'Night Riviera' cancellations

[Peter Mugridge]

Has the sleeper been switched out for standard rolling stock before? Anyone know the last time if so?

Better than a cancellation - not ideal though!

Yes, it's happened quite a few times, with HSTs previously and more recently IETs have appeared on a number of occasions.

 

[FGW_DID]

Fire Detection system fault.

 

[dk1]

1A50 seems to be losing time fairly rapidly, which doesn’t inspire confidence.
Both directions routed via Yeovil too.

That soon changed & was ahead of schedule by quite a margin

Twitter or X was very quiet. Infact nobody moaned via that channel at all.

 

[Deafdoggie]

That soon changed & was ahead of schedule by quite a margin

Twitter or X was very quiet. Infact nobody moaned via that channel at all.

GWR are pretty good at managing customers in these circumstances.

The Riviera is safe. Its consistently well used and there is no talk of it going. Certainly safer than the Edinburgh/ Glasgow sleeper id say...

As long as they don't keep cancelling it. It is cancelled at the drop of a hat, and doesn't run quite often (albeit preplanned mostly) but once people have gone to book and found it not running, they don't always bother trying to book again and numbers then slowly drop off.

Indeed, there's still berths available for this Sunday night. Peak season and plenty of cabins available doesn't lead me to think it's over used

Not booked out like that anymore since the adoption no longer having a fixed formation. Any berth can now be a double or single. It is possible you have a contingency berth of which there are a couple in D including the easy access berth.

Still berths available for this Sunday night. So less than a week to go and plenty of berths available in peak season.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Yes, it's happened quite a few times, with HSTs previously and more recently IETs have appeared on a number of occasions.

When tbhat happens, are passengers given the option of spending the night at home in their own beds and getting a train in the morning instead? (Not an option for everyone, for example if they are intending to catch the Scillonian, but it might be a preferred option for some.

 

[LiftFan]

When tbhat happens, are passengers given the option of spending the night at home in their own beds and getting a train in the morning instead? (Not an option for everyone, for example if they are intending to catch the Scillonian, but it might be a preferred option for some.

You’d hope they would have some sort of option like that! I was booked on it a couple years back when it got cancelled because of a bridge strike- they ended up putting me in the Hilton in Paddington instead and had the entire cost back as delay repay, not bad going!

 

[co-tr-paul]

If NO train is available, road transport or hotel options are offered.
One of the locos on the up was supposed to come off at PL to go to LA to Start it's G Exam.

 

[Iskra]

GWR are pretty good at managing customers in these circumstances.


As long as they don't keep cancelling it. It is cancelled at the drop of a hat, and doesn't run quite often (albeit preplanned mostly) but once people have gone to book and found it not running, they don't always bother trying to book again and numbers then slowly drop off.

Indeed, there's still berths available for this Sunday night. Peak season and plenty of cabins available doesn't lead me to think it's over used


Still berths available for this Sunday night. So less than a week to go and plenty of berths available in peak season.

Sunday night is traditionally the quietest night of the week for most hotels, and I’m guessing that connecting public transportation in Cornwall on a Sunday evening probably isn’t fantastic too.

 

[BJames]

Yes, it's happened quite a few times, with HSTs previously and more recently IETs have appeared on a number of occasions.

Interesting, thanks. I had suspected it may have happened with HSTs but wondered if it had happened 'recently' enough for IET substitution.

 

[furgus2]

Has the sleeper been switched out for standard rolling stock before? Anyone know the last time if so?

Better than a cancellation - not ideal though!

As others have said, it does happen. I experienced it myself a few years ago before the stock was refurbished. Boarded the sleeper at Paddington soon after 22.30, settled into berth, got sleep of sorts but was aware that it was way past scheduled departure time and was still at station. Disturbance then caused by the station PA repeatedly playing out a section of the shipping forecast- presumably testing or working on the system.
Then sometime after 1, a knock on the door and was told to get up and move to a waiting HST. I didn’t question this and just went along with it and found an empty table of four and tried, unsuccessfully, to get comfortable. I have to say, it was a horrible experience and that, along with some bad experiences using the then Scotrail sleepers, put me off using sleeper trains for about 5 years.
if a similar situation ever occurred to me in the future, I’d decline to travel, take a day train instead and try to find some hotel accommodation.

 

[Sleepy]

GWR are pretty good at managing customers in these circumstances.


As long as they don't keep cancelling it. It is cancelled at the drop of a hat, and doesn't run quite often (albeit preplanned mostly) but once people have gone to book and found it not running, they don't always bother trying to book again and numbers then slowly drop off.

Indeed, there's still berths available for this Sunday night. Peak season and plenty of cabins available doesn't lead me to think it's over used


Still berths available for this Sunday night. So less than a week to go and plenty of berths available

2350 Sunday night showing seats only left to book now.

 

[FGW_DID]

Both sleeper sets ended up on Reading TCD for a short while this morning.
57603 + one set was dispatched ECS to Penzance this afternoon so both sets should run normally this evening.

