Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[Highlandspring]

It was sheets and scratchy blankets under First, duvets came either with Serco or immediately before. Incidentally Serco Northlink have very nice wool blankets on the Shetland ferries (to supplement the duvets), which are tagged with a similar sort of thing that you find in clothes shops and supermarkets to stop you stealing them.

 

[philjo]

I was on the northbound lowlander last night and it started boarding at about 22.15.

Thanks. Just booked the lowlander to Glasgow at end of October - looks like one of the new trains as it was offering the classic and suites. £140 for classic solo cabin. I'm actually going to Penrith (to get bus to Keswick), but can't trust GN to get me to Kings Cross in time for 0730 VT from Euston at the moment without going stupidly early (would have to get 0604 GN from home anyway). Also the 1st advance fare on the 0730 was about the same as I paid for the sleeper the previous night plus 1st advance on 0840 VT Glasgow to Penrith so get breakfast on that!

 

[47271]

Definitely had sheets and blankets until around 2010; I was a fairly regular passenger on the ScotRail sleepers until round then and remember the introduction of duvets.

Ah well maybe, I thought that I got a duvet around 2002 but maybe memory is playing tricks. Certainly duvets since 2011 though.

 

[swapmeetpete]

Always been duvets with sheets underneath and at one time there was tartan blankets as well.

I was so tempted to nick one of those tartan blankets near the end of Scotrail’s tenure. Would have been a very practical souvenir. I took a picture of one instead. I still wonder what happened to them.

 

[Scotrail84]

I was so tempted to nick one of those tartan blankets near the end of Scotrail’s tenure. Would have been a very practical souvenir. I took a picture of one instead. I still wonder what happened to them.

Most likely all binned, except the one I've got.

 

[Hadders]

Anyone??

It's inconceivable that the Mk5 coaches won't be cleared to FTW. They might not be cleared yet but they will be before services start with them.

 

[Mag_seven]

Anyone know what the issue was on last nights southbound Highlander? Seemed to have been heavily delayed south of Aviemore.

Edit: reported elsewhere as due to a body on the line near Pitlochry.

 

[Caleb2010]

Anyone know what is on the Inverness portion at the moment? On the highlander to Kings Cross Friday night and back Sunday and wondered what traction would be likely ?

 

[Mag_seven]

Anyone know what is on the Inverness portion at the moment? On the highlander to Kings Cross Friday night and back Sunday and wondered what traction would be likely ?

67016 is the current loco.

 

[TimboM]

It's inconceivable that the Mk5 coaches won't be cleared to FTW. They might not be cleared yet but they will be before services start with them.

I know there's many other considerations, but they're shorter than Mk3s so you'd think they'd be OK. As you say, would expect there's still a fair amount of testing, measuring and paperwork to go before they're officially route cleared, but as the Mk5s aren't due to be rolled out on the Highlander for at least another 6 months (at a guess) there's still plenty of time...

 

[TimboM]

Anyone know what is on the Inverness portion at the moment? On the highlander to Kings Cross Friday night and back Sunday and wondered what traction would be likely ?

67016 is the current loco.

92033 most likely candidate for the EDB-KGX leg on Fri night, although the diversions/split trains may result in loco shuffling.

 

[Caleb2010]

For EUS read KGX this weekend but I know what you mean so thanks to both of you!

Out of interest - does anyone know if the 8 day maintenance rotation sequence for coaches is traceable, there’s one on Rail-scot but it’s still based on the maintenance being done at INV.

 

[TimboM]

For EUS read KGX this weekend but I know what you mean so thanks to both of you!

Oops - corrected it. Hopefully no-one will notice...

 

[BRX]

How are they doing it from KGX this time; are the formations just shortened on those nights?

 

[Caleb2010]

Short formations- inverness one train and ABD/FTW another!

 

[A Challenge]

Does that mean the FTW seats are going all the way through?

 

[TimboM]

Short formations- inverness one train and ABD/FTW another!

...and a shortened Lowlander, so three trains. Same as last year’s late Aug BH.

Does that mean the FTW seats are going all the way through?

Doubt it - that’d need an extra brake/lounge (to work the other way) which I doubt is available, or would make sense to bring over from PO (if it was) just for a couple of nights.

 

[Scotrail84]

Does that mean the FTW seats are going all the way through?

No they are lying off at Edinburgh as usual.

 

[Scotrail84]

It's inconceivable that the Mk5 coaches won't be cleared to FTW. They might not be cleared yet but they will be before services start with them.

Its not, there are things that could prevent them working up there.

 

[Scotrail84]

How are they doing it from KGX this time; are the formations just shortened on those nights?

KINGS X WORKING

Lowlanders will be 12 vice 16.

Inverness load 8

Aberdeen/Ft William load 8. (lounge car and seats remaining in Edinburgh as normal)

 

[BRX]

Its not, there are things that could prevent them working up there.

Things that weren't known when they were being designed?

 

[Scotrail84]

Things that weren't known when they were being designed?

Possibly but I'm not ITK.

 

[TimboM]

Its not, there are things that could prevent them working up there.

At £1.0-1.5 million per coach (a lot of which paid for by the government) I'm pretty sure if there are any issues they will get sorted!

 

[Kite159]

I've heard that on some days in November time the Glasgow portion of the lowlander is going via Dumfries (joining up with the Edinburgh part at Carlisle), anybody know which days?

 

[Scotrail84]

I've heard that on some days in November time the Glasgow portion of the lowlander is going via Dumfries (joining up with the Edinburgh part at Carlisle), anybody know which days?

Not true.

 

[Kite159]

Not true.

Thanks, saves me checking the website for any possible dates

 

[the sniper]

Does some clever person know if these new coaches are cleared on the WHL all the way to Ft William? Overheard a some chat about the coaches not being able to be used due to clearance issues or something or other, as I said just overheard it so could have got the wrong end of the stick.

Anyone??

If you heard it in a messroom, consider it bulls***.

Does sound like classic messroom 'expert' material though. Probably some truth in there, perhaps not currently cleared, but in reality probably just pending some small clearance works or a paperwork exercise.

 

[Mag_seven]

There might be some gauging works required but I can't imagine anything as serious as say a bridge re-build being required!

 

[InOban]

They've been to Arrochar on test, which includes one of the tight bends, S of garelochead, and several island platforms, so can't think the rest of the route would present different problems.

 

[Scotrail84]

They've been to Arrochar on test, which includes one of the tight bends, S of garelochead, and several island platforms, so can't think the rest of the route would present different problems.

They've not been any further though, and not been up there for some time either.