Struner
Member
I can tell you No, it isn't acceptable for people who booked seats. 
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Caledonian Sleeper
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I can tell you No, it isn't acceptable for people who booked seats.
But please elaborate as to why not, they booked a seat on a train but they now have a seat on a coach instead!
I’ve tried to follow this thread with respect to what has actually happened to the rolling stock, but can I ask someone to clarify the current position?
Of the two sets of Mk V stock, one is unaffected. This is operating the southbound lowlander tonight.
The affected set has one half unafffected / under minor repair now; this will be back in sevice tonight on the Glasgow portion of the northbound lowlander. Edinburgh passengers will get a full refund, and (if they wish) a free trip on an overnight coach.
The other half of the affected set is still under repair, re-entry into service unknown. (Assumption 1 - given that it is tyre turning, it should be relatively quick. Assumption 2 - until re entry to service, one portion of one lowlander is likely to be cancelled each night, alternating between northbound and southbound).
Highlander is Mark III stock and unaffected.
Is this right?
Of the two sets of Mk V stock, one is unaffected. This is operating the southbound lowlander tonight.
The affected set has one half unafffected / under minor repair now; this will be back in sevice tonight on the Glasgow portion of the northbound lowlander. Edinburgh passengers will get a full refund, and (if they wish) a free trip on an overnight coach.
The other half of the affected set is still under repair, re-entry into service unknown. (Assumption 1 - given that it is tyre turning, it should be relatively quick. Assumption 2 - until re entry to service, one portion of one lowlander is likely to be cancelled each night, alternating between northbound and southbound).
Highlander is Mark III stock and unaffected.
Is this right?
47271
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I don't want to play down the seriousness of this week's drama but there's absolutely nothing new about sleeper passengers getting bussed through the night. I've found an old post of mine from the dark days of November 2015, the 4th of the month to be exact.
Looks familiar to modern eyes?
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/caledonian-sleeper-discussion.118802/page-16#post-2351061
Looks familiar to modern eyes?
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/caledonian-sleeper-discussion.118802/page-16#post-2351061
Struner
Member
Indeed! Most probably they experienced the coach before! & now downgraded to a bus with a lot of hassle. I would only accept this if I got a full refund as well. It's called pleasing your guests.
Glenn1969
Established Member
Again , could any of them get the Highlander instead or Scotrail transport from Carstairs, Motherwell or Glasgow to Edinburgh if they wanted it?
BRX
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Speaking for myself - it would be a downgrade because I'd not be able to get up and walk around, but also I get travelsick. I can survive a coach on motorways ok, but not if I try and read anything, or look at say, a phone screen for more than a moment. So, it makes a bit of a difference as to how you can pass the time, if you're not able to get to sleep!
If I needed to get there for the morning, and didn't have anywhere to stay the night I'd accept it as the best they can do to get me there in time. But I'd expect an early day time train as a reasonable option to provide.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Assuming there was space on the Highlander for the displaced Edinburgh travellers, and with it being a Thursday night it might be unlikely.
The coaches at Crewe were being shunted around the carriage sidings by 47810 (D1924) when I passed at 5pm. Obviously this involved 92043 as a rather elaborate 'barrier coach'.
I imagine that one or two of the coaches are affected more than others and they would like to get the unaffected ones back into service.
I imagine that one or two of the coaches are affected more than others and they would like to get the unaffected ones back into service.
Erniescooper
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Path for the coaches at Crewe to move to Longsight wheel lathe
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O13670/2019/06/13/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O13670/2019/06/13/advanced
Struner
Member
so you upgraded from the coach to the seats then (at some time in the past)?
woodhouse122
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- 206
Im booked on the lowlander on sunday and i'm dreading the journey if it's a coach as spending 8 plus hours on a bus up the M6 overnight is not what i call a magical Jouney as described on the CS Website (don't really have much choice though as i can't afford a night's hotel accomidation in london and a single to glasgow the next day
) ) it's the people in wheelchairs who are on the sleeper service and people who have booked to take thier bikes that i feel sorry for with these cancellations !!!!
Butts
Veteran Member
BA, Flybe, Easyjet and Loganair must be loving all this chaos on the rails !!
Waiting for the first advert "having a pop" if the situation does not improve markedly in the near future.
