voyagerdude220
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Thanks for that.
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Caledonian Sleeper
- Thread starter Essexman
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ruaival
Member
Polmadie in Glasgow ... or ... Clayhills in Aberdeen?
Oops. Clayhills.
BlueLeanie
Member
According to reports in the Scottish press, cabins from Inverness were without a water supply on the Southbound on Friday 12.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk
Will the toilets work like a traditional syphon if you pour bottled water down them or are they more like an aircraft loo?
Passengers on luxury £400-a-night Caledonian Sleeper left without running water
Despite forking out for a night aboard the plush service some pssengers were unable to have a shower or flush thier toilet.
Will the toilets work like a traditional syphon if you pour bottled water down them or are they more like an aircraft loo?
MalaiseForever
Member
Just booked my first trip on caledonian sleeper. Fort William to Crewe in a week. Very expensive, but thought why not as a treat. Will be comparing with interest to the VR sleepers I have used extensively in Finland.
Kite159
Veteran Member
I hope those passengers got some money back for being without water.According to reports in the Scottish press, cabins from Inverness were without a water supply on the Southbound on Friday 12.
Passengers on luxury £400-a-night Caledonian Sleeper left without running water
Despite forking out for a night aboard the plush service some pssengers were unable to have a shower or flush thier toilet.
Will the toilets work like a traditional syphon if you pour bottled water down them or are they more like an aircraft loo?
After-all imagine booking into a hotel with ensuite only to be told "sorry, en-suite isn't working, you will need to use the shared toilets down the corridor and on the next floor down".
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I'm sure this sort of thing happens (e.g. needing to get temporary portabogs in outside), though it hasn't to me. I'd certainly expect a full refund if Premier Inn did that to me, though I suspect normally if it was an option to relocate people to another branch of the hotel chain they'd probably do that in the first instance, an option not really open to CS.
Turtle
Member
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- 299
Yes. Just watched it on YouTube.
You beat me to it.
185143
Established Member
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- 3 Mar 2013
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I've kind of had that happen.
Booked a single room with shared facilities, was upgraded to a double en suite. The bog door jammed shut after I'd used it (thankfully!) And neither me nor a maintenance guy who reception sent up could open it again.
I was told the facilities were on the floor below, but wasn't offered any compensation (which in fairness, wouldn't have really been justified to complain about given I did only pay the cheapest rate for shared facilities) nor, surprisingly, was I offered the option to "downgrade" to a room on the lower floor where the shared facilities were.
Is it possible that you were upgraded due to overbooking of the lower floors?
185143
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Possibly, as I did arrive late at night.
jagardner1984
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I've had a partial refund for lack of water on a CS journey before (Classic not club). It was an inconvenient but not a tragedy. I'd imagine if you'd paid a specific premium for an ensuite facility - it would be more annoying not to be able to use it.
trainophile
Established Member
It must be a fairly common occurrence. The first time I did the EUS-FTW journey about seven years ago my cabin had no running water in the sink. I was moved to another cabin that did have water, but I'd booked a 1st Class ticket so that the upper bunk was folded away, whereas my replacement cabin had both bunks in place which rather spoilt the experience. I did mention it in the review (that they asked for!) but didn't get any acknowledgement let alone any money back.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
We got a partial refund when we complained that the lounge was unavailable in both directions despite paying Club. Firstly because the lift wasn't working at Euston despite being told it was (my wife was in a wheelchair due to an accident that occurred between booking and traveling), and secondly because despite turning up at Inverness on the dot of the advertised opening time we were turned away because it was already full!
The CS Guest Charter sets out the compensation for such an eventuality:
£5 or a free shower at destinations where there is a shower.
GZ
I'm due to travel on the Highlander again this summer and remember my bag being too large to stash under the bottom bunk.
I've tried searching the internet for the size of the under bunk space in classic (my google-fu is normally strong) but cant seem to find anything.
