Problems with the Night Riviera sleeper - December 2014 onwards

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

The sleeper failed again tonight on the up got as far as long rock according to journey check. Think it's now normall hst left at 23.30 don't know much more than that but clearly did not get far at all. The only good thing I suppose is that they were not very far from assistance!!

It's being run as a HST^▸ (High Speed Train).

I can only assume the Sleeper stock was shunted back to Penzance by Long Rock's Class 08 shunter, the punters were turfed out, and the HST that arrived at Penzance from Paddington (1657 ex PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)) at 2321 has been pressed into service. That would explain the 135 minute delay in starting the (not now a) Sleeper from Penzance.

Does now mean that it's likely that either the 0505 or 0541 from Penzance to Paddington on Monday morning will be cancelled, as Long Rock has only two of it's usual three HSTs who bed down for the night.

[Palfers]

Yea looks like they may have to toss a coin in the morning and the sleeper stock will need moving as well could be interesting tomorrow as to what plan they come up with

[JayMac]

There will doubtless be an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move of Sleeper stock sometime during the day.

[bobm]

Does now mean that it's likely that either the 0505 or 0541 from Penzance to Paddington on Monday morning will be cancelled, as Long Rock has only two of it's usual three HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) who bed down for the night.

Neither in the end. The 07:41 is replaced by a three car unit sent from Exeter running from Truro to Bristol Temple Meads where an HST will take over.

Is it three or four HST sets that overnight at Penzance/Long Rock?  There is also the 06:45 to London Paddington to cover.

[TaplowGreen]

Does now mean that it's likely that either the 0505 or 0541 from Penzance to Paddington on Monday morning will be cancelled, as Long Rock has only two of it's usual three HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) who bed down for the night.

Neither in the end. The 07:41 is replaced by a three car unit sent from Exeter running from Truro to Bristol Temple Meads where an HST will take over.

Is it three or four HST sets that overnight at Penzance/Long Rock?  There is also the 06:45 to London Paddington to cover.

21:15 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:05
This train has been delayed from Penzance by 135 minutes and is being further delayed at Long Rock.
This is due to a train fault.

[bobm]

....but it was only 28 late by the time it reached London Paddington

[TaplowGreen]

....but it was only 28 late by the time it reached London Paddington

8 hours overnight on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train).......great start to the working week for some!   

[bobm]

....but it was only 28 late by the time it reached London Paddington

8 hours overnight on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train).......great start to the working week for some!   

I can see the point you are making, but slightly overstated.  The HST to form the service did not arrive in Penzance until 23:21 and then left at 23:30 after passengers and crew had been transferred from the sleeper coaches.  I make that six hours.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have said tickets for last night will be valid on the sleeper tonight for those who can delay their plans, which I expect is not many. 

At least a service was run.  I think in many cases where the Caledonian service has problems it is either cancelled outright and you need to find a hotel or a very long journey on a coach is provided.

[TaplowGreen]

....but it was only 28 late by the time it reached London Paddington

8 hours overnight on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train).......great start to the working week for some!   

I can see the point you are making, but slightly overstated.  The HST to form the service did not arrive in Penzance until 23:21 and then left at 23:30 after passengers and crew had been transferred from the sleeper coaches.  I make that six hours.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have said tickets for last night will be valid on the sleeper tonight for those who can delay their plans, which I expect is not many. 

At least a service was run.  I think in many cases where the Caledonian service has problems it is either cancelled outright and you need to find a hotel or a very long journey on a coach is provided.

There were a lot of very unhappy people stranded for hours in the freezing cold at intermediate stations. I'm not sure the vagaries of the Caledonian service will be of interest or consolation to them. The wider impact of the unreliability of this service to the Business community and economy in the Southwest should not be underestimated.

[Super Guard]

....but it was only 28 late by the time it reached London Paddington

8 hours overnight on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train).......great start to the working week for some!   

I can see the point you are making, but slightly overstated.  The HST to form the service did not arrive in Penzance until 23:21 and then left at 23:30 after passengers and crew had been transferred from the sleeper coaches.  I make that six hours.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have said tickets for last night will be valid on the sleeper tonight for those who can delay their plans, which I expect is not many. 

At least a service was run.  I think in many cases where the Caledonian service has problems it is either cancelled outright and you need to find a hotel or a very long journey on a coach is provided.

There were a lot of very unhappy people stranded for hours in the freezing cold at intermediate stations. I'm not sure the vagaries of the Caledonian service will be of interest or consolation to them. The wider impact of the unreliability of this service to the Business community and economy in the Southwest should not be underestimated.

While I agree with your closing comment, you cannot speak as a matter of fact for people you did not see or speak to.  Most berth reservations are at stations with staff and a waiting room, and I would expect those at the small stations either made their way to somewhere like Truro or Plymouth, or gave up and went home.  Not ideal granted.

For the record, the 57 loco was once again the issue.

The replacement HST would have made it RT in Paddington, but was delayed a further 30 minutes in the Newton Abbot area where an engineering possession had to be temporarily handed back for 1A40 to pass through.

[TaplowGreen]

.........may not have seen them or spoken to them in person, but I read the comments on FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s Twitter feed from people stranded in the manner I alluded to, which seems to bear it out.

[grahame]

As an occasional user of the Caledonian (lowland) sleeper, one of the big negatives is the wait until awfully late in the evening for the service to board at Glasgow / Edinburgh after a day's work and an early evening meal. I can't think what would be much more off-putting than a further 2 hours to wait, even if time was made up on the way.

[TaplowGreen]

As an occasional user of the Caledonian (lowland) sleeper, one of the big negatives is the wait until awfully late in the evening for the service to board at Glasgow / Edinburgh after a day's work and an early evening meal. I can't think what would be much more off-putting than a further 2 hours to wait, even if time was made up on the way.

........with the easy availability of flights to/from Glasgow and Edinburgh from all London airports I can't imagine ever being able to justify using the Sleeper for that trip if on business!!!

The Night Rivera (if running!) does bridge the overnight gap in the absence of flights from Devon/Cornwall and gets you into London ready for a day's work (again with the caveat that it's running to plan and you can get a decent kip en route!)

[LiskeardRich]

I can't see any ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) stock movement on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website). I am assuming there was one as otherwise tonights down will be a non starter.

**edit it left long rock at 1027, it needed another loco with it reaching OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) at 1704. I believe 57312 is the dead loco, and was pulled back to OOC dead**

I'm wondering if the rescue loco had worked the down, trying to find if there was another movement for a loco.

[phile]

I can't see any ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) stock movement on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website). I am assuming there was one as otherwise tonights down will be a non starter.

**edit it left long rock at 1027, it needed another loco with it reaching OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) at 1704. I believe 57312 is the dead loco, and was pulled back to OOC dead**

I'm wondering if the rescue loco had worked the down, trying to find if there was another movement for a loco.

RTT will only show trains which have been pre-loaded into the system, so short notice  VSTP trains may not have even been timed.      The loco to work the "Demic" loco and stock up to OOC came down attached to 1C99 last night.