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| The Night Riviera? 18/02/2014 at 23:35 #55766 | |
jishmondo
22 posts |
Hey guys, I was wondering if anybody has been on the Night Riviera service? It looks quite nice to be honest. Maybe it's one of those things I'd like to do in case they stop it completely  , with airlines dominating long distance travel or faster train links and what not.
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| The Night Riviera? 18/02/2014 at 23:38 #55767 | |
DaveHarries
1272 posts |
You will have to wait a while: the Night Riviera is suspended due to the damage to the sea wall at Dawlish in the recent storms. Dave Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 18/02/2014 at 23:41 #55768 | |
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jishmondo
22 posts |
Yeah I had a look on the FGW website and realised :pinch:
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| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 00:35 #55773 | |
Temple Meads
307 posts |
I often use(d) the Up as a late night local service between Penzance/Plymouth and Exeter, as such I haven't sampled the full sleeping car experience, but the seated accommodation is very comfortable, my only criticisms being that power sockets are notable by their absence and the large fixed armrests hinder getting in and out of the seats. The seated accommodation is often rather busy too (especially on Friday and Sunday nights), although this is probably a good thing, as it means the service is more likely to continue. Username TIM in multiplayer Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 06:34 #55777 | |
Peter Bennet
5363 posts |
Been on it many times back in the 1980s when the seating accommodation consisted of MKII FKs and you had a cl50 (or a pair if really lucky) in charge. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 09:45 #55785 | |
flymo
135 posts |
Also did this a number of times in the 80s and remember the corridor stock very well. Did it both ways more times than I can remember. Also got some 08 haulage sleeping in the the Plymouth portion which was pulled off the Penzance portion and shunted into one of the bays at Plymouth.
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| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 10:14 #55786 | |
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Stefan
17 posts |
I've been on the Night Riviera a couple of years ago from Paddington all the way to Penzance (Me and my friend wanted to visit Lands' End  ). It was a really cool experience, since I'd never been on a sleeper before. And it's quite cool to wake up and to have breakfast whilst enjoying the views on the train. I'd say, if you have the opportunity, just do it.. It's great. :)Next on my list is the Caledonian Sleeper btw. 
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| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 10:34 #55787 | |
58050
2650 posts |
I traveled on it a few times in the mid 1980s from Taunton to Paddington. The train usually had a 'Ped'(Cl.31/4) piloting the Cl.50 over the South Devon banks & came off at Exeter St. Davids. The Cl.31/4 was then usually used on the Barnstable services. However in all the times I traveled on it we always ran via Westbury & not via Bristol TM.
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| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 10:50 #55788 | |
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jishmondo
22 posts |
It will certainly be an experience if I go and do it, seeing as the last "long" journey I took on a train was Derby to London St Pancras back on Midland Mainline when I was about 12 years old :laugh:. I'll have to bring my laptop along to SimSig and kill some time. If I do go I'd probably have a single cabin, not fond of the idea of sharing to be honest. Quote: Next on my list is the Caledonian Sleeper btw. :PYeah that looks aweesome too! It's a shame I live nowhere near London for either of them so It'd be purely and impulse decision (plus if I had the money). Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 11:16 #55790 | |
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Javelin395
270 posts |
I once had a job interview in Aberdeen and therefore looked into getting up there on the sleeper. Can still remember the shock at being told standard class meant sharing with a complete stranger !! Ended up taking the plane which was both quicker and cheaper than the cost of first class to ensure a single cabin on the sleeper.
