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Caledonian Sleeper

Bletchleyite

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"Marston Vale mafia"
As a result they offer disabled people occupying the Fort William accessible cabin, room service from the Fort William / Aberdeen lounge car. But they say they won't if the Fort William / Aberdeen lounge car is out.

Well, that's a bit lazy and not at all a reasonable adjustment given that an able bodied passenger could presumably walk through.

I'd push that point to their customer services and make a big thing about that being unacceptable and a breach of disability legislation (if you are bothered; you might prefer stuff from Marks instead anyway).
 
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MrEd

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13 Jan 2019
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If the Lounge/Club car is full if the other is out of use are passengers with Club/Double room tickets also allowed to buy meals to take back to there rooms if they do not want to wait for ages?

Of course, the take-away buffet service is open to all passengers and lots of first class passengers use it if they just want a quick cup of tea in their room before bed.

If you have a first class/Club ticket, you are entitled to room service so you can ask your host to bring refreshments to your room. The takeaway/room service menu is largely the same as the ordinary lounge menu, except that some of the cooked evening meals (and cold snacks like the cheeseboard and charcuterie selection) are not suitable for takeaway.
 

MrEd

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13 Jan 2019
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587
Whilst those in the beds might be able to use the Inverness lounge, what are the prospects for those in the seats to get a nightcap or a brew in the morning?

If you’re in the Aberdeen seats, you’ll be able to use the buffet in the Inverness section tonight, but unfortunately there’ll be no refreshments in the morning if the Aberdeen lounge is dead. If you’re going to Fort William in the seats, you’ll use the Inverness section buffet tonight, then a new lounge will be added for your section at Edinburgh so you’ll use that as normal in the morning.
 

MrEd

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I suspect that other passengers haven't been informed... Thank you for the thought, appreciated. Unfortunately it won't make any difference for me because I'm a wheelchair user. I can't get into the lounge car anyway because between London and Edinburgh the Fort William accessible sleeper cabin is not next to the lounge. As a result they offer disabled people occupying the Fort William accessible cabin, room service from the Fort William / Aberdeen lounge car. But they say they won't if the Fort William / Aberdeen lounge car is out.

That’s not really very good. Admittedly they’d have to carry it a long way (15 coaches) but as it’ll be in a takeaway container I can’t see how that’d be a problem, any more than walking home with your Chinese takeaway. Admittedly you may want to eat before boarding to be safe, but I’d have a word with your host after you get on, just in case they might be able to bring you a drink or some snacks. It’ll be a Fort William based host tonight, and the Fort William crews are generally very friendly and very good at keeping us passengers happy; they’re a lot less regimented than the other crew bases I find, and a lot better at solving problems on the spot because of this.

Hopefully your berth will be next to the lounge car in the morning, as a new lounge is added at Edinburgh for the Fort William section, so you can ask your host about having breakfast in there.
 

BRX

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20 Oct 2008
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3,597
If you’re in the Aberdeen seats, you’ll be able to use the buffet in the Inverness section tonight, but unfortunately there’ll be no refreshments in the morning if the Aberdeen lounge is dead. If you’re going to Fort William in the seats, you’ll use the Inverness section buffet tonight, then a new lounge will be added for your section at Edinburgh so you’ll use that as normal in the morning.

(If that one's working. My last trip both the Fort William and Aberdeen lounge cars were broken.)
 

Highlandspring

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14 Oct 2017
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Presumably this is the lounge car which failed on 1S25 on Tue into Wed night and has run south as part of 1M16 overnight last night.
 

ashkeba

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13 May 2019
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I thought the former DB night stock (now with OBB) wasn't that old, but I've not checked who built them and when.
https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/nightjet.htm#Comfortline says some were built by DB themselves 2005-6. I didn't find anything to contradict that, but it really surprises me if DB still owned carriage builders that late. Edit: and as soon as I post, I find a page in German saying those were built by Siemens SGP and older ones were built by SGP, Talbot, Jenbacher Werken AG (now Innio) and Bombardier Dunakeszi.
 
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WesternLancer

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12 Apr 2019
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https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/nightjet.htm#Comfortline says some were built by DB themselves 2005-6. I didn't find anything to contradict that, but it really surprises me if DB still owned carriage builders that late. Edit: and as soon as I post, I find a page in German saying those were built by Siemens SGP and older ones were built by SGP, Talbot, Jenbacher Werken AG (now Innio) and Bombardier Dunakeszi.
Cheers, slightly older than I thought then, but not much.
 

