Get a FREE WEEK trial of Blinkist and 25% OFF full membership by going to blinkist.com/wingin'it!paullucas Have a great week and be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram - my handle on both is paul_winginit
Blinkist sounds like a new technology version of the Readers' Digest, which my parents used to get. It managed to be both couthie and American at the same time. They even extended their operation into "Condensed Books."
Sounds like the main takeaway is "don't bother shelling out for the en-suite", at least until/unless they've got the bugs out of the system. I bet the train crew were even more annoyed than you at the breakfast failure, since they have to field all of the complaints from less seasoned (and shorter-tempered) travellers.
I think I'm right in saying that the lounges at Euston, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Fort William have showers and can be used by Club Class passengers on arrival. If time allows of course.
@@MikeFoster15 - Indeed so! But passengers travelling in a two-berth "Classic" cabin - sorry, my apologies, "room" - have been downgraded from First Class to Standard Class even when paying a premium for solo occupancy, so they no longer have access to the Avanti West Coast First Class customer lounge at London Euston with its free hot showers! Nor, indeed, can they enjoy a cooked "Highland Breakfast" in their cabin - sorry, room - even if they are ready and willing to pay extra for it. What's the point of "Club" Class passengers having access to shower facilities either before or after their journeys if they've also got a shower in their cabin - sorry, room?
Mike Foster my friend works on the sleep cause we live in fort william and she always tells me how stressful the job is. I remember one night she phoned me because the train broke down due to snow and another train had to come and pick them up.
I've seen far far worse tbf, got a roll when i got the sleeper last year down from Glasgow, looked similar but tasted fine. Was on the "El Classico" as they called it, was really hoping for this one with a shower! haha
Most of the comp was for the delay, which I'm not sure they can do much about. As for the extra forty pounds for the lack of hot shower water, they can definitely find a better solution.
I have taken the new sleeper 3 times now, twice to fort william and once to Inverness on all occasions the trip has been an absolute delight; the staff have been amazing, the food has been great with a fantastic variety of options including the drinks menu, the train has been well kept with working showers (inc hot water) with clean beds and toilets, the scenery has been amazing and the train has always been bang on time out of euston and into Inverness/ft william. I personally have no complaints but then I might just be lucky as the press these have received has not been great but what I experienced was beyond what I was expecting and I would have to reccomend it. Plus as an added bonus unless your in the 'false economy' seats if your service is delayed you just get a bonus lie in!
It's a shame it didn't go to plan. I took the same route in the same class back in November and everything about it went to plan. I must say, I absolutely loved it and would do it again. Maybe I got lucky with the lack of problems and so on. What it has taught me is that when the service goes right, it is absolutely brilliant. It's a shame it goes wrong more often than not but at least its improving too. Give it time and it will be near perfect. 😁
I took it back in 2015 and it was amazing, though that was before the new carriages were introduced, so perhaps things have changed. Hopefully they'll fix the problems soon and it will be back to being the great experience I remember!
I'm with you on this as well. I took it back in December of 2019 (from Euston to Edinburgh), and had a fantastic trip. My en suite shower didn't work, but the very apologetic and friendly train conductor was able to get me a new suite on that particular night, and I got a nice hot shower. It's too bad that it didn't go as plan for you, Paul!
Gabriele Tapang I prefer the Mk5, I know there are lots of slam door fans out there, but after all what rates it is how good the service is, not the doors.
Oh dear, so predictable! I used to travel this service a lot, but haven’t done so since the “upgrade”. It was great when it was run by Scotrail. Basic but efficient, and with a certain “character”. Once Serco took over, the problems began, starting with industrial relations and staff dissatisfaction. I was going to use the service in March as I have an event to attend at the NEC, but now I’m thinking twice. Companies like this need to realise that slick marketing and fancy logos do not compensate for basic inefficiency and poorly thought out service. As someone involved in the Scottish tourism industry this really worries me, as this product has the potential to be the shop window and first impression of Scotland for many people travelling here from London. I really hope these are teething problems that get sorted out. Excellent, balanced review by the way.
This train looks incredible. I always love to see train trip reports. As I live in the US I can really only experience this vicariously via your videos.
I think it's thanks to you I started using this service. Was very hesitant to use it again since take over from Serco, but the one time I did use it (11/11/19) it was absolutely fine. I do miss the beer selection though, am very happy with Tennents and green Innes and Gun. Thanks Paul!
I remember going on it in October 2019, it was the day that the incidents happened at Watford Junction, so I departed at like 11:30PM. Would’ve been earlier but the overgrounds and commuter trains departed first, got great service and half price ticket!
The problem with Caledonian sleeper is the service and not so much the trains themselves. It's a shame there letting themselves down, when they are competing with low budget airlines. Let's hope they can sort these problems out.
Have you read some of the journey reviews by disgruntled Caledonian Sleeper passengers on the "Trip Advisor" web site? Some of them literally make the blood run cold!
They aren't competing with airlines - it's marketed as a premium product to tourists. You can take a train across Australia but it's 4x the cost of a full service airline and takes four days
As they would say in t' Yorkshire Dales... 'That's nothing... I recall having a body wipe with an old flannel which had been frozen on t' clothes line all night, the icicles on which cut my skin to shreds; but at least the skin I had left at t' end was clean!'
I know it's a McShambles, however there's nothing quite as romantic as a night on a sleeper train. I wish they would get their act together, it could be such a wonderful experience. Thanks for the reviews Paul, always informative and much appreciated.
Long distance Amtrak trains are actually really comfortable because they're designed for passengers staying on board for up to a few days. Much more spacious and well appointed than trains in most of continental Europe, anyway, but the consistency of service is sorely lacking.
@@vdealer1 most European sleeper trains are one night. So you don't need that much space and get away with it. I have not been on an Amtrak. But I must say some over night longer European trains has been fantastic. They look so much better than Amtrak. Usually on time as well.
Thank you Frederick - I know you often comment and have done for a couple of years now, and sorry I cannot reply to every one, but I see you and thank you for your continuous encouragement and positivity!
@@Paul_Lucas That's too be expected especially with so many viewers. That's a sign of your success. For me it's your matter of fact and expert advice, no punches pulled:) Stay well, Cheers, Rik Spector
Count us among those who had a negative experience on the Caledonian Sleeper. Our family of four had the bad luck to depart Euston to Waverly on the second hottest day in history during July 2019. There were massive delays, the air conditioning did not work in our carriage, and the staff was not empowered to do anything to make us more comfortable. We really wanted to like the service!
In my experience its quite comfortable until you reach Helensburgh where the welded tracks ends. From here to Fort William you will need earplugs to be able to sleep from the wheel noise. Also its way shakier ride compared to the older stocks. Seems to be bad or cheaper suspension? No shelfs, so the only place to keep your stuff is in the sink or spread it out on the floor. No hangers for the towels, so they put them in a hanging bag instead. Maybe they forgot to install hanger knobs? Bad building quality with lots of plastic and it all seems to be built and refurbished in a hurry. Sleeper trains in the UK are incredibly more expensive and far less value for money compared to other countries, like Sweden.
thomasraden Bad building quality? Do you really think that after all that thinking on the design, coming up with clever ideas, they would spoil it all by using low quality materials? Glitches happen in every new train that rolls out, after all that’s when you can really see how the train acts in real life. Just give them time to have everything fixed.
