Category: Serco (2015-2023)

Magical moment as Caledonian Sleeper’s future meets present

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Caledonian Sleeper’s future met its present on Saturday morning as testing continues on the new fleet of trains.

Six of the new carriages were out for winter testing over the weekend, running between Polmadie in Glasgow and Fort William on the West Highland Line.

And for two fleeting minutes at Tulloch Station, the new carriages – on their way back to Glasgow – passed the current train as it neared the end of its overnight journey from London.

It comes as trial operations enter the final phase, with preparations being made for the new fleet to begin operating by the end of May 2019.

Ryan Flaherty, Serco’s Managing Director at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “We only have a few weeks of testing left so it feels fitting that our current trains were able to sit alongside our new trains in the wild.

“It’s particularly symbolic because ‘old meets new’ is something we really want to capture when we debut our new carriages. We aim to offer a timeless experience and magical journey for guests, combining the nostalgic feeling of railway travel with modern facilities that travellers expect.”

The fleet, built at a cost of over £100m and part funded by a capital grant from the Scottish Ministers of £60m, has been designed to accommodate the modern-day traveller and cater to both business and leisure travel guests. A range of accommodation options will be offered, including:

  • Caledonian Double (double bed with en-suite)
  • Club Rooms (solo or twin with en-suite)
  • Classic Rooms (solo or twin)
  • Comfort Seats
  • Fully accessible rooms for guests with reduced mobility

Other new features will also be included, such as a hotel-style key card entry system, more accessible rooms, charging panels and WiFi throughout the train.

The trains will initially be introduced on the Lowlander route between Glasgow / Edinburgh and London before being rolled out onto the Highlander route which serves Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness.

To find out more about the Caledonian Sleeper, visit sleeper.scot.

Caledonian Sleeper Raises a Glass to Rabbie Burns with Guest Event

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Overnight rail service Caledonian Sleeper paid tribute to the Scottish Bard on Friday (25 January) by inviting guests to enjoy an evening of traditional Burns Night celebrations.

Arranged in partnership with Newrest, a tailor-made catering and food service company, the event saw guests welcomed on board the Inverness to London service by a piper before a selection of complimentary canapés, including miniature haggis from Dingwall based Cockburn & Son, were served in the Lounge Car where guests relaxed whilst they travelled through the night.

A nip of Tomatin 12 year old single malt Scotch was also offered, with glasses raised in celebration of Robert Burns and his much-loved work. Featured on the current Caledonian Sleeper drinks menu, Tomatin is an award-winning distillery local to Inverness with a rich history dating back to 1897 which can be discovered at the brand’s visitor centre and gift shop in the Highlands.

Graham Kelly, Serco’s Guest Experience Director at Caledonian Sleeper, commented: “Burns Night is a special evening in the Scottish calendar and so we wanted to provide our guests with a memorable experience that would allow them to toast the famous bard.

“Not only was this event a celebration of one of the country’s most famous figures but also our traditions and great produce, with Newrest and Tomatin providing a mouth-watering sample of some of Scotland’s finest food and drink.”

The Burns Night celebration is the start of a calendar of on board events hosted by Caledonian Sleeper which will take place this year, including on the new trains which are due to be in operation by the end of May.

With kitchens in Edinburgh and London, Newrest, which is delivering all meals on board the current and new trains, will be at the centre of many of these events, offering guests a taste of Scotland as they travel across the border.

Peter Berkeley, Country Managing Director, UK, at Newrest, added: “We were very excited to kick start our relationship with Caledonian Sleeper with this great event. We’ve worked hard to create a menu of fresh produce with local suppliers which will be delivered on the current and new trains and the Burns Night event is a glimpse of this.

“We hope everyone on board enjoyed the evening and we look forward to creating more events for the coming months.”

To find out more about Caledonian Sleeper, visit sleeper.scot.

Caledonian Sleeper celebrates Highlands with North Coast 500 event

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Overnight rail service Caledonian Sleeper is offering guests a glimpse of the Highlands before they even reach their destination this Wednesday (21 November).

Inspired by Lonely Planet naming the Scottish Highlands and Islands as one of the top regions in the world for travellers in 2019, the event on the London to Inverness service will provide guests with an insight into what makes the area so unique.

