Kite159
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At least it isn't 92014 which probably would have been cleared for 2000 miles had it popped up.
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Caledonian Sleeper discussion
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Um, so no way now to book a through ticket from London to Thurso using the sleeper?
(this has been awkward ever since it stopped being Scotrail, but at least one could book the ticket then buy the supplement. Though every time I've looked at this option in the last couple of years it's been unaffordable anyway)
TimboM
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1) isn't going to happen - the Sleeper is not a profit making franchise - it's already subsidised to the tune of several £m per year by Transport Scotland and the DfT, who are also buying the £100m new Mk5s. I doubt a few empty berths will make that much difference to the overall picture that, for whatever knock-on benefits and political reasons, the government(s) underwrite this service.
What I don't know is how the franchise agreement encourages Serco to operate "profitably" - e.g. do they have targets to meet and above that they keep the 'profit' and below that they 'owe' the government? I'm sure there'll be some mechanism and someone may know/can explain.
Either way, if they've got the pricing wrong and the trains are empty, then I fully expect they'll be adjusted until the optimum of sales price/quantity is achieved. Also if they are running this more as a travelling hotel as they like to say, as with hotels the prices could be very variable depending on demand on any given night.
Also worth remembering that (simplistically) if a train is only 60% full with "guests" paying twice as much per berth/seat, it's still making more money than a train 100% full of "guests" paying half the amount. So the higher prices could result in them losing regular customers and having more empty berths, but still generate more income.
TimboM
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That's safely working the Dagenham/Garston car flow at the moment.
TimboM
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It’s just how GB have allocated their locos. Whilst typically CS liveried ones work the beds and freight liveried ones work freight, sometimes when managing a small fleet of 8-10 locos and all the various things that need to be taken into account (eg exams, repairs etc) a CS one will end up on the cars (Or china clays even) and freight ones will end up on the beds (like 043 is at the moment and 044 was recently).
craig87034
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92010 is doing S25 tonight as expected, 92033 did the ECS
ScottDarg
Member
Issues with the Fort William portion tonight it seems.
WTT 1B01 Fort William - Edinburgh cancelled and new 5B01 Fort William - Edinburgh in:
1B01 - http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G60082/2018/01/19/advanced
5B01 - http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O62096/2018/01/19/advanced
Nothing on the CS Twitter or website.
WTT 1B01 Fort William - Edinburgh cancelled and new 5B01 Fort William - Edinburgh in:
1B01 - http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G60082/2018/01/19/advanced
5B01 - http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O62096/2018/01/19/advanced
Nothing on the CS Twitter or website.
Kite159
Veteran Member
ScottDarg
Member
Perspex/Aluminium window?
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Maybe down to the inbound service being nearly 4 hours late in this morning so the staff are probably out of hours.
Highlandspring
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No, it's a further fault (ETH problem) with 73971.
ScottDarg
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Thanks for the info, I'd assume loco swap at Edinburgh before tomorrows Northbound 1Y11?
Kite159
Veteran Member
Yep, Perspex on the outside, Aluminium sheet on the outside.
TimboM
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I suspect that's why 73968 made a quick return from its Mk5 testing duties at Polmadie this morning...
theironroad
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Well Serco are telling its 'guests':
Service Update - Friday 19th January 2018: Due to power issues, the Fort William to London Euston service will not be available for boarding until it reaches Edinburgh. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to guests. All other services are expected to depart as planned.'
So rather than sipping single malt in the lounge or getting an early night, I'd imagine the 'guests' are being bussed down the a82 hoping to get a few hours sleep later on......
Service Update - Friday 19th January 2018: Due to power issues, the Fort William to London Euston service will not be available for boarding until it reaches Edinburgh. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to guests. All other services are expected to depart as planned.'
So rather than sipping single malt in the lounge or getting an early night, I'd imagine the 'guests' are being bussed down the a82 hoping to get a few hours sleep later on......
TimboM
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If the "guests" are lucky they'll be able to catch glimpses of their "hotel" running as ECS on their way to Edinburgh.
theironroad
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Wouldn't surprise me if the guests get to Edinburgh well before the ECS (train booked for 5h21m compared to a road journey (Google maps ,based on car, of 3h7m) and are turfed off the coach and left to stand in the cold waiting for their train to limp in .
Tbh, if ETH only supplies heating, I'd probably prefer to curl up in the duvet an take my chances rather than endure a winding road coach journey in the snow.
Tbh, if ETH only supplies heating, I'd probably prefer to curl up in the duvet an take my chances rather than endure a winding road coach journey in the snow.
TimboM
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If it was just the heating I'd agree, however more accurately its the ETS (supply) and its not just the heating but lighting, equipment in the lounge/kitchen, safety equipment etc. that won't be working either. I believe the stock does have batteries, but these days they don't last very long and certainly not 5+ hours.
Seem to recall seeing somewhere (probably on here) that once a train tops 2 hours without ETS it has to be declared a failure.
Scotrail84
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Yes, no more than 2 hours, then most of the lights have gone an the trains freezing. Failure. New trains allegedly have 4 hours battery time...
I wonder what they did for any potential 'walk on' local passengers. Unlikely to be any at this time of year but when I was bustituted between Fort William and Glasgow a couple of years ago absolutely no arrangements were made for local passengers at intermediate stations, from what I could work out.
gcmozart
Member
Was going to ask what happens to Corrour passengers - not without a personal interest as i am visiting later this year
If you have a reservation then they would need to make arrangements for you. The issue is for passengers who use the sleeper was a 'walk on' service to Glasgow/Edinburgh. Technically it's compulsory reservations however in my experience it's impossible to get them.....
My suspicion is that Serco want to remove the ability for passengers to use the sleeper as a day train on the West Highland Line.
My suspicion is that Serco want to remove the ability for passengers to use the sleeper as a day train on the West Highland Line.
87015
Established Member
Reported The ED has decided against getting all the way to Fort Bill again this morning...
Question- do the autocouplers on the new stock need power from a EH loco to work, or will it still be possible to just drag a demic away with anything?
With assistance in rear requiring an emergency adaptor?
Question- do the autocouplers on the new stock need power from a EH loco to work, or will it still be possible to just drag a demic away with anything?
With assistance in rear requiring an emergency adaptor?
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Kite159
Veteran Member
73966 put in a good performance on the Aberdeen part this morning 
Does anyone know what actually happened with the Fort Bill passengers last night? Were the bussed to Edinburgh?
Yes they are nippy little machines (given favourable conditions of-course)
73966 put in a good performance on the Aberdeen part this morning
Yes they are nippy little machines (given favourable conditions of-course)
Scotrail84
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They cant as they are bound by the franchise agreement, same with the Northbound Inverness from Kingussie to Inverness.
Same franchise agreement that has pods?
But that doesn't stop them getting rid of it by stealth. Adverstise it as compulsory reservations, make it all but impossible to get a reservation, then claim there's no demand and use it as a chance to 'simplify' things.
The Scottish Ministers/DfT probably wouldn't even notice - they didn't even understand the problem of obtaining seat reservations when I escalated a complaint to them a couple of years ago....
The Scottish Ministers/DfT probably wouldn't even notice - they didn't even understand the problem of obtaining seat reservations when I escalated a complaint to them a couple of years ago....
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