@@CityWhisperer Yes you might be right. Sort of. A plastic cover for a (soap ?) half way silicon welded falling of in the sink. Which by the way is the main place you store your things in lack of shelf…. No hangers in the toilet for towel. Maybe ok if i put them on the floor? Good effort spanish delivery, but next time, ask customers how they want it. I will say that this journey will need to improve for good value for money. Pay 200 pounds for a night trip? Or 400+ pounds for a double bed? Why not fly to Glasgow instead? Or take a vacation trip to the US for an even lover price.
@@cancerfour69er I live in Canada, we get white stuff too very winter yet people don't seem to realize it and fail to prepare. Perhaps the planet would be better off without humans.
@@cancerfour69er The breakfasts were due to picked up in Preston,which is in England, doesn't get much snow and is a good two hours from the English/Scottish border.
Not sure if it's still Rail Gourmet but they were terrible when I worked for Cross Country. It does seem strange that they can't stock up at Euston - then at least if they have no stock they can tell you in advance of ordering...
When I was a little Boy I could never sleep on the sleeper in 1967 from Arbroath to Euston(then) so from the top bunk I enjoyed looking out the window pushing the shutter to one side watching all the mail sacks being loaded onto the train at 2am and God it was so busy at York at that time in the morning ! We were pulled by my favourite Diesel the Class 37 (Whistler) which remains my favourite today ! God I miss those grubby red corridor carriages and seat smells I loved it as a boy !
Just off the Lowland Sleeper this morning, no food or drink offering and no Club Car at present. I never bother with the food or the Club Car so no loss. I was on board at 10pm and quickly settled in. It’s surprisingly comfortable and unlike the old Mk 3 Sleeper, I did manage to get a decent nights sleep and woke up an hour before arrival at Euston. A “snack-pack” was delivered at this time and whilst basic, was ok. I brought my own flask of coffee so was well prepared. I wouldn’t bother with the shower, seems a gimmick really. The ride was better than I thought it would be and for the price, excellent value. Ive been using the Sleeper for over 30 years and would definitely recommend it. Without all the “bells & whistles”, it was a perfect and a solid product, even the bedding and beds were comfortable, the Lounges are unpleasant anyway and the onboard food never memorable. I use it to sleep from A to B and it works for me. 👍
The good thing about you is that you give true honest reviews, so well done! On the other hand I’m freaking out because I’ve booked club cabin for Easter at a premium rate. And trust me, I’m not like you, they’ll hear me screaming from Spain if I cannot have a shower before bedtime! Murder at the Caledonian Express!
My Wife and I took the "new" Sleeper from Glasgow to London back in July 2019, and had the shower issue too. Having been on the road for hours beforehand, and coming in for long haul flights in London, we both had to endure stone cold showers to freshen up. Probably one of the low points of our whole trip. Disappointed to hear they still havent sorted it. We also had issues with our luggage taking up too much space in our cabin, and wasnt told until breakfast time that there is actually storage for luggage at the front of the carriage.
I am planning a trip and thought of using the sleeper one way, to come back North and home. I can have a full day in London then travel home on a £50 seat as I can then get home in 15 minutes from the station and crash out. I did the sleeper once back in 1990, Waverly to Euston one way, and thought it was over priced then and I have no recollection of an en suite. This looks miles better, but I would agree working showers for the money is not an unfair expectation. What I do take you to task on is the bacon roll: that looked great.
I use the sleeper regularly between London and Carnoustie. Ive not had the shower issue and can count significant delays (hour plus) on one hand. It is expensive but its an enjoyable way to go. I do recommend the club cabin
Yup: I had problems on this service too! You can, by the way, get a shower at Inverness, both on their premises across the street from the station, included, and in the station itself - paid for. My breakfast was very unsatisfactory too. But the room was fine. My problem was that the return service to London was cancelled, and we had to travel to Edinburgh by scheduled service, then wait till 3 am for the Edinburgh - to London sleeper. Dreary
Another great review as usal. The good thing with you Paul is that you don't sugar coat things. If t's good you say so and if it's bad you also say so. Honest reviews. Great and another big thumbs up.
For me the ride quality of the Mk5 coaches is also appalling. I’m on the Inverness train end of month again and very conscious of ensuring I picked a cabin in middle. Get one over the bogies and it’s brutal. Serco should be sending these back to CAF and get them properly fixed
You don't strike me as a violent man at all, but the expression on your face in the preview thumbnail of the video succinctly summarises your feelings about the experience.
I'd love to do a sleeper but based on this, thanks for heads up before parting with valuable ££s Loved the Australian one you did between Sydney and Perth
Totally agree, I paid the £395 for the double bed as I am 2.1m tall! Shower didn’t work, door to the toilet kept opening all night, hardly slept. Not worth the money paid. Next time will be hotel in Glasgow and then first plane to London.
Thanks for the review. Was thinking of using the sleeper. Have decided against it because 1) wouldn’t want to find a hotel if the sleeper was cancelled 2) would then have to pay full fare to travel the following day.
Thanks for this video. I had a very good experience with the old Caledonian Sleeper (Euston - Inverness) in 2019. Got the Highland breakfast and showered in the lounge at arrival in Inverness. The new experience seem indeed much more premium and fancy. Hope they will continue to improve their service!
At least you wasn't binned off at Acton Bridge in the middle of nowhere (happened a few months back) first Liverpool service saw around 70 people wanting to get on. They'd been at ACB for 4 hours!
Thanks for this review Paul. This gives me the heads up & reasons for not going on the slepper trains. As I planned to use the sleeper train to connect with the popular Jacobite steam hauled trips by West Coast Railways. But seeing the huge amount of delays as of late my plan for that has been scrapped. Thanks for the video Paul very enjoyable. Richard
Richard Harnetty it was funny as I was going to do exactly the same thing this summer with my son, but I think we’ll travel up on the ECML & then stay in a hotel overnight 1st
I managed to take the previous service in 2016 and was quite satisfied with it. The new service looks visually impressive, though it's a pity to read of the poor execution by the Serco-run service. Delays are one thing, I wonder why they can't fix the shower issue and improve on the breakfast provision. Hopefully the service improves and you can return to give it another shot.
I went on the MK5 Lowlander in November and my shower was terrible, it had no pressure. Didn't enjoy hearing the water sloshing around the tank through the night either. That said, at Inverness you can go into the lounge over the road from the station and have a lovely shower like I did when I was on the Highlander. I used the showers in the toilet block at Waverly in November, that wasn't bad either.
Much preferred the old sleeper rolling stock. Travelled in October and didn’t get much sleep. The staff were fantastic and the food was good, but they really do have a lot of work to do on the service. We were at Carstairs for ninety minutes!
Great video. I think I'll leave it a bit longer before using this service again, just so all the issues with the mk5s can be sorted. Although I've heard mixed reviews about the ride quality which is a bit worrying. The mk3 is a tough act to follow though, so I doubt anything will feel as smooth and quiet after travelling in one of those. I never once had a problem with the mk3s and always arrived into Fort William and London on time. The only problem I had was back in 2006 when there was a short delay with the departure from Fort William due to a problem with the class 37. We're only talking thirty minutes or so and, thanks to some skillful driving, a significant amount of that delay had been made up by the time we arrived at Rannoch! Great memories, I do miss the 37s and the mk3s on the West Highland Line.
Except that by travelling overnight on a Sleeper train you can put in a whole day of work at one end of your journey, thus saving on your annual holiday allowance, whilst at the same time not having to pay for one night in a Travel Lodge or Holiday Inn, plus you can take lots of luggage with you and not end up paying the earth in excess baggage charges. Well, that's the theory!
