Great Western Coffee Shop

Ok so back in may I travelled in a view liner roomette and a super liner roomette - about what I'd compare to a the uk - I was on my own so a little berth was enough

Last night I travelled on the sleeper from penzance and am currently sitting At pad - need to get the tube at 0630 so may as well stay put

As far as I can tell its horses for courses

I slept like a log last night - was gobsmacked when I woke up at westbourne park - I really thought it was about 2am.  But then from my wos days I am used to sleeping on trains.

The bed is comfier than the us beds but then it isn't designed to turn into working seats and table during the day.   Would I want to do a 48 hour journey from la to Chicago or even Chicago to NYC in this - not a chance.  But this is not designed for that.

Service was great - only thing I'd say is might help if they sign post which way the buffet is - I got disorientated before I went to sleep.  My usual markers were not the same.

From my obs of the berth - I think the upper one has been removed - either that or there was never an upper here - am in e1

Have to say - next time I have revision to do and an early meeting - five hours to penzance and then the sleeper is far more efficient than any other faffing about - although the iPad does slightly reduce that since I can no longer leave the dongle at home

And I just had delivered an unexpected bacon roll and pot of coffee - not quite travelling chef standard but still rather nice

One thing that did strike me is - why didn't more people bring pyjamas - although maybe theybdid and they just get funky dressed when stumbling to the toilet

Funky dressed? Please explain!  ;D

I meant fully dressed - blame the iPad auto correct Function

Ah... here's me thinking it was some weird dress code ritual on the Night Riviera that I was not previously aware of. Of course, being a bloke I haven't the need to toddle to the end of the carriage for.... well you know.  ;) ;D

Too much information there, I think!

Ha ha I was about to book my seat on this train full of funky dressed people  ;D :D

Haven't tried sleepers in the US (yet...) although i have in Canada on a two-night journey. And I've spent many nights in a mark 3 sleeper (although not one that was moving at the time - the joys of heritage railway volunteer accommodation). Impressions gained from them were that I think on the whole the Canadian compartment was more comfortable: although I'm not large by any means, I find the beds in the mark 3 pretty narrow, although they're a comfortable length. The mark 3 compartment is pretty cosy for one person, I think with two in there you'd have to devise some kind of roster system so that you weren't both trying to stand in the few square feet of available floor space at a time! The VIA Rail sleeper (Manor class, since you ask ;)) also scored points for having a khazi in the cabin, although you had to pop the bed back up into the wall to use it. Bit of a surreal experience, sitting on the lav looking out over a vista of snow-covered mountains with the odd elk staring back at you.

Where I would guess the Night Riviera scores many points over VIA Rail is in the ride quality: the track I was travelling over through the Rockies was all either Canadian National or Canadian Pacific, and maintained primarily with goods trains in mind. Not to mention the many steep gradients and sharp curves. So given the dog-rough track I didn't get too much sleep the first night, despite the bed being very comfortable. Much better on the second night, when we were out of the mountains and rattling across the prairies! And VIA Rail's staff seemed oddly schizophrenic, scrupulously polite one moment then verging on rude the next, if you asked them to do anything that involved any effort on their part, so I'm guessing FGW scores extra points there too!

It did have a weird effect on my watch however

My watch was on time before I boarded

When I woke, it was an hour slow

I cannot reset it

Has Penzance adopted "railway time" yet?

Sorry Penzance actually has time down there?