 

[co-tr-paul]

Fire alarm detector fault on stock. 800319 operated the down.

 

[Deafdoggie]

2350 Sunday night showing seats only left to book now.

The up still has plenty of berths

 

[DaveHarries]

[.....] There was a major resignalling scheme planned for mid-Cornwall in November but this has now been deferred to (probably) March 2024.

I had heard March 2024 (or somewhere around that time) also but I checked GWR's list of engineering works on Friday. Previously, for September to November 2023, that had been only the following two items:

Sunday 10th September
Tuesday 31st October to Sunday 12th November

The latter work has now got two separate entries with the block being of different lengths on both days.

Dave

 

[sn5775]

Just out of interest, approximately how often have GWR needed to cancel the NR in recent months? Booked on the down sleeper on the 12th. If GWR substitute the NR with Class 800 stock, are passengers booked into cabins allocated to first class?

 

[Deafdoggie]

Just out of interest, approximately how often have GWR needed to cancel the NR in recent months? Booked on the down sleeper on the 12th. If GWR substitute the NR with Class 800 stock, are passengers booked into cabins allocated to first class?

It's rare it's cancelled at short notice. Certainly you'd be really unlucky if that happened. What they do much more often is cancel it in advance, that is it's not booked to operate in the first place

 

[VP185]

Just out of interest, approximately how often have GWR needed to cancel the NR in recent months? Booked on the down sleeper on the 12th. If GWR substitute the NR with Class 800 stock, are passengers booked into cabins allocated to first class?

There is very little difference between First Class and Standard Class seating.
On the extremely rare occasion the sleeper is formed of IET stock you’d be better off spreading out throughout the train, especially if it’s a 9-car rather than all cramming into 1 carriage.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

There is very little difference between First Class and Standard Class seating.
On the extremely rare occasion the sleeper is formed of IET stock you’d be better off spreading out throughout the train, especially if it’s a 9-car rather than all cramming into 1 carriage.

You can’t recline standard class seats so I’d argue the First Class option is definitely better.

 

[Sleepy]

Just out of interest, approximately how often have GWR needed to cancel the NR in recent months? Booked on the down sleeper on the 12th. If GWR substitute the NR with Class 800 stock, are passengers booked into cabins allocated to first class?

Certainly seen 1st used when this has happened in the past.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You can’t recline standard class seats so I’d argue the First Class option is definitely better.

They don't recline much. Given the choice I would probably go for Standard with either a table to slump forward onto or to curl up across two seats.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

You can’t recline standard class seats so I’d argue the First Class option is definitely better.

I think many though would sooner spread out over seats in standard than all be crammed into first together.

 

[JamieL]

You can’t recline standard class seats so I’d argue the First Class option is definitely better.

Does the 'recline' feature actually recline the chair back or does it just move the seat base?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does the 'recline' feature actually recline the chair back or does it just move the seat base?

Moves the seat base like all railway seats.

 

[philthetube]

And right on cue the other "nasty" union is trying to save the sleeper also..........

The usual lack of self awareness we’ve come to expect from the union. Biggest threat to the sleeper is the actions of the unions.

Having read the union letter (post 73 on this thread) maybe the next5 bullet point should be to allow overtime to be used to cover shifts on the sleeper providing rostered staff are not transferred to other duties, this is not going to make a jot of difference to the effect of the strike as far as settling the issues are concerned

 

[andylikestrain]

Hi all
I‘m wondering why I cannot book the sleeper during w/c 23 October? When I originally looked a while back the service was available to buy a ticket for. Now it’s not running as far as I can see.

I know there are engineering works the following week; does anyone know any reason for what’s happening?
thanks all

 

[Deafdoggie]

Hi all
I‘m wondering why I cannot book the sleeper during w/c 23 October? When I originally looked a while back the service was available to buy a ticket for. Now it’s not running as far as I can see.

I know there are engineering works the following week; does anyone know any reason for what’s happening?
thanks all

According to the GWR web page it isn't running all that week due to engineering work.

Night Riviera Sleeper | Great Western Railway

Travel overnight between London Paddington and Penzance on our Night Riviera Sleeper train service. Plan your journey and buy tickets with GWR today.

www.gwr.com

 

[co-tr-paul]

As stated on the Night Riviera thread in the Traction section, engineering works disruption all the way to February next year.

 

[andylikestrain]

Thanks both, I’m sure it was on sale a month or two ago. These works seem to have been added to the schedule recently?

 

[davidgiles]

Not a cancellation, but 1C50 tonight was 70 late from Paddington and with only one seated vehicle. Seated passengers were allowed access to the lounge car. No explanation for the delay given and not mentioned on GWR website/Journeycheck or social media. Back on time by Plymouth.