Caledonian Sleeper

MrEd · 9 Sep 2019

Leisurefirst said:
Text message half an hour or so ago.
Highlander northbound tonight...
Limited lounge service, no hot food.

Hmm this is not good. I’m afraid this seems to be a frequently recurring problem on the Highlander of late (of worrying frequency), and clearly can’t go on. I believe that there are staff shortages at both the London and Inverness bases which explains why the lounge service is often curtailed or cancelled altogether on the Inverness section (and sometimes also the Aberdeen section) of the Highlander, as it was on 1M16 southbound from Inverness last Tuesday. At least CS have had the courtesy to inform you before boarding, as they did before I boarded 1M16 last Tuesday (to be fair to them, they are much better at this now than they were earlier in the year). I think that CS need to think about recruiting more staff at both ends of the route as they can’t deliver the catering service reliably at present (which is a major issue in the light of the marketing of the service and the very high fares). I’ve heard that the Lowlander has occasionally had these issues with reduced catering (due to staff shortages) too- can anyone confirm? Admittedly on the Lowlander it’s less serious given the very late boarding and early arrival.

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Meerkat · 9 Sep 2019

Haven’t CS got a Deliveroo account (other food delivery services are available)?

MrEd · 9 Sep 2019

Meerkat said:
Haven’t CS got a Deliveroo account (other food delivery services are available)?

Apparently not... basically (if recent experiences are the norm) they send booked passengers an email about 3 hours or so before booked departure time to advise them that the advertised lounge car service is curtailed or unavailable, and advise them to make their own provisions before boarding. If the lounge car has power, the on-train staff will sometimes let you eat your own food in the lounge. As dinner is not included in any fare, this seems to me to be a perfectly good course of action (though ideally they need to improve the reliability of the advertised catering).

Sometimes staff shortages/lounge car failures may mean that breakfast options may be limited; as breakfast is included in a first class fare, I’ve had a £5 compensation voucher when breakfast choice has been restricted (or no breakfast has been available at all).

Leisurefirst · 10 Sep 2019

Message...
CALEDONIAN SLEEPER SERVICE - 09.09.19

We regret to inform you that due to staff sickness there will be a limited service in the lounge car on your journey tonight, light snacks and drinks will be available but unfortunately no hot food. Guests are advised to make provision for something to eat and drink prior to boarding. You are also welcome to take refreshments to consume on board. Breakfast will be unaffected and will be served to your room. Please accept our apologies for any upset or discomfort caused as a result of this issue.

Leisurefirst · 10 Sep 2019

I can confirm you were all right about the boiling-freezing!
Edit...
However, journey fine for what is... can't really complain for £33 each or whatever it was.
On time etc IIRC safe and sound.

Meerkat · 10 Sep 2019

Leisurefirst said:
Message...
CALEDONIAN SLEEPER SERVICE - 09.09.19

We regret to inform you that due to staff sickness there will be a limited service in the lounge car on your journey tonight, light snacks and drinks will be available but unfortunately no hot food. Guests are advised to make provision for something to eat and drink prior to boarding. You are also welcome to take refreshments to consume on board. Breakfast will be unaffected and will be served to your room. Please accept our apologies for any upset or discomfort caused as a result of this issue.

Lack of food dents the product - eating on the train is a time saver, like sleeping on it is.
How hard would it be to find somewhere nearby that would offer a small selection of hot food choices to be delivered to the train before departure? If you are emailing the passengers any way you could offer them the choice to order.

JohnMcL7 · 10 Sep 2019

Leisurefirst said:
I can confirm you were all right about the boiling-freezing!
Edit...
However, journey fine for what is... can't really complain for £33 each or whatever it was.
On time etc IIRC safe and sound.

That sounds a good price as I paid £150 last time for seats and had the same boiling hot/freezing cold behaviour, paying a lot of money for one of the most unpleasant journeys I've ever had (no curtains and a broken seat as well) was a little hard to take regardless of how highly subsidised the service is.

InOban · 10 Sep 2019

The damage to the line just north of Tyndrum is even worse than it at first seemed. Line still closed tomorrow.

Struner · 10 Sep 2019

Which damage are you referring to please?

bahnause · 10 Sep 2019

InOban said:
The damage to the line just north of Tyndrum is even worse than it at first seemed. Line still closed tomorrow.

I‘ll better chck if my hotel room in Fort William is available for another night then... So far no information concerning the departure tomorrow evening.

ChiefPlanner · 10 Sep 2019

bahnause said:
I‘ll better chck if my hotel room in Fort William is available for another night then... So far no information concerning the departure tomorrow evening.

Damage to a rail over river bridge , work ongoing to examine and assess the extent and work required.

InOban · 10 Sep 2019

The location is between Tyndrum and the summit. I suspect that the bridge, which crosses what is normally a tiny stream, was undermined in the same weather event as caused the major damage a few weeks ago. The alumina freights did the rest.

bahnause · 10 Sep 2019

InOban said:
The location is between Tyndrum and the summit. I suspect that the bridge, which crosses what is normally a tiny stream, was undermined in the same weather event as caused the major damage a few weeks ago. The alumina freights did the rest.

Who needs a bridge anyway. So much overrated:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/658047340912711/permalink/2635465073170918/

MotCO · 10 Sep 2019

Meerkat said:
Haven’t CS got a Deliveroo account (other food delivery services are available)?

I wouldn't have thought that a pedal cycle could catch up with a train :lol:

MotCO · 10 Sep 2019

Meerkat said:
Lack of food dents the product - eating on the train is a time saver, like sleeping on it is.
How hard would it be to find somewhere nearby that would offer a small selection of hot food choices to be delivered to the train before departure? If you are emailing the passengers any way you could offer them the choice to order.