@@MalteSpieltYT could they do that to someone not from Germany? Say you're from a different continent for example? (or even the uk soon enough haha! :(
To be honest once you're in your 30s, speak with a respectable accent and are white and male you can do whatever you like. Not a fan of woke culture at all but it's an eye-opener to find people who aren't of my demographic have problems when to be honest I never do.
@@Paul_Lucas Wingin’ It! Paul Lucas it is a shame that people from a different race are discriminated against for the things you can do without hassle, and hopefully that changes someday and people and just let everyone record in peace. thanks for your reply! :)
If you've shot enough videos, you will have learned the kind of reaction people give when they don't want to be on camera. So it's easy enough to just stop shooting or look somewhere else. Another thing is to make it obvious that the individual person is not the subject of your video. Yes they might be on camera but they're not the focal point, they're just incidental. So make it obvious by taking b-roll style shots along side your main footage. Like the shot he got of the salt and pepper pots. Also using a proper camera instead of a phone helps. Because people immediately realize, this guy came prepared to take photos or videos, possibly even a tourist. So again it puts their mind at rest that you're not interested in them.
In the Netherlands, the Dutch Railways have countless problems with their new generation "Sprinter" trains SNG, introduced in 2018. Roof hatches coming off while riding, they are unable to keep at speed, accelerating slower than trains built in 2006 (the FLIRTs in NL get to 60 twice as fast), even after tests the electronic brakes could fail, et cetera. Why I say all this? The trains are manufactured by a Spanish company called CAF...
The new stock looks good just has so many frustrating faults and the reliability of locos have been poor. The old coaches were more reliable. I've amazingly seen the sleeper a couple of times after 8am in Wigan which shouldn't have
I used to love going on the Sleeper between 2013-2016, I used to go on it every few months just for the fun of sleeping on the train and arriving in different parts of Scotland... Bit seems.like that was kind of the end of an era.... Have heard nothing but Bad things about these new trains, and service apparently they are rather Noisy too, have read reports of folk finding their sleep disrutped more, etc.
Wonderful video as always! What a shame these new carriages have been so badly executed and the service has suffered so many problems. There's a major design fault for me in the club car - other than the lack of legroom mentioned - the high back seats take away the open 'clubby' feel of the old train lounge, offering little chance of meeting and chatting to other passengers and creating the previous convivial atmosphere.
Did the trip last week. Up in Classic and return in Club. First impression was that the carpets on the train could do with a clean as you got on to the carriage. Quite a bouncy ride up causing the wife to become travel sick who felt cocooned in her bed. Club return from Inverness was interesting. Informed that the lounge in Inverness was closed due to staff shortages and also informed that a reduced breakfast menu was on. No further clarification to that. Bouncy first two hours on the return and things then smoothed out. The now infamous cold shower on the train so wont bother as we have access to lounge in Euston ... son found gum stuck over the cabin light switch and USB port which we resolved with wet wipes. Broken light switch on my rack, and the table had broken off and was dumped under the lower bed. Breakfast was still on, just the fruit pot was unavailable. Had the hot breakfast pot which is being rolled out. Had the hot breakfast pot which was disgustingly healthy and really nice ! :-) These are just being rolled out now. Found the lounge in Euston (Shared with Avanti) for my shower (which I had put off) only to find out that they did not have any towels! Also met many other Club passengers who not only had put off their showers also but also breakfast after the notification to find that there wasn't any food for them. Am very happy to report that the train staff were brilliant, kind and very helpful. They, however, appear to being let down by their management. And that is a shame. Would I do it again? Yes, quite probably.
I rode in October of 2019 and can echo many of the issues here. Though when I rode, even the staff wasn't that great since (I did not know this at the time) there was a strike on and they were running a bare bones crew. They we kind enough, but clearly not organized since they didn't have enough crew. But there was no hot water, many meal items were unavailable due to vendor issues. I also found that the wifi constantly cut in and out, along with the power to the outlets in the room, which was incredibly frustrating as I have a medical device that needed power and would constantly cut in and out through the night, making sleep very unpleasant. I also wan't offered any thing (not even access to the showers) for all the trouble once I was in Glasgow. The rest of my time in Scotland was delightful, but it definitely was a sore point of my trip. I ended up switching to a seat when I traveled back as I saw no reason to spend the extra money on a cabin knowing I wouldn't get any sleep regardless.
Just for anyone wondering - tracks affect ride quality. If you have brand new coaches but the tracks are from the 20th century or even older, you barely get any better performance.
He doesn’t complain about ride quality - the problems are clearly all related to the shoddy internal design of the CAF MK5, plus the catering screw up. FYI the tracks themselves will have been relaid multiple times since they were first built! But I agree about the inside frame bogie shortcomings.
@@timb4373 I've ridden the new Mk5, and to me they were pretty good. I think the problem is maintenance + the fact that everytime a new train comes out there's always some glitches that need to be fixed. The trains have barely been 1 year in service, let them fix them.
Well as a senior citizen I did appreciate your insight into the "new" sleeper train. I have had more than one bad experience with Scot Rail from Edinburgh to Inverness - it was more than a joke . I hope to travel up on the Euston to Edinburgh sleeper and return possibly towards the end of the Autumn it our health holds up. Never been on a sleeper train and it is one on our bucket list - so any thoughts and tips you could add re this service would be fantastic. Thanks .... Roger
Well, if nothing else you got some good haulage.....a 92 to start with and then a class 47 & 73 working in tandem....that in itself is quite rare (assuming the ED was actually working, maybe the 47 was providing all the tractive effort!......
I live in the Fort...and have used Previous train Mk3 countless times ...This Mk5 is a Dog send I was on her last Friday and personall had a Great Time You Obviously found the wrong day to travel...Oh well never mind..x
@@iain636 that is only 39+ inches, we're talking 5280 feet, so the metric equivalent would be the 1609.34 Metres Club... kind of a mouth full... not going there, family channel.
It wasn’t unknown for prostitutes from Leicester to ply their trade in London, and on the late trains from St Pancras North. We used to go through the train doing tickets and knock on any closed toilet doors.
i get the vibe that you had a better experience on the older stock rather than these new ones. Flash and pretty on the eyes, but unpractical and non-delivering seems to be the usual review of the new stock and model
I did the sleeper to euston and back in December and had a mixed experience (I went for the seated coach both times) on the way down I did the same and ordered breakfast and had a similar issue, the ovens were broken and no got food was being served! I did get a complimentary coffee and some fruit so didn't go totally hungry. I also find the ride on the new mk5 coaches to be rougher than the old stock. Agree that it looks brilliant and is very well thought out but has too many issues, especially as they are marketing it as a "hotel on wheels". When I go down to London again I'd either take avanti or fly
This is why I prefer to fly where possible. In this instance I would have gone BA in Club Europe (business class) because: - it’d take a fraction of the time - price would be around the same or cheaper - using Avios points to book a free flight would be cheap as chips - priority check in, fast track security and priority boarding - hot food and drinks in the lounge - working showers in the lounge - complimentary full English breakfast, lunch or dinner onboard - free drinks onboard
Your train videos always make me miss travelling on England's trains. Too bad this sleeper train let you down-- but I'd feel the same about the shower if I were you.
Indian trains and the British train network will soon have the same experience. Just need to pop out the windows and doors. Profit would skyrocket. Imagine the scope of growth without those windows and doors restricting passenger numbers. United Nations would probably subsidizes the remodeling of all the trains in Britain. You just have to love the generosity of the good old UN.