There is a luggage size on the CS website "not bigger than 30cm x 70cm x 90cm" but can anybody tell me the actual usable space?
I've tried searching the internet for the size of the under bunk space in classic (my google-fu is normally strong) but cant seem to find anything.
There is a luggage size on the CS website "not bigger than 30cm x 70cm x 90cm" but can anybody tell me the actual usable space?
Hbospotter
New Member
"If you’re in a sleeper cabin there’s space for luggage under the bottom bed. It’s around 31cm high x 122cm wide x 54cm deep, so won’t fit large suitcases (and the corridors are narrow so it’d be a squeeze to get them down there), but any bigger suitcases can be left in the guard’s van – you need to contact Guest Services in advance though."
Was told today
"There is a seated coach which has a luggage storage therein which the staff will be able to point you to when you are checking in/boarding. Just have a word with the crew when you are showing your tickets. Please ensure they point you to the correct carriage."
I'm travelling in a few weeks. Hope this helps.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Agreed there, and who wants to wake up in the early hours to remove their luggage from the Aberdeen portion then stand on the platform at Edinburgh before being allowed onto the Fort William portion before going back to their berth to attempt sleep.
jagardner1984
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Without being specific about dimensions - I’d say there is plenty room on the top bunk for a large suitcase - it’s where I put mine each time. The bigger issue is how you manoeuvre it down the corridor, through the door and up from the standing space onto that bunk.
Even as someone relatively agile, and with a smallish wheelie case, I’m conscious of all the corridors, doors and walls I or it collide with in order to get there. It’s not generally an ideal space for extremely large or extremely heavy items, I’d say, the guards van (assuming not Fort William) may give a better experience.
Generally in the customer service desert that can be UK rail - I’ve found all the sleeper staff I’ve dealt with very available, kind, friendly and helpful, and they have always sought to find solutions to whatever minor problem I have, so I think you’ll be good on that front.
Even as someone relatively agile, and with a smallish wheelie case, I’m conscious of all the corridors, doors and walls I or it collide with in order to get there. It’s not generally an ideal space for extremely large or extremely heavy items, I’d say, the guards van (assuming not Fort William) may give a better experience.
Generally in the customer service desert that can be UK rail - I’ve found all the sleeper staff I’ve dealt with very available, kind, friendly and helpful, and they have always sought to find solutions to whatever minor problem I have, so I think you’ll be good on that front.
Thanks for all the info. We are going to Fort William and so would like our luggage to be with us at all times. The top bunk will be where my wife will be sleeping and though she isn't very tall I don't think she would be too impressed with having to share with my suitcase! I've found a bag in our collection that should fit under so that's sorted.
Kite159
Veteran Member
I noticed last Friday night's Highlander to Inverness benefitted from Cally Sleeper's extra ten minutes padding between the public timetable & working timetable at Inverness [Working timetable arrival is 08:35, public timetable is padded to 08:45] as it arrived 39 minutes late to the working timetable [which would have meant 50% back as delay repay] but as it was 'only' 29 minutes late to the public timetable they don't have to pay out anything [unless someone missed a connection to the Kyle or Aberdeen train]
Another case of the seats (Aberdeen part) starting off nice & warm at Euston, before the AC kicking into "height of Spanish Summer" mode during the night dropping the temperature to a very uncomfortable cold level (to a point where it was warmer standing on the platform at Edinburgh).
(Talking about the Fort William portion, strangely it went via Bathgate as booked even with a 56-minute late departure so caught up with a Balloch stopper around Coatbridge costing it more minutes but it didn't stop at Glasgow Queen Street [I'm guessing no passengers were booked from Glasgow]) I was half expecting it to carry straight on at Newbridge Junction to head to Glasgow via Falkirk & the Maryhill line to recover some time.
Another case of the seats (Aberdeen part) starting off nice & warm at Euston, before the AC kicking into "height of Spanish Summer" mode during the night dropping the temperature to a very uncomfortable cold level (to a point where it was warmer standing on the platform at Edinburgh).
