Caledonian Sleeper discussion

[Wigan Wanderer]

Just to confirm, 73969 is on the Aberdeen to Edinburgh portion tonight. Last of the Scottish 73s in the bag for me

 

[JohnMcL7]

Just to confirm, 73969 is on the Aberdeen to Edinburgh portion tonight. Last of the Scottish 73s in the bag for me

I've still to see a 73 as it's the 67 up in Inverness and when I did a cycle out to Aberdeen I badly misjudged my pace and barely made the last train home so missed the 73.

 

[bravesirrobin]

I’m not sure if this should be posted here or in the fares forum.

I assume that once the new stock comes in the Flexipass will cover single berths as now, with perhaps a supplement if you want the ensuite ones?

I have a Flexipass booking for the 28th of October Edinburgh to Euston. They seem to cover the “Club” rooms which I think are the en-suite ones. Consider me slightly disappointed at the recent turn of events.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It would surely make sense for them to sell two levels of the pass.

 

[Sarahs_Railway]

Good evening everyone. Might I pick upon your vastly knowledgeable brains to explain the working listed below. As I understand it at the Euston end the ECS comes into Platform 1 for the Highlander and once that has departed the loco on the blocks in 1 nips round to 15 and gets hitched up with the down Lowlander with the loco that delivered the Lowlander ECS nipping back to Wembley and putting the feet up. I am therefore a bit baffled why there is a light loco move diagrammed for every night except Saturdays and Sundays.
Or maybe I am missing something obvious in which case the cap with the big "D" on the front is just at reaching distance - again.....

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C78516/2018/10/05/advanced

 

[GW43125]

Good evening everyone. Might I pick upon your vastly knowledgeable brains to explain the working listed below. As I understand it at the Euston end the ECS comes into Platform 1 for the Highlander and once that has departed the loco on the blocks in 1 nips round to 15 and gets hitched up with the down Lowlander with the loco that delivered the Lowlander ECS nipping back to Wembley and putting the feet up. I am therefore a bit baffled why there is a light loco move diagrammed for every night except Saturdays and Sundays.
Or maybe I am missing something obvious in which case the cap with the big "D" on the front is just at reaching distance - again.....

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C78516/2018/10/05/advanced

That's the locomotive for the Highlander-ECS comes in for the highlander, sometimes top 'n' tailed, sometimes not, if it's not then that loco will take the highlander.
You can tell (but this isn't always the rule) as the loco is 0S25, the highland is 1S25, so 0S25 works 1S25.

 

[Sarahs_Railway]

That's the locomotive for the Highlander-ECS comes in for the highlander, sometimes top 'n' tailed, sometimes not, if it's not then that loco will take the highlander.
You can tell (but this isn't always the rule) as the loco is 0S25, the highland is 1S25, so 0S25 works 1S25.

Thank you! I just assumed that the northbound loco came in attached to the rear end of the ECS. You never think of these things as you are lugging your baggage along 16 coaches to get to your berth!
Best regards Sarah

 

[47271]

I don't know if this makes any difference to you, but I believe that the Highlander has been going from P15 more often than not recently.

 

[Sarahs_Railway]

I don't know if this makes any difference to you, but I believe that the Highlander has been going from P15 more often than not recently.

Thanks for this info 47271.

 

[TimboM]

Thank you! I just assumed that the northbound loco came in attached to the rear end of the ECS. You never think of these things as you are lugging your baggage along 16 coaches to get to your berth!
Best regards Sarah

When the locos were based at Willesden TMD they almost always came in separately - the 1S26 loco would run from Willesden to Wembley in the afternoon and get hooked up to the Highlander ECS (5S95) and work that in, then the Highlander loco would run in from Willesden (normally as 0A25) - usually behind it, although sometimes would go into Euston earlier in the evening.

Now the GB electric locos are maintained at Wembley, everything is coming in from there, so 5S95 is T'n'T more often than not these days. The 0S25 loco still starts separately at the carriage sheds, but if there's time etc 0S25 is attached to the rear of 5S95 just after it leaves the carriage sheds as easier to do there than in Euston - hence by the time it joins the main line and heads into EUS it's T'n'T (and 0S25 path isn't used).

Note there's other paths in the WTT, e.g. 0A95 and 0A96 for the ECS locos to run back to Wembley after both 1S25 and 1S26 depart, but these are almost never used.

 

[Scotrail84]

92 033 on 1S25

90 047 on 1S26

 

[TimboM]

92 033 on 1S25

90 047 on 1S26

90 043 on 5S96 (Lowlander ECS - rare night off for 87 002)

92 043 on 1M11
92 028 on 1M16

92 023 on 1C11/1B26 (Carstairs portion).

 

[Carlisle]

Been announced elsewhere by Serco this morning that the introduction of the MK5s has been delayed again due to some issues.

Is there anything bar the odd terribly miniscule rail enhancement scheme in the U.K. that hasn’t been delayed or postponed since the summer timetable chaos ?