Hosted by the North Coast 500 – the ultimate road trip around the north of Scotland – guests in the Lounge Car will be able hear why the area was heralded ‘as one of the wildest, least inhabited and most scenic parts of Europe’. A taste of whiskies local to the region can also be enjoyed with guests served a dram of single malt from Glen Ord and Clynelish distilleries, both of which are owned by Diageo and located on the North Coast 500 route.

Gabbi Armstrong, Business Relationship Adviser at North Coast 500, who will lead the event on board, commented: “The Highlands and Islands is famed for its dramatic scenery, wild landscapes, rich history and mouth-watering food and drink and we couldn’t think of a better time to showcase the very best of the area to Caledonian Sleeper guests.

“Just a few miles outside of London guests will be able to hear why this corner of the world is so unique and popular, learning how the North Coast 500 is one of the best ways to experience it. With a dram of a local whisky in hand, this will be a great opportunity for guests to find out what makes the Highlands and Islands so special. We’ll even be providing a complimentary map of the route so that they can plan their own Highland adventure.”

The North Coast 500 event forms part of a calendar of on board events organised by Caledonian Sleeper to offer guests a series of Scottish-inspired experiences.

Graham Kelly, Serco’s Guest Experience Director at Caledonian Sleeper, added: “There’s something really magical about leaving London in the evening and waking up the next morning in the beauty of the Highlands and with this event we’re bringing that magic to life even earlier.

“We’re really proud to transport guests to this great part of Scotland six nights a week and hope that the event in partnership with North Coast 500 inspires even more people to enjoy an area with global recognition.”

To find out more about the Caledonian Sleeper, visit sleeper.scot.

Caledonian Sleeper guests treated to bedtime stories of Edinburgh’s dark past

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Guests of Caledonian Sleeper were treated to a social history extravaganza as a storyteller from The Real Mary King’s Close climbed on board to tell tales of Edinburgh’s dark past yesterday evening (Thursday 1 November).

Themed for Halloween and hosted on board the London to Edinburgh service, the event offered guests a unique insight into the city’s rich history and some of Edinburgh’s most notable characters through a series of short stories told by Robert Fergusson – a well-known 18th century poet who had a great influence on Robert Burns.

Played by Mark Hannah, a character tour guide from The Real Mary King’s Close, Mr Fergusson regaled passengers with stories of his time in Edinburgh, as well as the people that followed him, including the infamous gruesome twosome Burke and Hare.

Speaking of the event, Mark commented: “There’s no better time than Halloween to bring history to life. At the Close, we invite guests to step down into Edinburgh’s hidden history. We tell the intriguing real stories of the city’s past residents, and offer an immersive walk-through of the city’s uniquely preserved streets and spaces; all located underneath Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile. To be asked to bring a small selection of some of our favourite stories to guests travelling on the Caledonian Sleeper has been thrilling.”

The Halloween event forms a calendar of on board events organised by Caledonian Sleeper to offer guests a series of Scottish-inspired experiences and follows a similar storytelling event with The Real Mary King’s Close last year.

Graham Kelly, Serco’s Guest Experience Director at Caledonian Sleeper, added: “We were very excited to welcome The Real Mary King’s Close back for a second Halloween.

“Travelling through the night on board Caledonian Sleeper is magical in itself but by adding these truly Scottish events, including the historical tales from Edinburgh’s most famous street, we’re able to make the journey even more enchanting and memorable. We hope guests enjoyed the event and weren’t too spooked before bed.”

To find out more about The Real Mary King’s Close, visit www.realmarykingsclose.com

To find out more about the Caledonian Sleeper, visit sleeper.scot.

Caledonian Sleeper celebrates #StationsDay

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Caledonian Sleeper celebrates #StationsDay with unveiling of £1.6m training facilities and guest lounge in Perth

Caledonian Sleeper is showcasing how it has transformed a disused building at Perth Station in celebration of the first #StationsDay – a day which highlights the £5.2 billion investment to regenerate Britain’s rail stations.

The building has been renovated into a state-of-the-art training facility for Caledonian Sleeper staff and is just one of hundreds of small and medium sized stations that have been improved across the UK since 2009.

As part of the £1.6m project, the overnight rail service has also created a brand new guest lounge to cater for travellers at one of Scotland’s most vital rail hubs.

The centrepiece of the new facility is a mock-up of Caledonian Sleeper’s new carriages, which are due to be introduced to service by end of May 2019. With a fully operational galley, it will allow staff to perfect the meals that will be served on board as part of an enhanced catering facility.