We stayed in Chattanooga rail cars stationary and I noted they had installed instant water heaters in each car. Maybe that is something the Caledonian could consider. My shower was wonderful. Hot water on demand is the way to go.
Thanks for an interesting video. Judging by most reports I've heard I'd rather set my alarm clock and go for an early flight than use the Caledonian Sleeper. A friend of mine was on the southbound Inverness sleeper on 31 January/1 February which got to London at three in the afternoon, six and a half hours late. Not my idea of fun.
Always appreciate your reviews, very well thought out review, and judging by only the look of it seemed to have great hardware but very poor execution, shame, could've been a 5 star product. That shower thing is a big thing.
Great review and much appreciated! I want to take this train next spring, 2023... I wonder if there's an update? Have they kicked out the kinks and delivered a decent product after two years?
Hi Paul. Just watched this video for the second time as considering doing this trip as unable to go anywhere outside of the UK this Jan (I have time off booked). I don't think I will, after your review. Especially after I looked on the website. £280 for a club berth £470!!!!!! for a double bed berth!!!!! You could (pre-pandemic) get 10 days all inc in Barbados for that!! Jeeeezzzz!!
Euston to Glasgow first class December 2020. Train stopped at Preston at 10 pm then asked to get a 20 year old black cab to Glasgow. 200 mile journey. Never again avantI
08:10 I love the completely pointless emergency exit sign above the inside of your sleeping compartment door. Presumably there just in case you were thinking of climbing out of the window instead....
Sad, I've loved my journeys on the callie sleeper with the MK3 carriages, I'm kind of apprehensive to try the new Spanish MK5's. Personally I really live the Cornish Sleeper, very reasonably priced, great old comfy BR carriages and reliable!!
In 2013 We took a 2 bed disabled cabin on an overnight journey from Germany to the Czech Republic. My daughter was 4 years old and my disabled son 6 years old. Now he is 12 and she is we have to have an ordinary cabin for 3 people.His wheelchair is challenging to fit. I don't think the UK sleeper trains have a cabin for 3 or 4.
@@Paul_Lucas I'm very well thanks! Had a baby girl 8 weeks ago and all doing well.. Family coming to visit from Inverness soon so this review was exceptionally well timed, thanks 😁. Hope you're doing well too.
On my one trip in a Club Room the shower water was scalding hot but the horrible sloshing noise from the retention tank kept me awake more than the rattles. No such sloshing in a Classic room - which I’ll probably stick with from now on.
7:24 If your aim is off - and remember, you're on a moving train known for its poor ride quality - expect soggy yellow bog roll next time you open the lid. Genius design feature.
In 1975, I traveled in the Auckland-Wellington "Silver Star" sleeper. The cabin was comfortable, the food was good, and everything worked perfectly, yet nearly 50 years later in Britain, the modern sleeper train is a heap of junk, like most of the new rolling stock that train companies are so eager to buy. Excellent report, Paul. It has convinced me to stick to flying when travelling to Scotland
Train 229, hauled by a 2-year-old orange and yellow Dx class :) Unfortunately I never got to travel on it before it was withdrawn, and did dozens of trips on the Northerner instead.
@@charlieinsingapore It is a real pity that it was withdrawn as it was a good service. I was also lucky to be able to travel in the reverse direction on the Silver Fern, so was able to enjoy the scenery during the daytime..
Food, hygiene and sleep. If this was the train from Delhi to Varanasi for 30 quid you could probably tick all three of the major train travel boxes, but this is supposed to be a premium product with pricing commensurate and simply doesn't deliver. Good job Scottish scenery is amongst the best in the world; oh wait ... its a sleeper!
Hi Paul, my family and I are coming to Scotland from America and looking at the benefit of taking the Caledonian Sleeper over a flight to London. Also on a few of your videos I have seen you show an app to book trains at discounts or low fairs. What is that app? Thanks so much.
I really get the impression that although the new Mk5s are absolutely brilliant, and the Caledonian sleeper has really become an extremely nice to place to be, the new sleeper has struggled operationally and the actual service has not been particularly reliable. Thanks for the great review!
Get a FREE WEEK trial of Blinkist and 25% OFF full membership by going to blinkist.com/wingin'it!paullucas
Have a great week and be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram - my handle on both is paul_winginit
If you want a clever en-suite design, you have to try the Finnish sleeper. They even have hot water in the shower ;)
I been waiting for this. It a shame its not going well. I was looking at riding it for a trip plan.
It's always late. 92s arent the right locos for the job an cs were warned that
are their any windows that can open up.
Blinkist sounds like a new technology version of the Readers' Digest, which my parents used to get. It managed to be both couthie and American at the same time. They even extended their operation into "Condensed Books."
Sounds like the main takeaway is "don't bother shelling out for the en-suite", at least until/unless they've got the bugs out of the system. I bet the train crew were even more annoyed than you at the breakfast failure, since they have to field all of the complaints from less seasoned (and shorter-tempered) travellers.
I think I'm right in saying that the lounges at Euston, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Fort William have showers and can be used by Club Class passengers on arrival. If time allows of course.
@@MikeFoster15 - Indeed so! But passengers travelling in a two-berth "Classic" cabin - sorry, my apologies, "room" - have been downgraded from First Class to Standard Class even when paying a premium for solo occupancy, so they no longer have access to the Avanti West Coast First Class customer lounge at London Euston with its free hot showers! Nor, indeed, can they enjoy a cooked "Highland Breakfast" in their cabin - sorry, room - even if they are ready and willing to pay extra for it. What's the point of "Club" Class passengers having access to shower facilities either before or after their journeys if they've also got a shower in their cabin - sorry, room?
Mike Foster my friend works on the sleep cause we live in fort william and she always tells me how stressful the job is. I remember one night she phoned me because the train broke down due to snow and another train had to come and pick them up.
@@DaveSuperThomas Am I right in saying that I detected some insolence on your part! 😂
Thank you for the honest review. Hopefully they get the problems sorted and we can enjoy what should be a very nice journey.
You have the same spelling surname as me!
@@oli8459 You two must be related! 😊
@@oli8459 have you met yet?
11:30 Even that generous helping of HP sauce isn't going to bring that sandwich roll back to life.
Wit the fuck is a sandwich roll 😂😂😂😂😂😂
That thing looked disgusting
I've seen far far worse tbf, got a roll when i got the sleeper last year down from Glasgow, looked similar but tasted fine. Was on the "El Classico" as they called it, was really hoping for this one with a shower! haha
@@Marco-wz3ff - You should see their Haggis, Neeps and Tatties!
"sandwich roll"
its just "roll"
good compensation for a poor experience...it would seem cheaper to fix problems rather than lose so much fare revenue...love your train videos
Most of the comp was for the delay, which I'm not sure they can do much about. As for the extra forty pounds for the lack of hot shower water, they can definitely find a better solution.
Maybe its an insured loss and no moral valuation is made?
It is Serco were talking about here
1:02 that's a strange way to eat a banana
omg it is!
Wtf 😂😂
Like ewwwww
MAYBE HE IS AN AUSTRALIAN
@@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999 😂😂
I have taken the new sleeper 3 times now, twice to fort william and once to Inverness on all occasions the trip has been an absolute delight; the staff have been amazing, the food has been great with a fantastic variety of options including the drinks menu, the train has been well kept with working showers (inc hot water) with clean beds and toilets, the scenery has been amazing and the train has always been bang on time out of euston and into Inverness/ft william. I personally have no complaints but then I might just be lucky as the press these have received has not been great but what I experienced was beyond what I was expecting and I would have to reccomend it. Plus as an added bonus unless your in the 'false economy' seats if your service is delayed you just get a bonus lie in!