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| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 11:18 #55791 | |
headshot119
4869 posts |
" said:I once had a job interview in Aberdeen and therefore looked into getting up there on the sleeper. Can still remember the shock at being told standard class meant sharing with a complete stranger !! Ended up taking the plane which was both quicker and cheaper than the cost of first class to ensure a single cabin on the sleeper.You no longer have to share with a stranger on the Night Riviera, not sure how it is on the Caledonian. "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 11:21 #55792 | |
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flyingpigs123456
36 posts |
I went on the Night Riviera only last year i think in the sleeper berth bit, it's really good (if your skinny)
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| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 11:44 #55793 | |
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headshot119
4869 posts |
" said:I went on the Night Riviera only last year i think in the sleeper berth bit, it's really good (if your skinny)Did it have a bed? If so that was the sleeper bit! :woohoo: "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 12:01 #55794 | |
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flyingpigs123456
36 posts |
Yes you get a bed, top/sink, TV (couldn't work it out), breakfast (I think) ermmmm yeah, been on the sleeper a few times now, wanting to go on the Caladonian one
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| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 13:01 #55797 | |
northroad
870 posts |
Brief extract from the Scot Rail web page shows that if you book standard then you may well be sharing. 'Cabins On arrival please check in with our friendly host who will show you to your cabin. All cabins are air-conditioned, non-smoking and offer: • a comfortable duvet • bedside lighting • wash basin and a hand towel that you can take away • shaver point There are two types of cabin available: • Single berth cabins (sleeps one person) Our First Class single berth cabins offer a private and peaceful area for a comfortable night’s sleep - helping you arrive at your destination refreshed in the morning.Your host will be on hand, to serve you with any light snacks and drinks you’d like from our room service selection. A complimentary hot or continental breakfast can be ordered from your host on arrival and delivered to your cabin in the morning.• Twin berth cabins(sleeps up to two people) Our Standard Class twin berth cabins accommodate up to two people and are ideal for people travelling together or those who don’t mind sharing. Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 16:02 #55805 | |
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Peter Bennet
5363 posts |
I've taken the Caledonian sleeper twice in recent years and on both occasions I was scheduled to share with a stranger but on neither case did it happen. I recall that on the first he never tunred up and on the second he decided to sleep on the floor of his friends' cabin dragging the bedding off down the corridor. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply The following user said thank you: northroad |
| The Night Riviera? 19/02/2014 at 16:09 #55807 | |
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northroad
870 posts |
Probably someone coming back from Aberdeen after a fortnights trip of 'hot bedding' offshore..... :side:
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| The Night Riviera? 20/02/2014 at 04:51 #55861 | |
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meeko
33 posts |
Sleeper trains are really a neat experience. Living in Canada, I've never had the opportunity to take The Night Riviera or The Caledonian Sleeper. I have taken The Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver, though, which takes 4 nights! (Leave e.g. Tuesday evening, arrive Saturday morning.) It's not cheap--my "cabin for 1" was nearly C$600 (that's about £325) on sale (full price is C$2300, £1250!), one-way. That includes all your meals in the dining car (prepared from scratch on-board--no microwaved airline meals here--and they're amazing), wine tasting one evening, as well as 24 hour tea, coffee, fruit and biscuits, though. There's also upper and lower berths (not much more than a shelf in the corridor with a curtain) and cabins for 2 or 3, all of which are also all inclusive, or economy, which is just a seat and food for purchase. The scenery is fantastic! I just wish they'd double more of the line, so we didn't have to spend up to several hours sitting in loops waiting for a freight train coming the other way. Also, unfortunately, you pass the most scenic part of the Rockies (Devil's Gate) at about 2 AM. Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 20/02/2014 at 04:59 #55862 | |
GeoffM
6288 posts |
Last time I went on the Caledonian Sleeper, maybe 5-6 years ago, I was supposed to be sharing. The other bloke didn't turn up. Time before that was with a colleague northbound. We'd woken up and were stopped somewhere. Colleague in his Y-fronts flung open the blind to come face-to-face with commuters waiting on Motherwell station. I'm not sure who was more shocked, him or the commuters, but he certainly closed the blind quick. :lol:
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| The Night Riviera? 20/02/2014 at 22:48 #55894 | |
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clive
