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Caledonian Sleeper

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BlueLeanie

Member
Joined
21 Jul 2023
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85
Location
Haddenham
According to reports in the Scottish press, cabins from Inverness were without a water supply on the Southbound on Friday 12.

Fed-up passengers paid £400 for an overnight stay on the luxury Caledonian Sleeper train but were unable to wash and had to use a communal toilet after being left without running water throughout their 12-hour journey.

Punters travelling from Inverness Station to London at 8:30pm on Friday, April 12, learned as they boarded that some compartments would be without water in their private sleeping compartments.

That meant they couldn't have a shower and were left unable to flush, or use, their toilet throughout the trip to Euston Station in London.


Will the toilets work like a traditional syphon if you pour bottled water down them or are they more like an aircraft loo?
 
Joined
7 Jan 2019
Messages
341
Location
CRE/MAN
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

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Joined
27 Jan 2014
Messages
19,237
Location
West of Andover
According to reports in the Scottish press, cabins from Inverness were without a water supply on the Southbound on Friday 12.




Will the toilets work like a traditional syphon if you pour bottled water down them or are they more like an aircraft loo?
I hope those passengers got some money back for being without water.

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".
 

ld0595

Member
Joined
1 Aug 2014
Messages
571
Location
Glasgow
Geoff Marshall posted a good video about servicing the sleeper coaches at Polmadie Depot which may be of interest to some.

 

Bletchleyite

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Joined
20 Oct 2014
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97,783
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"Marston Vale mafia"
I hope those passengers got some money back for being without water.

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".

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.
 

185143

Established Member
Joined
3 Mar 2013
Messages
4,506
I hope those passengers got some money back for being without water.

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".
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.
 

jagardner1984

Member
Joined
11 May 2008
Messages
671
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

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28 Oct 2010
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6,211
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Wherever I lay my hat
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

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24 Mar 2020
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2,363
Location
SW London
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!
 

ovalowl

New Member
Joined
18 Apr 2024
Messages
1
Location
London
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?
 

Hbospotter

New Member
Joined
3 Jan 2024
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1
Location
CM22
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?
"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.
 

alholmes

Member
Joined
4 Jun 2012
Messages
247
Location
London E3
Of course, if you’re travelling in the Fort William portion then stowing luggage in the guards carriage would be problematic, as that carriage ends up in Aberdeen, not Fort William.
 

Kite159

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27 Jan 2014
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19,237
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West of Andover
Of course, if you’re travelling in the Fort William portion then stowing luggage in the guards carriage would be problematic, as that carriage ends up in Aberdeen, not Fort William.
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.
 

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