It's a shame it didn't go to plan. I took the same route in the same class back in November and everything about it went to plan. I must say, I absolutely loved it and would do it again. Maybe I got lucky with the lack of problems and so on. What it has taught me is that when the service goes right, it is absolutely brilliant. It's a shame it goes wrong more often than not but at least its improving too.
Give it time and it will be near perfect. 😁
I took it back in 2015 and it was amazing, though that was before the new carriages were introduced, so perhaps things have changed. Hopefully they'll fix the problems soon and it will be back to being the great experience I remember!
I'm with you on this as well. I took it back in December of 2019 (from Euston to Edinburgh), and had a fantastic trip. My en suite shower didn't work, but the very apologetic and friendly train conductor was able to get me a new suite on that particular night, and I got a nice hot shower. It's too bad that it didn't go as plan for you, Paul!
In my opinion,Those Mk5 Coaches Don’t fit for the caledionian sleeper,Those Slam Door Mk3 Coaches Are Better
Gabriele Tapang I prefer the Mk5, I know there are lots of slam door fans out there, but after all what rates it is how good the service is, not the doors.
Perhaps the answer to the quality problem here is the same as it was for the motor industry: hand it over to Japan Rail!
Who needs a shower when you can run naked in the snow of the Cairngorms that Will liven you up lol.great video by the way
It seems a bit expensive for what you get. Even if everything was working.
Nope I’ve been on it you get what you pay for it’s a lovley experience!
Not super expensive by British Rail prices. Much better than paying for petrol up there then a hotel.
Remember it doubles as a hotel room
@@Caroline-gn2sj yes but it included the prices of travel aswell
Oh dear, so predictable! I used to travel this service a lot, but haven’t done so since the “upgrade”. It was great when it was run by Scotrail. Basic but efficient, and with a certain “character”. Once Serco took over, the problems began, starting with industrial relations and staff dissatisfaction. I was going to use the service in March as I have an event to attend at the NEC, but now I’m thinking twice. Companies like this need to realise that slick marketing and fancy logos do not compensate for basic inefficiency and poorly thought out service. As someone involved in the Scottish tourism industry this really worries me, as this product has the potential to be the shop window and first impression of Scotland for many people travelling here from London. I really hope these are teething problems that get sorted out. Excellent, balanced review by the way.
The words "SERCO" makes sure I will never touch it - they turn everything into shit
Thank you very much for this detailed report. Hope there will be more to come.
This train looks incredible. I always love to see train trip reports. As I live in the US I can really only experience this vicariously via your videos.
Really? I think a amtrak sleeper is a lot nicer.
I think it's thanks to you I started using this service. Was very hesitant to use it again since take over from Serco, but the one time I did use it (11/11/19) it was absolutely fine. I do miss the beer selection though, am very happy with Tennents and green Innes and Gun. Thanks Paul!
I remember going on it in October 2019, it was the day that the incidents happened at Watford Junction, so I departed at like 11:30PM. Would’ve been earlier but the overgrounds and commuter trains departed first, got great service and half price ticket!
No hot water in the shower when I travelled in December. They refunded me half the total cost which was pretty good.
The problem with Caledonian sleeper is the service and not so much the trains themselves. It's a shame there letting themselves down, when they are competing with low budget airlines. Let's hope they can sort these problems out.
Have you read some of the journey reviews by disgruntled Caledonian Sleeper passengers on the "Trip Advisor" web site? Some of them literally make the blood run cold!
They're not competing with low budget airlines at £200 one way!
They aren't competing with airlines - it's marketed as a premium product to tourists. You can take a train across Australia but it's 4x the cost of a full service airline and takes four days
When we open the borders again we hope you’ll consider taking a train journey from Beijing to Pyongyang
England is my city
Is that a one way trip? They say what happens in Pyongyang stays in Pyongyang.
So when will you open your borders?
There is already a Pyongyang-Sinuju train, and of course the Moscow-Pyongyang maybe Paul can review it? :)
Any free tickets available Mr. Kim?
I have been waiting for this video for so long
Who needs hot water in the shower? You Wee Southern Softy!
As they would say in t' Yorkshire Dales... 'That's nothing... I recall having a body wipe with an old flannel which had been frozen on t' clothes line all night, the icicles on which cut my skin to shreds; but at least the skin I had left at t' end was clean!'
Good point; a perfect introduction to Scotland! Paul is lucky he got that bacon roll. It could’ve been porridge with water and salt.
I know it's a McShambles, however there's nothing quite as romantic as a night on a sleeper train. I wish they would get their act together, it could be such a wonderful experience. Thanks for the reviews Paul, always informative and much appreciated.
Amtrak is feeling pretty good right now.
Long distance Amtrak trains are actually really comfortable because they're designed for passengers staying on board for up to a few days. Much more spacious and well appointed than trains in most of continental Europe, anyway, but the consistency of service is sorely lacking.
@@vdealer1 totally
@@vdealer1 most European sleeper trains are one night. So you don't need that much space and get away with it. I have not been on an Amtrak. But I must say some over night longer European trains has been fantastic. They look so much better than Amtrak. Usually on time as well.
Paul,
I really appreciate your honest appraisals .
The landscape was beautiful, what I could see of it.:)
Cheers,
Rik Spector
Thank you Frederick - I know you often comment and have done for a couple of years now, and sorry I cannot reply to every one, but I see you and thank you for your continuous encouragement and positivity!
@@Paul_Lucas That's too be expected especially with so many viewers.
That's a sign of your success.
For me it's your matter of fact and expert advice, no punches pulled:)
Stay well,
Cheers,
Rik Spector
Count us among those who had a negative experience on the Caledonian Sleeper. Our family of four had the bad luck to depart Euston to Waverly on the second hottest day in history during July 2019. There were massive delays, the air conditioning did not work in our carriage, and the staff was not empowered to do anything to make us more comfortable. We really wanted to like the service!
In my experience its quite comfortable until you reach Helensburgh where the welded tracks ends. From here to Fort William you will need earplugs to be able to sleep from the wheel noise. Also its way shakier ride compared to the older stocks. Seems to be bad or cheaper suspension? No shelfs, so the only place to keep your stuff is in the sink or spread it out on the floor. No hangers for the towels, so they put them in a hanging bag instead. Maybe they forgot to install hanger knobs? Bad building quality with lots of plastic and it all seems to be built and refurbished in a hurry. Sleeper trains in the UK are incredibly more expensive and far less value for money compared to other countries, like Sweden.
thomasraden Bad building quality? Do you really think that after all that thinking on the design, coming up with clever ideas, they would spoil it all by using low quality materials? Glitches happen in every new train that rolls out, after all that’s when you can really see how the train acts in real life. Just give them time to have everything fixed.
@@CityWhisperer Yes i do think so. I did this trip twice to check if it was improved and it was the same.
@@thomasraden well I'm afraid engineering is not precisely your strong point.
