Caledonian Sleeper

[alangla]

Time for a Mk5 Cabriolet? Imagine wending through the West Highlands sat in a comfy chair with your arm resting on a wound down window, the wind in your hair, batting off the midges.

The Royal Scotsman balcony on a warm night. Sounds like bliss. If I ever win the lottery...

 

[Peter Sarf]

Albeit a very small one....

Caledonian Express - more like Quaker Express.

Are they reducing the already exorbitant prices to reflect the reduced service ?

The impression I get is that Caledonian Sleeper are filling their trains quite well so there is no need to encourage more travelers by spending money on perks or reducing fares. I agree they are expensive and I am not tempted to try. But if I had to travel to Scotland I would feel safest driving or going by sleeper. They could take more passengers if Covid and associated restrictions were out of the way.

For the Night Riviera it seems loadings are not as close to the limit so perks are needed.

Perhaps the current Caledonian Sleeper way of doing things is attracting travelers that are afraid of Covid ?. That is quite apart from adhering to the varying legal restrictions within the "United Kingdom".

 

[MrEd]

The impression I get is that Caledonian Sleeper are filling their trains quite well so there is no need to encourage more travelers by spending money on perks or reducing fares. I agree they are expensive and I am not tempted to try. But if I had to travel to Scotland I would feel safest driving or going by sleeper. They could take more passengers if Covid and associated restrictions were out of the way.

For the Night Riviera it seems loadings are not as close to the limit so perks are needed.

Perhaps the current Caledonian Sleeper way of doing things is attracting travelers that are afraid of Covid ?. That is quite apart from adhering to the varying legal restrictions within the "United Kingdom".

I agree with you 100%. I get the impression people are confident about returning to CS (and were last summer) which is a good sign- obviously they’ve given the right impression that their trains are safe in the present time.

If they can fill the train as it is (there is huge demand for tourist travel to Fort William and Inverness this summer at any rate) there’s no point worrying about gimmicks which might create additional work/additional bureaucracy/time-consuming risk assessments for the staff and create unnecessary contact between passengers, or between staff and passengers. The goal of CS’ current approach is to minimise contact wherever possible and it seems to work.

 

[Red Onion]

Booked in for my first journey on the new trains on Tuesday so looking forward to seeing it.

 

[MrEd]

Booked in for my first journey on the new trains on Tuesday so looking forward to seeing it.

You’ll enjoy it- as long as you don’t go expecting the Orient Express you’ll have a nice comfortable trip. The Mk5s are much more comfortable than the life-expired stock which they replaced and are far more inviting and user-friendly; hope you get a good sleep. It‘d probably be best to eat before you board or take a picnic with you as catering will be minimal (perhaps just a selection of breakfast snacks in a bag in the morning, or even if this changes, it’ll be a very limited offering).

 

[HST274]

Booked in for my first journey on the new trains on Tuesday so looking forward to seeing it.

Catching it in summer. Hopefully some things have loosened by then.

 

[williamn]

Also having my first trip on the new trains Tuesday! I loved the old ones and used at least yearly so will be interested to compare and contrast.

 

[popeter45]

depending on how plans go hoping to travel again in september or october

 

[John Bishop]

You’ll enjoy it- as long as you don’t go expecting the Orient Express you’ll have a nice comfortable trip. The Mk5s are much more comfortable than the life-expired stock which they replaced and are far more inviting and user-friendly; hope you get a good sleep. It‘d probably be best to eat before you board or take a picnic with you as catering will be minimal (perhaps just a selection of breakfast snacks in a bag in the morning, or even if this changes, it’ll be a very limited offering).

Well, as long as you don’t get a room over the bogies, you should be fine.

 

[Red Onion]

You’ll enjoy it- as long as you don’t go expecting the Orient Express you’ll have a nice comfortable trip. The Mk5s are much more comfortable than the life-expired stock which they replaced and are far more inviting and user-friendly; hope you get a good sleep. It‘d probably be best to eat before you board or take a picnic with you as catering will be minimal (perhaps just a selection of breakfast snacks in a bag in the morning, or even if this changes, it’ll be a very limited offering).

I had the pleasure of the seated sleeper on the Mk2 which I wasn’t keen to replicate! I was thinking of taking a few supplies on board, nothing much but just enough to keep me going.

It looks a decent enough experience and I’ll no doubt report back once I’ve made the journey.

