Caledonian Sleeper

BRX · 22 Apr 2019

jagardner1984 said:
I’m really fascinated, and I don’t know the answer, how much business these kind of campaigns drive. Maybe it has a subliminal impact. Mainly when I want to go somewhere I look on NRES website or on Skyscanner to try and establish the best / cheapest / quickest way of going there. Are many people choosing destinations on the basis of posters ?

There was a real push on Virgin Trains advertising in Glasgow last year, strongly emphasising the £30 price point and it going to “Actual London”.

I suppose given the cost of flights to Glasgow and car hire / Scotrail on from there to Fort William, it’s unlikely any CS posters will feature pricing any time soon !

I doubt they are aimed at people mainly choosing on the basis of cost. I think they are aimed at people who might like to do it as an experience; maybe they haven't heard about the CS before and posters like this would make them intrigued to find out what it was.

RailUK Forums

Suraggu · 22 Apr 2019

theironroad said:
Well apparently the NB lowlander has a coach removed from tonight's service and they are having to move people around.

Reading the Cal sleeprs Twitter, seems the NB Highlander has some very unhappy customer last Wednesday night ...

The problem with many users on twitter is they use it to throw abuse. They have every right to be angry with the train fault and subsequent cancellation but they way many of them went on was beyond a joke.

Hipster Dashie · 22 Apr 2019

I rode last night's highlander service to Fort William from Kings Cross. The service was indeed split, with the Inverness portion leaving at 2120 and my Fort William & Aberdeen service leaving a few minutes late from the scheduled departure time of 2214.

Coach G was locked out of use due to a power failure. Not a major issue initially as this was at the very rear end of the train, with the lounge car being towards the front. This coach wasn't removed during the split at Edinburgh, and in fact a new lounge and seated car were attached to the other side of coach G. This means you had to pass through to get to the lounge car which was also lacking power! Green glowsticks were placed in the corridor of coach G so you could navigate it in the dark. The poor attendant in the lounge car was having to run two coaches up in order to access a working microwave for breakfast!

I've never ridden the line out to Fort William prior to this, and my god what an absolute stunner of a railway that was. The landscape was breathtaking and the line takes the most fantastic route to wind through it all! Genuinely left me speechless!!!

theironroad · 22 Apr 2019

Hipster Dashie said:
I rode last night's highlander service to Fort William from Kings Cross. The service was indeed split, with the Inverness portion leaving at 2120 and my Fort William & Aberdeen service leaving a few minutes late from the scheduled departure time of 2214.

Coach G was locked out of use due to a power failure. Not a major issue initially as this was at the very rear end of the train, with the lounge car being towards the front. This coach wasn't removed during the split at Edinburgh, and in fact a new lounge and seated car were attached to the other side of coach G. This means you had to pass through to get to the lounge car which was also lacking power! Green glowsticks were placed in the corridor of coach G so you could navigate it in the dark. The poor attendant in the lounge car was having to run two coaches up in order to access a working microwave for breakfast!

I've never ridden the line out to Fort William prior to this, and my god what an absolute stunner of a railway that was. The landscape was breathtaking and the line takes the most fantastic route to wind through it all! Genuinely left me speechless!!!

The West Highland Line is indeed fantastic.

eastdyke · 22 Apr 2019

Hipster Dashie said:
I rode last night's highlander service to Fort William from Kings Cross. The service was indeed split, with the Inverness portion leaving at 2120 and my Fort William & Aberdeen service leaving a few minutes late from the scheduled departure time of 2214.

I've never ridden the line out to Fort William prior to this, and my god what an absolute stunner of a railway that was. The landscape was breathtaking and the line takes the most fantastic route to wind through it all! Genuinely left me speechless!!!

The Inverness portion left the Cross 7L last night. By the time it passed Peterborough (at 80max?) it had 2 LNER Leeds services stacked up behind.
The late running 21.05 HST (left 21.31 26L - I assume due to late arrival on preceding duty) which was 43L at Peterborough and the 21.35 225 (left 21.42 7L) which was 14L by Peterborough having had the scheduled stop at Stevenage.
I was on the former from Peterborough and there was a severe check just after Stoke Tunnel, though that could have been reason PW.
I arrived Newark 46L. The service made Leeds 42L.

