Caledonian Sleeper

[Bletchleyite]

Because the Scottish Government have direct control over Scotrail that they don't over the DfT TOCs?

If they were that bothered they could presumably legislate?

Is Alex Hynes teetotal, or is this a Sturgeon doing?

 

[JamieL]

Because the Scottish Government have direct control over Scotrail that they don't over the DfT TOCs?

The Scottish Government has the power to influence activity over DfT TOCs operating in Scotland. By way of example, the rules relating to facemasks. For a long period, we had to put masks on when crossing the border into Scotland.

 

[35B]

The Scottish Government has the power to influence activity over DfT TOCs operating in Scotland. By way of example, the rules relating to facemasks. For a long period, we had to put masks on when crossing the border into Scotland.

Masks were a legal requirement, whereas the alcohol policy is to do with the Scottish government's decision to direct their TOC to operate in a particular way (just as a certain ex-PM did in London with London Overground a few years ago).

 

[JamieL]

Masks were a legal requirement, whereas the alcohol policy is to do with the Scottish government's decision to direct their TOC to operate in a particular way (just as a certain ex-PM did in London with London Overground a few years ago).

Indeed. But, if so minded, the Government could apply it to all TOCs in Scotland either through primary or secondary legislation. They have chosen not to do so. I don't see why they would treat CS differently from Avanti or LNER.

 

[Mag_seven]

Its clear that CS will not be affected by the Scotrail alcohol ban so can we leave it there please.

thanks

 

[Davester50]

Happy to say no loitering stewards looking to throw me off before booked time on the last trip.
Saying that, there were no stewards to be seen after arrival!

 

[norbitonflyer]

I was surprised when I awoke this morning to see RTT showing the Inverness portion (on which I was travelling) running ahead of time with a single class 73. However, on arrival at Inverness I found there were two of them. (But no 66)

Otherwise uneventful except for one unfortunate couple further down the car who had an alarm going off every few minutes for the first three hours of the journey.

And some rare track for me as we were routed by the Stechford / Aston / Portobello route and not the usual WCML

 

[JamieL]

Early signs of changes? For the first time, whilst waiting in the lounge, I was given a "priority boarding" sticker for my bag. Didn't seem to do anything mind and everybody had them! Less amusingly, we were told to go down to platform 1 only to have to wait there for 15mins. Thanks, but I would rather have waited in the lounge!

 

[Caleb2010]

The priority boarding tags have been around for some time now, I think they’re supposed to be for club and double passengers, but they give them out to everyone in the lounge!

As you said - it doesn’t appear to do anything, you still have to get checked in at the carriage door/ somewhere on the platform (depending on the crew!) and that can take forever if you’re stuck in the line!

 

[jagardner1984]

FWIW - it does seem rather churlish to try and regulate the boarding of such an overall tiny number of passengers across the train, all of whom have paid a fortune to be there ! Some club passengers will want to board 5 mins before departure - some classic will be on the platform as soon as it comes in. Can’t ever remember waiting for the clipboard behind more than a couple of people.

A solution in search of a problem IMHO.

 

[E100]

Anyone know what all this was about? A 92 attached to 3 coaches hauled by a 73 to Perth.

 

[D6130]

Anyone know what all this was about? A 92 attached to 3 coaches hauled by a 73 to Perth.

No inside knowledge....but possibly clearance tests for potential future class 92 haulage of the Inverness portion as far as Perth once Dunblane-Perth has been electrified?

 

[BRX]

No inside knowledge....but possibly clearance tests for potential future class 92 haulage of the Inverness portion as far as Perth once Dunblane-Perth has been electrified?

That wouldn't really explain why it started from Glasgow queen st though.

 

[D6130]

That wouldn't really explain why it started from Glasgow queen st though.

Hadn't realised that. Did it start from High Level or Low Level? Clutching at straws here, but perhaps they also have the idea of electrically-hauling the Fort William portion to/from Craigendoran.

 

[jagardner1984]

There was a comment on the YouTube video related to a PR run ?

Maybe prepping a campaign to flog some winter tickets …

 

[Mag_seven]

Speculation on Facebook that it was some sort of publicity run.

Did it start from High Level or Low Level?

High level.

 

[jagardner1984]

Hadn't realised that. Did it start from High Level or Low Level? Clutching at straws here, but perhaps they also have the idea of electrically-hauling the Fort William portion to/from Craigendoran.

Realtime Trains | 1Z73 1100 Glasgow Queen Street to Perth | 12/07/2023

Real-time train running information for 1Z73 1100 departure from Glasgow Queen Street to Perth on 12/07/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Platform 7 High Level

 

[D6130]

Perhaps @alistairlees will be able to give us more information?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

FWIW - it does seem rather churlish to try and regulate the boarding of such an overall tiny number of passengers across the train, all of whom have paid a fortune to be there ! Some club passengers will want to board 5 mins before departure - some classic will be on the platform as soon as it comes in. Can’t ever remember waiting for the clipboard behind more than a couple of people.

A solution in search of a problem IMHO.

