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Caledonian Sleeper

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TimboM

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The alternatives could be the additional Nightingale Hospitals opening in Manchester and Birmingham, although gauging could well be an issue there.

Or alternatively, the field hospitals in Scotland - one site being offered is a former contact centre at the old IBM Campus in Spango Valley, which of course, is rail connected… albeit, there could be similar issues with gauge. This could take load off the Highlands where ICU resource is slim at best; but, it's whether or not there isn't a more suitable method of transport already available…
The sleepers divert via Birmingham every week and have diverted via Manchester few times in recent months, so no gauging issues.

That's probably about the only thing that isn't an issue with the idea of using the Caley Sleeper to move sick patients around as per the various reasons already given.
 

ashkeba

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The Night Riviera probably carries no more ’essential’ travellers than the Fort William portion on CS, hence both these routes have been axed until the government advice on non-essential travel changes.
Western Europe's largest naval base is on the Night Riviera route so I think that there would be enough essential workers who it would be advantageous to put in compartments with sinks.

I think the CS has kept running because it has a national government willing to argue for it, instead of only an operator that seems to see it as a bit of a nuisance.
 

mde

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The sleepers divert via Birmingham every week and have diverted via Manchester few times in recent months, so no gauging issues.
Emphasis on could. I doubt anyone would say it was a grand idea :lol:
 

ainsworth74

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Western Europe's largest naval base is on the Night Riviera route so I think that there would be enough essential workers who it would be advantageous to put in compartments with sinks.

I mean the good men and women of the Royal Navy are hardy souls but I'm not sure getting chucked off at 0511 in the morning is exactly appealing...

Night Rivera has berths with sinks so not sure what you're getting at with that either?
 

ashkeba

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I mean the good men and women of the Royal Navy are hardy souls but I'm not sure getting chucked off at 0511 in the morning is exactly appealing...

Night Rivera has berths with sinks so not sure what you're getting at with that either?
I am getting at the sinks being an asset during this and that a truncated NR should have been run for essential workers, like CS, contrary to the earlier claim there's no essential work on its route.

Plymouth-London was more civilised, bording a bit before midnight IIRC.
 

Meerkat

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Anyone going to Plymouth is going to drive/be driven (wouldn’t be surprised if the MOD were providing shuttle buses between main sites). If you had a car wouldn’t you love to drive down there just for the experience of empty roads?! Imagine piling past Stonehenge at the speed limit!
 

theironroad

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Anyone going to Plymouth is going to drive/be driven (wouldn’t be surprised if the MOD were providing shuttle buses between main sites). If you had a car wouldn’t you love to drive down there just for the experience of empty roads?! Imagine piling past Stonehenge at the speed limit!

Apart from the small amounts of RN and other military personnel who are going to be involved in providing assistance to civil authorities like the new hospitals and distribution of goods etc, I'd hope that all other nonessential military personnel are abiding by the same self isolating, social distancing rules etc. I appreciate that military bases have their own police and will have drawn up their own rules but military personnel aren't immune to COVID19 or to spreading it.
 

Elecman

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Apart from the small amounts of RN and other military personnel who are going to be involved in providing assistance to civil authorities like the new hospitals and distribution of goods etc, I'd hope that all other nonessential military personnel are abiding by the same self isolating, social distancing rules etc. I appreciate that military bases have their own police and will have drawn up their own rules but military personnel aren't immune to COVID19 or to spreading it.

Off topic but they do have access to full biological warfare PPE
 

yorkie

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Just a gentle reminder that this thread is to discuss the Caledonian Sleeper

The forum has plenty of spare capacity for threads on any other topic to be created ;)

Thanks!
 

JonathanH

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Reports this morning suggest that 15326 has returned to Polmadie from Kilmarnock after attention to its damaged wheel.

Reports also suggest that (most of) the stock used on the residual sleeper service was switched last night as well with sets CS07 and CS06 working southbound (CS07 replacing CS04 at Polmadie) and sets CS02 and CS08 working northbound (replacing CS03 and CS05 at Wembley). Obviously a bit more difficult to switch the Inverness set at the weekend than the ones at Glasgow and London.
 

LeylandLen

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I see SNCF in France is using specially adapted TGVs to move patients around. Obviously if Caledonian Sleeper has any unused stock , im sure that could be put to good use, would be welcome by NHS. Obviously people and equipment needed to deep clean the stock but it seems many have volunteered tp help out the NHS.