LeylandLen

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Leyland Lancs

kingqueen

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12 Apr 2010
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Wetherby, North Yorkshire
That’s not really very good. Admittedly they’d have to carry it a long way (15 coaches) but as it’ll be in a takeaway container I can’t see how that’d be a problem, any more than walking home with your Chinese takeaway. Admittedly you may want to eat before boarding to be safe, but I’d have a word with your host after you get on, just in case they might be able to bring you a drink or some snacks. It’ll be a Fort William based host tonight, and the Fort William crews are generally very friendly and very good at keeping us passengers happy; they’re a lot less regimented than the other crew bases I find, and a lot better at solving problems on the spot because of this.

God bless them; despite the Guest Service Centre warning me in advance that I wouldn't be able to have room service, the first thing the host said to me was that he was very happy indeed to do room service. From the other end of the whole train. By then I had already bought a take-out from "Leon" or whatever it's called, but still. He's very kindly gone for a couple of whiskeis for me, for which I am suitably grateful.
I don't know where I'm supposed to eat the food, mind you. Compare the standard cabin (from Mark Smith's video)
2.jpg
And the accessible cabin:
3.jpg
No table thing over the sink. And nowhere else to put the food either...
 
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MrEd

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13 Jan 2019
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587
God bless them; despite the Guest Service Centre warning me in advance that I wouldn't be able to have room service, the first thing the host said to me was that he was very happy indeed to do room service. From the other end of the whole train. By then I had already bought a take-out from "Leon" or whatever it's called, but still. He's very kindly gone for a couple of whiskeis for me, for which I am suitably grateful.
I don't know where I'm supposed to eat the food, mind you. Compare the standard cabin (from Mark Smith's video)
View attachment 64708
And the accessible cabin:
View attachment 64709
No table thing over the sink. And nowhere else to put the food either...

There are some absolutely great guys who work the Fort William route, sounds just like the guys I know and love and who make the Fort William trip so special every time I do it. So pleased they’ve been accommodating for you. It’s great to hear praise for the fantastic staff who work the Fort William section, they all do a brilliant job (as do the Inverness team) and show some good old-fashioned Highland hospitality. Some of the other crews could learn a lot from them in terms of customer service, I feel.
 

MrEd

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13 Jan 2019
Messages
587
With food in the accessible room, you may just have to eat it on your knee. There should be a shelf which folds down from the wall (covered in fabric padding) which you can put a drink on, I think all Mk3 berths have this.
 

tago

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15 Dec 2015
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34
Lowland sleeper to Edinburgh cancelled tonight. Serco claiming they contacted all passengers (who booked direct) 12 hours ago, which is a lie.

Passengers are supposed to get on the 06:15 from KX (no offer of accommodation) or apparently there may or may not be a bus.

Passengers unsurprisingly less than happy.
 

Clayton

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15 Apr 2018
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259
Lowland sleeper to Edinburgh cancelled tonight. Serco claiming they contacted all passengers (who booked direct) 12 hours ago, which is a lie.

Passengers are supposed to get on the 06:15 from KX (no offer of accommodation) or apparently there may or may not be a bus.

Passengers unsurprisingly less than happy.
I’ve started taking a ghoulish pleasure in this thread! Those poor people! That should be a full refund plus a ticket on the six fifteen
 

Highlandspring

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14 Oct 2017
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1C11 standing in platform 4 at Haymarket for nearly an hour now with alarms sounding/jumper problems....
 

WesternLancer

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12 Apr 2019
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6,996
God bless them; despite the Guest Service Centre warning me in advance that I wouldn't be able to have room service, the first thing the host said to me was that he was very happy indeed to do room service. From the other end of the whole train. By then I had already bought a take-out from "Leon" or whatever it's called, but still. He's very kindly gone for a couple of whiskeis for me, for which I am suitably grateful.
I don't know where I'm supposed to eat the food, mind you. Compare the standard cabin (from Mark Smith's video)
View attachment 64708
And the accessible cabin:
View attachment 64709
No table thing over the sink. And nowhere else to put the food either...
Is that lower picture the air-con unit in the new Mk5s then?:smile:
At least it looks like you can turn it off if it gets too noisy!
 

side effect

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20 Jul 2015
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81
Just woke up to see it is just approaching the Ox. Hope you make your interview and all the best. Now going back for more sleep.
 

nlogax

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29 May 2011
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Mostly Glasgow-ish. Mostly.
Arrived in Glasgow this morning a little early. A drama-free run and everything seemed to work, including the bacon roll and coffee in my room. Add to that I managed to get a fair amount of sleep en route..Laphroaig prices onboard are VERY reasonable! May post a couple of pics later.
 

swapmeetpete

Member
Joined
29 Dec 2013
Messages
39
Another fine run on the Pandemonium Sleeper. Due to impending power failure in the southbound Inverness seated coach, everyone moved to shared berths at Edinburgh.
 

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