 

[paul1609]

I have a Flexipass booking for the 28th of October Edinburgh to Euston. They seem to cover the “Club” rooms which I think are the en-suite ones. Consider me slightly disappointed at the recent turn of events.

i'd actually be interested to know on which routes the flexipasses are used. As a mostly West Highlander (and occasional lowlander) passenger Ive yet to meet anyone who uses them. Im fortunate enough to get a railcard discount that makes them a non starter for me.

 

[TimboM]

Is there anything bar the odd terribly miniscule rail enhancement scheme in the U.K. that hasn’t been delayed or postponed since the summer timetable chaos ?

Could probably ask that about any major project ever!

 

[InOban]

Since I know some of you follow this, here are today's occupants of the Klondike.

 

[Norther Monkey]

Is there anything bar the odd terribly miniscule rail enhancement scheme in the U.K. that hasn’t been delayed or postponed since the summer timetable chaos ?

The Dyce-Aberdeen re-doubling seemed to run to schedule.

 

[leightonbd]

i'd actually be interested to know on which routes the flexipasses are used. As a mostly West Highlander (and occasional lowlander) passenger Ive yet to meet anyone who uses them. Im fortunate enough to get a railcard discount that makes them a non starter for me.

I used sleeper flexipasses a lot when I did what was (effectively) a seasonal, weekly commute from Aviemore (area) to London.

Changing jobs and location meant my journey became Edinburgh-London and made it easier just to buy tickets as and when needed, since day trains are much more of an option.

 

[paul1609]

I used sleeper flexipasses a lot when I did what was (effectively) a seasonal, weekly commute from Aviemore (area) to London.

Changing jobs and location meant my journey became Edinburgh-London and made it easier just to buy tickets as and when needed, since day trains are much more of an option.

I'd imagined that the Inverness portion might be where any residual business use might be because of the lack of flights.

 

[leightonbd]

I'd imagined that the Inverness portion might be where any residual business use might be because of the lack of flights.

I think (thought) that the consumer view is: you buy them when you know you will use them, to lock in a discount, so it could apply on any route, I guess. They used to be available on a ‘corporate’ basis rather than being unique to an individual, so if you had a company which was doing a lot of travel, they could just issue individual coupons from the book (as it was in 2003 or so) to staff - I think I recall seeing this on Edinburgh to Glasgow too when I started doing that journey.

 

[haggishunter]

On Northbound Highlander with advance seat reservation and in a bed as seated coach out of use. Not sure of reason. Hope to get into lounge as was going to be straight to buffet counter on departure as not eaten tonight !!

 

[JModulo]

1B16 Aberdeen to Edinburgh caped tonight, issue with the 47. Passengers advised to get the XC Service to Edinburgh and join the lowlander.

 

[GW43125]

1B16 Aberdeen to Edinburgh caped tonight, issue with the 47.

How long's it been a 47 for?

 

[JModulo]

How long's it been a 47 for?

Just this weekend. Pair of 73s were used on an SRPS railtour.

 

[haggishunter]

Should have specified I was supposed to be on Inverness seats!

 

[Highlandspring]

1B16 Aberdeen to Edinburgh caped tonight, issue with the 47.

Fuel leak.

 

[158820]

1B16 Aberdeen to Edinburgh caped tonight, issue with the 47. Passengers advised to get the XC Service to Edinburgh and join the lowlander.

Crosscountry 2129 Abeedeen Edinburgh is now delayed by hitting obstruction on the line between Dundee and Leuchars.

 

[Qwerty133]

1B16 Aberdeen to Edinburgh caped tonight, issue with the 47. Passengers advised to get the XC Service to Edinburgh and join the lowlander.

Not a good sign that an entire portion of the highlander can fit into the space capacity of half of the lowlander, especially considering it is the southbound on a Sunday evening.

 

[TimboM]

Not a good sign that an entire portion of the highlander can fit into the space capacity of half of the lowlander, especially considering it is the southbound on a Sunday evening.

Aberdeen portion has been only 2x Sleepers (plus seats / lounge) a fair bit in recent times (4 Sleepers going to Fort Bill). It’s not exactly peak summer/holiday season either.

 

[jagardner1984]

Surely the dramatic escalation in pricing has something to do with this.

I used the sleeper quite a lot about 10 years ago and think it’s such a brilliant way to travel.

I’d love to do it more often but, assuming you want a solo cabin, you aren’t able to book weeks ahead and you don’t have the luxury of flexibility on dates, it is just so expensive now. The berth supplement I used to purchase, the Caledonian Solo was £50. For a few dates I checked recently it’s now £100.

I used to be able to make the case at work (where the standard travel policy is to refund an standard off peak ticket) that the small extra cost was better than a cheap hotel room or a red eye flight to London, and it was always my preferred way to arrive for a day’s work in London feeling refreshed. CS’ pricing makes that harder and harder to argue. I can’t be the only one ...