Perhaps CS should have an Aircraft shadowing it as it traverses up the country ready to come to the rescue and save passengers from the humiliation of a "Coach Transfer".
An Embraer 195 could take off from LHR and be in Inverness before the sleeper has cleared Wembley on a lot of nights just recently.
A Tiger Moth could keep up and surpass the "Lumbering White Elephant". Fortunately Aircraft have developed a little more rapidly than Sleeper Services barely quicker or more reliable than those operating in the age of the Biplane.
Waiting for the first advert "having a pop" if the situation does not improve markedly in the near future.
Perhaps CS should have an Aircraft shadowing it as it traverses up the country ready to come to the rescue and save passengers from the humiliation of a "Coach Transfer".
An Embraer 195 could take off from LHR and be in Inverness before the sleeper has cleared Wembley on a lot of nights just recently.
A Tiger Moth could keep up and surpass the "Lumbering White Elephant". Fortunately Aircraft have developed a little more rapidly than Sleeper Services barely quicker or more reliable than those operating in the age of the Biplane.
BRX
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I'm not quite sure what point you are making...
but yeah, I did Inverness-London once long ago on an overnight coach, decided never to do that again if I could help it, and since then all overnight seated journeys I've done on the train.
The sleeper is negligible in the London-Scotland air/rail market. Around 200,000 people use the sleeper between London and Scotland each year, compared to around 7.5 million by air, and another 2m+ by day train. The sleeper has about 2% of the market.
A while ago someone here said there would be diversions to Oban this autumn. I've been trying to get the dates and got a response from Caledonian Sleeper today. They said that there are no plans for diversions to Oban in the autumn of 2019. That's a shame as I was looking forward to using it.
Probably said this already but I’m sure ScotRail used to offer accommodation & an early flight if the sleeper was cancelled. If you’re taking the sleeper with the intention of arriving fresh to do a day’s work in London then there’s no way 8 hours on the motorway wedged in a seat is a reasonable alternative. Serco deserve an absolute hammering for this one - it’s the one thing that’s pretty much guaranteed to cost them the high margin fares that might actually fund the service over the next few years
CS's recent publicity has attempted to re-position themselves as the luxury option. No genuine luxury operation would treat their "guests" in the manner described on here and elsewhere. It would not surprise me to see the 2% figure reduce - previous customers priced off; 'luxury guests' thinking never again (or never at all if they have not yet travelled but have seen/read the reports in mainstream media).
greatkingrat
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According to the Engineering Access Statement the sleeper is diverted to Oban week commencing 6th October. Of course engineering plans can change, but equally I wouldn't necessarily trust a random customer service person to know the definitive answer either.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Some people get travelsick on coaches. But if you don't it's probably much of a muchness as long as the coach is empty enough to allow a double seat each, which I'd imagine it probably will be. At least it's properly dark on a coach.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
One assumes provision would be made for a wheelchair user to travel overnight by way of an accessible coach or other vehicle if they wanted, though I bet they don't want. Bikes, I don't see why they couldn't go under the floor in a coach, it certainly does happen on rail replacement from time to time (driver discretion) as well as as a matter of course on the Stagecoach X5.
causton
Established Member
Would you trust a "random" person updating the CS website?
Caledonian Sleeper service alterations said:
https://www.sleeper.scot/service-alterations/
The schedules are in there for Kingussie so I doubt they will be going to Oban, but stranger things have happened!
Glenn1969
Established Member
The Sleeper is also diverted to Kingussie on 26th July, 2nd and 9th August with road transport provided to Tulloch, Roy Bridge, Spean Bridge and Fort William and no service to other stations. Same applies Southbound on the 3 Sundays. At least CS are giving plenty of warning
Those days in August will be for work south of Crianlarich, hence Oban isn’t an option.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
*Diverted* to Kingussie? Do they perhaps just mean that the Fort Bill coaches will remain attached to the Inverness ones (possibly running the train in a different formation, as they're on the Aberdeen end normally, aren't they?) and bussing people to there to meet the Inverness portion with the FW sleepers attached to it?
Glenn1969
Established Member
They are listed on RTT as two separate arrivals at Kingussie which to me didn't make much sense
Had heard word it may terminate at Crianlarich during those works. I assume as it’s supposed to be the new stock by then it may give greater issues going right through to Oban as done previously??