I'm sure that some enterprising cafe/restaurant could provide a service, either at Kings Cross on en route. Alternatively, could passenegers bring their own M&S ready meal and CS make a microwave available?

USRailFan · 10 Sep 2019

MotCO said:
I'm sure that some enterprising cafe/restaurant could provide a service, either at Kings Cross on en route. Alternatively, could passenegers bring their own M&S ready meal and CS make a microwave available?

I don't think there'd be much use delivering to Kings Cross when the Train goes from Euston...

Struner · 10 Sep 2019

InOban said:
The location is between Tyndrum and the summit. I suspect that the bridge, which crosses what is normally a tiny stream, was undermined in the same weather event as caused the major damage a few weeks ago. The alumina freights did the rest.

& it’s the alumina trains I’m worried about, not so much them sleepers. scotrail calls it a minor disruption
How did they cope with the other disruption?

MotCO · 10 Sep 2019

USRailFan said:
I don't think there'd be much use delivering to Kings Cross when the Train goes from Euston...

I originally wrote Euston, but thought it looked wrong :oops:

Morayshire · 11 Sep 2019

InOban said:
The location is between Tyndrum and the summit. I suspect that the bridge, which crosses what is normally a tiny stream, was undermined in the same weather event as caused the major damage a few weeks ago. The alumina freights did the rest.

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1171439856922185730

We've had an update from our engineers up in Bridge of Orchy - the damage to the bridge is more significant than first thought, so the line won't be able to reopen tomorrow. The team will need to pump concrete in to fill a void which has opened up below the bridge. Once the concrete has been poured and the bridge's foundations stabilised, we'll be able to repair the track above. Colleagues will be working around-the-clock to reopen the route as quickly & safely as possible.

I'm assuming the Fort William portion of the sleeper is currently sat in Fort William patiently waiting on the line reopening?

Merseysider · 11 Sep 2019

It's nice to see the problem explained in plain English for once instead of jargon.

6Z09 · 11 Sep 2019

As far as the catering is concerned , has anyone noticed any difference since the changeover from Rail Gourmet to Newrest?

47271 · 11 Sep 2019

6Z09 said:
As far as the catering is concerned , has anyone noticed any difference since the changeover from Rail Gourmet to Newrest?

Noone knows, the lounges are always shut.

Sorry, I couldn't resist that! Joking aside, I'll see if I can get any sensible views...

Sleepy · 16 Sep 2019

RMT have announced strike action at the end of the month. Source: https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-confirms-strike-action-on-scottish-sleeper-services/

Antman · 16 Sep 2019

That’ll help. Basically stop it running.

What a great way to hasten the transfer of the stock to whomever runs the cornwall sleeper in future. And for their members to lose their jobs. And the maintenance teams.

Genius. Negotiation by holding a gun to your own children’s heads... that’ll end really well. Last week it was suggesting that Abellio was in danger of losing the franchise. Now it’s 1970s Tactics. Does the RMT not think Abellio will have the taxpayer sort it out for these losses and it’s presumably much more profitable NOT to run the trains if it’s backstopped by Holyrood ....

And people still want to vote in Scotland and England for a party that is beholden to dinosaurs line this. How does a strike help the services and therefore the staff ...

Coolzac · 16 Sep 2019

I disagree about the strike. If it's true that Serco have reneged on promises and the staff are being put under serious pressure and working lives being made a misery, who can blame them going on strike?

Just because it's a subsidised service it doesn't mean that Serco can treat their staff appallingly?

Antman · 16 Sep 2019

From what we know, it is as always six of one. Drunk/over the limit staff who were forced to resign. Surly staff who are rude to customers is a repeating theme. Even on here. Dirty trains with unchanged bedsheets. On one side. Abellio being on the other. And I don’t doubt they are not angels. But the RMT is so, so binary and spinny spin spin....

JModulo · 16 Sep 2019

Justapunter said:
From what we know, it is as always six of one. Drunk/over the limit staff who were forced to resign. Surly staff who are rude to customers is a repeating theme. Even on here. Dirty trains with unchanged bedsheets. On one side. Abellio being on the other. And I don’t doubt they are not angels. But the RMT is so, so binary and spinny spin spin....

Not sure where you're getting Abellio from... franchise isn't ran by them, but Serco.

Antman · 16 Sep 2019

JModulo said:
Not sure where you're getting Abellio from... franchise isn't ran by them, but Serco.

Absolutely. Dumb as a frog here today !

6Z09 · 16 Sep 2019

Justapunter said:
That’ll help. Basically stop it running.

What a great way to hasten the transfer of the stock to whomever runs the cornwall sleeper in future. And for their members to lose their jobs. And the maintenance teams.

Genius. Negotiation by holding a gun to your own children’s heads... that’ll end really well. Last week it was suggesting that Abellio was in danger of losing the franchise. Now it’s 1970s Tactics. Does the RMT not think Abellio will have the taxpayer sort it out for these losses and it’s presumably much more profitable NOT to run the trains if it’s backstopped by Holyrood ....

And people still want to vote in Scotland and England for a party that is beholden to dinosaurs line this. How does a strike help the services and therefore the staff ...

Coolzac said:
I disagree about the strike. If it's true that Serco have reneged on promises and the staff are being put under serious pressure and working lives being made a misery, who can blame them going on strike?

Just because it's a subsidised service it doesn't mean that Serco can treat their staff appallingly?

The union defends peoples working conditions.
Serco have failed to act since the ballot was held,hence the strike dates are now being put forward.

Kingspanner · 16 Sep 2019

(At the time that Bob Crow died) former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone noted that "The only working-class people who still have well-paid jobs in London are [RMT] members"

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