EUS-FTW Sleeper, connecting onto Jacobite

[samshltn]

Hi,

I'm planning a trip to Eilean Shona to visit my mother. I've booked the sleeper train to Fort William, and intend to take the Jacobite from FTW to Lochailort.

The sleeper arrives into FTW at 0955 and the Jacobite departs at 1015. So here's my question: Do you think that's a long enough connecting time?

Also... I'll have luggage with me... Probably an airline-cabin-size case and an airline-checked-baggage-size case. I'd prefer to take the cabin bag into the compartment with me, but I don't know if the larger case will fit. Do you know if there's somewhere else on the train it can be stowed please?

Thank you all in advance for your wisdom and experience.

Sam.

 

[168lover]

when I went up to fort william in 2008 the caledonian sleeper arrived about 15 minutes before the Jacorbite left so in theory you should have plenty of time. The thing you should be careful of is that the Caledonian can get severerly delayed very quickly. Hope I helped.

 

[higthomas]

I have a feeling that the Jacobite might wait for the sleeper, assuming that it isn't ridiculously late.
I'm not entirely sure on this, never having tried it, but I imagine they probably have quite a few people doing what you are doing, so it would make sense.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I thought that too, however it crosses something at Glenfinnan so I'm not sure what the case is - it could end up being rather heavily delayed if it doesn't leave close-ish to time.

 

[Kite159]

Cross platform interchange

I think Fort William has some sort of left luggage area.

When I did the trip last month, the sleeper arrived around 10:00, and a few passengers changed to the Jacobite, although as it crosses the 10:10 passenger service from Mallaig at Glenfinnan (and looking at Realtime Trains the Jacobite arrives at 10:54 and the train from Mallaig arrives at 10:57)

 

[Flying Snail]

It is some years since I have been on it but unless they have changed the timetable the Jacobite doesn't stop at Lochailort, only Glenfinnan where it sits for over 30mns and Arisaig on request.


Your larger bag can be stored in the luggage van. The only problem with that is the seated coach with luggage van does not cover the whole trip. From London the Fort William sleepers are attached to the end of the Aberdeen consist. At Edinburgh they are detached and continue to Fort William with Luggage Van/seated coach and lounge car that start there.

Any seated passengers and luggage have to transfer at Edinburgh and I do not know if the staff will transfer your luggage. You would want to be certain that they would do it otherwise it's not worth the risk of it ending up in Aberdeen.

Otherwise you will have to fit it in the cabin, if it is not too deep it may fit under the bunk or on the overhead rack. If you have sole use of the cabin I would say just keep it with you, if you are sharing it might be a bit awkward blocking the cabin up.


Making the Jacobite is not guaranteed. If the sleeper is delayed more than a certain amount* it will be held back to cross the 2 morning Glasgow trains at an earlier crossing point than scheduled, this means it will be around 45 minutes late arriving and the Jacobite will not be held. If it does make it's regular crossings at Arrochar and Rannoch it will likely be in on time. It is a cross-platform change in FW anyway so it won't take long.

* I don't know exactly what the cut off time is but anything more than 15 minutes would be likely to get it held back, the early train from Oban in particular is a commuter service so they can't be delaying it significantly as well as that it has a knock-on effect on more services.

 

[91103eastcoast]

I once went from Rannoch to Fort William on the sleeper but instead of passing the 0603 from Mallaig at Rannoch it passed at Bridge of Orchy which meant the sleeper was late into Fort William and the Jacobite had already gone.

I therefore assume they don't hold the Jacobite if the sleeper is late.

 

[samshltn]

I'm so grateful for everyone's replies to this.

I called and booked the Jacobite this morning. I had to pay the full fare for the full length of the line, and apparently I'll have to ask the guard to stop the train at Arisaig. (Apparently a car can get to Arisaig to collect us)

Hopefully my suitcase will fit under the bottom bunk on the sleeper. Two of us are sharing the compartment. I suppose I could make a luggage label saying it needs to go to Fort William, in case it needs to go in the luggage van?!

I'm hoping there's a luggage van on the Jacobite too... I'm not sure our cases would be welcome in the passenger carriage.

Once again, thanks for everyone's help with this.

Sam.