Caledonian Sleeper

[Kite159]

And some of us accidentally booked on the launch night without knowing because I needed to take one more day annual leave in April and wanted to get the most out of my weekly season ticket

The guard of the Fort William portion didn't like me boarding this morning (with money for a single ticket), but I would say a good few walk ups walkers didn't get the chance to buy tickets.

 

[FQTV]

I believe the issue was that half of them would have had to be back to the direction of travel, meaning potential back/neck injuries in an accident. The Stagecoach Megabus sleeper coaches used to have staff checking you were the "right way round" to avoid this.

I'm not sure transverse pods would have been very nice - no opportunity to look out of the window.

Personally, I think they should have done couchettes - either transverse or longitudinal. (A proper couchette would allow it to be used either way round).

You’re making that statement based on zero knowledge of the facts. The “crashworthiness issues” of the lie-flat pods were much discussed here a wee while back but as far as I saw no one ever produced any tangible evidence that this was a factor in why they were not progressed. Many people stated it as a fact but no evidence ever emerged in the public domain. It could easily have been an entirely commercially driven decision for all we know.

I'm not saying you're wrong, especially since I know nothing about it at all, but that does seem a bit daft to me. All trains have seats which face backwards, and surely if you're lying down/reclining it makes even less difference which way around you are?

Personally, and knowing at least a bit about airlines, I think the commercial viability of ‘pods’ would, in reality, have been slightly lower than a snake’s belly.

It doesn’t surprise me for a second that they were not pursued.

My only doubt about whether commercial reality is something that Caledonian Sleeper has fully-grasped, is some of their continuing blindness in terms of what it will take to deliver a service that meets the expectations of their supposed (new) target audience.

 

[BRX]

The guard of the Fort William portion didn't like me boarding this morning (with money for a single ticket), but I would say a good few walk ups walkers didn't get the chance to buy tickets.

Why not?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Why not?

Well, quite, it's only one half-coach with low density 2+1 - doing revenue really should not be difficult!

Or are there TVMs now, in which case maybe that should have been used?

 

[Kite159]

Well, quite, it's only one half-coach with low density 2+1 - doing revenue really should not be difficult!

Or are there TVMs now, in which case maybe that should have been used?

No TVMs on the West Highland line stations. Although I suspect he didn't have a ticket book/machine available to collect fares.

 

[_toommm_]

So excuse my ignorance on this, its the first time I've travelled on the Sleeper:

I'm going from Crewe to Fort William on the 10th May (managed to bag the final seat) - is this planned to be the new stock that we've heard so much about?

 

[trebor79]

So excuse my ignorance on this, its the first time I've travelled on the Sleeper:

I'm going from Crewe to Fort William on the 10th May (managed to bag the final seat) - is this planned to be the new stock that we've heard so much about?

No. New stock is starting on the Lowlander from early June, although it appears a "soft launch" is starting tonight.
No date yet for Highlander.

 

[_toommm_]

No. New stock is starting on the Lowlander from early June, although it appears a "soft launch" is starting tonight.
No date yet for Highlander.

At least I'll get to try the old stock before it goes out of service.

Thanks for the info

 

[TimboM]

No. New stock is starting on the Lowlander from early June, although it appears a "soft launch" is starting tonight.
No date yet for Highlander.

Bookings on the new trains for the Highlander are being taken from 2nd June and that's the same night a lot of media, travel bloggers, VIPs etc are booked on to experience the new trains on the Highlander.

15 further Mk5 coaches docked at Tees Port in the past week or so (taking total in UK from 56 to 71 out of an order of 75) so with finishing/testing etc. they'll all need it's unlikely the Highlander could launch any earlier than that.

I'm not sure all those involved would describe tonight's Lowlander launch as "soft" - pretty hard more like!

 

[47271]

No. New stock is starting on the Lowlander from early June, although it appears a "soft launch" is starting tonight.
No date yet for Highlander.

No, my understanding is that the Lowlander is going over to new stock - barring major problems - permanently from tonight unless anyone has additional information on that.

 

[TimboM]

No, my understanding is that the Lowlander is going over to new stock - barring major problems - permanently from tonight unless anyone has additional information on that.

Correct - Mk5s rolled out on Lowlander fully from tonight and no going back...!

 

[trebor79]

I meant soft launch as in the website etc doesn't give a date, and if you book tickets for before June in still describes the old stock.
Hence a pleasant surprise for me when I discovered my trip in a couple of weeks will be in a new Mk5, but if for some reason it doesn't go to plan they can revert to the old stock for a month without disappointing anyone.

That said, I hope it all goes to plan, and I'm sure there's been a lot of work behind the scenes to get it ready.

 

[JModulo]

if for some reason it doesn't go to plan they can revert to the old stock for a month without disappointing anyone.

If only it was as easy as that. Also considering the old stock has just been parked up, all "stock" emptied and not even cleaned...

