Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[BRX]

Coaches will be lettered W, X, Y and Z

Yup we'll be in Z.

I wonder when the last time more than 3 sleeper coaches ran to Fort William was.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's great to see the Fort William sleeper doing a healthy trade. I rank it as the UK's best rail journey and more people should get to enjoy it.

Agreed - it's quite a turn from BR days when nobody thought it would survive.

 

[Kite159]

No issues on Friday night with the lowlander, arrived into Edinburgh a good 15 minutes early.

The less said about a couple of selfish passengers in the seated area who spent most of the night talking about random stuff the better

 

[TimboM]

No issues on Friday night with the lowlander, arrived into Edinburgh a good 15 minutes early.

The less said about a couple of selfish passengers in the seated area who spent most of the night talking about random stuff the better

92014 to Carstairs, then 90043 to Edinburgh wasn't it?

Shame the fellow passengers can't behave, even if the traction (and rolling stock) did!

 

[Kite159]

92014 to Carstairs, then 90043 to Edinburgh wasn't it?

Shame the fellow passengers can't behave, even if the traction (and rolling stock) did!

Aye

Although one toilet in the seated area was locked out of use when I boarded, with the 2nd one following pretty soon afterwards, so if anybody from the seated area needed the toilet they had to use the disabled loo walking through the lounge car

 

[TimboM]

Aye

Although one toilet in the seated area was locked out of use when I boarded, with the 2nd one following pretty soon afterwards, so if anybody from the seated area needed the toilet they had to use the disabled loo walking through the lounge car

Bit of an inconvenience... I trust it was compulsory to buy a drink each time you went through the lounge car..?!

 

[marks87]

Presumably if it were the Glasgow seats that had a non-functioning toilet, you'd have been allowed to nip through to the adjoining sleeper coach in the Edinburgh portion?

Not an option for the Edinburgh seats, of course. Well, there would be an option if you went in that direction but I'm not sure it would be the safest idea in the world

 

[backontrack]

Yup we'll be in Z.

I wonder when the last time more than 3 sleeper coaches ran to Fort William was.

Wow, a coach Z!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Interesting to hear toilet reliability on the MK2 wasnt up to much, in my experience its usually the only thing on them that doesnt break within 5 minutes.

 

[BRX]

Wow, a coach Z!

Kind of appropriate for a sleeper train too.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Interesting to hear toilet reliability on the MK2 wasnt up to much, in my experience its usually the only thing on them that doesnt break within 5 minutes.

They, like many things on those coaches (e.g. the completely useless blown-air heating system), are a custom design of vacuum bog with, if I recall, a weird door arrangement of some kind.

 

[Blindtraveler]

The toilets are actually quite good actually and whilst the custom build cubicles are no longer new the space isnt badly used and IMO quite acceptable.

 

[TimboM]

The Lowlander stock still appears to be at Wembley an hour after its scheduled move into Euston. Having some issues perhaps?


Edit: ECS finally made it in to Euston 104L - should be fine for on-time departure. Appears that 90049 might have been allocated originally, however looked distinctly like a 92 (023 or 033 I think) on the rear of the ECS ready to take the train North. Adding 2+2 and possibly making 5, but might be a 90 failing and being bailed out last minute by a 92...??

 

[Kite159]

The guard through it was a blockade (someone putting paper towels down) and did try and unblock it by going into a cupboard.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Perhaps the same uncontrolled morons that talked crap all night?

 

[LeylandLen]

Class 66 diesel (DRS) put on front of 1S25 ; just left Crewe 0039.
Suspect its something to do with OHLE damage between Preston and Lancaster.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Is the electra still om there too? Gunna pritty cold otherwise and its blowing a hooly up North.

 

[TimboM]

Class 66 diesel (DRS) put on front of 1S25 ; just left Crewe 0039.
Suspect its something to do with OHLE damage between Preston and Lancaster.

CS say it's going booked route, but suspect you're right and the wires are switched off for repair (or something along those lines)?

I may be wrong but didn't seem like a failure with the 92 - you'd have expected people looking at it if there was an issue, and c.45 mins is very quick for a rescue loco to be attached (i.e. usually they try and fix the failed loco, then have to rustle up the rescue loco from somewhere). It was also evident it was already the plan when 1S25 arrived in Crewe (driver turning the tail lights on as soon as it stopped...).

 

[TimboM]

Is the electra still om there too? Gunna pritty cold otherwise and its blowing a hooly up North.

The 92 was still on, but appeared to be DIT (Dead In Transit) with its pantograph down. I don't imagine it can relay power somehow from the 66 (especially as the 66 doesn't have ETH), so it is likely to get a bit nippy, not least as its snowing/sleeting oop North currently.

