Caledonian Sleeper Edinburgh split?

[87031]

Done the Sleeper a few times whilst on my ALR but was wondering exactly how the train is split at Edinburgh?...I went in the Fort William Sleeper which i was the front coach with Class 90 till Edinburgh then the 2 seated coaches where shunted on and then opposite direction to Fort William which leaves last from edinburgh. I know Aberdeen is in the centre and Inverness at the rear but just wondering what order the shunting is done etc, both ways if anyone knows?

 

[MCR247]

I think there is a thread about this already, maybe a page or two back

 

[rail-britain]

Leaves Euston, with the combined Fort William and Aberdeen at the front, and the Inverness at the rear

On arrival in Edinburgh the Class 90 detaches
The Class 67 then pushes the lounge car (nearest the sleepers) and BUO on to the train, then detaches and runs round
The Inverness then leaves, followed by the Aberdeen
The Class 67 then attaches to the remaining sleepers, with the day coaches at the rear
As a result the Fort William is bumped around quite a bit!

 

[Turbostar]

I think there is a thread about this already, maybe a page or two back

http://www.railforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=25008

 

[87031]

Thanks for that didnt realise it was so complexed...i did notice a lot more shuinting when i went to Fort Wiliiam than when i was going to Inverness :roll:

 

[jamesontheroad]

Thanks for that didnt realise it was so complexed...i did notice a lot more shuinting when i went to Fort Wiliiam than when i was going to Inverness :roll:

If you were in a seat, you would also have noticed being woken up and told to move from one seated coach to another. This is the only Caledonian Sleeper route that involves a change of carriage in the early hours for seated passengers - another good reason to go for the sleeper

 

[87031]

So if the complete train departs Euston with only 2 lounge cars and two seated coaches are there an additional 2 kept at edinburgh that are used to add on between edinburgh and Fort William hence the reason why Passengers travelling in the seated coaches to Fort William have to get out at Edinburgh and rejoin ?

 

[rail-britain]

Yes, the BUO and RFO runs only between Fort William - Edinburgh / Edinburgh - Fort William
This also creates a maintenance issue as both coaches never visit Inverness
It is cheaper to transport the relief coaches by road, rather than as part of the Inverness sleeper, between Inverness - Edinburgh
Ironic though as a spare coach is often carried between Inverness and Euston to allow for swap of failed coaches at Wembley!

 

[87031]

thanks for that info i get the whole sequence of events now it's strange that there isnt the 2 day coaches on the Fort William portion but i suppose that would make it load 18 from Euston, just a bit long!

 

[Bittern]

This question is regarding the sleeper, but not this particular topic of the sleeper.

If I was travelling in Standard Class, and I wanted something to eat or drink, would I have to take my own food and drink with me, or could I buy some on the train?

 

[MCR247]

When i was on it a few years back, there is like a buffet, in the lounge car

 

[John @ home]

If I was travelling in Standard Class, and I wanted something to eat or drink, would I have to take my own food and drink with me, or could I buy some on the train?

On Scotrail sleepers there is a Lounge Car. In all normal circumstances, both First Class and Standard sleeping berth passengers may use the (very comfortable) Lounge Car, which serves hot and cold food and drinks. I seem to remember a notice that the Lounge Car may be restricted to First Class ticket holders only at busy times, but this is rare.

Standard seated passengers may not use the Lounge Car, but may buy food and drink to take back to their seats.

John

 

[F Great Eastern]

Yeah - thats how it works, everyone on the bed part of the sleeper can use the lounge car unless it's very busy, when it's reserved to first class customers. You can still enter at this time, but will have to take food back to your berth.

Alternatively sometimes if it's full and you particuarly want to eat there, if you ask the onboard host for your coach, sometimes he/she'll let you know when it's free, but that depends on the member of staff.

 

[paul1609]

The last 2 times Ive used the lowland sleeper northbound midweek the lounge car has been only for first class customers. In fact on one occasion the steward was on the verge of being rude about it demanding to see my ticket.

Ive never even been asked on the highland sleeper.

 

[F Great Eastern]

I've only ever used the lowlander and have never been asked.

 

[rail-britain]

Alternatively sometimes if it's full and you particuarly want to eat there, if you ask the onboard host for your coach, sometimes he/she'll let you know when it's free, but that depends on the member of staff

On boarding in Inverness (Friday night) there was a note on my reservation that a table had been reserved for me in the Lounge Car and confirm this before departure
This had been done so that photographs of meals could be taken
All the tables were taken even before the train departed Inverness, but after an hour this had almost halved, and by Perth I was the only person in the Lounge Car
Northbound tends to be much busier, hence why I avoided them, except the Fort William
I had to wait for two hours before a table was available in the Lounge Car, and that was a First Class ticket holder, so clearly "use for First Class ticket holers" isn't quite strictly true!