Ive read all the following messages. Of course NHS Staff will need some temp accommodation. Perhaps unused or previously withdrawn stock could be used, no doubt any spare could be moved to Liverpool St Station,obviously now very quiet, for those working at the Nightingale Hospital (previously ExCel ) in east London .Maybe some in unused platform at Glasgow Central?
Some hotels are being used by NHS staff in London .
(Apologies for putting this in Caledonian Sleeper Thread , im sure you understand my reasons )
 

theironroad

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Ive read all the following messages. Of course NHS Staff will need some temp accommodation. Perhaps unused or previously withdrawn stock could be used, no doubt any spare could be moved to Liverpool St Station,obviously now very quiet, for those working at the Nightingale Hospital (previously ExCel ) in east London .Maybe some in unused platform at Glasgow Central?
Some hotels are being used by NHS staff in London .
(Apologies for putting this in Caledonian Sleeper Thread , im sure you understand my reasons )

There are thousands of empty hotel rooms in London and nationwide right now with most business and leisure travel stopped. Docklands itself must have thousands tbh. Don't think trains will be needed but could be a backup in the unlikely event all the hotels fill up.
 

Bald Rick

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Ive read all the following messages. Of course NHS Staff will need some temp accommodation. Perhaps unused or previously withdrawn stock could be used, no doubt any spare could be moved to Liverpool St Station,obviously now very quiet, for those working at the Nightingale Hospital (previously ExCel ) in east London .Maybe some in unused platform at Glasgow Central?
Some hotels are being used by NHS staff in London .
(Apologies for putting this in Caledonian Sleeper Thread , im sure you understand my reasons )

Wi thin walking distance of ExCel there are 15 hotels with well over 2000 rooms between them. There is no prospect of a sleeper train - or any other train - being used as temporary accommodation there.
 

alangla

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Ibis, Novotel, the Sunborn yacht, all within 50-100 yards of the western entrance. The SECC has a Crowne Plaza, Hilton Doubletree and Radisson Red all on site, multiple hotels at the NEC as well. Anyway, surely for proper track bashing points, you’d park the stock on the unopened bit of Crossrail that goes past the back of ExCeL?
 

cf111

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Yes,credit where credit due, in contrast to many airlines that are putting flights on hold rather than refunding, in some cases even although the route has been suspended!
It took CS less than a day to refund my ticket after I called them whereas it took EasyJet three weeks! A barely minor inconvenience during these strange times but once this is all over I'd be much happier to hand my money over to CS than EasyJet.
 

Dr Hoo

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It took CS less than a day to refund my ticket after I called them whereas it took EasyJet three weeks! A barely minor inconvenience during these strange times but once this is all over I'd be much happier to hand my money over to CS than EasyJet.
I've never had to get a refund from EasyJet but my last attempt to use CS ended up with the train cancelled in advance (adverse weather), trip completely aborted and over three months of email correspondence to get my money back. These things seem to be completely random.
 

Bletchleyite

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I think CS would be more manual and more personal (hence more human mistakes). Sleasy has a system, which has low throughput at the moment due to high demand and high staff sickness, but in the end the system will process all the requests.
 

Peter Sarf

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I think CS would be more manual and more personal (hence more human mistakes). Sleasy has a system, which has low throughput at the moment due to high demand and high staff sickness, but in the end the system will process all the requests.

Most companies will hang onto the money for as long as possible. Cash flow and the interest earned rather than expended.
 

JohnMcL7

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What is the state of each of the 73's at the moment? I was surprised to see it's still a 66/73 combination on the Inverness sleeper as I thought with the Dundee/Aberdeen portions not running it would be back to a pair of 73's for up here.
 

TimboM

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What is the state of each of the 73's at the moment? I was surprised to see it's still a 66/73 combination on the Inverness sleeper as I thought with the Dundee/Aberdeen portions not running it would be back to a pair of 73's for up here.
There's sufficient available (only one stopped at Craigentinny per TOPS list this evening - 73970). The 66 is being used out of choice.

Lots of good reasons for using a 66 at the moment - lots of 66s available with downturn in freight traffic, can go further between refuelling (less human contact), not a micro-fleet so greater resilience/availability of fitters/parts etc if they need attention, very rarely fail... arguably the question is why wouldn't you use a 66 in the current circumstances?

Also a potential opportunity to get work done on the 73/9s if there's sufficient resources available.
 

JohnMcL7

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I'd have assumed the 66's are significantly thirstier and much heavier which always seem to get mentioned when costs are talked about with 67's.
 

Far north 37

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Just guessing but with staff availability possibly being reduced then might it be easier finding a driver who has traction knowledge for a 66?
All the drivers with the route knowledge would have the traction knowledge finding a driver with class 66 knowledge doesnt mean they have route knowledge also.
 

TimboM

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I'd have assumed the 66's are significantly thirstier and much heavier which always seem to get mentioned when costs are talked about with 67's.
The 66s are a lot heavier... however, the Class 66 fuel tank holds 3,600 more litres of fuel than the 73/9's (3.4x as big). The 66 also won't be pushing itself at all to haul a Load 8, so its fuel consumption will be considerably less than hauling a heavy freight. The factors noted above were more around range and reliability than cost, though.

Just guessing but with staff availability possibly being reduced then might it be easier finding a driver who has traction knowledge for a 66?
The driver still needs to have traction knowledge of the 73/9 as that that's in multi and under power.

If the driver in the 66 didn't sign 73/9s, there'd need to be a second "competent person" in the 73/9.
 

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