And yes, I rate the West Highland right up there, Horseshoe Curve and across Rannoch Moor being my personal favourites.

TimboM · 22 Apr 2019

eastdyke said:
The Inverness portion left the Cross 7L last night. By the time it passed Peterborough (at 80max?) it had 2 LNER Leeds services stacked up behind.
The late running 21.05 HST (left 21.31 26L - I assume due to late arrival on preceding duty) which was 43L at Peterborough and the 21.35 225 (left 21.42 7L) which was 14L by Peterborough having had the scheduled stop at Stevenage.
I was on the former from Peterborough and there was a severe check just after Stoke Tunnel, though that could have been reason PW.
I arrived Newark 46L. The service made Leeds 42L.

And yes, I rate the West Highland right up there, Horseshoe Curve and across Rannoch Moor being my personal favourites.

1S70 was 92033 so max 87 mph. It had recovered its delay and was 1 Early at Peterborough and then stayed ahead of its schedule all the way to Edinburgh - indeed was 40 Early into Newcastle.

eastdyke · 23 Apr 2019

My experience concerned the Inverness portion which ran as IS66, I saw the train pass through Peterborough 9L but didn't note the traction.

TimboM · 23 Apr 2019

eastdyke said:
My experience concerned the Inverness portion which ran as IS66, I saw the train pass through Peterborough 9L but didn't note the traction.

Sorry, getting my split Highlanders mixed up.
90044 was in charge of 1S66, so could run up to 100 mph if catching up a delay. It was 7L from KGX as you say, 10L at Peterborough and not back on time by Doncaster.

1S66 took 63 mins to get to Peterborough vs 57 mins for the theoretically slower 92 on 1S70. 1S66's progress was probably not helped by following 90020 out of Kings Cross with an LNER ECS (5Y99) back to Bounds Green which also departed late (9L).

InOban · 23 Apr 2019

The Scotsman is now reporting that the new stock will be introduced on the Lowlander next weekend, a month earlier than last announced.

https://www.scotsman.com/deluxe-caledonian-sleeper-fleet-to-roll-out-for-the-first-time-1-4913170

TimboM · 23 Apr 2019

InOban said:
The Scotsman is now reporting that the new stock will be introduced on the Lowlander next weekend, a month earlier than last announced.

https://www.scotsman.com/deluxe-caledonian-sleeper-fleet-to-roll-out-for-the-first-time-1-4913170

Hot off the press as ever.

28th April has been in the public domain as the planned Lowlander launch date for several weeks now.

6Z09 · 23 Apr 2019

Is it not really two years late rather than a month early!

Kite159 · 23 Apr 2019

If I'm reading it right, it sounds like I could be in for a treat on Sunday night from Edinburgh to London

Highlandspring · 23 Apr 2019

TimboM said:
Hot off the press as ever.

28th April has been in the public domain as the planned Lowlander launch date for several weeks now.

Notice this exclusive only appeared a day or two after a discussion on a Facebook group of which Mr Dalton is a member...

trebor79 · 23 Apr 2019

Well, just booked a Glasgow to London trip for the middle of next month (saves another night in a hotel and hanging round Glasgow until gone midday waiting for the first easyJet back to Stansted). First class was only a tenner more, so booked that and hoping it'll be the new stock with an en suite shower.

BRX · 23 Apr 2019

So, is it time to start taking bets on exactly what will go wrong on the first night of mk5 operation?

Suraggu · 23 Apr 2019

BRX said:
So, is it time to start taking bets on exactly what will go wrong on the first night of mk5 operation?

As its a CAF product expect a few.

Hipster Dashie · 23 Apr 2019

The attendant on my Sunday night sleeper also confirmed the new stock would roll out on the Lowlander this week!

Numbers for traction on my service:
• Freightliner 90043 on the rear leaving Kings Cross
• CS's own 92033 on the front leaving Kings Cross
• And CS's 73969 which hauled us on the last leg from split up to Fort William.

BRX · 23 Apr 2019

Hipster Dashie said:
The attendant on my Sunday night sleeper also confirmed the new stock would roll out on the Lowlander this week!

