How is the Caledonian sleeper put together at Edinburgh before going south

[crewmeal]

As there are 3 portions that come from Inverness Aberdeen and Fort William, how are the various sections put together before the whole thing moves on to Euston?

 

[NSEFAN]

There is a diamond crossing in each of the "long" platforms (forgotten the numbers), allowing for the trains to shunt around as required. I've only ever seen the trains split: they use the diamond crossing so that the middle portion of the train can depart first (the front portion shunts forward to clear the points).

I suspect the routine would be something like this (I've called the platforms, which are seperated by a diamond crossing, north and south):
Train 1 arrives on south platform
Train 2 arrives on north platform
Loco 2 runs around train 2 via diamond crossing
Train 2 shunts to south platform to couple to train 1
And repeat for train 3...
Completed train can depart with an electric loco, other locos can be dealt with accordingly

This video demonstrates the points used :

I don't know if what I've suggested is the exact routine, or if the train shunts under local arrangements? It'd need to be a flexible system, as there'd be problems if the trains turn up in the wrong order!

 

[crewmeal]

Brilliant!! - thanks a million - I get the picture now!!

 

[BRX]

This is from memory so might not be completely accurate but i think it happens like this: aberdeen portion arrives into north platform, loco goes off somewhere, inverness portion arrives into south platform and reverses back onto aberdeen portion, loco goes off somewhere. Then fort william portion arrives into south platform, same routine except that it has the seated coach that doesn't go on to london - therefore this is coupled behind the loco from fort w to edinburgh and stays attached to loco when it's finished shunting.

 

[Failed Unit]

I have done the Inverness sleeper southbound.

When we arrived the Aberdeen portion was already waiting in platform 11 (which I guess people are calling North). We passed this and went into platform 7 (which I guess people are calling South). We reversed onto the Aberdeen portion (but not right away). The Fort William portion was still due to arrive.

This is where I get a bit sketchy, I am not sure if the Fort William portion pulled in behind ours and then reversed onto the Aberdeen,

Whatever the fortwilliam and Aberdeen portions must be joined up to make an 8+8 train, so the fort william portion would not have passed the Inverness. (I would have also seen it as I was in the lounge at the time)

 

[Ascot]

Aberdeen portion arrives at Haymarket end of Platform 11. Loco then clears off.
Fort William portion goes through the South Loop (platform 10), goes through the cross overs to Platform 11/7, then propels back onto platform 11 onto the Aberdeen portion. The loco and Mk2 coaches then un-couple and shunt away. The Inverness portion does the same round the South Loop and the loco clears off. A 90 is then placed on the Aberdeen end (or Inverness end if going East Coast).

 

[rail-britain]

A 90 is then placed on the Aberdeen end (or Inverness end if going East Coast)

The Class 90 would actually be coupled up to the Fort William portion, which would have been coupled up to the Inverness portion AND had the lounge and BUO removed (bumping the passengers in the sleepers around quite a bit!)

 

[Ascot]

The Class 90 would actually be coupled up to the Fort William portion, which would have been coupled up to the Inverness portion AND had the lounge and BUO removed (bumping the passengers in the sleepers around quite a bit!)

If the 90 hooked onto the Fort William portion on the Southbound trip (it does hook up North Bound) then you'll end up with a 90 nested in the set.

Fort William portion must always be hooked up to the Aberdeen portion otherwise the coaches would be out of sync (need a Brake then Lounge then 6 sleeper coaches). Then the Inverness portion comes on. You need the Aberdeen at the Euston end as this then forms the other end on the next trip up. This is so all the coaches rotate around to end up in Inverness for a clean. On the North bound trip on the Highland, Inverness is at the rear then the Aberdeen/Fort William portion is at the front. The lounge and BUO is what I meant by Mk2. So if your lazy then travel north on the Inverness and travel south on the Aberdeen as you have less walking at Euston.

South Bound
EUS end - ABD A, Lounge, B, C, D, E, FTW F, FTW G, INV H, Lounge, J, K, L, M, N, P. EDB end.

North Bound

EUS end - INV H, Lounge, J, K, L, M, N, P, ABD A, Lounge, B, C, D, E, FTW F, FTW G. EDB end.

 

[jopsuk]

So if your lazy then travel north on the Inverness and travel south on the Aberdeen as you have less walking at Euston.

But there's no possible return journey that you can buy a ticket for that would allow this! Travel from the south to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to the south is only available on the Lowland! You could only do as you suggest on a triangular journey, taking a train from Inverness to Aberdeen. Alighting and boarding at Edinburgh on the Highland sleeper is only permitted (and only bookable) for passengers between Edinburgh and stations up the West Highland Line.

 

[Ascot]

But there's no possible return journey that you can buy a ticket for that would allow this! Travel from the south to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to the south is only available on the Lowland! You could only do as you suggest on a triangular journey, taking a train from Inverness to Aberdeen. Alighting and boarding at Edinburgh on the Highland sleeper is only permitted (and only bookable) for passengers between Edinburgh and stations up the West Highland Line.

My sincere apologies if you thought I meant you travel to Edinburgh. I was stating the obvious (wasn't that obvious then) at Euston to show what is at the South end of the train. I'll put simple mode on next time.

 

[rail-britain]

If the 90 hooked onto the Fort William portion on the Southbound trip (it does hook up North Bound) then you'll end up with a 90 nested in the set.

Forget what I posted above, Class 90 on the Inverness portion, with Aberdeen, and Fort William sandwiched in the middle