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Author Topic: Night Riviera Sleeper train - between Paddington and Penzance - ongoing discussion  (Read 22057 times)
TaplowGreen
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« Reply #2115 on: May 05, 2026, 17:17:53 »

The failed sleeper from last night has now failed on its way up to Reading. Currently dumped in Highbridge loop.

Tonight’s down sleeper likely to be cancelled.



23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of trains because of extra safety inspections.

Additional Information
Due to a unit failure we are unable to operate this evenings Sleeper service between London Paddington and Penzance.

We have arranged for this service to be operated by one of our regular Intercity Express Trains which will offer a Standard and First Class seating service only. There will be no accommodation facilities.

And a rude awakening for those on the Up sleeper tonight.....

21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:09

21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:09 will be terminated at Reading.

It will no longer call at London Paddington.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
« Last Edit: May 05, 2026, 19:22:36 by TaplowGreen » Logged
a-driver
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« Reply #2116 on: May 05, 2026, 21:29:45 »

The failed sleeper from last night has now failed on its way up to Reading. Currently dumped in Highbridge loop.

Tonight’s down sleeper likely to be cancelled.



23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of trains because of extra safety inspections.

Additional Information
Due to a unit failure we are unable to operate this evenings Sleeper service between London Paddington and Penzance.

We have arranged for this service to be operated by one of our regular Intercity Express Trains which will offer a Standard and First Class seating service only. There will be no accommodation facilities.

And a rude awakening for those on the Up sleeper tonight.....

21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:09

21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:09 will be terminated at Reading.

It will no longer call at London Paddington.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.


A shortage of train crew….. or a shortage of a 57 to work it from Reading to Paddington. 

I believe they are planning to send a 57 light engine from Reading to Highbridge in the early hours of the morning and triple head the failed sleeper set back to Long Rock via Bristol TM (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context).   
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bobm
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« Reply #2117 on: May 05, 2026, 21:42:06 »

Given the scarcity of 57s, if they are sending one to Highbridge there won’t be one available to couple to the back of the up sleeper to bring it back to Reading Traincare Depot from London Paddington.  Hence why it is terminating at Reading.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #2118 on: May 06, 2026, 16:46:03 »

......and again tonight......

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55

Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 8.

Additional Information
Due to a train fault we are unable to operate this evenings Sleeper service between London Paddington and Penzance.

We have arranged for this service to be operated by one of our regular Intercity Express Trains which will offer a Standard and First Class seating service only.
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Clan Line
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« Reply #2119 on: May 06, 2026, 19:02:57 »


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftmcFzAwkqU
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a-driver
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« Reply #2120 on: May 06, 2026, 23:00:54 »

......and again tonight......

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55

Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 8.

Additional Information
Due to a train fault we are unable to operate this evenings Sleeper service between London Paddington and Penzance.

We have arranged for this service to be operated by one of our regular Intercity Express Trains which will offer a Standard and First Class seating service only.

Not many more months and GWR (Great Western Railway) will be back under public ownership and I reckon thr government will get its way and scrap the sleeper service.

You have to remember it’s FirstGroup paying out of its own pocket to keep it going.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #2121 on: May 07, 2026, 06:23:47 »

......and again tonight......

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55

Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 8.

Additional Information
Due to a train fault we are unable to operate this evenings Sleeper service between London Paddington and Penzance.

We have arranged for this service to be operated by one of our regular Intercity Express Trains which will offer a Standard and First Class seating service only.

Not many more months and GWR (Great Western Railway) will be back under public ownership and I reckon thr government will get its way and scrap the sleeper service.

You have to remember it’s FirstGroup paying out of its own pocket to keep it going.

I believe both the Up & Down "sleepers" were IETs (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) last night.
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broadgage
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« Reply #2122 on: May 14, 2026, 10:39:30 »

With the current sleeper stock nearing the end of a refurbishment programme I doubt they would want to start re-wiring them at this point.

Surely it is not beyond the wit of man to produce a conversion lead to convert the electrical supply wiring from an HST (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) power car to that at the other end to match the electrical supply wiring from a class 57.

I am old enough to remember when "square" pin plugs were introduced. My dad produced conversion leads with a round pin plug at one end and a "square" plug at the other when we moved from a council prefab to a new house.

I hope that you mean "a square pin plug at one end and round pin SOCKET at the other end" or possibly the other way around. A lead with a PLUG at each end is very dangerous and known with good reason as a suicide lead.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
bobm
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« Reply #2123 on: May 14, 2026, 19:27:57 »

Sadly we will never know what martyjon meant.  He died two years after that post in 2020.

https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=24134.msg295672#msg295672
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #2124 on: May 14, 2026, 19:54:04 »

Thanks, bobm.  I was forming a suitable update post myself.

Member 'martyjon' was a frequent, and well-informed, contributor on the Coffee Shop forum.
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
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