Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[Domh245]

I can't help but wonder if a large part of the decision to move to Wembley was pressure from TfL to move out of Willesden so that they can get more stabling space for the 710s.

 

[TimboM]

I can't help but wonder if a large part of the decision to move to Wembley was pressure from TfL to move out of Willesden so that they can get more stabling space for the 710s.

Suspect it was more to do with the commercial (cost) benefits for GBRf, tied into the fact Alstom already maintain the Sleeper stock for Serco. A three-way package-deal as it were.

Bombardier own/run WN and are also a supplier of key components used in the 92s. I’m guessing (from a maintenance contract perspective) they didn’t want to lose a good customer.

 

[Far north 37]

Suspect it was more to do with the commercial (cost) benefits for GBRf, tied into the fact Alstom already maintain the Sleeper stock for Serco. A three-way package-deal as it were.

Bombardier own/run WN and are also a supplier of key components used in the 92s. I’m guessing (from a maintenance contract perspective) they didn’t want to lose a good customer.

It would also reduce the amount of light engine movements required as well so another plus point i suppose.

 

[James James]

Assuming you are also First Class, you get a form/card to fill in when you board where you select your choice and preferred time of eating brekkie. You then turn up to the lounge at the allotted time and one of the host shows you to your table which will have place-card with your name(s) / berth (s) on.

Note the FTW portion is max 4 sleeper cars, so the numbers of first class passengers on that portion will be less than the max to Inverness, Edinburgh or Glasgow.

I recently went on a full Load 6 (4 Sleepers) Fri night service to Fort Bill and there were no issues with getting seated for either dinner or brekkie (I pre-booked the dinner online).

I believe that for dinner the dining (and seated) car is shared with Inverness portion though, which makes it harder to get a dinner seat (out of London). The Fort William dining+seating cars don't get added until Edinburgh, after that it's easy to fit everyone in for breakfast.

It looks like pre-booked dinners will be given a reserved dining seat - but when I travelled, dinner reservations weren't available. A few people had gotten reservations regardless however. I made sure to board the train early, and got a seat (sharing a table with another traveller), but the dining car was completely full soon after. In future I'd make sure to get a dining reservation, calling up if necessary.

 

[alistairlees]

I believe that for dinner the dining (and seated) car is shared with Inverness portion though, which makes it harder to get a dinner seat (out of London). The Fort William dining+seating cars don't get added until Edinburgh, after that it's easy to fit everyone in for breakfast.

It looks like pre-booked dinners will be given a reserved dining seat - but when I travelled, dinner reservations weren't available. A few people had gotten reservations regardless however. I made sure to board the train early, and got a seat (sharing a table with another traveller), but the dining car was completely full soon after. In future I'd make sure to get a dining reservation, calling up if necessary.

Shared with the Aberdeen portion in fact.

 

[TimboM]

Shared with the Aberdeen portion in fact.

And as I mentioned above ABD + FTW (combined) is one 8-Car “half rake” with 6 Sleepers in total so no more or less demand in the evening on balance than the Inverness portion (or Edinburgh or Glasgow portions on the Lowlander) which also have 6 Sleepers and 1 lounge.

 

[Essexman]

Not impressed with Caledonian Sleeper today.

I needed to cancel a Flexipass booking as I’ve rebooked for the following day.

There is currently no way to do this online.

I sent a tweet and was told to send a direct message with the reference number.

I sent a direct message saying there is no reference on the ticket or email. They didn’t reply.

I sent an email and got a response saying they’d get back to me within 5 days. I'm travelling in 3 days time.

I phoned and was asked for a reference number. As there isn’t one she found my booking from my email address.

I was told that I would have to cancel both the outward and return as I’d booked these together. The outward train was fully booked so I had to cancel and immediately rebook the same berth.

So if booking a return trip with a Flexipass its best to do this as two transactions in case you need to change one of them.

 

[vlad]

In future I'd make sure to get a dining reservation, calling up if necessary.

I e-mailed to get a reservation for when I travelled north in June. However, this got lost en route so when I got to the lounge car I found there weren't any tables left. I got a space on the sofa (and had a sandwich served on a tray on my lap) but if I'd wanted a table seat I'd have had to wait at least an hour and a half.

Next time I'm eating before I get on the train....