An auditorium, conference room and additional office space will allow staff to work from Perth and take part in various courses throughout the year. There are also plans to open the space up to local groups in the city, giving them access to high-quality meeting space in a central location.

Open exclusively to Caledonian Sleeper guests, the lounge – located at the rear of Platform 7 – is a space to relax before or after travelling, with a host on hand to serve drinks and snacks. Guests will also have access to wet rooms, ensuring they can refresh themselves after travelling overnight from London.

The guest lounge is one of five the overnight rail service has created in stations across the country this year alone, with the help of the Scottish Stations Investment Fund. A lounge in Stirling was also recently opened while lounges at Dundee, Fort William and Leuchars were launched in July.

Ryan Flaherty, Serco’s Managing Director at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “We’re very excited to be celebrating #StationsDay with the unveiling of our new training facility and guest lounge in Perth.

“Our people are at the heart of everything we do, with our on board hosts the face of our service. These new facilities will allow us to grow our people, helping them to learn new skills and improve our already excellent hospitality offering.

“The lounge is also a major milestone, as we are committed to ensuring guests have the best possible experience in all aspects of their journey. That’s why this investment is so important, as it will allow our guests to relax in comfort ahead of boarding or to refresh themselves once they step off the train in the morning.”

The refurbishment of the building at Perth Station was part funded by the Railway Heritage Trust. It is likely to prove popular with a range of audiences, particularly business travellers who use Caledonian Sleeper to ensure an early arrival in London for meetings.

To find out more about the Caledonian Sleeper, visit sleeper.scot.

First of new Caledonian Sleeper trains arrive in UK

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The first carriages from the new £100m fleet of Caledonian Sleeper trains have arrived in the UK ahead of their introduction to service later this year.

Starting in October 2018, the overnight rail service will begin to be transformed as 75 new carriages are introduced in a phased transition. A total of five carriages have this morning arrived in the outskirts of Glasgow, where they will start extensive testing over the coming months. These initial five carriages are still to be fitted out internally following testing. Fully fitted out carriages will arrive in the UK at a later date.

The carriages have travelled through the Channel Tunnel to Scotland from the Velim Test Centre in the Czech Republic where they have been undergoing mandatory trials.

The introduction of new trains will be the culmination of a wide range of improvements and investment in Caledonian Sleeper since Serco took over the franchise on behalf of the Scottish Government in April 2015. These have had a dramatic impact on the service and after years of decline in patronage, the number of customer journeys has increased by 21%.

With the countdown on to the introduction of the new trains – which will initially debut on the ‘Lowlander’ route between London and Glasgow/Edinburgh – Caledonian Sleeper has announced that tickets will be made available from next month on Sleeper.scot.

Humza Yousaf MSP, Minister for Transport and Islands, said: “The Caledonian Sleeper is an iconic rail service, recognised in Scotland and across the world. The introduction of new rolling stock, with features new to UK railways, can only enhance its reputation. The arrival of the first trains to Scotland for testing is a major milestone and one that brings us closer to their introduction from October of this year.”

The new trains are currently being constructed by CAF in Spain, at a cost of over £100m, part funded by a capital grant from Scottish Ministers of £60m. They will be the first sleeper trains to be introduced to the UK for over 35 years.

As agreed with Transport Scotland and following consultation with guests and other stakeholders, anyone who books a room on the new trains will be guaranteed solo occupancy unless they choose to share with a partner. Tickets for the new Caledonian Sleeper are extremely competitively priced, with Comfort Seats starting from £45; Classic Rooms starting from £85 per person; Club Rooms from £125 per person; and Caledonian Doubles from £200 per person.

Pricing and accommodation options for the current trains will remain in place until new trains are introduced in October, with transitional pricing then coming into effect on the ‘Highlander’ route.

Peter Strachan, Chairman, Serco Caledonian Sleeper, said: “We believe the new Caledonian Sleeper trains will truly set a new standard in overnight travel and we have worked closely with Transport Scotland on their development since taking over the franchise in 2015.

“The Sleeper is known throughout the UK as a great way to travel and it is our intention to improve on every aspect of that journey, while offering great value of money for our guests. It is particularly exciting to welcome the first carriages to Scotland, as it highlights just how close we are to the debut of the new trains on our Lowlander route this October.”