Caledonian Sleeper

[TimboM]

I must say I wouldn’t want a single 73 hauling load 8 over the HML on a regular basis- it‘s definitely at the very limit of a single 73’s capability. Needs must I suppose.

Good that we’re getting a 66 tonight!

It's Load 7 currently, which is far from the limit of a single 73/9. A single 73/9 has hauled Load 8 and its dead mate over the HML a number of times without anyone really noticing - and that's 120 tonnes more.

Single 73/9s regularly work Load 6 over the WHL without any bother. A solo 73/9 once took a Load 8 + 2x 92s from Polmadie to Edinburgh, which is the equivalent of a Load 14 weight wise - and there's a 1 in 100 climb on that route out of Carstairs.

Anyhow, you get the picture...!

1S25 dropped to 153 minutes late at Dalwhinnie, then made up time downhill by omitting stops. So the single 73 lost nearly half an hour going up the hills, then regained some of it by a swift gravity-assisted descent.
I wonder if it will have a 66 in multiple tonight out of Inverness, or whether they will get another 73 up and running by then?

It lost 15 mins between Stirling (138L) and Dalwhinnie (153L) - noting 3 mins additional dwell time at Perth detraining the passengers for intermediate stops and 9.5 mins extra stopped at Dunkeld to allow 1B08 to pass, that's a couple of minutes lost up the hills (aka usual timing fluctuations) not nearly half an hour.

The "gravity-assisted" descent from Dalwhinnie also includes the very steep climb to Slochd summit - hardly downhill! Slochd to Tomatin includes the climb to the summit and was done a minute or two faster than the timings.

The timing differences are more to do with the station stops (lengthened or omitted); missing out loopings (e.g. Tomatin, 8 mins saved) and the slack there is the timings anyway on the run into Inverness.

 

[CW2]

I'm quietly impressed with the 73/9s. Whoever had the vision to convert a Southern Region shoebox into a go-anywhere mid-range diesel deserves a pay rise.
I wouldn't call them "charismatic", but they do the job well, and are usually pretty reliable. I wonder whether having a small dedicated loco fleet is a risk or a benefit?

 

[D6130]

I'm quietly impressed with the 73/9s. Whoever had the vision to convert a Southern Region shoebox into a go-anywhere mid-range diesel deserves a pay rise.
I wouldn't call them "charismatic", but they do the job well, and are usually pretty reliable. I wonder whether having a small dedicated loco fleet is a risk or a benefit?

The main problem seems to be that CS don't quite seem to have enough of them. Perhaps they could do with a couple more to avoid the need for class 66 piloting during the leaf fall season.

 

[Tormod]

There don't appear to be any changes on the website as a result of the changes from 17 May. I'd hoped for catering improvements.

 

[williamn]

There don't appear to be any changes on the website as a result of the changes from 17 May. I'd hoped for catering improvements.

Given that their Covid page was only updated last time AFTER normal services had resumed their website may not be the best place to look!

 

[Tormod]

Ah well...

 

[185143]

There have been a few comments on here about passengers being asked to vacate their rooms on arrival earlier than the advertised time. At the other end of the journey, in my experience, although the Highlander northbound states that rooms will be available from 20:30, I usually find that although i usually wander from the Doric Arch pub down to the concourse at about 20:50, inevitably it is at least 21:00 before boarding gets under way. This is not an issue for me but with the Lowlander (which i have never used) not departing until 23:50 i would imagine that many people would be want to be settled in bed before then. Are the Lowlander (north) rooms generally available close to the advertised time of 22:30?

The only time I've boarded at Euston was admittedly on a Sunday with a 20:59 departure. I wandered out of the pub down to the train just after 20:30, many people were already settled into their seats and the lounge car by then so I suspect you've just been unlucky. This was with the Mk3s though.

One advantage I found with being in the seats is you can buy the Haggis from the lounge and sit in your seat supping your own beer, at a fraction of the prices they charge onboard!