 

[6Z09]

I had the pleasure of the seated sleeper on the Mk2 which I wasn’t keen to replicate! I was thinking of taking a few supplies on board, nothing much but just enough to keep me going.

It looks a decent enough experience and I’ll no doubt report back once I’ve made the journey.

If you're going in the seated coach, the most important thing to bring is warm clothing! That seems to be the main issue with the new coaches.

 

[AberdeenBill]

Catching it in summer. Hopefully some things have loosened by then.

I love this journey in the height of summer, particularly June / July when the sun rises early and sets late. Great for views when wakening early on the northbound (usually going over the Forth Bridge for me) and normally it is still light when setting off on the southbound.

 

[185143]

If you're going in the seated coach, the most important thing to bring is warm clothing! That seems to be the main issue with the new coaches.

And a cushion! The Mk5 sleeper seats are awful.

 

[Bletchleyite]

And a cushion! The Mk5 sleeper seats are awful.

They are the same seats as 80x in First Class, if you've been on one of those.

 

[Journeyman]

They are the same seats as 80x in First Class, if you've been on one of those.

Yup, and absolutely fine in my opinion. I've done Edinburgh to Fort William in them. Agree with what others have said about temperature, though - it was like sitting in a fridge.

 

[MrEd]

Well, as long as you don’t get a room over the bogies, you should be fine.

That is true. I don’t know if the OP has booked his room, but he would be well advised to avoid rooms 1 and 2 in first, 9 and 10 in standard. In fact, they should offer a discount to any poor soul with a first class ticket who ends up in room 1!

Aim for 5 or 6 in first, 7 in standard for the best sleep.

 

[185143]

That is true. I don’t know if the OP has booked his room, but he would be well advised to avoid rooms 1 and 2 in first, 9 and 10 in standard. In fact, they should offer a discount to any poor soul with a first class ticket who ends up in room 1!

Aim for 5 or 6 in first, 7 in standard for the best sleep.

Very glad to have checked and seen I'm in K06 for my trip in July!

 

[CW2]

I am also venturing forth on my first Mk5 sleeper trip. Northbound Sunday night to Fort William (via ECML), southbound Inverness - Euston Monday night (also via ECML). Plan is to do The Jacobite to Mallaig and return, then bus to Inverness. Looks like I'm booked in the room right above the bogies each way ...

 

[Kite159]

If you're going in the seated coach, the most important thing to bring is warm clothing! That seems to be the main issue with the new coaches.

Made worse as the AC vents are right below the window so blow cold air straight at you.

It's like the coaches were designed for a Spanish summer.

 

[Bald Rick]

In fact, they should offer a discount to any poor soul with a first class ticket who ends up in room 1!

Ah, I have only every been in room 1. May explain the lack of sleep.

 

[MrEd]

Ah, I have only every been in room 1. May explain the lack of sleep.

I once deliberately bought a ticket for room L5 on the Inverness portion (knowing a central room was the key to a good sleep) only to be moved by a slightly officious staff member to room P1, with no explanation given even when I asked. I tried to protest but the staff member was having none of it, even though the train was far from full. Didn’t get a great sleep that night...

If the train is full or there was a serious defect with the allocated berth, fair enough, there’s absolutely nothing you can do, but you’d think the staff would know that the berths over the wheels are the ones people like to avoid? Certainly the old-school Scotrail crews knew this (as it was a bad problem on the Mk3s) and moved people to more central berths whenever possible.

@185143 I hope you get your allocated room K6 and they don’t try to move you to an inferior room with a lame/non-existent excuse. I would certainly take a central room with a defective en-suite/other minor defect over room 1!

 

[185143]

I once deliberately bought a ticket for room L5 on the Inverness portion (knowing a central room was the key to a good sleep) only to be moved by a slightly officious staff member to room P1, with no explanation given even when I asked. I tried to protest but the staff member was having none of it, even though the train was far from full. Didn’t get a great sleep that night...

If the train is full or there was a serious defect with the allocated berth, fair enough, there’s absolutely nothing you can do, but you’d think the staff would know that the berths over the wheels are the ones people like to avoid? Certainly the old-school Scotrail crews knew this (as it was a bad problem on the Mk3s) and moved people to more central berths whenever possible.

@185143 I hope you get your allocated room K6 and they don’t try to move you to an inferior room with a lame/non-existent excuse. I would certainly take a central room with a defective en-suite/other minor defect over room 1!

