Steve Harris
Member
Oops... Indeed I did.I'd guess you mean Euston to Fort William!
Edit: Now corrected
Oops... Indeed I did.I'd guess you mean Euston to Fort William!
I was on the final run to Aberdeen with a Mark 2 seated coach. Cold all night, and I didn't get any sleep.
At least I could open the droplight to fully appreciate the pair of 73s, and I've always found the sound of the brakes rather soothing.
I quite like the sound of this one. The Highlander not going via Edinburgh would of course take away the up direction only service Falkirk acquired by accident of geography when the Highlander was concentrated on Edinburgh - traditionally Falkirk was not on the Sleeper network (other than for the internal Edinburgh to Inverness), probably less of a loss than some of the places I list below which used to have a sleeper service.To summarise some of the thoughts in previous posts, might a revised timetable look something like:
Highlander, 2 portions ex Euston, one to Inverness, and the other to Fort William via Glasgow Queen Street Low Level.
Lowlander, 2 portions ex Euston, whole train to Edinburgh, one portion forward to Aberdeen via Fife.
I'm tempted to play a tune or two on this... how about:
The Highlander runs to Glasgow Central instead of Edinburgh, and performs the split there. It could also detach/attach a couple of sleepers there, to give more sociable boarding / alighting times.
The Lowlander would have no need to run via Carstairs, so runs direct to Edinburgh arr circa 06:45. After dividing and loco change the Fife / Aberdeen portion could depart about 07:05, to arrive in Aberdeen about 09:45.
There are further tunes to be played when you take into account electrification through to Stirling.
I was actualy meaning the euston departure time rather than arrival time. The lowlander currently allows you to have dinner/meet someone in the evening in london and then hop on the train relatively late. Highlander departure time less so. On the other hand maybe some glasgow customers would appreciate a timing more suited to having dinner in the lounge car?Absolutely. Southbound isn't too bad as it's just after midnight and then you arrive into Euston shortly before 8am so it's possible to get a decent stretch of sleep. But northbound you're in a mess. Currently it calls at Glasgow at 0548 which is not really an ideal time to be getting of a train! So my question was more whether it would be considered to be worthwhile delaying by an hour or so (probably just wait more time at Edinburgh) meaning that you're calling around 0700 which is at least vaguely more reasonable. But it means delaying your arrival into Fort William close to 1100 and assumes that you can find a path up the West Highland line and that you don't cause problems at either Edinburgh or Glasgow by pottering around near the start of the morning peak! I don't know how to weigh those factors personally and I have no real argument one way or the other. My original post was just to point out that it would potentially be practical to ditch a separate Glasgow portion to and combine it with the existing Fort William, whether it would be a good idea is a different question!
Convenience of departure time is where daytime services being faster than historically can really eat into the suitability of the lowland sleeper. You can almost catch daytime services after a working day and / or they can almost get you home at a godly hour (may involve a taxi, but then that'll probably not cost as much as a berth). There's probably going to be inconvenience involved, but it needs weighed against hanging around London for hours.
I'd love the option of being able to choose either!
It could well be. Unless it's able to detach vehicles that people can then stay in until a reasonable time, you've got the problem of arrival at godawful o'clock. The FW passes through Queen Street Low Level at about 05.30.
Absolutely. Southbound isn't too bad as it's just after midnight and then you arrive into Euston shortly before 8am so it's possible to get a decent stretch of sleep. But northbound you're in a mess. Currently it calls at Glasgow at 0548 which is not really an ideal time to be getting of a train! So my question was more whether it would be considered to be worthwhile delaying by an hour or so (probably just wait more time at Edinburgh) meaning that you're calling around 0700 which is at least vaguely more reasonable. But it means delaying your arrival into Fort William close to 1100 and assumes that you can find a path up the West Highland line and that you don't cause problems at either Edinburgh or Glasgow by pottering around near the start of the morning peak! I don't know how to weigh those factors personally and I have no real argument one way or the other. My original post was just to point out that it would potentially be practical to ditch a separate Glasgow portion to and combine it with the existing Fort William, whether it would be a good idea is a different question!
I was actualy meaning the euston departure time rather than arrival time. The lowlander currently allows you to have dinner/meet someone in the evening in london and then hop on the train relatively late. Highlander departure time less so. On the other hand maybe some glasgow customers would appreciate a timing more suited to having dinner in the lounge car?
An advantage of the current departure time is a full evening in London, or alternatively have a full evening at home and then travel (Even from Cambridge I could get my kids in bed and still have plenty of time to get to Euston)
That was one of my main memories of the last the time I used the mk2 seated sleeper and along with a few other bits of disrepair in the carriage I decided I never would again, it wasn't worth saving the money for a not very pleasant journey.Did they? I found they were roasting hot at Euston, then freezing cold on the last bit to Fort Bill. The unique forced-air ventilation system just wasn't up to the job.
Whatever replaced them, the Mk2s had to go.
I was actualy meaning the euston departure time rather than arrival time. The lowlander currently allows you to have dinner/meet someone in the evening in london and then hop on the train relatively late. Highlander departure time less so. On the other hand maybe some glasgow customers would appreciate a timing more suited to having dinner in the lounge car?