@@CityWhisperer Yes you might be right. Sort of. A plastic cover for a (soap ?) half way silicon welded falling of in the sink. Which by the way is the main place you store your things in lack of shelf…. No hangers in the toilet for towel. Maybe ok if i put them on the floor? Good effort spanish delivery, but next time, ask customers how they want it. I will say that this journey will need to improve for good value for money. Pay 200 pounds for a night trip? Or 400+ pounds for a double bed? Why not fly to Glasgow instead? Or take a vacation trip to the US for an even lover price.
Food service provided by the lowest bidder... contract terminated I hope.
Or couldnt make it due to Snow its Scotland....not England that comes to a halt due to a slight Breeze x
@@cancerfour69er I live in Canada, we get white stuff too very winter yet people don't seem to realize it and fail to prepare. Perhaps the planet would be better off without humans.
@@cancerfour69er The breakfasts were due to picked up in Preston,which is in England, doesn't get much snow and is a good two hours from the English/Scottish border.
Not sure if it's still Rail Gourmet but they were terrible when I worked for Cross Country. It does seem strange that they can't stock up at Euston - then at least if they have no stock they can tell you in advance of ordering...
The joke is most times its not even the lowest bidder, we just cant get customer service right in the UK...
Beautiful landscapes... Amazing Scottland !
When I was a little Boy I could never sleep on the sleeper in 1967 from Arbroath to Euston(then) so from the top bunk I enjoyed looking out the window pushing the shutter to one side watching all the mail sacks being loaded onto the train at 2am and God it was so busy at York at that time in the morning ! We were pulled by my favourite Diesel the Class 37 (Whistler) which remains my favourite today ! God I miss those grubby red corridor carriages and seat smells I loved it as a boy !
Just off the Lowland Sleeper this morning, no food or drink offering and no Club Car at present. I never bother with the food or the Club Car so no loss. I was on board at 10pm and quickly settled in. It’s surprisingly comfortable and unlike the old Mk 3 Sleeper, I did manage to get a decent nights sleep and woke up an hour before arrival at Euston. A “snack-pack” was delivered at this time and whilst basic, was ok. I brought my own flask of coffee so was well prepared. I wouldn’t bother with the shower, seems a gimmick really. The ride was better than I thought it would be and for the price, excellent value. Ive been using the Sleeper for over 30 years and would definitely recommend it. Without all the “bells & whistles”, it was a perfect and a solid product, even the bedding and beds were comfortable, the Lounges are unpleasant anyway and the onboard food never memorable. I use it to sleep from A to B and it works for me. 👍
The good thing about you is that you give true honest reviews, so well done! On the other hand I’m freaking out because I’ve booked club cabin for Easter at a premium rate. And trust me, I’m not like you, they’ll hear me screaming from Spain if I cannot have a shower before bedtime! Murder at the Caledonian Express!
Did the shower work? lol
My Wife and I took the "new" Sleeper from Glasgow to London back in July 2019, and had the shower issue too. Having been on the road for hours beforehand, and coming in for long haul flights in London, we both had to endure stone cold showers to freshen up. Probably one of the low points of our whole trip. Disappointed to hear they still havent sorted it. We also had issues with our luggage taking up too much space in our cabin, and wasnt told until breakfast time that there is actually storage for luggage at the front of the carriage.
@supernumery Mistakes were made. Much regret.
I am planning a trip and thought of using the sleeper one way, to come back North and home. I can have a full day in London then travel home on a £50 seat as I can then get home in 15 minutes from the station and crash out.
I did the sleeper once back in 1990, Waverly to Euston one way, and thought it was over priced then and I have no recollection of an en suite. This looks miles better, but I would agree working showers for the money is not an unfair expectation.
What I do take you to task on is the bacon roll: that looked great.
I use the sleeper regularly between London and Carnoustie. Ive not had the shower issue and can count significant delays (hour plus) on one hand.
It is expensive but its an enjoyable way to go. I do recommend the club cabin
I have a model of the Caledonian Sleeper, it's a cool train. Scotland is beautiful
do y'all have a week 4 robot yet lmao
Yup: I had problems on this service too! You can, by the way, get a shower at Inverness, both on their premises across the street from the station, included, and in the station itself - paid for. My breakfast was very unsatisfactory too. But the room was fine.
My problem was that the return service to London was cancelled, and we had to travel to Edinburgh by scheduled service, then wait till 3 am for the Edinburgh - to London sleeper. Dreary
Another great review as usal. The good thing with you Paul is that you don't sugar coat things. If t's good you say so and if it's bad you also say so. Honest reviews. Great and another big thumbs up.
Thanks for your honest review. I was less than thrilled with vintage Caledonian sleeper when I rode it from Ft. William to London in May 2018.
How sad but as always your honest commentary is much appreciated.
For me the ride quality of the Mk5 coaches is also appalling. I’m on the Inverness train end of month again and very conscious of ensuring I picked a cabin in middle. Get one over the bogies and it’s brutal. Serco should be sending these back to CAF and get them properly fixed
You don't strike me as a violent man at all, but the expression on your face in the preview thumbnail of the video succinctly summarises your feelings about the experience.
I'd love to do a sleeper but based on this, thanks for heads up before parting with valuable ££s
Loved the Australian one you did between Sydney and Perth
Yay nice to see you smiling Paul! Very informative and interesting video.
Totally agree, I paid the £395 for the double bed as I am 2.1m tall! Shower didn’t work, door to the toilet kept opening all night, hardly slept. Not worth the money paid. Next time will be hotel in Glasgow and then first plane to London.
That's disgraceful. You paid a small fortune for a cold shower. Was there compensation?
Thanks for the review. Was thinking of using the sleeper. Have decided against it because 1) wouldn’t want to find a hotel if the sleeper was cancelled 2) would then have to pay full fare to travel the following day.
Thanks for this video. I had a very good experience with the old Caledonian Sleeper (Euston - Inverness) in 2019. Got the Highland breakfast and showered in the lounge at arrival in Inverness. The new experience seem indeed much more premium and fancy. Hope they will continue to improve their service!
Love the train videos it inspires me to start traveling via train long distances. Please keep these videos up
trans Siberian is a great one to do
At least you wasn't binned off at Acton Bridge in the middle of nowhere (happened a few months back) first Liverpool service saw around 70 people wanting to get on. They'd been at ACB for 4 hours!
Thanks for this review Paul. This gives me the heads up & reasons for not going on the slepper trains. As I planned to use the sleeper train to connect with the popular Jacobite steam hauled trips by West Coast Railways. But seeing the huge amount of delays as of late my plan for that has been scrapped. Thanks for the video Paul very enjoyable. Richard
Richard Harnetty it was funny as I was going to do exactly the same thing this summer with my son, but I think we’ll travel up on the ECML & then stay in a hotel overnight 1st
I managed to take the previous service in 2016 and was quite satisfied with it. The new service looks visually impressive, though it's a pity to read of the poor execution by the Serco-run service. Delays are one thing, I wonder why they can't fix the shower issue and improve on the breakfast provision. Hopefully the service improves and you can return to give it another shot.
"You wouldn't be able to go to the loo without taking your suitcase out"
4:22
I went on the MK5 Lowlander in November and my shower was terrible, it had no pressure. Didn't enjoy hearing the water sloshing around the tank through the night either. That said, at Inverness you can go into the lounge over the road from the station and have a lovely shower like I did when I was on the Highlander. I used the showers in the toilet block at Waverly in November, that wasn't bad either.
Much preferred the old sleeper rolling stock. Travelled in October and didn’t get much sleep. The staff were fantastic and the food was good, but they really do have a lot of work to do on the service. We were at Carstairs for ninety minutes!