I did end up over the bogies on the mk3s once. Though I'd been caught up in a cancellation the previous night and had just been woken up on a ScotRail 158 at Inverness having managed about 2 hours sleep the previous night on the Lowlander from Preston. Under the circumstances I slept like a baby!

I somehow doubt the same would be true on a Mk5 even in the same situation. I remember being sat over the bogie on a TPE Mk5 rejoining the mainline at Mirfield after a Brighouse diversion and being genuinely concerned we were coming off the road the ride over the points was so poor.

 

[MrEd]

I did end up over the bogies on the mk3s once. Though I'd been caught up in a cancellation the previous night and had just been woken up on a ScotRail 158 at Inverness having managed about 2 hours sleep the previous night on the Lowlander from Preston. Under the circumstances I slept like a baby!

I somehow doubt the same would be true on a Mk5 even in the same situation. I remember being sat over the bogie on a TPE Mk5 rejoining the mainline at Mirfield after a Brighouse diversion and being genuinely concerned we were coming off the road the ride over the points was so poor.

Over the bogies on a Mk5 if anything is worse than even a knackered Mk3, which is not exactly saying much! This is an irritating feature of the design because if you have a central berth the ride quality of a Mk5 sleeper is vastly superior to a Mk3 (and comes without the irritating squeaks and rattles which plagued the Mk3s in their last days).

Catching it in summer. Hopefully some things have loosened by then.

I notice the website has been updated but still retains the message about avoiding unnecessary travel. Presumably this is out-of-date, or does a ban on non-essential use of the sleeper still apply? Cross-border travel is now legal as I see it? I can’t see any reason for reinstating the full service if the ban still applies.

Are staff/BTP still likely to challenge customers as to their reasons for travel? I’d assume not, as neither Scotland nor England is in lockdown (in the sense of a stay-at-home order applying) and cross-border travel is legal.

 

[Butts]

Over the bogies on a Mk5 if anything is worse than even a knackered Mk3, which is not exactly saying much! This is an irritating feature of the design because if you have a central berth the ride quality of a Mk5 sleeper is vastly superior to a Mk3 (and comes without the irritating squeaks and rattles which plagued the Mk3s in their last days).


I notice the website has been updated but still retains the message about avoiding unnecessary travel. Presumably this is out-of-date, or does a ban on non-essential use of the sleeper still apply? Cross-border travel is now legal as I see it? I can’t see any reason for reinstating the full service if the ban still applies.

Are staff/BTP still likely to challenge customers as to their reasons for travel? I’d assume not, as neither Scotland nor England is in lockdown (in the sense of a stay-at-home order applying) and cross-border travel is legal.

They were not doing it even prior to Monday when it was technically illegal.

A I had four daytrips to Berwick,Carlisle,Newcastle and Durham in the two weeks before and no one was in the slightest bit interested in where you were going or why.

Admittedly this was on Avanti and LNER.

 

[MrEd]

They were not doing it even prior to Monday when it was technically illegal.

A I had four daytrips to Berwick,Carlisle,Newcastle and Durham in the two weeks before and no one was in the slightest bit interested in where you were going or why.

Admittedly this was on Avanti and LNER.

Good for you! I rather suspected that was the case. No one would care now that’s for sure. I think CS have left it up by mistake.

How well is the sleeper loading right now, with all 5 portions running and tourist travel allowed again? Inverness probably loads well but what about the others? By the end of the month I imagine the Fort William section will be full most nights.

 

[Hooligan]

Both northbound services were fully booked last night

 

[Journeyman]

Both northbound services were fully booked last night

Are they selling every room at the moment?

 

[221129]

Are they selling every room at the moment?

Why would they not be?

 

[BRX]

Just came across this... load of old CS stock sitting at Great Yarmouth now apparently.

 

[TimboM]

Just came across this... load of old CS stock sitting at Great Yarmouth now apparently.

Belongs to Eastern Rail Services (ERS) who are based there: Eastern Rail Services

They bought all the Mk2s from Serco a year or so before they were taken out of service on the Beds, then leased them back to Serco. ERS also then picked up a few Mk3s when Porterbrook were selling them. Since they finished on the beds, 5x Mk2 BUOs are on long-term lease to Network Rail, three Mk2 RLOs have made there way to LSL via very exquisite refurbishments (6705, 6705 and 6708) and one (6701) is now with Brodie's at Kilmarnock. The rest are still with ERS at Yarmouth (mostly) and also the Weardale Railway "awaiting developments".