 

[sufian123]

Hi

i was wondering how does the spilt at Edinburgh work? For both ways on the HL? I don’t understand it using rtt thanks

 

[Bill57p9]

Hi

i was wondering how does the spilt at Edinburgh work? For both ways on the HL? I don’t understand it using rtt thanks

I believe northbound:

1. 1S25 arrives (usually in platforms 2 & 19) obviously with 92 at the east end. In this direction, the portions are Inverness, then FTW and finally Aberdeen.
2. Train splits between Inverness & FTW portions. 92 draws Inverness portion fully into platform 2.
3. 92 is detached & usually runs to Klondike siding
4. 2x73s (or 67+73) attach to west end of Inverness portion
5. Inverness portion departs
6. FTW 73 backs lounge, sorry "club" car plus seated coach onto east end of FTW sleepers. The FTW portion now straddles the crossover between platforms 2 & 19
7. Aberdeen 73 attaches to west end of portion (platform 19)
8. Aberdeen & FTW portions split.
9. Aberdeen portion departs (platform 19)
10. Fort William 73 runs round
11. Fort William portion departs

Southbound is slightly simpler. IIRC

1. Aberdeen portion arrives in platform 2
2. Inverness portion arrives in platform 19
3. Inverness traction departs to Craigentinny through crossover to platform 1
4. 92 is attached to west end
5. Aberdeen portion is shunted onto east end of Inverness portion
6. Aberdeen traction departs platform 2
7. Fort William portion runs through platforms 20 & 1 into Calton north tunnel and is shunted into platform 2 & onto east end of the formation
8. Fort William portion is split to remove lounge, seated coach and traction which are pulled forward from platform 2 into Calton north tunnel and shunted, usually into platform 5
9. Fort William traction departs
10. Up Highlander departs

 

[sufian123]

I believe northbound:

1. 1S25 arrives (usually in platforms 2 & 19) obviously with 92 at the east end. In this direction, the portions are Inverness, then FTW and finally Aberdeen.
2. Train splits between Inverness & FTW portions. 92 draws Inverness portion fully into platform 2.
3. 92 is detached & usually runs to Klondike siding
4. 2x73s (or 67+73) attach to west end of Inverness portion
5. Inverness portion departs
6. FTW 73 backs lounge, sorry "club" car plus seated coach onto east end of FTW sleepers. The FTW portion now straddles the crossover between platforms 2 & 19
7. Aberdeen 73 attaches to west end of portion (platform 19)
8. Aberdeen & FTW portions split.
9. Aberdeen portion departs (platform 19)
10. Fort William 73 runs round
11. Fort William portion departs

Southbound is slightly simpler. IIRC

1. Aberdeen portion arrives in platform 2
2. Inverness portion arrives in platform 19
3. Inverness traction departs to Craigentinny through crossover to platform 1
4. 92 is attached to west end
5. Aberdeen portion is shunted onto east end of Inverness portion
6. Aberdeen traction departs platform 2
7. Fort William portion runs through platforms 20 & 1 into Calton north tunnel and is shunted into platform 2 & onto east end of the formation
8. Fort William portion is split to remove lounge, seated coach and traction which are pulled forward from platform 2 into Calton north tunnel and shunted, usually into platform 5
9. Fort William traction departs
10. Up Highlander departs

many thanks no wonder is confusing on RTT to much moving around. I appreciate it

 

[steve2525]

I am up in the highlands 8th June for a few days, is it still possible to get the morning train upto Fort William from Upper Tyndrum, do they still have a "day" coach?
Thanks

 

[alistairlees]

I am up in the highlands 8th June for a few days, is it still possible to get the morning train upto Fort William from Upper Tyndrum, do they still have a "day" coach?
Thanks

Afraid not

 

[Bald Rick]

I am up in the highlands 8th June for a few days, is it still possible to get the morning train upto Fort William from Upper Tyndrum, do they still have a "day" coach?
Thanks

According to the CS website no, but according to the timetable for June, yes. Make of that what you will.

 

[steve2525]

Thanks gents

 

[BRX]

Saw someone off on the Highlander from Euston this evening - it looked pretty busy.

Also noticed - the Highlander was in platform 1 as usual, but then the Lowlander stock came in right next to it in platform 2. I thought it usually went into the platform right the other side of the station - is this a new arrangement?

Or is this a temporary thing because the lowlander is short formed at the moment?

 

[popeter45]

Saw someone off on the Highlander from Euston this evening - it looked pretty busy.

Also noticed - the Highlander was in platform 1 as usual, but then the Lowlander stock came in right next to it in platform 2. I thought it usually went into the platform right the other side of the station - is this a new arrangement?

Or is this a temporary thing because the lowlander is short formed at the moment?

i assume temp as isnt platform 2 too short for full form lowlanders?

 

[paul1609]

I am up in the highlands 8th June for a few days, is it still possible to get the morning train upto Fort William from Upper Tyndrum, do they still have a "day" coach?
Thanks

Theres a citylink coach from the layby outside the Tyndrum public toilets at 8.30 takes about 1 hr 15.

 

[MrEd]

i assume temp as isnt platform 2 too short for full form lowlanders?

