Caledonian Sleeper

[support-uk-rail]

Hi guys,

I've done the Night Riviera, now I'm venturing further up north.
I'm going on the Caledonian Sleeper from Euston to either Edinburgh, Inverness, Fort William or Aberdeen, probably on Thursday.

Can anyone give me some info on the train set up, and anything I should look out for?. Any comments about the sleeper please leave.

P.S. Thanks to Mark 'Ascot' for all his help with info about the service!!

 

[John @ home]

I'm going on the Caledonian Sleeper ...
Can anyone give me some info on the train set up

Each Caledonian Sleeper is 16 coaches made up of 2 8-coach half-sets. Each half-set consists of 6 sleeper coaches, the Lounge Car and the seated coach. One half-set goes to each of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. Two sleeper coaches are detached from the Aberdeen half-set at Edinburgh and joined to a seated coach and a buffet coach to go to Fort William. Seated passengers for Fort William need to change coach at Edinburgh in the small hours.

In my opinion, the best thing about the Caledonian Sleeper is the Lounge Car. This consists of bar-like seating around small tables on one side of the coach, and a row of sofas on the other side. They sell a wider range of food and drink than most daytime train buffets, and the quality is good enough to rate very highly in Barry Doe's latest survey of train restaurants.

The Lounge car is not open to seated passengers but they can purchase items from the steward to eat at their seat. The seated coach is akin to First Class accommodation on a day train.

Unlike the fGW sleeper, the Caledonian Sleeper retains two classes of sleeper accommodation. There are minor variations in the breakfast offered, but the main difference is that First Class gives exclusive occupation of a compartment, while standard is in a two-person compartment with two single bunk beds.

John

 

[Craig]

I'd recommend going to Fort William, as that is IMO the most scenic (after Dalmuir) route and you get a chance to enjoy without needed to get up too early. Two sleeper coaches are left over at Edinburgh after the Aberdeen/Inverness portions have departed, and two extra coaches are added to form the FW service. If you're not already doing it I'd suggest getting a berth, otherwise you'll find yourself having to move coaches at 4am.

 

[support-uk-rail]

Thanks

 

[yorkie]

If you are using a PRIV, you have to book a berth or buy a full price ticket, as PRIV discounted tickets and boxes are barred in the seated portion (except EDB-FTW which counts as a 'day' train).

If you book far in advance, a bargain berth can be had for £19 or £29 this includes travel and a berth. A berth on it's own is approx £36 or so. If you are travelling alone you can book a cabin to yourself for approx £49 (called "Solo").

Sadly, the 37s ended 2 years and 2 months ago now, and I've not bothered with the Sleeper since. Doesn't seem that long ago

 

[support-uk-rail]

We fill in a box and pay 25% of the fare...

 

[me123]

Sadly, the 37s ended 2 years and 2 months ago now, and I've not bothered with the Sleeper since. Doesn't seem that long ago

I know, I feel old now you say that

Go for a Highland Sleeper; I've never had the pleasure of doing it yet but I'm sure there'd be something amazing going to sleep in London and waking up in the Highlands. On the other and, waking up in Glasgow... :neutral:

 

[class 313]

We fill in a box and pay 25% of the fare...

But you can't fill in a box on the seated portion. You have to pay full fare.

 

[support-uk-rail]

Lucky we're sleeping then :grin:


So if your PRIV, it works out cheaper to get a windowside-bed with compilmentry items than purchase a seat for the night!!!!!?????

 

[yorkie]

Lucky we're sleeping then :grin:


So if your PRIV, it works out cheaper to get a windowside-bed with compilmentry items than purchase a seat for the night!!!!!?????

Yes. Indeed it's cheaper for anyone to go in a berth rather than seated if you book far enough in advance. Cheaper not to use your PRIV if BBs are available!

BTW the breakfast is (or used to be) extremely minimal. Next time I think I'd prefer not to have it, to avoid being woken up at 6am (or earlier) . (Obviously when 37s were on then going north that wasn't an issue as you'd be up by 4:30 for the thrash )

The really annoying one was being woken at stupid o'clock with rubbish breakfast when we had failed and it was pretty obvious it was going to be hours before we got to London. Why?!?!?!?!?!

Anyway I prefer not to bother with it now, but at £19 BB it's acceptable I suppose as that's cheaper than a B&B/hotel.

 

[class 313]

Also you wont be sleeping at Edinburgh, specially as EWS like to have fun when shunting

 

[yorkie]

Also you wont be sleeping at Edinburgh, specially as EWS like to have fun when shunting

I slept through it southbound the only time I did a berth heading south (by then I was knackered). I always went northbound in a berth though (to be next to the 37) and could never sleep, looking forward to the 37 too much I think. And once you heard the purr of the 37 sleep was out of the question anyway They were, IIRC, always gentle attaching them, I don't recall any big jolts. Heading south they may have been a bit more rough with the coaches though.

 

[Mintona]

I never once woke up at Edinburgh

 

[support-uk-rail]

I never once woke up at Edinburgh

Light sleeper and deep sleeper difference I suppose

I'd happily wake and shove my head out the window to check the shunting and go back to sleep afterward!

On sleeper services, do they use two drivers? On the N. Riviera there were two.

Hakzi.

 

[rail-britain]

Unlike the fGW sleeper, the Caledonian Sleeper retains two classes of sleeper accommodation

What happens when you travel First Class; are they all shared or are they all single occupancy?

 

[yorkie]

I'd happily wake and shove my head out the window to check the shunting and go back to sleep afterward!
.