(Talking about the Fort William portion, strangely it went via Bathgate as booked even with a 56-minute late departure so caught up with a Balloch stopper around Coatbridge costing it more minutes but it didn't stop at Glasgow Queen Street [I'm guessing no passengers were booked from Glasgow]) I was half expecting it to carry straight on at Newbridge Junction to head to Glasgow via Falkirk & the Maryhill line to recover some time.
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norbitonflyer
Established Member
It won't be going via Bathgate this week
Airdrie-Bathgate closed after sinkhole appears.
BBC News, ScotRail and Network Rail, Scotland are reporting that the line between Airdrie and Bathgate has been closed until further notice after a sinkhole appeared earlier today between Drumgelloch and Caldercruix. Trains are being replaced by buses between Airdrie and Bathgate.
www.railforums.co.uk
BRX
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- 20 Oct 2008
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- 3,644
I'm on the sleeper to fort William tonight.
The boarding experience at Euston is still rather poor. A huddle of people gradually gathers near the entrance to P1. There are a couple of CS staff manning the ticket gate and they answer questions from people who approach them but other than that there's no information at all about what's happening. No written notices with boarding times or anything like that. On my (non-club class) ticket it says boarding from 8.30 but actually it's from 8.40. At a certain point before that they called out asking if there were any Club passengers, a scattering came forward and were let through. Many people didn't seem to be sure whether they were "club" or not. Of those unsure who asked, some were and some weren't. There were some that were there for the later lowlander departure who were told they could use the lounge but only after the highlander passengers had gone.
Anyone standing towards the back of the crowd would have no hope of hearing anything the gateline staff were saying.
Of course, that area is hardly the most glamorous and there's no seating.
Seems to me it could surely be organised better. The nature of the service is such that many passengers will be doing it for the first time and will be wondering what's going on and when they are actually going to be able to get on the train.
The boarding experience at Euston is still rather poor. A huddle of people gradually gathers near the entrance to P1. There are a couple of CS staff manning the ticket gate and they answer questions from people who approach them but other than that there's no information at all about what's happening. No written notices with boarding times or anything like that. On my (non-club class) ticket it says boarding from 8.30 but actually it's from 8.40. At a certain point before that they called out asking if there were any Club passengers, a scattering came forward and were let through. Many people didn't seem to be sure whether they were "club" or not. Of those unsure who asked, some were and some weren't. There were some that were there for the later lowlander departure who were told they could use the lounge but only after the highlander passengers had gone.
Anyone standing towards the back of the crowd would have no hope of hearing anything the gateline staff were saying.
Of course, that area is hardly the most glamorous and there's no seating.
Seems to me it could surely be organised better. The nature of the service is such that many passengers will be doing it for the first time and will be wondering what's going on and when they are actually going to be able to get on the train.
jagardner1984
Member
- Joined
- 11 May 2008
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- 678
Whilst the obvious answer to this is physical capacity in the room - I tend to agree that the “you’ve only paid £265 pleb, wait in the freezing cold line whilst we work through the proper passengers,” approach does jar rather a lot.
I’d say the priority should be providing sufficient (more) gate line / hospitality staff to get everyone on board fairly swiftly (yes, even if that makes £265 £270).
Hopefully with the remodelling of Euston more thought will go into the needs of longer distance / longer wait passengers.
It does make you wonder how it worked in Mk3 stock days - when there were far more potential passengers to process. I don’t recall queuing being an issue but perhaps my brain deceives me !
alistairlees
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Apart from the people paying £195 (the winter price for a Classic Solo on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as well as some Sundays)
norbitonflyer
Established Member
We waited in the Virgin/ Avanti/ whoever lounge, or in the food court downstairs. Queuing seems to be more of an issue now because of limited capacity in the club car, so everyone wants to get in first to baggsie a space. (Particularly on the Highlander - most of those using the Lowlander usually want to go straight to bed)