Yes, if the train has the full 16 coaches then the rear two coaches will be off the platform (and the last one may even foul points, although I’m not sure about that). There was an incident when the up Lowlander (with 16 vehicles) was routed into platform 2 by mistake in around 2014, and I think that the doors on the rear two coaches (which were off the platform) had to be locked out of use before anyone could disembark. I seem to recall that it caused considerable disruption in the morning peak, which possibly suggests that the last vehicle might have fouled points.

 

[InOban]

Not much use if you want to see Rannoch and Corrour.

Since Scotrail provided a passenger service into FW from Corrour and Rannoch while CS was suspended, I assume the day coach is available from there at least.

 

[fgwrich]

I'm quietly impressed with the 73/9s. Whoever had the vision to convert a Southern Region shoebox into a go-anywhere mid-range diesel deserves a pay rise.
I wouldn't call them "charismatic", but they do the job well, and are usually pretty reliable. I wonder whether having a small dedicated loco fleet is a risk or a benefit?

Very much the same here, I'm rather surprised GB hasn't converted one or two more of it's "spare" 73s to bolster the fleet up a little more.

 

[BRX]

i assume temp as isnt platform 2 too short for full form lowlanders?

Are both trains short formed at the moment then?
Because the 92 on the front of the Highlander was well short of the end of the platform last night, come to think of it.

 

[MrEd]

Are both trains short formed at the moment then?
Because the 92 on the front of the Highlander was well short of the end of the platform last night, come to think of it.

View attachment 96632

Yes, I believe both sets are currently load 14 rather than load 16. In fact, I think that the sets have been load 14 for most of the pandemic (though I might be wrong). I’m not sure when the full 16 coaches will return.

 

[flitwickbeds]

Is there any reason why the CS from Fort William in the evenings is showing "service stop unadvertised" at Glasgow and Edinburgh at the moment?

 

[adrock1976]

Is there any reason why the CS from Fort William in the evenings is showing "service stop unadvertised" at Glasgow and Edinburgh at the moment?

The most likely reason is that the "day train" function Fort William - Edinburgh has been temporarily suspended.

 

[paul1609]

Not much use if you want to see Rannoch and Corrour.

Since Scotrail provided a passenger service into FW from Corrour and Rannoch while CS was suspended, I assume the day coach is available from there at least.

True but personally Id say that the A82 has much better scenery, better view of Rannoch Moor, Beaucaille Ettive Mor, Glencoe, Ballachulish bridge. As a rail enthusiast I like the WHL but the A82 is better!

 

[Maxfly]

Very much the same here, I'm rather surprised GB hasn't converted one or two more of it's "spare" 73s to bolster the fleet up a little more.

Others have previously advised that if more locos were to be converted then Serco would have to request them as the current contract is what dictated how many were converted in the first place and it would be SERCO who would need to possibly pass over more money to GBRf for this. At least that is how i remember it the last time it was discussed.

i assume temp as isnt platform 2 too short for full form lowlanders?

I seen a post from a Caledonian Sleeper manager on FB stating it was part of a trial to see what capacity the platforms had at Euston iirc.

 

[185143]

True but personally Id say that the A82 has much better scenery, better view of Rannoch Moor, Beaucaille Ettive Mor, Glencoe, Ballachulish bridge. As a rail enthusiast I like the WHL but the A82 is better!

I know what you mean. I did a rail rep a couple of years ago from Fort William to Crianlarich. Whilst I'd personally prefer the train, I'd highly recommend doing the coach as the scenery is totally different.

 

[route101]

True but personally Id say that the A82 has much better scenery, better view of Rannoch Moor, Beaucaille Ettive Mor, Glencoe, Ballachulish bridge. As a rail enthusiast I like the WHL but the A82 is better!

Yes, I took the coach once to Fort William. Glencoe section is stunning. Coach is not really any cheaper than the train though.

 

[flitwickbeds]

The most likely reason is that the "day train" function Fort William - Edinburgh has been temporarily suspended.

Does that mean it's not possible to use the 1950 Fort William service if you intend to alight at one of the cities? There are no alternative trains or even a replacement bus option that I can see? Does that mean the last departure from Fort William to Glasgow is the 1737 ex Mallaig? And all the subsequent stops (ie Dalmuir) are also pickup only, so it's not even possible to transfer to a Scotrail service.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does that mean it's not possible to use the 1950 Fort William service if you intend to alight at one of the cities?

At the moment, yes, it is only available for journeys to England, not domestic Scottish ones. This is purely because of social distancing reducing the capacity of what is already only half a coach of seats.