 

[captainbigun]

Bombardier own/run WN and are also a supplier of key components used in the 92s.

ABB supplied the original power equipment but that’s where the link ends. Bombardier are not in the spares supply chain.

 

[47271]

I e-mailed to get a reservation for when I travelled north in June. However, this got lost en route so when I got to the lounge car I found there weren't any tables left. I got a space on the sofa (and had a sandwich served on a tray on my lap) but if I'd wanted a table seat I'd have had to wait at least an hour and a half.

Next time I'm eating before I get on the train....

Lounge bookings are a shambles, not least for Flexipass bookers such as Essexman. There's no way for their most regular customers to book a table online, you just have to email and hope for the best.

I understand that online management of Flexipass is about to be reintroduced - as far as I can see it fell over after they reconfigured the mk3s a few months ago - but I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Graham H]

I am one of those people who would book a seat were a single cabin not an option. But I doubt I would be at significant safety risk if it turned out I had to share a cabin instead, so I'd just put up with it on that occasion. I just prefer an open coach than sharing with one person because I find it awkward, not because I fear I will be attacked.

Not travelling or staying overnight would knacker my journey so I doubt I would choose that.

Well I am one of those who would fear sharing thanks to my first ever sleeper trip. 1981 I think and travelling from Portsmouth to Edinburgh for back to back job interviews. In those days if you got through the first interview, a second interview would generally be fully paid for by the company so I made full use and travelled to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester (for the Woodhead line) to boost my track miles and underscore some exotic traction not usually seen south of the Thames where I lived.
Anyway, digression over....my first trip was Kings Cross to Edinburgh on one of the several departures that then existed. I thought I was OK as we pulled out as I was still alone but somewhere in the depths of Gasworks tunnel, the door opened and in fell a very drunk Scotsman. I am sure he had made an 'arrangement' with the coach host (or whatever they were called) as a few pounds exchanged hands, the sleeper upgrade was under 10 quid back then from memory and no more was said. So now I had a drunken Scot trying to climb into the top bunk and for the next 3 hours continued to talk, about what I had no idea ! I must have dozed off eventually but was awakened by running water. Source of the water was said Scotsman relieving himself up against the wall...OK it could have been worse at least he was facing away from me. Called the attendant who seemed to take an age. Apparently sleeper was full so couldn't move me so I spent the rest of the night in a Glasgow urinal as it were....yes despite going to Edinburgh the chap was heading for the other city. Needless to say the whole experience was awful and no apology from BR despite my complaint. Totally knackered for the interview but gave it a shot anyway. After the interview I did manage a trip to Dundee over the bridges and returned back to an Edinburgh hotel very late having boarded a class 40 hauled south bound sleeper at Dundee. There may have been seats but I just stood in the vestibule of the first sleeper enjoying the whistler as we made our way to Edinburgh. I am sure my experience would rank as exceptional and such a situation wouldn't happen today. Back then it was a simple case of male and female so in todays enlightened age you have to wonder how many variations of so called gender they would have to juggle as booking options if the practice continued !
To set the record straight I did take the sleeper to Glasgow from Euston a few months later and enjoyed solo use. This was the one routed via Dumfries so I ensured I was awake for that bit with the droplight open. Do I recall correctly that the Mk1 sleeper windows opened from the bottom upwards ? I saw a line of 76's in a loop somewhere on the G & SW route but such was the surprise I just recorded one or two of them. Return from that interview was peak hauled via the Settle and Carlisle on a Glasgow to Nottingham train that was still running back then much to the bewilderment of the guard as I was clearly taking a long, but valid, route home to Oxford. Oh happy days......
I have also taken 3 trips with my wife so take full responsibility for knowing what I was letting myself in for as far as sharing goes !
In BR days I don't think solo use was possible so the only time I deliberately managed that was Glasgow to Euston in Scotrail days although even that didn't go smoothly as despite my ticket clearly showing date, coach and berth, the host was adamant I wasn't on his list and in a typical 'Little Britain' scene it was a case of 'computer says no' so he was refusing to let me on and didn't seem too bothered that I was effectively stranded. I know this is atypical of the usual staff attitude that so many have referred to. However just as I was contemplating a night in the seats or a trek to see if I could get on the FW train somewhere in the suburbs, the train manager wandered up to see what my obvious distress was and lo and behold told me that I was upgraded to first and was on her list so a pleasant trip was thus spent in the lounge as far as Carstairs and after observing the joining of the Edinburgh portion the rest of the trip was pleasantly horizontal although I did wake up somewhat surprised to be passing through Coventry.
So this turned into a bit of a ramble and reminisce but isn't that what a lot of us join the forums for...…….