It's more to do with checking that people aren't trying to sneak on without a ticket - and to help those not familiar with the service to find where their carriage is.

 

[ABB125]

It's more to do with checking that people aren't trying to sneak on without a ticket - and to help those not familiar with the service to find where their carriage is.

When I travelled on the sleeper, they asked my name but didn't check my ticket (which was fortunate as the ticket I was using was rather more than questionable, but completely valid!). I assume this is just to check off their passenger list?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

When I travelled on the sleeper, they asked my name but didn't check my ticket (which was fortunate as the ticket I was using was rather more than questionable, but completely valid!). I assume this is just to check off their passenger list?

They do tick the list when they check the names, yes.

 

[JamieL]

They do tick the list when they check the names, yes.

...and if you don't get them to tick off your name, you get a bang on your cabin 1hr+ after departure so they can check your ticket then...as I found out on one journey

 

[GordonT]

Hadn't realised that. Did it start from High Level or Low Level? Clutching at straws here, but perhaps they also have the idea of electrically-hauling the Fort William portion to/from Craigendoran.

More likely a PR jolly marking the transfer of responsibility for the operation from the private sector to Scottish Government?

 

[55002]

Highlander expected to be 3 hours late leaving Euston tonight and divert via Birmingham area now as WCML closed

 

[jagardner1984]

On Twitter reporting as a loco breakdown

https://twitter.com/calsleeper/status/1679968851122098182?s=46&t=CESmL_69gjQINF_blRdVJg

 

[norbitonflyer]

Decidedly unimpressed when we turned up at the Sleeper Lounge in Inverness at the advertised opening time (1830) last night to be turned away because it was "already full".

I was also slightly concerned to see that Caledonian are apparently building a sleeper lounge on Platform 1 at Euston - currently they use the existing Avanti lounge which seems perfectly adequate and has rather more facilities than Caledionian's own lounge at Inverness had last time I was able to use it (and it's big enough to take everyone!)

Highlander expected to be 3 hours late leaving Euston tonight and divert via Birmingham area now as WCML closed

Southbound Highlander was on time (slightly early actually) and took the route via Tame Valley Parkway (as scheduled). 2x73 on the Inverness portion again - indeed the same two - 967 and 971: incidentally, does anyone know why those two have their numbers displayed in very differenmt typefaces?

FWIW - it does seem rather churlish to try and regulate the boarding of such an overall tiny number of passengers across the train, all of whom have paid a fortune to be there ! Some club passengers will want to board 5 mins before departure - some classic will be on the platform as soon as it comes in. Can’t ever remember waiting for the clipboard behind more than a couple of people.

A solution in search of a problem IMHO.

Yes, it was a bit chaotic in both directions. At Euston last Sunday boarding was about 20 minutes late (and the new screens show a countdown to "gate closing, which much have got the people at the back of the queue a bit antsy........)
At Inverness they opened the barrier promptly but didn't think to do a check in there (or in the queue who had been waiting for the barrier to open), but instead tried to waylay people halfway down the platform, leading to a scrum.

And half the Club Car menu was "off" as they only provision from the Euston end and the northbound journey the previous night had been busy.

 

[Caleb2010]

That structure on P1 at Euston has been there since the beginning of the year! There doesn’t appear to be any major rush to open it!

I thought last Sundays loading in Inverness was quite slick, it does seem different depending on the crew, Inverness crews seem more professional, yet laid back!

London crews seem to be more regimental and uptight.

However this is just my view, but it’s why I try to tailor my travel to the days there’s an Inverness crew working!

 

[MrJeeves]

I'll be doing the sleeper in about 2 weeks as part of a return RailSail trip to Belfast.

Got seated reservations each way for myself and a friend, but I think £75 return is a bargain to go from the south coast, up to London, sleeper to Glasgow, then over to Ayr and eventually Belfast!

 

[Clansman]

London crews seem to be more regimental and uptight.

However this is just my view, but it’s why I try to tailor my travel to the days there’s an Inverness crew working!

That's precisely what I do too, with any of the portions.

My brother surprised my elderly parents with a cake for their wedding anniversary to see them off to London from on a weekened away, and they took it into the lounge car and requested a knife to cut it. It was a London crew, and they were brashly told by the gentleman "that's not allowed that in here, you must take it to your room", much to the noticability of the the rest of the lounge car. I can't even remember if they were given the knife in the end but needless to say they never went back to the lounge.

Compare that to another occassion when I was on a couple of years ago when an American couple brought their whisky onboard to drink after a distillary tour. When the Scottish crew in the lounge noticed, they were given 2 glasses to try a quick taster swig, offered some ice, and a cheeky "I hope you have some left for us!" thereafter.

It's really sad there's a marked difference between them, as I never recalled it being like that before.

As an aside, has it been established what the Queen Street to Perth run was all about?

 

[BluePenguin]

When I travelled on the sleeper, they asked my name but didn't check my ticket (which was fortunate as the ticket I was using was rather more than questionable, but completely valid!). I assume this is just to check off their passenger list?

More questionable than an any permitted Off Peak single?