Caledonian Sleeper

cambsy · 10 Mar 2019

I do the Caledonian sleeper when on a 7 day 1st Class All Line Rover, normally 5-6 nights in a row, after very busy long week at work and being tired at start of last rover I slept every night pretty much 5-6 hours, tended have quick bit of food then off to bed, then out like a light for good few hours sleep, I’m looking forward to trying out the new Mk 5’s when do another ALR in the autumn when can try out various new stock in First Class, though not sure with rumoured cost how many can afford do in a week, if want single occupancy cabin.

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James James · 10 Mar 2019

VT 390 said:
On the Highland sleeper I believe you can board from 20:30, after what time can you have an evening meal on board is it at this time or when the train departs?

At London end, you can eat as soon as boarding starts.

In fact I'd recommend running to the lounge as early as possible since you'll be hard pressed to get a seat otherwise.

cjp · 10 Mar 2019

James James said:
At London end, you can eat as soon as boarding starts.

In fact I'd recommend running to the lounge as early as possible since you'll be hard pressed to get a seat otherwise.

FWIW
On Monday I spent a long as possible in the Virgin lounge drinking free drinks and eating nibbles and when we boarded the lounge was not one with sofas just tables and there was tons of room so I sat and drank my hot chocolate before going to bed and to sleep.
Sleeper hot chocolate and biscuit £2.70
Virgin First Class Lounge hot chocolate & biscuits £free

The train was lightly loaded.

MrEd · 10 Mar 2019

James James said:
At London end, you can eat as soon as boarding starts.

In fact I'd recommend running to the lounge as early as possible since you'll be hard pressed to get a seat otherwise.

That’s a very good idea if you’re on the northbound Highlander out of Euston, particularly on a Thursday or Friday night (or any night of the week in peak tourist season). Although you may not get your meal served to you until after departure (different crews work in different ways, but generally they serve everyone with drinks first, then start serving the cooked meals), you should bag your seat and place your order as soon after boarding starts as possible, that’s the best way of making sure that you get what you want to eat in the lounge.

Cloud Strife · 10 Mar 2019

185143 said:
Try being awake for 22 hours, a lot of alcohol, only boarding the train at 03:50 and lying across 2 seats. Worked a treat for me!

Been there, done that as a student travelling from Aberdeen. I took a huge stash of booze (beer, vodka and cranberry juice) onto the train with the intention of getting drunk, I met some random girl who was sitting near me and offered to share my booze with her. It was February, only one other person apart from us was travelling in the seated coach and he had headphones in, so we got blind drunk. Time flew, and I had no problems getting to sleep at 2am!

The funniest thing as I recall was the seater coach attendant telling me that he had no problems with us getting wrecked, but if we would be kind enough not to vomit anywhere but in the toilet, he would be grateful.

Sometimes I wonder why Scots have a reputation for alcohol abuse...

47271 · 10 Mar 2019

I see that sleeper car stop signs have appeared on some stations as 'ZZ Car Stop'. Very amusing.

At least I think they're aimed at the sleeper?

Scotrail84 · 10 Mar 2019

47271 said:
I see that sleeper car stop signs have appeared on some stations as 'ZZ Car Stop'. Very amusing.

At least I think they're aimed at the sleeper?

They are and have been in place for months now at stations South of Edinburgh, unsure about North of Edinburgh though.

47271 · 10 Mar 2019

Scotrail84 said:
They are and have been in place for months now at stations South of Edinburgh, unsure about North of Edinburgh though.

I might not have been looking properly before, but I think that they must be relatively new on the Highland Main Line.

gavin · 11 Mar 2019

The 2328 London Euston to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh was caught up in major delays over night a few north bound late night passenger services where delayed for at least 3hrs the 2325 London Euston to Wolverhampton finally arrived at 0503 should have arived at 0142

The sleeper still hasn't made it to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh having only left Carlisle at 0802 http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G61081/2019/03/10/advanced

Bletchleyite · 11 Mar 2019

Crikey, that's some delay - at Apsley too, so about 4 hours to MKC. That train is frustrating enough taking 45 mins as it catches up and sits behind the LNR stopper that departs Euston at 2334. (It used to be timed for an hour at I think 75mph and be 57-hauled for driver training purposes).