 

[route101]

Well I am one of those who would fear sharing thanks to my first ever sleeper trip. 1981 I think and travelling from Portsmouth to Edinburgh for back to back job interviews. In those days if you got through the first interview, a second interview would generally be fully paid for by the company so I made full use and travelled to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester (for the Woodhead line) to boost my track miles and underscore some exotic traction not usually seen south of the Thames where I lived.
Anyway, digression over....my first trip was Kings Cross to Edinburgh on one of the several departures that then existed. I thought I was OK as we pulled out as I was still alone but somewhere in the depths of Gasworks tunnel, the door opened and in fell a very drunk Scotsman. I am sure he had made an 'arrangement' with the coach host (or whatever they were called) as a few pounds exchanged hands, the sleeper upgrade was under 10 quid back then from memory and no more was said. So now I had a drunken Scot trying to climb into the top bunk and for the next 3 hours continued to talk, about what I had no idea ! I must have dozed off eventually but was awakened by running water. Source of the water was said Scotsman relieving himself up against the wall...OK it could have been worse at least he was facing away from me. Called the attendant who seemed to take an age. Apparently sleeper was full so couldn't move me so I spent the rest of the night in a Glasgow urinal as it were....yes despite going to Edinburgh the chap was heading for the other city. Needless to say the whole experience was awful and no apology from BR despite my complaint. Totally knackered for the interview but gave it a shot anyway. After the interview I did manage a trip to Dundee over the bridges and returned back to an Edinburgh hotel very late having boarded a class 40 hauled south bound sleeper at Dundee. There may have been seats but I just stood in the vestibule of the first sleeper enjoying the whistler as we made our way to Edinburgh. I am sure my experience would rank as exceptional and such a situation wouldn't happen today. Back then it was a simple case of male and female so in todays enlightened age you have to wonder how many variations of so called gender they would have to juggle as booking options if the practice continued !
To set the record straight I did take the sleeper to Glasgow from Euston a few months later and enjoyed solo use. This was the one routed via Dumfries so I ensured I was awake for that bit with the droplight open. Do I recall correctly that the Mk1 sleeper windows opened from the bottom upwards ? I saw a line of 76's in a loop somewhere on the G & SW route but such was the surprise I just recorded one or two of them. Return from that interview was peak hauled via the Settle and Carlisle on a Glasgow to Nottingham train that was still running back then much to the bewilderment of the guard as I was clearly taking a long, but valid, route home to Oxford. Oh happy days......
I have also taken 3 trips with my wife so take full responsibility for knowing what I was letting myself in for as far as sharing goes !
In BR days I don't think solo use was possible so the only time I deliberately managed that was Glasgow to Euston in Scotrail days although even that didn't go smoothly as despite my ticket clearly showing date, coach and berth, the host was adamant I wasn't on his list and in a typical 'Little Britain' scene it was a case of 'computer says no' so he was refusing to let me on and didn't seem too bothered that I was effectively stranded. I know this is atypical of the usual staff attitude that so many have referred to. However just as I was contemplating a night in the seats or a trek to see if I could get on the FW train somewhere in the suburbs, the train manager wandered up to see what my obvious distress was and lo and behold told me that I was upgraded to first and was on her list so a pleasant trip was thus spent in the lounge as far as Carstairs and after observing the joining of the Edinburgh portion the rest of the trip was pleasantly horizontal although I did wake up somewhat surprised to be passing through Coventry.
So this turned into a bit of a ramble and reminisce but isn't that what a lot of us join the forums for...…….

Great stories , i dont fancy the shared cabin , just kinda awkward . Last time i took the seats and it was quiet so had two seats to myself .Single use berth always been too expensive.

 

[route101]

Anyone know why Falkirk Grahamston is only served southbound ? And Cartstairs , do many people use the sleeper here ?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

And Carstairs , do many people use the sleeper here ?