I suspect the 66 will come off somewhere like Carlisle though.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Brrrrrr thats gunna be cold for the poor sods in the seats. Watch the OHL go bang at Carlisle when the pan goes back up and every thurmostat across 16 coaches shouts for power. Think we can let them off with the hot water in the morning though!

 

[leomartin125]

Doesn't sound too good this morning, 1M11 stuck on the line to Preston, 1S26 stuck at Preston, 1S25 running over 195L now... oh dear. Hope it all gets repaired quickly.

On another note, I was hearing some people wanted to understand the standard formation of the sleepers. I was down at Euston recently and saw 1S25 so decided to film it to show everyone the usual formation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxW9ynExl-E&t=126s

 

[Blindtraveler]

Does his mean the WCML is still on its arse from its fall yesturday night or is it CS's excillent disruption handling?

 

[TimboM]

Does his mean the WCML is still on its arse from its fall yesturday night or is it CS's excillent disruption handling?

WCML on its backside all night - only properly re-opened c.5.30am.

Although not sure what the DRS 66 being added to the northbound Highlander at Crewe was all about or if connected (either way this only resulted in it being 35 mins late at Preston - the rest was the tree incident).

(...not entirely sure what CS could've done better the other Wed night when Network Rail were playing the hokey cokey all evening about whether Euston was/would be open or not...!)


EDIT: 92014 was hauling the northbound Highlander solo by the time it reached Carstairs - additional c.40 mins delay at Lancaster indicates the 66 was taken off there.

 

[92002]

WCML on its backside all night - only properly re-opened c.5.30am.

Although not sure what the DRS 66 being added to the northbound Highlander at Crewe was all about or if connected (either way this only resulted in it being 35 mins late at Preston - the rest was the tree incident).

(...not entirely sure what CS could've done better the other Wed night when Network Rail were playing the hokey cokey all evening about whether Euston was/would be open or not...!)


EDIT: 92014 was hauling the northbound Highlander solo by the time it reached Carstairs - additional c.40 mins delay at Lancaster indicates the 66 was taken off there.

66301 added at Crewe in case of the need to go via Settle. In the event it worked as far as Lancaster then returned with the lowland sleeper.

 

[Scotrail84]

66301 added at Crewe in case of the need to go via Settle. In the event it worked as far as Lancaster then returned with the lowland sleeper.

Sleeper guards definitely don't sign the S and C not sure about the GBRF sleeper drivers though.

 

[paul1609]

My Easyjet flight 20.55 from Stanstead had a strong headwind all the way up to Glasgow but was still at the gate 10 mins ahead of schedule. I was in bed by 23.30 It was cold in Glasgow but there was no wind and dry by the time I arrived.
I didn't hear the Highlander go past this morning I suspect id gone to work by then. There is no evidence of snow in Garlochead today just a touch on the top of The Cobbler.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Blowing hard in the East today, postponed my planned trip to Sainsburys and got on with some work instead. Certainly wouldnt have fancied hanging around the Northwest on a semi unheated train last night.

 

[TimboM]

66301 added at Crewe in case of the need to go via Settle. In the event it worked as far as Lancaster then returned with the lowland sleeper.

I'm assuming they'd have gone Preston-Blackburn-Clitheroe-Settle-Carlisle if doing that. Would've been some diversion!

Sleeper guards definitely don't sign the S and C not sure about the GBRF sleeper drivers though.

I'd be a little surprised if they were signed on that route, but they might be. I guess they drive freight trains all over the place when not working the Sleepers.

No doubt there was sound reason for it and based on whatever indications Network Rail were giving at the time, but given the heavy delays anyway, didn't help matters adding approximately another hour each on to 1S25 and 1M11 to hook up and then take off a 66 which ultimately wasn't needed.

The southbound lowlander in particular - by then they will have known it wasn't needed and it only joined from Lancaster to Preston (where it was left 'picked up' this morning by a DRS 57 and taken back to Crewe). Maybe there wasn't anywhere suitable to leave it at Lancaster? But then if you're making the effort to add it on and delay the train, why not just take it all the way back to Crewe...?

 

[TimboM]

Last night's drag by the DRS 66 means a full house now for Freight Operating Companies' locos used to haul the Sleeper since the Serco contract started in April 2015. From memory I think there's been:

GBRf 92s, 73/9s and 66s
Freightliner 90s (plus 66 and 70 on rescues)
DB Cargo 67s and 90s
Colas 47
DRS 66

And not forgetting:
AC Loco Group 86s and 87
Harry Needle Railroad Company 47s (and 20s if we cheat and include loco moves)

Any others...?!

 

[anti-pacer]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but why is the Highland Sleeper using the ECML on Sunday nights/Monday mornings?