 

[robertbishop]

If they form the train up at Edinburgh as they have done on the recent diversions the GLC portion will be at the front leading up the ECML, but then on the back after the reversal at Wembley - so if anyone can get their heads round which way round the sets will be, either way you’ll be a long way back...!

I’m fairly sure D is the one at the front leaving EDB on your FTW. Others will confirm.

The coach letters go up so G is next to the loco at Euston, but after the split at EDB, the day coaches are attached at that end and the FTW engine goes on the other end (i.e. the D end).

EDB-FTW should be (I think!) 739xx - D - E - F - G - Lounge - Seats/Brake.

Coach D

Coach N

Thanks both very much for this information - really useful.

One more: which coach on the southbound Highland sleeper (again a Sunday ECML diversion with the Wembley reversal) will be closest to the blocks at Euston please?

 

[JonathanH]

Thanks both very much for this information - really useful.

One more: which coach on the southbound Highland sleeper (again a Sunday ECML diversion with the Wembley reversal) will be closest to the blocks at Euston please?

Aberdeen seated coach - same as when it goes West Coast - the reversal is moved from Edinburgh to Wembley.

 

[pitdiver]

Has anybody been able to book priv tickets on the highlander yet using the new stock.

 

[_toommm_]

So I understand that the seated Fort William passengers have to get off and switch coaches at Edinburgh. Do we have to sit in a certain coach up to Edinburgh, and are we awoken or do we have to be proactive in getting up and switching?

 

[alistairlees]

So I understand that the seated Fort William passengers have to get off and switch coaches at Edinburgh. Do we have to sit in a certain coach up to Edinburgh, and are we awoken or do we have to be proactive in getting up and switching?

You sit in the Aberdeen coach (A) to Edinburgh. Then it's coach S from Edinburgh. I have no experience of it myself, but I suspect you will have to remember to wake up.

 

[_toommm_]

You sit in the Aberdeen coach (A) to Edinburgh. Then it's coach S from Edinburgh. I have no experience of it myself, but I suspect you will have to remember to wake up.

And is that located at the front or rear of the train (normally)? I'm boarding at Crewe so I'll want to know where to stand ideally.

 

[BRX]

And is that located at the front or rear of the train (normally)? I'm boarding at Crewe so I'll want to know where to stand ideally.

Round about the middle. Front half of the train is going to Aberdeen/FW and the seats are at the 'back' of that half. The FW coach will be added on at what was the front of the train when you get to Edinburgh. Whenever I've done it, I've been awake anyway, so I'm not 100% sure whether they come and wake you but I think they do.

 

[alistairlees]

And is that located at the front or rear of the train (normally)? I'm boarding at Crewe so I'll want to know where to stand ideally.

In the middle front. Portions from front to rear are Fort William, Aberdeen, Inverness. You need to be in the Aberdeen seats from Crewe.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No. New stock is starting on the Lowlander from early June, although it appears a "soft launch" is starting tonight.
No date yet for Highlander.

Not that "soft" - the Man in Seat 61 has been given a free ticket, I believe, and I'm sure he will not shy of keeping the publicity flowing.

 

[_toommm_]

In the middle front. Portions from front to rear are Fort William, Aberdeen, Inverness. You need to be in the Aberdeen seats from Crewe.

Round about the middle. Front half of the train is going to Aberdeen/FW and the seats are at the 'back' of that half. The FW coach will be added on at what was the front of the train when you get to Edinburgh. Whenever I've done it, I've been awake anyway, so I'm not 100% sure whether they come and wake you but I think they do.

Thanks for the help guys, and apologies about the incessant questioning

 

[Bald Rick]

Has anybody been able to book priv tickets on the highlander yet using the new stock.

Yep, on low lander.

 

[GW43125]

Are both 1S26 and 1M11 running as mk5s tonight? Bold move if so!
Unfortunately the ECML divert bowls me out of seeing them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are both 1S26 and 1M11 running as mk5s tonight? Bold move if so!
Unfortunately the ECML divert bowls me out of seeing them.

I don't know the headcodes/reporting numbers/whatever they are called. But the Lowlander is Mk5 but the Highlander Mk2+Mk3.

 

[31160]

Northbound Highlander tonight 87002 to Wembley then 90046 forward via Donc

 

[GW43125]

I don't know the headcodes/reporting numbers/whatever they are called. But the Lowlander is Mk5 but the Highlander Mk2+Mk3.

1S26=NB lowland
1M11=SB lowland

 

[JonathanH]

You sit in the Aberdeen coach (A) to Edinburgh. Then it's coach S from Edinburgh. I have no experience of it myself, but I suspect you will have to remember to wake up.

The guard comes round to ensure you are awake when you get to Edinburgh if you have not woken up - the approach through the tunnels at Haymarket is particularly noisy.

You have to walk down the platform at Edinburgh to change from the Aberdeen seats to the Fort William portion.

 

[BRX]

Lowlander at euston has 92023 on the front and 028 on the back which will take it on from wembley.