Great video. I think I'll leave it a bit longer before using this service again, just so all the issues with the mk5s can be sorted. Although I've heard mixed reviews about the ride quality which is a bit worrying. The mk3 is a tough act to follow though, so I doubt anything will feel as smooth and quiet after travelling in one of those.
I never once had a problem with the mk3s and always arrived into Fort William and London on time. The only problem I had was back in 2006 when there was a short delay with the departure from Fort William due to a problem with the class 37. We're only talking thirty minutes or so and, thanks to some skillful driving, a significant amount of that delay had been made up by the time we arrived at Rannoch! Great memories, I do miss the 37s and the mk3s on the West Highland Line.
I must say apart from actually paying for the experience there's no way the price of this is a good deal compared to day travel or taking a plane.
Except that by travelling overnight on a Sleeper train you can put in a whole day of work at one end of your journey, thus saving on your annual holiday allowance, whilst at the same time not having to pay for one night in a Travel Lodge or Holiday Inn, plus you can take lots of luggage with you and not end up paying the earth in excess baggage charges. Well, that's the theory!
Just out of curiosity, have fellow passengers ever had a go at you for recording?
in germany this wouldnt be possible cause everyone would sue you for showing their face
@@MalteSpieltYT could they do that to someone not from Germany? Say you're from a different continent for example? (or even the uk soon enough haha! :(
To be honest once you're in your 30s, speak with a respectable accent and are white and male you can do whatever you like. Not a fan of woke culture at all but it's an eye-opener to find people who aren't of my demographic have problems when to be honest I never do.
@@Paul_Lucas Wingin’ It! Paul Lucas it is a shame that people from a different race are discriminated against for the things you can do without hassle, and hopefully that changes someday and people and just let everyone record in peace. thanks for your reply! :)
If you've shot enough videos, you will have learned the kind of reaction people give when they don't want to be on camera. So it's easy enough to just stop shooting or look somewhere else.
Another thing is to make it obvious that the individual person is not the subject of your video. Yes they might be on camera but they're not the focal point, they're just incidental.
So make it obvious by taking b-roll style shots along side your main footage. Like the shot he got of the salt and pepper pots.
Also using a proper camera instead of a phone helps. Because people immediately realize, this guy came prepared to take photos or videos, possibly even a tourist. So again it puts their mind at rest that you're not interested in them.
In the Netherlands, the Dutch Railways have countless problems with their new generation "Sprinter" trains SNG, introduced in 2018. Roof hatches coming off while riding, they are unable to keep at speed, accelerating slower than trains built in 2006 (the FLIRTs in NL get to 60 twice as fast), even after tests the electronic brakes could fail, et cetera.
Why I say all this? The trains are manufactured by a Spanish company called CAF...
Where did you find information about this?
@@killraz0r481 All kinds of sources. As we say in Dutch: I am "close to the fire".
Thanks for your honesty. I hope the company learn from this and fix the problems.
Great video. Glad to hear you are a Robert Pirsig fan - one of my favorite writers.
The new stock looks good just has so many frustrating faults and the reliability of locos have been poor. The old coaches were more reliable. I've amazingly seen the sleeper a couple of times after 8am in Wigan which shouldn't have
... the scenery!!! Whoa!
I used to love going on the Sleeper between 2013-2016, I used to go on it every few months just for the fun of sleeping on the train and arriving in different parts of Scotland...
Bit seems.like that was kind of the end of an era.... Have heard nothing but Bad things about these new trains, and service apparently they are rather Noisy too, have read reports of folk finding their sleep disrutped more, etc.
Thanks Paul, good video. Thanks for saving me time and money as I had considered this train for my time on your side of the pond this summer. Not now.
Wonderful video as always! What a shame these new carriages have been so badly executed and the service has suffered so many problems.
There's a major design fault for me in the club car - other than the lack of legroom mentioned - the high back seats take away the open 'clubby' feel of the old train lounge, offering little chance of meeting and chatting to other passengers and creating the previous convivial atmosphere.
Did the trip last week.
Up in Classic and return in Club. First impression was that the carpets on the train could do with a clean as you got on to the carriage.
Quite a bouncy ride up causing the wife to become travel sick who felt cocooned in her bed.
Club return from Inverness was interesting. Informed that the lounge in Inverness was closed due to staff shortages and also informed that a reduced breakfast menu was on. No further clarification to that.
Bouncy first two hours on the return and things then smoothed out.
The now infamous cold shower on the train so wont bother as we have access to lounge in Euston ... son found gum stuck over the cabin light switch and USB port which we resolved with wet wipes. Broken light switch on my rack, and the table had broken off and was dumped under the lower bed.
Breakfast was still on, just the fruit pot was unavailable. Had the hot breakfast pot which is being rolled out. Had the hot breakfast pot which was disgustingly healthy and really nice ! :-) These are just being rolled out now.
Found the lounge in Euston (Shared with Avanti) for my shower (which I had put off) only to find out that they did not have any towels! Also met many other Club passengers who not only had put off their showers also but also breakfast after the notification to find that there wasn't any food for them.
Am very happy to report that the train staff were brilliant, kind and very helpful. They, however, appear to being let down by their management. And that is a shame.
Would I do it again? Yes, quite probably.
I rode in October of 2019 and can echo many of the issues here. Though when I rode, even the staff wasn't that great since (I did not know this at the time) there was a strike on and they were running a bare bones crew. They we kind enough, but clearly not organized since they didn't have enough crew. But there was no hot water, many meal items were unavailable due to vendor issues. I also found that the wifi constantly cut in and out, along with the power to the outlets in the room, which was incredibly frustrating as I have a medical device that needed power and would constantly cut in and out through the night, making sleep very unpleasant. I also wan't offered any thing (not even access to the showers) for all the trouble once I was in Glasgow. The rest of my time in Scotland was delightful, but it definitely was a sore point of my trip. I ended up switching to a seat when I traveled back as I saw no reason to spend the extra money on a cabin knowing I wouldn't get any sleep regardless.
i have seen soooooo many vids of this train and am thoroughly convinced to fly
Just for anyone wondering - tracks affect ride quality. If you have brand new coaches but the tracks are from the 20th century or even older, you barely get any better performance.
The ride quality of carriages riding on inside-frame bogies with tiny wheels was always going to be problematic.
He doesn’t complain about ride quality - the problems are clearly all related to the shoddy internal design of the CAF MK5, plus the catering screw up. FYI the tracks themselves will have been relaid multiple times since they were first built! But I agree about the inside frame bogie shortcomings.
@@timb4373 I've ridden the new Mk5, and to me they were pretty good. I think the problem is maintenance + the fact that everytime a new train comes out there's always some glitches that need to be fixed. The trains have barely been 1 year in service, let them fix them.
Well as a senior citizen I did appreciate your insight into the "new" sleeper train. I have had more than one bad experience with Scot Rail from Edinburgh to Inverness - it was more than a joke . I hope to travel up on the Euston to Edinburgh sleeper and return possibly towards the end of the Autumn it our health holds up. Never been on a sleeper train and it is one on our bucket list - so any thoughts and tips you could add re this service would be fantastic. Thanks .... Roger
Tip 1: Take more HP sauce!
@@GaryNumeroUno OK ,, will raid the complementary HP sauce sachets in the next cafe I go into!
Well, if nothing else you got some good haulage.....a 92 to start with and then a class 47 & 73 working in tandem....that in itself is quite rare (assuming the ED was actually working, maybe the 47 was providing all the tractive effort!......
