Problems with the Night Riviera sleeper - December 2014 onwards

[whole diary]

[The Tall Controller]

All explained (with photos) here: http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/headlines---latest-reports-and-photographs

[Palfers]

Does any one know what's wrong with the failed loco was it a brake problem or did the engine say I don't want to do this tonight and pack up! Will it be a quick fix or long term project. And who will foot the bill FGW^▸ (First Great Western) or DRS^▸ (Direct Rail Services Ltd) as it is one of there locos

[Kernowman]

Is it three or four HST^▸ (High Speed Train) sets that overnight at Penzance/Long Rock?

It's five, the 05.05, 05.41, 06.45, 07.41 and 08.44 are all booked off Longrock. There's also a 10.00 but that comes off the 07.02 Plymouth.

[Kernowman]

The HST^▸ (High Speed Train) 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'm a bit surprised that it was decided to wait around two hours and then rapidly turn around the HST off the 16.57 Pad - PZ (which presumably needed cleaning etc). On Sunday evenings there's already 3 HSTs out at Longrock before the sleeper is even due to leave, the first of which arrives at Longrock around 6pm. (The 11.57,12.57 & 14.57 Pad-PZ) 

[JayMac]

Down Sleeper failed last night (Tues 02/02/2015) at Trowbridge. Rescued by Up Sleeper to Westbury, with initial plan to send a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) from Bristol for onward travel from Westbury.

Service got going again though and is running some 1^ hours late. Calls at Liskeard, Bodmin Parkway and Lostwithiel are being skipped.

[LiskeardRich]

Down Sleeper failed last night (Tues 02/02/2015) at Trowbridge. Rescued by Up Sleeper to Westbury, with initial plan to send a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) from Bristol for onward travel from Westbury.

Service got going again though and is running some 1^ hours late. Calls at Liskeard, Bodmin Parkway and Lostwithiel are being skipped.

I've just got the 0713 from Redruth, down sleepers currently showing 1 hr 6 late on the boards

(posted from fgw WiFi, it is rather quick, I am impressed)

[TaplowGreen]

.....in some ways a positive thing if you were getting off the sleeper at Plymouth, being woken up and turfed off at 0730-ish a great deal more civilised than the usual 0530! At least there'll be a chance of getting breakfast somewhere! (Cap'n Jaspers should be open by now!!!) 

[Palfers]

.....in some ways a positive thing if you were getting off the sleeper at Plymouth, being woken up and turfed off at 0730-ish a great deal more civilised than the usual 0530! At least there'll be a chance of getting breakfast somewhere! (Cap'n Jaspers should be open by now!!!) 

Cap'n jaspers now that's the best idea so far this morning!!

[JayMac]

.....in some ways a positive thing if you were getting off the sleeper at Plymouth, being woken up and turfed off at 0730-ish a great deal more civilised than the usual 0530! At least there'll be a chance of getting breakfast somewhere! (Cap'n Jaspers should be open by now!!!) 

Not sure whether the pax had already been woken at Westbury and transferred to a HST^▸ (High Speed Train). Anyone know for definite what ran from Westbury onward?

[BBM]

.....in some ways a positive thing if you were getting off the sleeper at Plymouth, being woken up and turfed off at 0730-ish a great deal more civilised than the usual 0530! At least there'll be a chance of getting breakfast somewhere! (Cap'n Jaspers should be open by now!!!) 

Not sure whether the pax had already been woken at Westbury and transferred to a HST^▸ (High Speed Train). Anyone know for definite what ran from Westbury onward?

According to the Twitter account of ModelRailwayCorp it was replaced by an HST formed of 43159 / OC40 / 43137.

https://twitter.com/MRailwayCORP/status/562553378174427136/photo/1

[JayMac]

Another set of bleary eyed Sleeper passengers then.

The reliability of the service really is at an unacceptably poor level. I'm just surprised it's not made the media yet.

[grahame]

According to the Twitter account of ModelRailwayCorp it was replaced by an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) formed of 43159 / OC40 / 43137.

https://twitter.com/MRailwayCORP/status/562553378174427136/photo/1

This 'adds up' - one of the early Bristol to Paddington HST services this morning was cancelled "due to train fault". Me thinks train fault on the sleeper with the HST ending up at the other end of the line!

[TaplowGreen]

Another set of bleary eyed Sleeper passengers then.

The reliability of the service really is at an unacceptably poor level. I'm just surprised it's not made the media yet.

It'll make the media when enough people stop using it due to its unreliability to the extent that it becomes unviable to continue the service and it stops..........who knows, maybe that wouldn't upset FGW^▸ (First Great Western) too much?

It's beginning to seem that it's more trouble than its worth, especially when the frequent switching of units results in the cancellation of peak trains the following morning (particularly those from Penzance/Plymouth to Paddington), which inconveniences far more people than the removal of the Sleeper.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Suggests that no journalists based in Plymouth or Cornwall ever use the sleeper.

[JayMac]

According to the Twitter account of ModelRailwayCorp it was replaced by an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) formed of 43159 / OC40 / 43137.

https://twitter.com/MRailwayCORP/status/562553378174427136/photo/1

This 'adds up' - one of the early Bristol to Paddington HST services this morning was cancelled "due to train fault". Me thinks train fault on the sleeper with the HST ending up at the other end of the line!

Yes, the 0712 (0800 off BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)) from Taunton was the unlucky one.