• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Caledonian Sleeper discussion

Status
Not open for further replies.
TimboM

TimboM

Established Member
Joined
12 Apr 2016
Messages
3,732
Mag_seven said:
Doing the job it was hired for!
Click to expand...

...and more arguably when it chips in with the odd "full" run when called upon like it did last week. As has 86401 fairly recently. Not bad for 40-50 year-old locos - hats off to AC Loco Group!
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

S

Scotrail84

Established Member
Joined
5 Jul 2010
Messages
2,367
TimboM said:
Looks like they've gone for something more reliable on Wembley-Euston ECS duties this evening; 44 year-old 87002 doing the honours on 5S96 (ECS for Down Lowlander 1S26).

In the interests of balance, 92038 worked the 1S25 Down Highlander ECS earlier in the evening no problem and is likely to take 1S26 North to Glasgow later).
Click to expand...

038 working 26 north. Likely to be 90 016 from carstairs on 1B26. That 47 was meant to bring 5C11 through last night but failed at Polmadie.
 
TimboM

TimboM

Established Member
Joined
12 Apr 2016
Messages
3,732
Scotrail84 said:
038 working 26 north. Likely to be 90 016 from carstairs on 1B26. That 47 was meant to bring 5C11 through last night but failed at Polmadie.
Click to expand...

Assuming you mean Colas 47749, I saw someone mention on another site say it was supposed to be on the Edinburgh ECS runs last night (Sunday pm) via Shotts, but ended up being 90016 via Carstairs under the wires.

47749 looks like it went from Polmadie to Mossend Down Yard on a VSTP late Saturday morning (0B26), but the return VSTP working (OC11) was activated but never ran - with 47749 showing as being in Mossend Down Yard since then and still there this evening (Mon pm). Could of course be duff data, but suggests a test run(?) out to Mossend which wasn't successful and the loco has failed there...?

The VSTP trip out to Mossend left Polmadie only 20 mins after the 47 arrived back with the Edinburgh portion ECS on Sat morning (5B26).

47749 of course replaced Colas 47739 which is now at Barrow Hill having some attention.
 
Last edited:
TimboM

TimboM

Established Member
Joined
12 Apr 2016
Messages
3,732
Scotrail84 said:
038 behaving so far.
Click to expand...

92032 even managed to get the Lowlander ECS in OK too. Good night (so far...)

Looks like 90016/047 have been swapped around on the Edinburgh portion duties and Glasgow-Euston (1M11) tonight (016 on 1M11 I believe).
 
S

snakeeyes

Member
Joined
7 Jun 2011
Messages
213
I have been delayed travelling south from Aberdeen because of this morning's breakdown, the sleeper has not come past me yet.
 
Class 466

Class 466

Established Member
Joined
5 Mar 2010
Messages
1,426
Loco off 6K36 Elgin-Millerhill to assist in rear and take failed train back to Dundee.
 
TimboM

TimboM

Established Member
Joined
12 Apr 2016
Messages
3,732
73967 was the guilty party.
Freightliner 66529 did the rescue/drag-back to Dundee.
 
Clansman

Clansman

Established Member
Joined
4 Jan 2016
Messages
2,573
Location
Hong Kong
Aberdeen portion going South last night had 2 sleeper coaches this time, and it was still dead. At a guess, I'd say around 1/4 of the berths were vacant, although the seated coach was very busy.

Pretty much sums up the Aberdeen Sleeper nowadays.
 
S

Sarahs_Railway

Member
Joined
1 May 2017
Messages
131
do we have a date for the introduction of the Mark 5's? I love the Mk3 for all their faults. They are British Rail as I grew up with. If i could get the chance I would like to travel on the last Mk3 from KGX to KDY just to have done it
 
S

Sarahs_Railway

Member
Joined
1 May 2017
Messages
131
Clansman said:
Aberdeen portion going South last night had 2 sleeper coaches this time, and it was still dead. At a guess, I'd say around 1/4 of the berths were vacant, although the seated coach was very busy.

Pretty much sums up the Aberdeen Sleeper nowadays.
Click to expand...

I photographed the ABD section last weekend at Kirkcaldy. I can't speak for the sleeper section but the seated was about 75% full and the Buffet car looked full in all seats and plenty standing. The INV section came through 3 minutes behind and it was the same. There is a market for the overnight train. It is up to Serco to work out how to maximise it. Hiking the fares will not work as it will simply price out the business travellers such as myself. Caley Sleeper - take note!
 
BRX

BRX

Established Member
Joined
20 Oct 2008
Messages
3,638
Sarahs_Railway said:
do we have a date for the introduction of the Mark 5's? I love the Mk3 for all their faults. They are British Rail as I grew up with. If i could get the chance I would like to travel on the last Mk3 from KGX to KDY just to have done it
Click to expand...

Spring 2018 it seems. I too like the mk3s and will use the sleeper less once they are gone. Off on my annual summer trip to the highlands tomorrow night, and sadly aware it will probably be the last time I do that in the old stock (will probably try and sneak in a couple of extra trips before the end though).

One of the big things I'll miss will be windows that you can open.
 
TimboM

TimboM

Established Member
Joined
12 Apr 2016
Messages
3,732
Sarahs_Railway said:
do we have a date for the introduction of the Mark 5's? I love the Mk3 for all their faults. They are British Rail as I grew up with. If i could get the chance I would like to travel on the last Mk3 from KGX to KDY just to have done it
Click to expand...

BRX said:
Spring 2018 it seems.
Click to expand...

As I understand it, the new stock is due to start being delivered in Autumn this year. It'll be then first introduced on the Lowlander (so the new stock is in either Polmadie or Wembley each night in case of teething problems); then will be rolled out to the Highlander. I'm assuming the Spring 2018 figure quoted is when they're expecting all stock to be replaced by Mk5s?

All this is of course subject to things going to plan and being on time...!
 
TimboM

TimboM

Established Member
Joined
12 Apr 2016
Messages
3,732
Sarahs_Railway said:
...It is up to Serco to work out how to maximise it. Hiking the fares will not work as it will simply price out the business travellers such as myself. Caley Sleeper - take note!
Click to expand...

The Sleeper is heavily subsidised by the Scottish and UK governments (via Transport Scotland and DfT - to the tune of several £million per year). It wouldn't be still running if it wasn't. It isn't a straightforward commercial operation - lots of politics/indirect benefits (e.g. tourism) involved.

I'd be interested to know (but don't expect for one minute anyone would reveal on a public forum) the balance between how much Serco are able to improve their profits through the way they run their services, how much of it they have to operate in certain ways and to certain places due to the franchise agreement etc and how much is a case of "they get paid anyway" even if services end up being over-priced and little used?

e.g. What is the scope/incentive for Serco to alter/improve services; manage prices etc and how much of it is a case of "keep running the same service but with shiny new stock, and we (govt) will make up any shortfall"?
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top