kingqueen
Member
How useful albeit disappointingly prosaic!
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Caledonian Sleeper
- Thread starter Essexman
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
ruaival
Member
Sleeper journey on the ECML less smooth - back in First Scotrail days - than West Coast if I recall correctly. Really made a difference even if you were in (better located) berth 7 or 21.
Does this cause issues with platform lengths?
It ran 12 coaches over Easter to go into Kings Cross.
No, because of planned engineering work over Easter. All departures and arrivals since then have been into Euston.
Out of curiosity, will it be back up to full formation next week? I was after a classic solo berth to return from the LSL Mallaig trips on Tuesday but all three Highland portions were sold out in Classic Solo, with only one or two Club or Caledonian Double compartments left (I'm not made of money).
RTT suggests that the Highland Sleeper is 16 coaches from Euston tonight, and was yesterday night as well.
So it's just busy on Tuesday. Oh well, hotel in Glasgow it is and then a day train the next morning.
Deafdoggie
Established Member
- Joined
- 29 Sep 2016
- Messages
- 3,095
It can't do it at short notice as it's too long. Only when it's been planned in advance and it runs in short formation.
Is there any ability for it to go in overlength, shove everyone out the platformed doors and then get it out before it causes too much rush hour chaos?
ruaival
Member
If I recall correctly a frequent use of ECML route for Sleeper service (First Scotrail days) was to cross over to Willesden through Highbury & Islington and reverse into Euston as the planned terminus.
That still happens, but it takes longer and can essentially only happen on a planned basis.
It doesn't ever go through Highbury & Islington through. The junction is at Copenhagen Junction between Finsbury Park and Kings Cross and Central Junction between Caledonian Road & Barnsbury & Camden Road.
No.
ruaival
Member
Thanks for correcting my lack of local route knowledge - *Caledonian* Road is of course also appropriate.
I have fond memories of sitting in one of the ancient old lounge cars and trundling through Camden on the North London Line on one of those occasions. I think the highlander departed a couple of hours earlier than usual to allow for the reversing etc.
You always had the *option* to pay for a solo cabin... Now those who are comfortable sharing with a stranger are not allowed to.
BRX
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2008
- Messages
- 3,643
And I've been forced to book a hotel and travel by morning train because the Highlander is fully-booked.
Did you have a question to ask?
You said there were cabins left, but then said you were forced to book a day train because it had sold out. Surely it can‘t be both?
norbitonflyer
Established Member
I think he meant the classic cabins were fully booked
The Fort William portion is fully booked (there may have been a Double compartment available when I first looked, but there is no chance I'm paying £400).
The Inverness portion (which would be inconvenient but I could get the bus from Fort Bill to connect or I could change at Stirling from a day train) only has one Double compartment left.
The Aberdeen does have a solitary Classic compartment available but I'm sure that it wasn't showing when I checked on Friday and I haven't even considered whether I could physically get to that portion from Fort William after arriving from Mallaig.
Using an evening train to Glasgow and getting the Lowlander isn't an option because it doesn't set down until Watford Junction, and I'd then have to make my way back north after waiting for the morning peak to end.
All that's left as a reasonably priced option are seats. Seats on overnight trains are an unpleasant prospect at the best of times, but there will be no chance of getting any rest at all due to having to swap portions at Edinburgh - I don't know about you but I can never get to sleep if I know that I'll be getting up again just a couple of hours later, and then after doing that it'll only be three hours before Crewe.
I don’t sleep much, if at all, in seats on any form of transport. Nor beds!
Last night's replacement bus from Carlisle was pretty bad - the driver decided to subject us all to his choice of radio station and I did find the seats uncomfortable after a couple of hours even though the coach was about as well equipped as coaches get.
Havimg been to sea on many occasions as a teenager, I actually find the motion and track noise helps rather than hinders my sleep - I slept well on my last Mk5 journey.
andythebrave
Member
Why not take a CS seat to Glasgow, stay in a (relatively) inexpensive hotel and take an early Avanti to Crewe?
I considered getting the CS seat from Glasgow to Fort William this morning (no Crewe stop on Sunday) but as it wouldn't have got me to any photo spots beyond Fort William before the Scotrail service from Glasgow I opted for a couple of extra hours and caught that direct to Banavie instead.
Tomorrow I'll catch the last Scotrail service back to Glasgow, it'll get in at a more sensible time for going to bed and there's no charter activity by that time in the afternoon to hang around for. Then - as you suggest - Avanti to Crewe or Warrington in the morning. I'd have preferred a direct sleeper but never mind.
alistairlees
Established Member
- Joined
- 29 Dec 2016
- Messages
- 3,740
@Krokodil someone has just refunded a Classic room, so there's one available at £285.00 (less expensive if you have railcard)
Thanks, but a room in Glasgow is already booked now
voyagerdude220
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2005
- Messages
- 3,277
It looks like this morning's northbound Caledonian Sleeper service broke down between Stonehaven and Aberdeen.
Looks like a spare 73 is being sent to Clayhills this afternoon to do tonight's trip.
0B16 1545 Craigentinny T.&R.S.M.D to Aberdeen Clayhills Car.M.D
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:64077/2024-04-10/detailed
Last edited: