Night Riviera - merged posts, ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Tim]

Sorry I wasn't clear.  My previous post referred to the "daytime configuration" of the sleeper compartments.  What is that needed for?   

[broadgage]

But given the almost total airline seating, they look rather claustrophobic for an overnight journey.  I wonder what the degree of recline is too.

I do hope they haven't compromised the optimum configuration just on the basis that the coaches may get the odd outing in the day time.

Very few tables, reduced seating pitch, high backed seats. Looks like a new train.

[chrisr_75]

But given the almost total airline seating, they look rather claustrophobic for an overnight journey.  I wonder what the degree of recline is too.

I do hope they haven't compromised the optimum configuration just on the basis that the coaches may get the odd outing in the day time.

Very few tables, reduced seating pitch, high backed seats. Looks like a new train.

Are the 'sleeper' coaches not used for day time (relief?) services? I guess perhaps a balance is being made between night time comfort and day time capacity?

[chrisr_75]

Thanks.

Does anyone know why the sleeper compartments have been given a day time configuration.  Surely that only makes sense on long continental journeys where the occupants will be awake some of the time.  For journeys lasting from 11:30pm to 7am (or thereabouts) why would you need anything other than a bed?

Are the beds made up by an attendant en route or are they already beds when you board at Paddington or Penzance? As the boarding time is relatively early at the starting points, many people may not want to get straight into bed, so presumably the 'daytime' configuration is to allow those folk somewhere comfy to sit before they're ready to sleep?

[ChrisB]

However you made up the sleeping cabins, I wouldn't want to spend much time in there *not* sleeping....why would you, they're small boxes with almost zero daylight

[Tim]

If you board at Paddington just before the departure time at 2345, you will want to go straight to bed will you not?  I know you can board at 2230, but surely that is for people who want to turn in early, cos if you want to stay awake you would be better off in the Paddington Lounge. 

Departure at Penzance is at 2145 which is before bedtime, but you would still have the use of the lounge car if activities of a non horizontal nature appealed.

If the daytime configuration to encourage people to eat their breakfast in their compartment?  I have only had breakfast on the Scottish Sleeper where we ate our breakfast box in an almost deserted seated coach.

[Umberleigh]

Too claustrophobic for my liking, the Southeastern EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) I took to from Charing Cross to Tunbridge Wells yesterday had more tables and space than that. I would feel quite trapped in a window seat with a stranger besides me.

Investment is welcome, but that's a retrograde step

[broadgage]

Tables, like buffets are now VERY last year.
The survey to show that buffets are not wanted anymore has already been done.
I expect that a similar survey has also been done to show that tables are not wanted either.

[ChrisB]

Certainly, 50% of the population (women) generally prefer airline (& their privacy) seats.

[IndustryInsider]

A nice sensible mix of airline and tabled seating is what you want.  Something like what the new Class 387 and 800 trains we're getting have got.  Certainly this seated sleeper carriage doesn't look as nice as the layout it's replacing, though I'll reserve full judgement until I've seen it in person.

[ellendune]

With the current seat spacing I cannot use a laptop with airline seating as I cannot reach the fron keys on the keyboard without pushing my elbows through a non existent hole in the seat back.

[Umberleigh]

Tables, like buffets are now VERY last year.
The survey to show that buffets are not wanted anymore has already been done.
I expect that a similar survey has also been done to show that tables are not wanted either.

The loss of 2 + 1 seating is the greatest shame, the loss of rankles only adds to the claustrophobic feel

[bobm]

I expect there have been a few "please explain" notes flying around today after the sleeper was delayed in Wiltshire last night.

It was booked to go through Melksham but a freight was coming up the branch with another on the main line waiting for it to clear Thingley Junction.  In the meantime the sleeper was crossed to the Up reversible line at Wootton Bassett which meant when it got to Thingley East there was nowhere for it to go except on towards Bath as it was blocking the path for the freight to leave the single line.

So the sleeper was sent on to Bristol Temple Meads, where because of engineering work on the line through Bridgwater, the loco changed ends and it came back through Bath to reach Westbury via Bathampton Junction and Bradford on Avon.

The end result was it was an hour late in Penzance.

[grahame]

I expect there have been a few "please explain" notes flying around today after the sleeper was delayed in Wiltshire last night.

I wondered what had happened!

Clearly, someone thought the third platform at Chippenham was already back in action and available as a lay-by  / loop.

[GBM]

So the sleeper was sent on to Bristol Temple Meads, where because of engineering work on the line through Bridgwater, the loco changed ends and it came back through Bath to reach Westbury via Bathampton Junction and Bradford on Avon.

The end result was it was an hour late in Penzance.

I take it the train crew had route knowledge as it went via Bristol, etc.  A well versed crew it seems!
Would that have been the Paddington to Exeter crew, or did they change somewhere in between?