Caledonian Sleeper

[greatkingrat]

Nobody seems to have picked up on the other point from reading that article.

It sounds like her husband took the bottom bunk for himself and she was in the top one, which she appears to have found difficult.

Was that her choice, or was he showing a distinct lack of manners...?!

She said her husband was recovering from a knee operation, so I think the problem was neither of them were able to get into the top bunk easily.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

She said her husband was recovering from a knee operation, so I think the problem was neither of them were able to get into the top bunk easily.

Ah, I missed the reference to a knee operation. That would make sense that he'd have to have the lower bunk in that instance.

Having used the Mk5 Classic cabins myself twice already, I don't think they're as bad as she makes out, though - but I do agree the ladder is in the wrong place and it would be easier for both bunks if it was positioned more towards one end rather than in the middle.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Another early arrival on the lowlander today

 

[D6130]

Another early arrival on the lowlander today

Were you turfed out immediately upon arrival at whichever station it was?

 

[Blindtraveler]

I was booked to Watford myself but by the looks of it it had a good clear run into London so I guess there was potential for early eviction from cabins etc, certainly the Edinburgh seats were full and really imagine they were happy to be off early

 

[Scotrail88]

Does anyone know the shifts of a train manager on the sleeper. Be based in Edinburgh for reference.

Thanks in advance and sorry in here as recruitment forum closed

 

[The Puddock]

Does anyone know the shifts of a train manager on the sleeper. Be based in Edinburgh for reference.

There’s a Freedom of Information request response which includes the train manager diagrams here:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/994491/response/2371420/attach/2/CSL003%20Guards%20Info.xlsx

For some reason it”s presented as an Excel spreadsheet with different worksheets for each bit of information. Just scroll along until you find the Edinburgh ones.

 

[Scotrail88]

There’s a Freedom of Information request response which includes the train manager diagrams here:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/994491/response/2371420/attach/2/CSL003%20Guards%20Info.xlsx

For some reason it”s presented as an Excel spreadsheet with different worksheets for each bit of information. Just scroll along until you find the Edinburgh ones.

Thanks

 

[al78]

Yes. The sleeper is objectively good for most normies. I found several faults but even so, most people who like their trains will still enjoy the Caledonian Sleeper.

IMO it is not good, it is adequate in the sense that it covers the bare minimum needed to do a very long and normally tedious train journey through the night so you can (try to) sleep through most of it for a high price. It is a hostel on wheels and even comparing to similar accommodation, the Norwegian mountain huts for example (which are dormitory accommodation with bunk beds) are vastly better for comfort, catering and sleeping. If I used the sleeper again I would probably go for one of the better cabins which look to be more like a budget hotel room.

 

[railwaysteam]

What would you say is the best month to travel on the caledonian sleeper from London to Inverness, to get the best views? Thank you

 

[gallafent]

What would you say is the best month to travel on the caledonian sleeper from London to Inverness, to get the best views? Thank you

Surely June, since that has the most daylight?

 

[railwaysteam]

Surely June, since that has the most daylight?

Makes sense. Thank you

 

[Bald Rick]

What would you say is the best month to travel on the caledonian sleeper from London to Inverness, to get the best views? Thank you

Surely June, since that has the most daylight?

Whilst June gives the most amount of daylight, if you are travelling northbound it is light in the ‘Highlands’ (north of Perth) from late April to mid August, assuming the train is on time. With the sun low in the east it can be quite wonderful heading up through Drumochter, if the weather is kind, in late April / early May.

 

[geoffk]

Surely June, since that has the most daylight?

I travelled on all three portions (with the old stock) in the summers of 2012 - 4, from and back to Preston (two in June and one in early August). The whole of the West Highland line was traversed in daylight in the morning and as far as Rannoch coming back in the evening, according to my notes. On the Aberdeen portion, I moved to the lounge car for the crossing of the Forth Bridge just before 0500, as the sun was already up. When I was heading for Inverness the train was 90 late arriving at Preston so it was daylight when we left Edinburgh!

 

[Mak1981]

Substantial delay this morning due to issues with mail train south of lockerbie

 

[MrJeeves]

Substantial delay this morning due to issues with mail train south of lockerbie

Teenagers charged after 'tampering with parcels on Royal Mail train'

British Transport Police were called during the early hours of Tuesday morning following reports two men had gained access to a Royal Mail train service at Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway.

news.sky.com

 

[zwk500]

Substantial delay this morning due to issues with mail train south of lockerbie

Teenagers charged after 'tampering with parcels on Royal Mail train'

British Transport Police were called during the early hours of Tuesday morning following reports two men had gained access to a Royal Mail train service at Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway.

news.sky.com

Thread here:

Disruption between Carlisle and Lockerbie - Attempted robbery of Mail train (01/08/2023)

The WCML is currently closed between Carlisle and Lockerbie due to a robbery attempt on the Royal mail train Signalling system has been sabotaged and several trains at a stand at the locus 1690864281 Update All cleared up now

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[norbitonflyer]

Interesting comparison on prices, for a flying visit to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks time at the height of the Fringe season

Sleeper (Club Twin to Glasgow because the Edinburgh was fully booked, and no Classic berths available to Glasgow) £390 - plus £22 for two of us (with railcards) to get across to Edinburgh

Lumo Edinburgh to London £80.30 (2x railcard)

 

[zwk500]

Interesting comparison on prices, for a flying visit to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks time at the height of the Fringe season

Sleeper (Club Twin to Glasgow because the Edinburgh was fully booked, and no Classic berths available to Glasgow) £390 - plus £22 for two of us (with railcards) to get across to Edinburgh

Lumo Edinburgh to London £80.30 (2x railcard)

What would the hotel in London or Edinburgh have cost?