What was the cause?

158820 · 11 Mar 2019

Broken down freight according to cal sleeper twitter. Was there any option of getting around it?

Bletchleyite · 11 Mar 2019

158820 said:
Broken down freight according to cal sleeper twitter. Was there any option of getting around it?

2-track timetable at that time of night for engineering works, so probably not.

Interestingly the 2334 LNR skipped Kings Langley (only), I wonder why that was? Did make me wonder if it was a suicide. Unless maybe the guard went round and asked if anyone wanted it and they didn't. (Anyone waiting for it would long since have called a taxi or given up and gone home!)

TimboM · 11 Mar 2019

158820 said:
Broken down freight according to cal sleeper twitter. Was there any option of getting around it?

If there was an option to get round it I very much doubt 1S26 wouldn't have sat there for three hours...!

Scotrail84 · 11 Mar 2019

92 033 on 1S25

90 041 on 1S26

VT 390 · 15 Mar 2019

How does the coach lettering system on the new trains work as looking at some dates in July and August coaches E and F seam to both be Club coaches on the Fort William service (as it only has 4 in total I thought) which does not make sense to me as I thought there would only be one Club coach on this service and on their website if you try to book for Inverness or Aberdeen it puts you in coach C for both of these which can not be right. Does anyone know how the coach lettering system works and does anyone know where I can find a carriage layout map for the new new sleeper.

TimboM · 15 Mar 2019

VT 390 said:
How does the coach lettering system on the new trains work as looking at some dates in July and August coaches E and F seam to both be Club coaches on the Fort William service (as it only has 4 in total I thought) which does not make sense to me as I thought there would only be one Club coach on this service and on their website if you try to book for Inverness or Aberdeen it puts you in coach C for both of these which can not be right. Does anyone know how the coach lettering system works and does anyone know where I can find a carriage layout map for the new new sleeper.

Each sleeper coach is a mix of Club and Classic (as has been the case with the old stock for several months now).

The exceptions are the PRM sleepers which have accessible rooms, Caledonian Double suites and Classic rooms.

For the FTW portion G is the PRM, F is the “permanent” second sleeper coach and S are seats.

ABD is A for seats, B = PRM and C = “permanent” Sleeper.

D and E will go to FTW or ABD depending on seasonal loadings.

INV should be H-P (H seats; J PRM), so odd if it’s offering you C on that one.

BRX · 15 Mar 2019

67007 swapped for a db red one on this morning's Inverness portion.

Iskra · 15 Mar 2019

BRX said:
67007 swapped for a db red one on this morning's Inverness portion.

It’s 67013

Kite159 · 15 Mar 2019

Iskra said:
It’s 67013

Hopefully it sticks around until at least next week for my random jolly to Inverness via Aberdeen next Friday :lol:

xotGD · 15 Mar 2019

Kite159 said:
Hopefully it sticks around until at least next week for my random jolly to Inverness via Aberdeen next Friday

Red pen at the ready?

Far north 37 · 15 Mar 2019

Kite159 said:
Hopefully it sticks around until at least next week for my random jolly to Inverness via Aberdeen next Friday

Hopefully ill get it this weekend also but the last 5 times i done the inverness portion 67007 has been on it always seems to be the mainstay on it.

matacaster · 16 Mar 2019

47271 said:
I see that sleeper car stop signs have appeared on some stations as 'ZZ Car Stop'. Very amusing.

At least I think they're aimed at the sleeper?

Shame they didn't use 'ZZ Top Stop'

BRX · 16 Mar 2019

I noticed a ZZ stop board ("Highland") at waverley but at the west end of the platform. Didn't understand why it would be there because the trains always approach from the west. Unless it's just for when there are diversions via the ecml?

Highlandspring · 16 Mar 2019

It’s to prevent TPWS brake demands caused by the TSS1 equipment during shunting of the northbound portions.

31160 · 16 Mar 2019

Is the use of class 90's becoming rarer now with the oncoming use of the MK5's, as 90's cannot couple to them surly if the 92's cannot cope then there will be a issue when the changeover happens, of course the same could be said of the 67's

TimboM · 16 Mar 2019

31160 said:
Is the use of class 90's becoming rarer now with the oncoming use of the MK5's, as 90's cannot couple to them surly if the 92's cannot cope then there will be a issue when the changeover happens, of course the same could be said of the 67's

90 use is become MORE regular now - currently three on hire from FL and used most nights.

