Tag: overnight sleeper

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.”

Caledonian Sleeper goes virtual with sneak peek of new trains

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Caledonian Sleeper is giving a unique insight into its new fleet of trains – with a special virtual reality event in Glasgow later this month.

The rail service will be prominent in Glasgow Central Station for two days, inviting members of the public to glimpse into the future of overnight travel.

Entering a virtual reality portal on the station’s main concourse, people will be able to explore a stunning recreation of the new carriages. Created by digital media studio Soluis, the virtual reality tour will allow users to walk through the Club Car and discover the rooms on the new trains, a number of which will be en-suite.

Ryan Flaherty, Serco’s Managing Director at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “Our new trains will transform Caledonian Sleeper, heralding a new era of rail travel and ensuring a truly timeless experience for all guests.

“We are so proud of the new trains and everyone in the team is excited to give people a sneak peek, thanks to the immersive virtual reality experience we have developed in partnership with Soluis. This is a chance for current and prospective Caledonian Sleeper guests to delve into the exciting world of the new trains and to whet their appetite ahead of their introduction in just a few short months.”

The virtual reality event will run between 8am and 8pm on July 25 and 26. And those who attend will be able to enter an exclusive competition to be in with the chance of winning a return trip for two on the new trains.

Scott Grant, CEO of Soluis, said: “As frequent users of this service ourselves, we were delighted when the team behind Caledonian Sleeper approached us. This was an ideal opportunity to create a digital version of the new trains that would both inform and excite guests around this unique form of transport and accommodation.”

“The virtual reality Sleeper carriages deliver a uniquely immersive format that leaves no doubt as to the intended quality of the guest experience.” 

The virtual reality event at Glasgow Central Station is free and will run from 8am to 8pm on Wednesday July 25 and Thursday July 26.

New Caledonian Sleeper trains out for testing in UK

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Brand new Caledonian Sleeper carriages are out for testing on the UK rail network for the first time ahead of their introduction later this year.

The overnight Caledonian Sleeper rail service will be transformed by the introduction of the new £100m fleet which will see Serco introduce 75 new carriages in a phased transition starting this autumn.

A total of four Mark 5 carriages are out for testing this week, running on the West Highland Line from Glasgow to Arrochar & Tarbet. Testing on the West Highland Line will continue over the coming weeks before moving onto the West Coast Main Line.

Magnus Conn, Serco’s New Trains Director for Caledonian Sleeper, said: “Taking some of the new carriages out on the network for testing marks an exciting phase in our development programme. The purpose is to monitor the interaction between vehicle and track, and to check ride comfort in a variety of suspension states and speeds

“As testing progresses onto the West Coast Main Line later this month, we will be conducting a variety of tests including running at up to 110mph.”

Discover Scotland’s Winter Wildlife with Caledonian Sleeper

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More than half a million people across the UK are expected to watch their garden birds this weekend (28 – 30 January) as part of RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. There’s no better time to enjoy Scotland’s wildlife.

From mountain hares to red grouse, Caledonian Sleeper has highlighted some of the top winter wildlife spots to help families make the most of Scotland’s frost-tinted outdoor scenes.

Red Deer
Often seen roaming the hills, the majestic red deer is one of Scotland’s largest terrestrial mammals and one of the most impressive. Stags measure up to 120cm at the shoulder and can weigh between 60kg and 130kg, with antlers as long as 140cm and weighing 6kg each. As selective grazers of grass, heather and woody species, the fox-red coloured deer can be found in woodland as well as on moorland so are frequently spotted in groups during the colder months by walkers on mountain climbs or forest trails.

Alight at Fort William Railway Station to climb nearby Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles, where red deer are plentiful and the most common land-dwelling animals in the area.

Mountain Hare
As Britain’s only Arctic animal, the mountain hare is perfectly built for racing down snowy slopes and coping with cold weather. With long, powerful legs and thick fur that turns white during the winter, the hare is often difficult to spot in crisp white snow. With some species reaching a top speed of 45mph – the equivalent of the average speed of an Olympic downhill skier – these impressive creatures can sometimes been seen on winter walks as they leap three metres in a single bound.

Look out for the mountain hare as you enjoy snowy views from the popular Cairn Gorm funicular railway, which is the UK’s highest, reaching 3,500ft.

Ptarmigan
A plump gamebird resembling a slightly larger grey partridge, the ptarmigan transforms its grey, brown and black feathers completely white, except for its tail and eye patch, during the winter. Breeding in the highest peaks of the Cairngorm Mountains, the birds are usually spotted in Arctic-like landscapes. However in severe cold weather they can also been seen on the edge of forests as they seek shelter.

Visitors can often catch a glimpse of these tough birds whilst dining at the Ptarmigan Restaurant, which is located at the top station of the Cairn Gorm Mountain and offers panoramic views down to Loch Morlich.

Red Squirrel
Cairngorms National Park is a refuge for Scotland’s native red squirrels, with the population now large enough for the small mammals to have found a home in other parts of the country. Often seen climbing on tree bark or chewing pine cones on the ground, the red squirrel can frequently be spotted on woodland walks. Look up amongst pine tree branches in the Caledonian Forest to spot the squirrels’ soft, bushy, red tails as they spring through the air or listen out for the skittering of claws as they dance among the tree tops.

With a superb collection of wildlife on its doorstep, visit Scotland on Caledonian Sleeper to discover these fascinating native species.