 

[Butts]

Interesting comparison on prices, for a flying visit to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks time at the height of the Fringe season

Sleeper (Club Twin to Glasgow because the Edinburgh was fully booked, and no Classic berths available to Glasgow) £390 - plus £22 for two of us (with railcards) to get across to Edinburgh

Lumo Edinburgh to London £80.30 (2x railcard)

Perhaps herein lies your solution ?

 

[MrJeeves]

Perhaps herein lies your solution ?

Sadly, it's probably the best option for most...

I managed a day trip to Edinburgh with easyJet for about £40. If I had taken the train, it would have been over double that.

Even taking into account the time either end for arriving with enough time for security and some leeway for delays for connections to/from the airport, it was significantly faster than the train.

 

[lawried123]

The problem, as I see it, is the disparity between the quality of the finish (even if it is a bit CAF), and the actual size of the accommodation. For instance, a full, exclusive, bar car is unique to the sleeper and quite luxurious. The staff to customer ratio gives a (generally) uniquely attentive service. A personal toilet and shower is totally unique. Little extras like pillow spray and shoe polishing machines fitted in the train are totally a unique level of luxury, not provided elsewhere.

I fail to see how anyone can describe the bar car as luxurious. I used to love doing the Fort William sleeper where you could sit comfortably enjoying your breakfast and watching the wonderful scenery. Now if you're travelling by yourself you are not allowed to use the seats but you have to try on sit on the horrible stools which were hurting my back so much I had to finish my breakfast quickly and return to my cabin where at least I could sit fairly comfortably on the bed but not enjoying the view as much as you would in the bar car. Such a pity to spoil what was a wonderful experience.

Lawrie

 

[norbitonflyer]

Perhaps herein [flying] lies your solution ?

Yes I know, but the dawn taxi to Heathrow (necessary to be in time to check in for an early enough flight), or hotel in Edinburgh in the fringe season at short notice (which is what we'd have done if the sleeper was full), would have eaten into the margin - not to mention the extra time needed to get to and from Princes Street from the Airport.

 

[Bald Rick]

Interesting comparison on prices, for a flying visit to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks time at the height of the Fringe season

Sleeper (Club Twin to Glasgow because the Edinburgh was fully booked, and no Classic berths available to Glasgow) £390 - plus £22 for two of us (with railcards) to get across to Edinburgh

Lumo Edinburgh to London £80.30 (2x railcard)

interesting that the sleepers are both nearly fully booked, even at that price, but the other modes aren’t… tells you something about the market.

 

[jagardner1984]

interesting that the sleepers are both nearly fully booked, even at that price, but the other modes aren’t… tells you something about the market.

Beyond the whole sleeper market specifically - what I associate with it most is it being a very nice way to travel. I have a leisurely evening, have a shower, wander into town, walk through an otherwise deserted station, get to my bed, and wake up on Euston Road. There is a premium of course. But compared to so so many instances of laughable overcrowding, mass cancellation; industrial action, weather or passenger related delays, absent or reduced cafe service, and a race to the bottom of how many windowless seats can be rammed where a luggage rack should be, my personal experience of the sleeper is one of greater reliability, and considerably reduced stress. In the midst of Edinburgh and the mayhem of the festival, people will pay a lot for that (and clearly do).

 

[Blindtraveler]

I think that's a very valid point, the lowlander does well during the high summer when the flesh pots of Edinburgh are overflowing to such an extent that they usually make it to the other end of the M8 and often into fife and the borders as well. The Highlander does better overall throughout the year from my observations and over the summer is just massively oversubscribed

 

[Bald Rick]

I think that's a very valid point, the lowlander does well during the high summer when the flesh pots of Edinburgh are overflowing to such an extent that they usually make it to the other end of the M8 and often into fife and the borders as well. The Highlander does better overall throughout the year from my observations and over the summer is just massively oversubscribed

Indeed.

If I was Transport Scotland (I’m not) I would lift the prices on the sleepers considerably during Summer - the market can clearly bear it. But I would also introduce a ‘Scotrailcard’ - basically the same as a Network Card but only available to those registered to vote in Scotland. Amongst other (undefined) benefits this would provide a hefty discount on the sleeper to counter the price rises. So the good folk of Scotland continue to be able to use the sleeper at reasonable rates, the Sassenachs and tourists pay top whack, and the Scottish taxpayer gets a better deal. What’s not to like? (From a Scottish political point of view).

 

[MrJeeves]

So the good folk of Scotland continue to be able to use the sleeper at reasonable rates, the Sassenachs and tourists pay top whack, and the Scottish taxpayer gets a better deal.

So the Scottish tourists can visit London for cheap, but the southern tourists can't visit Scotland for cheap...?

 

[Blindtraveler]

An excellent suggestion. My primary reason for reduced sleeper journeys since about 2017 has been price and although covid had a hand in it it was the cost that did it for me. Perhaps the discount scheme could be run like the islanders scheme on various remote ferry and air routes where a friend's and family element is also available meaning those of us who go back and visit could also take advantage, I still love the concept of the sleeper but now likely to use it even less often now I've reached the conclusion that I'm just too old for long nights on the nowhere near as comfortable as they once used to be cushions

 

[zwk500]

So the Scottish tourists can visit London for cheap, but the southern tourists can't visit Scotland for cheap...?

If they'd wanted people to visit Scotland cheaply, they'd have done what GWR did to their Mk3 SLEPs.

Scottish tourism presumably makes rather more money from people looking for whisky in the Highlands than people looking for tinnies in Glasgow.