I live in the Fort...and have used Previous train Mk3 countless times ...This Mk5 is a Dog send I was on her last Friday and personall had a Great Time You Obviously found the wrong day to travel...Oh well never mind..x
Arghh, this train-trip was my dream. I so much hope this will get better till 2022, for when I planned the trip.
Im hoping to get it done within the next few months. Havent heard of any problems lately tho so the problems look to have died out.
Maybe it's my dirty mind, but as soon as you mentioned double bed berths, I began wondering if there is a railway equivalent of the Mile High Club ;)
Probably, although it is cheating if you use a double bed!
@@iain636 that is only 39+ inches, we're talking 5280 feet, so the metric equivalent would be the 1609.34 Metres Club... kind of a mouth full... not going there, family channel.
It wasn’t unknown for prostitutes from Leicester to ply their trade in London, and on the late trains from St Pancras North. We used to go through the train doing tickets and knock on any closed toilet doors.
Longer trains US and Australia transcontinental style would make Mile Long Club.
@@schwarzalben88 how convienient....
I like Euston, as someone from the north west i like to think of this station as London's North West Embassy
i get the vibe that you had a better experience on the older stock rather than these new ones. Flash and pretty on the eyes, but unpractical and non-delivering seems to be the usual review of the new stock and model
Looks beautiful! Really appreciate your review, thanks for all you do!
I did the sleeper to euston and back in December and had a mixed experience (I went for the seated coach both times) on the way down I did the same and ordered breakfast and had a similar issue, the ovens were broken and no got food was being served! I did get a complimentary coffee and some fruit so didn't go totally hungry. I also find the ride on the new mk5 coaches to be rougher than the old stock. Agree that it looks brilliant and is very well thought out but has too many issues, especially as they are marketing it as a "hotel on wheels". When I go down to London again I'd either take avanti or fly
This is why I prefer to fly where possible. In this instance I would have gone BA in Club Europe (business class) because:
- it’d take a fraction of the time
- price would be around the same or cheaper
- using Avios points to book a free flight would be cheap as chips
- priority check in, fast track security and priority boarding
- hot food and drinks in the lounge
- working showers in the lounge
- complimentary full English breakfast, lunch or dinner onboard
- free drinks onboard
Your train videos always make me miss travelling on England's trains. Too bad this sleeper train let you down-- but I'd feel the same about the shower if I were you.
Indian trains and the British train network will soon have the same experience. Just need to pop out the windows and doors. Profit would skyrocket. Imagine the scope of growth without those windows and doors restricting passenger numbers. United Nations would probably subsidizes the remodeling of all the trains in Britain. You just have to love the generosity of the good old UN.
We stayed in Chattanooga rail cars stationary and I noted they had installed instant water heaters in each car. Maybe that is something the Caledonian could consider. My shower was wonderful. Hot water on demand is the way to go.
Thanks for an interesting video. Judging by most reports I've heard I'd rather set my alarm clock and go for an early flight than use the Caledonian Sleeper. A friend of mine was on the southbound Inverness sleeper on 31 January/1 February which got to London at three in the afternoon, six and a half hours late. Not my idea of fun.
Always appreciate your reviews, very well thought out review, and judging by only the look of it seemed to have great hardware but very poor execution, shame, could've been a 5 star product. That shower thing is a big thing.
Great review and much appreciated! I want to take this train next spring, 2023... I wonder if there's an update? Have they kicked out the kinks and delivered a decent product after two years?
Hi Paul. Just watched this video for the second time as considering doing this trip as unable to go anywhere outside of the UK this Jan (I have time off booked). I don't think I will, after your review. Especially after I looked on the website. £280 for a club berth £470!!!!!! for a double bed berth!!!!! You could (pre-pandemic) get 10 days all inc in Barbados for that!! Jeeeezzzz!!
When you said disabled toilet I took that as it was broken and I was thinking how does paul know you can’t use it it looks fine 😂
Lmao!
Euston to Glasgow first class December 2020. Train stopped at Preston at 10 pm then asked to get a 20 year old black cab to Glasgow. 200 mile journey. Never again avantI
08:10 I love the completely pointless emergency exit sign above the inside of your sleeping compartment door. Presumably there just in case you were thinking of climbing out of the window instead....
Excellent video. Any other suggestions for something like this as my wife and I were thinking of doing something like this in the future.
Excellent review! Just sums up the state of british railways! Have to say though that Chiltern are bloody brilliant!
The Riviera Sleeper is an absolute joy though, possibly the nicest scheduled sleeper train in Europe
Sad, I've loved my journeys on the callie sleeper with the MK3 carriages, I'm kind of apprehensive to try the new Spanish MK5's. Personally I really live the Cornish Sleeper, very reasonably priced, great old comfy BR carriages and reliable!!
In 2013 We took a 2 bed disabled cabin on an overnight journey from Germany to the Czech Republic. My daughter was 4 years old and my disabled son 6 years old. Now he is 12 and she is we have to have an ordinary cabin for 3 people.His wheelchair is challenging to fit. I don't think the UK sleeper trains have a cabin for 3 or 4.
Really useful review thanks. Got family coming down from Inverness soon so have advised them to shower before they leave and bring snacks!
Hey Debora! You watch my videos :-D Proof I really do read every comment... hope you're well!
@@Paul_Lucas I'm very well thanks! Had a baby girl 8 weeks ago and all doing well.. Family coming to visit from Inverness soon so this review was exceptionally well timed, thanks 😁. Hope you're doing well too.
On my one trip in a Club Room the shower water was scalding hot but the horrible sloshing noise from the retention tank kept me awake more than the rattles. No such sloshing in a Classic room - which I’ll probably stick with from now on.
7:24 If your aim is off - and remember, you're on a moving train known for its poor ride quality - expect soggy yellow bog roll next time you open the lid. Genius design feature.
In 1975, I traveled in the Auckland-Wellington "Silver Star" sleeper. The cabin was comfortable, the food was good, and everything worked perfectly, yet nearly 50 years later in Britain, the modern sleeper train is a heap of junk, like most of the new rolling stock that train companies are so eager to buy. Excellent report, Paul. It has convinced me to stick to flying when travelling to Scotland
Train 229, hauled by a 2-year-old orange and yellow Dx class :) Unfortunately I never got to travel on it before it was withdrawn, and did dozens of trips on the Northerner instead.
@@charlieinsingapore It is a real pity that it was withdrawn as it was a good service. I was also lucky to be able to travel in the reverse direction on the Silver Fern, so was able to enjoy the scenery during the daytime..
Food, hygiene and sleep. If this was the train from Delhi to Varanasi for 30 quid you could probably tick all three of the major train travel boxes, but this is supposed to be a premium product with pricing commensurate and simply doesn't deliver. Good job Scottish scenery is amongst the best in the world; oh wait ... its a sleeper!
Hi Paul, my family and I are coming to Scotland from America and looking at the benefit of taking the Caledonian Sleeper over a flight to London. Also on a few of your videos I have seen you show an app to book trains at discounts or low fairs. What is that app? Thanks so much.
Thats an honest review Paul. Ive been looking at it for ages, and it does stack up economically
I really get the impression that although the new Mk5s are absolutely brilliant, and the Caledonian sleeper has really become an extremely nice to place to be, the new sleeper has struggled operationally and the actual service has not been particularly reliable.
Thanks for the great review!
I sort of had a funny feeling this video was coming shortly. Thanks for proving me right!