Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Yes, it is. This is normal during the winter period.I hope the shorter train is essential for maintenance reasons
Yes, it is. This is normal during the winter period.I hope the shorter train is essential for maintenance reasons
We have arranged for you to travel on the 10:38 and 11:36 Avanti services from Glasgow Central to London Euston tomorrow morning. You will be able to use your Sleeper ticket to travel to Glasgow Central.
Maybe they can't get the train from wherever they stable it during the day into the Aberdeen platforms?I wonder why they aren't converting the sleeper into a static hotel like they sometimes do?
Oh yes, that would be a very obvious and simple explanation!Maybe they can't get the train from wherever they stable it during the day into the Aberdeen platforms?
Possibly because the locomotive defect means that it is unable to provide 'hotel power' to the stock.wonder why they aren't converting the sleeper into a static hotel like they sometimes do?
Presumably this means tomorrow night Highlander won't have an Aberdeen portion?I wonder why they aren't converting the sleeper into a static hotel like they sometimes do?
RTT reports the cancellation code as MC, which means the loco failed in some way.
No, unless some out of plan shunting happens in London. According to the plan, the Glasgow portion of the Lowlander will be short / cancelled.Presumably this means tomorrow night Highlander won't have an Aberdeen portion?
We are very sorry to advise that your service this evening to Edinburgh Waverley will now terminate at Glasgow Central tomorrow morning due to an unavoidable operational issue.
If you wish to arrive in Edinburgh at your scheduled time, you do have the option to disembark at Carstairs at approximately 06.15 and travel on a reduced Caledonian Sleeper service with a Seated Coach and a Club Car. On this short Edinburgh service, there will be a limited breakfast service onboard.
If you decide to stay with us to Glasgow Central, the train is due to arrive at 07:30 and we have arranged for you to travel to Edinburgh Waverley on any Scotrail service using your Sleeper ticket.
If you would like to cancel your travel in full, we will refund you the full amount. Please email us via [email protected] for a cancellation.
If you wish to travel, we will refund you 25% of the ticket price and the money will be back in the account used to make the purchase within 3-5 working days.
Again, please accept our sincere apologies for this last minute change to your travel to Edinburgh.
Please contact us via Live Chat online if you require any further assistance or speak to a crew member on board.
I know this is an old thread but last night the whiskies ranged from £10-£12.But the accompanying drinks ? probably a greater portion of your expenditure particularly if you want a decent nightcap ?
I know this is an old thread but last night the whiskies ranged from £10-£12.
I know this is an old thread but last night the whiskies ranged from £10-£12.
There are forecast gales and the train runs through arduous country. The decision won't have been taken lightly, and ultimately it has been taken by Network Rail. It looks like only the Fort William portion doesn't run north of Edinburgh. The Inverness and Aberdeen portions run but may be delayed.Poor show ?
The Caledonian Sleeper has enjoyed its “biggest and best” summer ever and expansion of the service is a possibility, its managing director has told The Scotsman.
Kathryn Darbandi said reservations had reached record levels, services were becoming fully booked earlier and the most popular trains could be sold three times over
Speaking six months after the Scotland-London overnight service was taken back into public hands by the Scottish Government, Ms Darbandi said expanding the fleet could even be considered, such was the demand.
She said: "The only way to increase capacity would be additional trains, which would be a really big decision. It would be very costly, but when you consider the broader economic benefit, it could be a consideration in the future.” Ms Darbandi said the first new Sleeper fleet for decades, introduced in 2019 and featuring double beds and en-suite showers, was proving a strong attraction. Trains run between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Fort William, Inverness and London.
Ms Darbandi said: "A total of 80 per cent of our guests are first-time travellers – we’re quite shocked at that. It tends to be a lot of tourism and bucket list trips, and therefore we are bringing a lot of broader economic benefit to the tourism and hospitality industry in Scotland.
“We’ve had an amazing summer – the biggest and best we’ve ever had – and more advance sales than before. We could sell Inverness and Fort William trains on a Friday night probably three times over quite easily."
A new record of 999 passengers were carried one night in August, while overall sales were 10 per cent up this year, having already largely recovered in 2022 from the Covid pandemic.
Some bank holiday and school holiday services next year are already full, which Ms Darbandi said was around two weeks earlier than before.
Ms Drabandi said the seated coach was also regularly sold out, even though some passengers had complained of not being able to sleep. She has yet to try it herself, despite regularly using the cabins.
She said: “It’s a very economic way of travelling – and a bit like an overnight flight, with at-seat service of food and drink.” Ms Darbandi said the Sleeper had also benefited from companies seeking to reduce the environmental impact of their travel. She said: "Taking the train is convenient and productive. Quite a lot of businesses are changing their staff travel policy and insisting people consider train before plane.”
The managing director said the Sleeper’s transfer to state hands in June, after Serco’s franchise was terminated early over a funding dispute, had gone “incredibly smoothly”, in large part because its entire workforce of around 250 had remained.
Ms Darbandi said staff were “so dedicated to their job and loved the brand and product that there was no question really – everybody said up front that it doesn’t really matter, we want to stay”.
Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Graham Simpson said: “It’s good news that sales are booming, but that was the case before the Scottish Government stepped in. If the staff have transferred and the service is running much as before, it’s difficult to see that nationalising it has made any difference.”
Alex Rowley, his Scottish Labour counterpart, “Public ownership needs to be made permanent and all parts of the Sleeper's operation should be directly employed by the new publicly-owned Sleeper.”
Much of the Sleeper operation remains outsourced to the private sector, including its locomotives, drivers, cleaners and maintenance.
The stock is maintained by Alstom.Which parts of maintenance are outsourced to the private sector? Obviously traction is privately maintained since it's hired in but what about the stock? Or is this the usualqualityScotsman journalism?
Do they give a reason ?.I live on the Sussex coast and a friend of mine has need to travel to Edinburgh for work and his company specify he can't use the Caledonian Sleeper and claim it back on expenses.
My take is that Caledonian Sleeper has switched market from domestic and business to the more lucrative tourist market. I have not heard many tourists complain btw.
So is there a market for a lower cost version for all those displaced business travellers, domestic travellers and enthusiasts ?.
Ditto. The only reason I don’t use it more is price, but if they can sell at higher prices then fair enough.I am not sure we can rule out the CS getting repeat customers - I use the service semi-regularly for business and leisure travel - I am sure I am not alone. It is convenient, time-efficient, reliable and very comfortable. Try saying all that about any other long distance UK train! I would use it more if capacity wasn't so limited in Winter!
They themselves are the ones saying its mainly first timers.I am not sure we can rule out the CS getting repeat customers - I use the service semi-regularly for business and leisure travel - I am sure I am not alone. It is convenient, time-efficient, reliable and very comfortable. Try saying all that about any other long distance UK train! I would use it more if capacity wasn't so limited in Winter!
As I have occasionally said, the new stock is not lower capacity (by anything other than a small amount) than the old stock.Surely 999 in one night must be a record for the new stock only given its lower capacity.