Numbers for traction on my service:
• Freightliner 90043 on the rear leaving Kings Cross
• CS's own 92033 on the front leaving Kings Cross
• And CS's 73969 which hauled us on the last leg from split up to Fort William.

CS don't actually own the locos - they are GBRf locos painted in CS livery.

Peter Mugridge · 23 Apr 2019

trebor79 said:
Well, just booked a Glasgow to London trip for the middle of next month (saves another night in a hotel and hanging round Glasgow until gone midday waiting for the first easyJet back to Stansted). First class was only a tenner more, so booked that and hoping it'll be the new stock with an en suite shower.

You'll need to be booked into a Club Room or a Suite to get the en suite facilities; are you?

TimboM · 24 Apr 2019

Highlandspring said:
Notice this exclusive only appeared a day or two after a discussion on a Facebook group of which Mr Dalton is a member...

Indeed. Top journalism...!

TimboM · 24 Apr 2019

Hipster Dashie said:
The attendant on my Sunday night sleeper also confirmed the new stock would roll out on the Lowlander this week!

Numbers for traction on my service:
• Freightliner 90043 on the rear leaving Kings Cross
• CS's own 92033 on the front leaving Kings Cross
• And CS's 73969 which hauled us on the last leg from split up to Fort William.

90043 (Freightliner's, but on-hire to GBRf) was left on the block at Kings Cross when your train departed. It then went to stable at Ferme Park for the night before working one of the ECS moves on Monday morning.

trebor79 · 24 Apr 2019

Peter Mugridge said:
You'll need to be booked into a Club Room or a Suite to get the en suite facilities; are you?

Yes. The options presented were classic, club or club twin (which I wasn't allowed to book as there's just me). I booked the club.
Berth layout and description etc was all old stock, but I'm guessing/hoping that'll magically become an ensuite on the night.

alistairlees · 24 Apr 2019

trebor79 said:
Yes. The options presented were classic, club or club twin (which I wasn't allowed to book as there's just me). I booked the club.
Berth layout and description etc was all old stock, but I'm guessing/hoping that'll magically become an ensuite on the night.

The options would have been 1st Club Solo, Classic Solo or Classic Twin. Or seat, of course.

trebor79 · 24 Apr 2019

Sorry, that's what I meant, 1st club solo was £150 v £140 for a classic solo. The extra tenner seemed worthwhile if it is the new stock. If it's still the old stock then at least I get some breakfast and a free shower at Euston.

33Hz · 24 Apr 2019

Highlandspring said:
Notice this exclusive only appeared a day or two after a discussion on a Facebook group of which Mr Dalton is a member...

And his story appears to be illustrated with a mk 3.

leightonbd · 24 Apr 2019

Wot no hot breakfast? Hopefully this is ‘transition mode’.

Edit: parts of the cabins (hangers) are disappearing and I am sure the train is shorter .. is this a bit like football grounds where fans grab the seats, turnstiles and other mementoes before the ground is demolished?

Scotrail84 · 25 Apr 2019

leightonbd said:
Wot no hot breakfast? Hopefully this is ‘transition mode’.
View attachment 62075

Edit: parts of the cabins (hangers) are disappearing and I am sure the train is shorter .. is this a bit like football grounds where fans grab the seats, turnstiles and other mementoes before the ground is demolished?

What train?

Suraggu · 25 Apr 2019

leightonbd said:
Wot no hot breakfast? Hopefully this is ‘transition mode’.
View attachment 62075

Edit: parts of the cabins (hangers) are disappearing and I am sure the train is shorter .. is this a bit like football grounds where fans grab the seats, turnstiles and other mementoes before the ground is demolished?

A number of sleepers went for scrap so CS has had to adapt accordingly.

TimboM · 25 Apr 2019

leightonbd said:
Wot no hot breakfast? Hopefully this is ‘transition mode’.

That's the Classic / Standard breakfast menu. Club / First offering has the cooked Scottish breakfast amongst other (different) options and is included in the price.

Essexman · 25 Apr 2019

leightonbd said:
Edit: parts of the cabins (hangers) are disappearing and I am sure the train is shorter .. is this a bit like football grounds where fans grab the seats, turnstiles and other mementoes before the ground is demolished?

People have stolen whole coaches???

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