Hipster Dashie
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Speaking of trying to sleep, anyone got any tips? Done three trips now and have a fourth booked (Euston to Fort William) plus I also have a booking on the GWR Night Riviera. Whilst I do love the sleeper, I've found I have a terrible time actually falling and staying asleep when the train is in motion. Didn't find the earplugs and eyemask much help. Anyone had any experience with something like Nytol?
Deepgreen
Established Member
I got back from Rannoch and Bridge of Orchy yesterday, having travelled outward from Euston by sleeper on Thursday evening, and back by day. It's a shame the new platform DMIs along the WHL do not show the CS workings, as some people do use it for short journeys. I also noticed several DMIs showing wrong direction trains - not impressive for such a simple service!
scotraildriver
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They do show the sleeper (or certainly should). The southbound tend to show the destination as Edinburgh though. Which screen were showing the wrong direction? Remember that some loops are reversed so the train calls at the opposite platform. The screens at Ardlui were wrong when installed but since fixed, where are the others?
BRX
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I'm fairly sure that I have noticed that CS services are not shown on the platform displays at at least some of the WHL stations. Have a feeling that when I boarded it southbound at Spean bridge last summer it wasn't showing at all.
cjp
Member
I did and very pleasant it was. Once around the loch then picked up a train to Fort William and had the loco that went off the rails pointed out to me. Nothing much to do in Fort William so went back to Corrour for pleasant evening meal and timed it so I went out to the platform in the dusk to be collected by the sleeper south. It was good to see the crew leaning out with their bright coloured lights so that I ended up just opposite the door to my coach.
I think that that was the trip the fire alarm went off at 3am.
VT 390
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Do many people use the Sleeper from WCML stations, Watford Junction, Crewe, Preston and Carlisle?
185143
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When I travelled recently, I was the only one boarding at Preston. Granted, the service had been cancelled and I was boarding the Lowlander so people may have abandoned their journey.
Higginsafcb
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On the times I gone from Crewe there has always been a good half dozen boarding
Last time I travelled on it in late October there were about 5-10 people boarding at Watford Junction on the Lowland - a colleague included!
Struner
Member
Not suitable for winter climbing (winter?, what winter) lol
& you need to book!
Not sure it’s open in winter. Didn’t need to book when we went (a weekend in early autumn), but it is advisable just in case.
Struner
Member
Friends told me it isn't. But the hostel is (unmanned tho)
Seen one person board at Carlisle for the seats . May of seen someone travel Glasgow to Carlisle on the seats once !
Has Lockerbie been served by the sleeper before ?
cjp
Member
Reopens 30th March - I never booked just me there and some local drinkers.
Their web site has aerial shots of the railway so worth a look https://www.corrour.co.uk/station-house/
cjp
Member
Estate workers was what I gathered from the conversation so pretty local
Deepgreen
Established Member
From memory, Ardlui and Crianlarich were not showing our sleeper train on the morning of 22 February. Our southbound day train (0907 from BoO) on 25 February was showing as a Mallaig train on the SB indicator at Crianlarich, and the NB DMI at Ardlui showed Glasgow QS. Incidentally (and maybe as a related issue), almost all trains on the WHL seem to disappear from RTT for huge stretches of the line at a time. Is the reason for this known?
My shot shows the NB arriving at Rannoch on 23 Feb. Not long for the Mk3s now.
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Ianmel1969
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- 18 Jan 2011
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Anybody know if you sit in the lounge car on the sofas and don't buy a drink you can be asked to leave? I was travelling last week on the Euston to Aberdeen when i was told by a particularly unwelcoming member of crew i had to buy a drink to stay in the lounge. Would have thought travelling first class i could at least sit in a comfortable chair for a little while rather than the pokey cabin!
BRX
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That doesn't seem right. See what their twitter people say...
James James
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- 29 Jan 2018
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A few drinks is (sadly) my tip. I've not done many sleeper journey's mind you - but for overnight flights it's the only thing that helps.
I also carry my own contoured eyemask (courtesy of United Airlines - I had a privately bought contoured eyemask, but the United one turned out to be better), and some blobby silicone earplugs, both of which are significantly better than the usual kit you get on planes and trains.