Night Riviera - merged posts, ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[RobT]

The up sleeper failed near Ivybridge last night and had to be rescued by the Rail Head Treatment train.  Carriages were taken back to Plymouth and passengers moved to an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)).  Arrival in London was just over two hours late.

The failed sleeper has been returned to Reading as 5Z70, hauled by 2 back-to-back class 43 power cars.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O49687/2019-10-18/detailed

Picture on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10219751223748490&set=gm.2329623273832401&type=3&theater

[Umberleigh]

Guess I asked for that...

Good news if its a Castle

[metallikat75]

The up sleeper failed near Ivybridge last night and had to be rescued by the Rail Head Treatment train.  Carriages were taken back to Plymouth and passengers moved to an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)).  Arrival in London was just over two hours late.

I was on this train; the replacement IET had only standard class carriages and set off around 4am, so not much sleep on that part of the journey. Unfortunately history repeated itself last night, when the night riviera broke down again at Plymouth around midnight. They offered hotel rooms, but most people seemed to opt for the replacement IET. This time it had a few first class carriages and the reclining seats made sleep a bit more possible. I’m glad I took my winter coat; it made for a good blanket. Appalling behaviour from some of the passengers towards the onboard staff, I’m sorry to say. Unfortunately I’m now put off using the sleeper in future and am probably going to change the couple of pre-booked tickets I have for it daytime tickets instead.

[broadgage]

An ongoing very poor performance.
How hard can it be to purchase or lease a handful of locomotives that are able to reliably make the long and perilous journey between London and Penzance ?

The load is modest compared to many freight trains that run reliably day after day. The timings are relaxed, so no startling performance is needed.

The anger of passengers is well justified, though I am very sorry to hear that this was taken out on the staff, who hopefully did what they could.

Also don't understand the bit about the substitute IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) having only standard class seats on one occasion? First class is minimal and rather basic but present on every unit.

[JayMac]

I suspect we are in a period of make do and mend with the Night Riviera fleet. It'll probably be so until such time as a new franchise tender (or whatever form of passenger railway operation the future holds) is enacted.

The sensible thing to do would be to order Mk5 Sleeper carriages from CAF^▸ (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, Spanish train manufacturer). The bugs have/are being ironed out by Caledonian Sleeper.

They should then be hauled by electro-diesel Class 88s with an uprated diesel generator capable of completing the off wire runs between Newbury/Chippenham/Bristol and the South West.

[TaplowGreen]

21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:03
04/11/19 21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:03 has been previously delayed and is now 68 minutes late from Taunton.
This is due to a fault on this train.

[grahame]

21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:03
04/11/19 21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:03 has been previously delayed and is now 68 minutes late from Taunton.
This is due to a fault on this train.

Rolled in to Paddington 27 minutes late, having been up to 96 minutes late at Newton Abbott and 53 late arriving in Reading.   Shocking record at the moment, but I don't expect too many passengers arriving at Paddington actually want to get off before 05:30.   Of course, if you're headed for an early flight from Heathrow ...

[TonyK]

An ongoing very poor performance.
How hard can it be to purchase or lease a handful of locomotives that are able to reliably make the long and perilous journey between London and Penzance ?

Probably not too hard, but expensive.

[martyjon]

Didn't occasionally an ex-Pendolino Thunderbird class 57 loco get drafted in to haul this stock and why can't they revert to that situation again

[Celestial]

21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:03
04/11/19 21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:03 has been previously delayed and is now 68 minutes late from Taunton.
This is due to a fault on this train.

Rolled in to Paddington 27 minutes late, having been up to 96 minutes late at Newton Abbott and 53 late arriving in Reading.   Shocking record at the moment, but I don't expect too many passengers arriving at Paddington actually want to get off before 05:30.   Of course, if you're headed for an early flight from Heathrow ...

You'd be ill-advised to have a schedule that doesn't allow for a half hour delay if travelling from LHR (or most airports unless you've a very short journey to it), particularly on a journey of several hours, even before allowing for the sleeper unreliability.

My other half always used to complain I wanted to leave too early when making such journeys, but those grumbles stopped after we got held for an hour at Swindon due to a fatality ahead.  We still made the flight, though it was a bit too close for comfort.

[rower40]

Also don't understand the bit about the substitute IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) having only standard class seats on one occasion? First class is minimal and rather basic but present on every unit.

Probably fully-occupied by staff...

[Umberleigh]

Didn't occasionally an ex-Pendolino Thunderbird class 57 loco get drafted in to haul this stock and why can't they revert to that situation again

DRS^» (Direct Rail Services Ltd, a national rail freight operator providing a range of services with its head office in Carlisle and depots at the South East, York, Crewe, Sellafield, and Scotland. - about) 57306 on the down sleeper 29th October

[PhilWakely]

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55
18/11/19 23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55 was 28 minutes late but is expected to be on time from Taunton.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 5 coaches.
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. There will be no accommodation facilities.

[TaplowGreen]

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55
18/11/19 23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:55 was 28 minutes late but is expected to be on time from Taunton.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 5 coaches.
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. There will be no accommodation facilities.

That'll make for a pretty miserable journey.

[broadgage]

No doubt the generously upholstered seats will be welcome, and perhaps refreshments from the buffet.

More seriously, this level of service is very poor and hardly an inducement to use the service. A cynic might suspect closure by stealth is the intention.
GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) can not readily cease the sleeper as provision is a franchise requirement. Such requirements can however be negotiated  away. Time to do a survey that shows.

"most passengers would prefer a faster and more frequent daytime service"
"the sleeper is only used by small numbers of customers"
Or some such.