The impending arrival of Mk5s creates an INCREASE in the need to use 90s, not a decrease, as the 92s are being readied for the Mk5s. There's now 2x Class 92s set up for Mk5 ETS and being used for testing/training (014/023); plus 043 in Brush getting CAF mods; 3x 92s unavailable due to preparations for Mk5s = 3x 90s on-hire.

In addition, 92020 has just returned to full mainline action and 92006 will be emerging from Brush in the next month or so - both of which have CAF mods to work the Mk5s and will bolster the 92 Sleeper fleet in due course as the 90s roll-off (which will coincide with when the old stock is finally retired).

Similar scenario with the 73/9s - there's one or two being used currently for Mk5 testing, hence the 67 has been kept on hire to cover. When it's all Mk5s, there won't be any 73/9s tied up with Mk5 testing...

TimboM · 16 Mar 2019

Far north 37 said:
Hopefully ill get it this weekend also but the last 5 times i done the inverness portion 67007 has been on it always seems to be the mainstay on it.

67007 moved to Polmadie overnight and is just about to head back to DB at Mossend, so with a bit of luck it won't crop again for you.

31160 · 16 Mar 2019

TimboM said:
90 use is become MORE regular now - currently three on hire from FL and used most nights.

The impending arrival of Mk5s creates an INCREASE in the need to use 90s, not a decrease, as the 92s are being readied for the Mk5s. There's now 2x Class 92s set up for Mk5 ETS and being used for testing/training (014/023); plus 043 in Brush getting CAF mods; 3x 92s unavailable due to preparations for Mk5s = 3x 90s on-hire.

In addition, 92020 has just returned to full mainline action and 92006 will be emerging from Brush in the next month or so - both of which have CAF mods to work the Mk5s and will bolster the 92 Sleeper fleet in due course as the 90s roll-off (which will coincide with when the old stock is finally retired).

Similar scenario with the 73/9s - there's one or two being used currently for Mk5 testing, hence the 67 has been kept on hire to cover. When it's all Mk5s, there won't be any 73/9s tied up with Mk5 testing...

Hmm well I'm doing the Eus to Inv the last weekend of April as the beds are diverted along the ECML and I'm sorta banking on a 92 as I still need one for Doncaster to Newcastle. Still gotta few weeks yet, fingers crossed lol

47271 · 16 Mar 2019

VT 390 said:
How does the coach lettering system on the new trains work as looking at some dates in July and August coaches E and F seam to both be Club coaches on the Fort William service (as it only has 4 in total I thought) which does not make sense to me as I thought there would only be one Club coach on this service and on their website if you try to book for Inverness or Aberdeen it puts you in coach C for both of these which can not be right. Does anyone know how the coach lettering system works and does anyone know where I can find a carriage layout map for the new new sleeper.

Just a thought, but are the nights you're looking at by any chance ones when the Highland Main Line is shut for engineering? Sometimes when the Inverness section is diverted via Aberdeen you get confusing indications online of coach letters, and this applies just as much to the old stock. So, for example a diverted passenger bussed from Pitlochry might find themselves booked in a coach more normally associated with the Aberdeen section.

I don't think that this is what you're seeing, but it's not impossible.

VT 390 · 16 Mar 2019

47271 said:
Just a thought, but are the nights you're looking at by any chance ones when the Highland Main Line is shut for engineering? Sometimes when the Inverness section is diverted via Aberdeen you get confusing indications online of coach letters, and this applies just as much to the old stock. So, for example a diverted passenger bussed from Pitlochry might find themselves booked in a coach more normally associated with the Aberdeen section.

I don't think that this is what you're seeing, but it's not impossible.

I don't know if the Highland mainline is closed on the dates I checked yet as they are more than 3 months in advance so the details of closures are not confirmed yet, also I think it is very unlikely on these dates the Inverness portion will run via Aberdeen as I think the line from Aberdeen to Inverness is closed this summer. It,s not just this date either as any date I try on the new stock it keeps saying coach C in on bot the Inverness and Fort William sections (but not on the old stock) so it could be an issue with their website and the new stock possibly.

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