Not easily done as it involves leaving your cabin.

What happens when you travel First Class; are they all shared or are they all single occupancy?

All single occupancy. The top bunk is not lowered.

 

[support-uk-rail]

Not easily done as it involves leaving your cabin.

As in that 'can't be f**ked to get out of bed'?

 

[rail-britain]

All single occupancy. The top bunk is not lowered.

Excellent, that's good to know and certainly makes it value for money then, compared to FSR
FSR bookings do try to make every passenger single occupancy first, or the staff will juggle people around if required, but typically on a Friday and Sunday it does mean sharing (with ^&^$ knows who!)

 

[John @ home]

What happens when you travel First Class; are they all shared or are they all single occupancy?

In First Class the upper bunk is folded into the wall and locked in place, so you have single occupancy of a single-bedded cabin.

John

 

[175001]

I otherwise you'll find yourself having to move coaches at 4am.

I did that 2 weeks ago, annoying, but interesting! Only trouble is you have to stay awake as there are no announcements to tell you, you have arrived at Edinburgh. And i had to get off at Crewe on the southbound leg, again, had to stay half awake to notice where we were. Better than paying £51 each way for the only solo berth left tho!!

 

[class 313]

Surly staff would check the coach is empty before they move of (ECS )

 

[rail-britain]

Surly staff would check the coach is empty before they move of (ECS )

That would only apply in certain circumstances
It would appear 175001 was travelling southbound in the seats, so had to make sure they were awake at or before Crewe, failed to do that and the next stop is London and an expensive ticket back to Crewe!
Different if you are in a berth, you normally get a knock one hour before station arrival AND the staff make sure you actually get off

 

[175001]

Surly staff would check the coach is empty before they move of (ECS )

Well they didn't call when we arrived at Edinburgh on my way to Fort William, and infact I was the only foot passenger on the Sleeper proper, to get on the day coach. The other two who joined were walkers and were at the station already!

So if i had fallen asleep, I would have ended up at Inverness, or as m8internet pointed out, if I has missed Crewe, I would be a good 200 miles away from my intended destination of Betws-y-Coed :-?

 

[Ascot]

What happens when you travel First Class; are they all shared or are they all single occupancy?

There's 12 compartments in a coach, Standard class is when each of the compartments have the bunk lowered and it turns into a 24 berth coach. When the bunks are stowed away it's called First Class and then 12 people have the coach. First Class you get a nice toiletry pack with:

Face Towel, Shaver, socks, Blindfold, Deodorant, Moisture silk, soap, shoe shiner, Cotton wool and buds, toothbrush and paste and finally shaving cream.

Standard class you get, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, combined toothpick and floss, tissue and straw + water.

First Class coaches are typically by the buffet coaches and Standard coaches fill the rest of the train.

To do Fort William the only way is to do it on a Berth as the Day Service with the early change is annoying and they would wake you up at Edinburgh so they can get moving before the Inverness portion arrives on top of them.

 

[yorkie]

When I did the FTW beds going south (about 5 or 6 times I think), most people generally stayed up chatting and it had the atmosphere of a day train until Edinburgh, where many people would actually be finishing their journey (especially tourists/hikers and the many bashers) and only a few people would then transfer to the ex-ABD portion which was dead silent and a genuine 'sleeper'. Obviously you do not need to worry about missing your stop in this direction.

 

[rail-britain]

Ascot;
The question was referring to the FGW sleeper as it appears there is no class differential
I am aware of how the FSR sleepers work, even includes details on the website of the different setup
This really is something FGW should make a better marketing attempt of

175001;
If you were seated from Euston or Crewe and going to Fort William, then you get no audible announcements
It really is a case for passengers that need to change at Edinburgh to make sure they stay awake or set their alarm

 

[Ascot]

Ascot;
The question was referring to the FGW sleeper as it appears there is no class differential
I am aware of how the FSR sleepers work, even includes details on the website of the different setup
This really is something FGW should make a better marketing attempt of

Check the title of the topic.

 

[175001]

175001;
If you were seated from Euston or Crewe and going to Fort William, then you get no audible announcements
It really is a case for passengers that need to change at Edinburgh to make sure they stay awake or set their alarm

And thats what I did! And I got there and back, with no hiccups.

But for those who don't know that before hand, its a tad annoying ending up miles from where you are supposed to be!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Each Caledonian Sleeper is 16 coaches made up of 2 8-coach half-sets. Each half-set consists of 6 sleeper coaches, the Lounge Car and the seated coach. One half-set goes to each of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. Two sleeper coaches are detached from the Aberdeen half-set at Edinburgh and joined to a seated coach and a buffet coach to go to Fort William.

I'm puzzled!
Yesterday morning (Aug 21st) I saw the sleeper pass north over the Forth bridge (my avatar!) about 5am. (It woke me up - I had the window open, sleeping nearby) But no surprise.
Less than 5 mins later, I saw another. Not greatly surprised - that would be the other half.
But less than 5 mins after that, a third crossed.
Why 3?
I can't see that the Fort William section could take the eastern route, can it?
There wasn't much daylight and I was about 500mtrs away, still sleepy, but I wished I'd looked more carefully at the first ones - still, they all seemed to be the same length, loco hauled, with the same configuration. Sleepers, in fact.

Can anyone explain?

 

[rail-britain]

Only the Aberdeen portion would travel northbound over the Forth Bridge
the Inverness and portions goes via Stirling and Perth