They call at Carstairs because it has to stop there anyway as that's where the Edinburgh / Glasgow portion working is effected.

 

[47271]

Anyone know why Falkirk Grahamston is only served southbound ? And Cartstairs , do many people use the sleeper here ?

Falkirk - much too early in the morning. More sensible to get the Lowlander and jump on a local train.

I've never seen anyone get on or off at Carstairs, but neither myself or anyone else I know that well use the Lowlander that much.

 

[route101]

Falkirk - much too early in the morning. More sensible to get the Lowlander and jump on a local train.

I've never seen anyone get on or off at Carstairs, but neither myself or anyone else I know that well use the Lowlander that much.

Strange as Stirling is served just up the road.

Carstairs only connection to London now.

 

[route101]

They call at Carstairs because it has to stop there anyway as that's where the Edinburgh / Glasgow portion working is effected.

Yeah , i thought that you couldnt use it to board or alight but yes you can , was suprised

 

[Scotrail84]

Does anybody know roughly how many 1st class passengers would be on my sleeper train if it has been sold out. I am going to Fort William on Friday from Euston. Just wondering how they sort out the logistics of serving people breakfast in the dining car?

24 I reckon on the FTW depend on whehter there is SLE's on

 

[Essexman]

Off to Aviemore tonight. Good to see Highland Sleeper fully booked. (At least Inverness and Fort William portions, not sure about Aberdeen.
Freightliner 90042 taking us to Edinburgh for those who are interested. A 92 brought the stock in.

 

[JModulo]

Conversation on twitter tonight suggests passengers in the seated coach of 1S26, Edinburgh portion, will be getting bussed north due to a coach failure.

 

[GW43125]

92023 was in the Klondyke in Edinburgh this afternoon

Conversation on twitter tonight suggests passengers in the seated coach of 1S26, Edinburgh portion, will be getting bussed north due to a coach failure.

I can't see that taking much longer than the actual sleeper!

I'm assuming that the carriage is remaining in the formation, just locked out, so the train can still split?

 

[JModulo]

I'm assuming that the carriage is remaining in the formation, just locked out, so the train can still split?

Believe so. Plan was to accommodate passengers where possible but I believe its completely full tonight. Ive ended up forced into the seats on the Glasgow portion thanks to their booking system. Will find out when I get to Euston.

 

[Essexman]

Looking at twitter it seems that they hope to get most of the seated passengers into beds or on the Glasgow portion but there will be a coach for those who can't be accommodated. No idea how they'll allocate the spaces on trains.
Meanwhile I head north on the Highlander grateful for the best air conditioning in a berth that I've had for some time.

 

[JModulo]

Looking at twitter it seems that they hope to get most of the seated passengers into beds or on the Glasgow portion but there will be a coach for those who can't be accommodated.

Not sure how they'll do that, I tried to book a berth but was unable to as the service was full, both portions.

 

[TimboM]

Off to Aviemore tonight. Good to see Highland Sleeper fully booked. (At least Inverness and Fort William portions, not sure about Aberdeen.
Freightliner 90042 taking us to Edinburgh for those who are interested. A 92 brought the stock in.

92010 - for 1S26 later.

 

[Essexman]

Not sure how they'll do that, I tried to book a berth but was unable to as the service was full, both portions.

Looking at tweet times it was three hours ago they were saying some beds available so assume they've all gone now.

 

[GW43125]

Not sure how they'll do that, I tried to book a berth but was unable to as the service was full, both portions.

There may have been some cancellations at a guess.

I went up to Edinburgh on 1S26 last Sunday and I believe we were full. There was some degree of rejigging to get families into adjoining cabins.

 

[JModulo]

 

[Bungle965]

Conversation on twitter tonight suggests passengers in the seated coach of 1S26, Edinburgh portion, will be getting bussed north due to a coach failure.

If the coach in the picture is the one that they have put on then that is relatively poor. For that sort of journey you would at least want one which is relatively high specced. Would hope that if there were any punters having to use the coach that they would get their money back.
Sam

 

[Mag_seven]

View attachment 50549

If the coach in the picture is the one that they have put on then that is relatively poor.

Its not a coach - its a bus as per the reg "MM10 BUS"