I used to think that with the old stock, but with the new stock (for whatever reason) it doesn’t seem quite as essential (for me). In the mornings it’s nice to have some picture windows to watch the scenery, granted. I think it’s a mixture of the fact that the new Mk5 berths are a much more pleasant place to be for a long period and the lounge cars somehow seem less cosy and inviting, though this is very much a personal preference and different passengers’ views may differ.Personally I find almost all of the pleasure of the Sleeper to be the lounge car, so I'd be more likely to use it with an earlier departure time than a later one.
AFAIK it's not a dry train in the way that LNER departures from Aberdeen are on a Friday which ban carrying or consumption of alcohol, i.e. you can consume your own beverages in your room on CS.Are you allowed to take (and consume) your own alcoholic beverages on board? Or is this banned as well?
Split/attach the Edinburgh/Aberdeen portions at Mossend instead and add Falkirk onto the Aberdeen portion to maintain the call with a more passenger friendly arrival time northbound.I quite like the sound of this one. The Highlander not going via Edinburgh would of course take away the up direction only service Falkirk acquired by accident of geography when the Highlander was concentrated on Edinburgh - traditionally Falkirk was not on the Sleeper network (other than for the internal Edinburgh to Inverness), probably less of a loss than some of the places I list below which used to have a sleeper service.
The FW portion, having detached in Glasgow Central could take the most direct route via the curve at Rutherglen and the Argyle Line.
That was one of my main memories of the last the time I used the mk2 seated sleeper and along with a few other bits of disrepair in the carriage I decided I never would again, it wasn't worth saving the money for a not very pleasant journey.
Are you allowed to take (and consume) your own alcoholic beverages on board? Or is this banned as well?
it is not safe to put hot food or drinks on the corridor floor
To be fair, your doorstep doesn't move at 80mph.Railway over-H&S again. Deliveroo have been putting properly packed (in a lidded cup and inside a taped-closed bag) hot food and drink deliveries outside my front door with perfect success. Place item on floor, knock, stand back 2m, wait for it to be collected. If someone looks to be walking along such that they'll kick it over, tell them not to. Easy.
To be fair, your doorstep doesn't move at 80mph.
Back in the Mk1 Sleeper era in the 70s the only way to get a drink on most sleeper services was from the limited supply in the small wooden box or crate - perhaps about 15" x 9" x 9" - which the Attendants carried with a small number of miniatures, mixers, small cans of beer and maybe the odd soft drink. Of course if these ran out there was always a chance the attendant might have some supplies in his overnight bag, these of course would not be accompanied by a receipt!Then you need to guarantee that the lounge car will be open and have free seats, neither of which you can rely on.
Regarding the MkV seated sleeper, how does it feel to those who have tried it?
I have tried it twice (back in 2019 and January 2020) on a Falkirk Grahamston - Crewe and being as I am a side sleeper, I found it very uncomfortable. The seats do not seem to have been designed for those who sleep on their side. I only had a couple of naps and not a proper sleep at all.
Are you allowed to take (and consume) your own alcoholic beverages on board? Or is this banned as well?
What nonsense. Afaik the serving of morning hot drinks never stopped?I don’t think delivery of hot food or drinks is an option as yet (deliveries need to be physically distanced and it is not safe to put hot food or drinks on the corridor floor)
No. A false statement on the Internet again.Railway over-H&S again.
I got my morning coffee both times in December and again this week.There were no hot drinks when I travelled late last summer. Supposedly due to these safety concerns, which seem nonsensical to me too.
Maybe they have different arrangements during periods where it's essential travel only and the train is less busy? But if the morning coffee is back, that's good news at least.I got my morning coffee both times in December and again this week.
And you can't actually stand back 2m as you would be outside with a OHLE stanchion coming at you pretty quick !!To be fair, your doorstep doesn't move at 80mph.
You have probably hit the nail on the head. A lot easier to leave a drink on the floor and knock a door and stand 2m to the side if the train isn't busy and no one else is in the corridor.Maybe they have different arrangements during periods where it's essential travel only and the train is less busy? But if the morning coffee is back, that's good news at least.
i think the risk is Covid rather than spilling it on your new shoes.No, but it strikes me that the risk posed by this is lower than the risk of a passenger carrying such drinks back from the buffet on a Pendolino at 125, so suggesting it is unsafe is plain silly.
There were no hot drinks being served at all for several weeks, although I understand they have resumed hot drinks with the breakfast delivery to Berths recently.What nonsense. Afaik the serving of morning hot drinks never stopped?
No. A false statement on the Internet again.
Coffee, juice and a muffin to my berth yesterday. All was well.There were no hot drinks being served at all for several weeks, although I understand they have resumed hot drinks with the breakfast delivery to Berths recently.
I was speed reading to catch up on the thread a moment ago and initially admired your inventiveness when I thought your question here was:Are you allowed to take (and consume) your own alcoholic beverages on board? Or is this banned as well?
I was speed reading to catch up on the thread a moment ago and initially admired your inventiveness when I thought your question here was:
'Are you allowed to MAKE (and consume) your own alcoholic beverages on board? Or is this banned as well?'