2738 posts |
I've done plenty of sleepers. I did both Penzance and Plymouth (with the car being dropped off). I once came back from Penzance but couldn't get a berth there, so I took the last normal train to Plymouth and transferred there. I've done both parts of the Lowland Sleeper (Edinburgh/Glasgow). It was a trip from Glasgow that was my biggest recorded delay. At about 8am I looked out of the window to figure out where I was. I couldn't recognize anything, but saw a WN signal and assumed we were approaching Euston. But, in fact, it was Warrington! We finally arrived at 13:15, 375 minutes late. Another time the WCML was closing for a possession, so the Glasgow sleeper left at 19:30 instead of 23:30. That meant I could sit in the lounge car drinking the entire supply of Traquair House Ale (only 4 bottles, from memory) without getting to bed too late. When I'm buying cheap tickets on the sleeper, I'll often book two ("Mr and Mrs"  so that I get a cabin to myself. When I turn up, I just say "Sorry, she couldn't make it.".I've done the sleeper from Inverness a couple of times. Both were late June, meaning you get great views for the first hour or two. I've also done the sleeper to and from Aviemore. One early experience was going to Carlisle. In those days there was one sleeper that dropped a car in Carlisle just like the Plymouth one. I went to Cambridge station and booked a berth for it. I was told that I was on the 23:00 from Euston, so that's what I caught. The attendant welcomed me on board and said "Carlisle? I'll wake you at 3." I squawked!! It turned out that the 23:30 was the one that dropped the Carlisle coach. So they dropped me off at Watford Junction, I explained the situation to the stationmaster (remember them) there, and they got me a berth on the right train. Phew. Log in to reply The following user said thank you: UKTrainMan |
| The Night Riviera? 21/02/2014 at 13:17 #55915 | |
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jishmondo
22 posts |
Quote:It's not cheap--my "cabin for 1" was nearly C$600 (that's about £325) on sale (full price is C$2300, £1250!), one-wayWell, for 4 nights with all that stuff included it sounds like it's worth it if you're going on the train purely for an experience holiday sort of thing. I wouldn't imagine many travellers using it as a method of transportation if you can get a flight cheaper and quicker .Quote: Colleague in his Y-fronts flung open the blind to come face-to-face with commuters waiting on Motherwell station. I'm not sure who was more shocked, him or the commuters, but he certainly closed the blind quick. :lol:Oh damn! See that would be a nightmare for me. However, If I did go on a sleeper It would be the only train journey I would take with First Class I am not keen with the idea of random person in the same cabin as me to be honest.I'd like to try a sleeper abroad so the Canadian Toronto to Vancouver sleeper would be great. But I think the likely hood of affording it is very low for me  . Quote: But, in fact, it was Warrington! We finally arrived at 13:15, 375 minutes late.Wow! I took a local train from Derby to Nottingham, but it got delayed for 10 minutes. That's the longest delay I've ever experienced and I still took the bus in the end haha Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 23/02/2014 at 14:08 #56070 | |
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benstafford
88 posts |
I did Sydney to Alice Springs over 2 nights full board. Was great, woken up early for Broken Hill 1 hour stop (pastries before and breakfast after!), then waited an hour in a loop later as well.
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| The Night Riviera? 23/02/2014 at 17:23 #56087 | |
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Peter Bennet
5363 posts |
Many years ago I went round the world via Ostend-> Moscow -> Trans-Siberian -> Peking -> Hong Kong then Vancouver -> Toronto -> Halifax and experiences many weird and wonderful sleeper trains. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 23/02/2014 at 18:18 #56094 | |
Andrew G
550 posts 
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" said:Many years ago I went round the world via Ostend-> Moscow -> Trans-Siberian -> Peking -> Hong Kong then Vancouver -> Toronto -> Halifax and experiences many weird and wonderful sleeper trains.One of the Trans Siberian options is definitely worth considering for an adventurous trip. I did the Trans Mongolian route - Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia - with breaks in Siberia (Irkutsk) and Ulan Bator (Mongolia). The first leg on the Baikal train was 5 nights, circa 5k kilometres and numerous time zone changes, although the train runs to Moscow time. Can't day the 7 hour wait at the Russia/Mongolia border was much fun and food was variable. You can also do the traditional Trans Siberian to Vladivostock or the the Trans Manchurian to Beijing (but missing Mongolia). If you have the time it is worth trying to spend a day on the Circum Baikal line - part of the original route. http://www.flickr.com/photos/llangollen_signalman/sets/72157627077768129/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/llangollen_signalman/sets/72157631560965117/ Log in to reply |
| The Night Riviera? 23/02/2014 at 19:21 #56097 | |
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northroad
870 posts |
Back in early 2000 I worked over in Sahkalin Island Eastern Russia and when travelling to the Offshore platfrm had to travel from Yuzhno in the south all the way up to Nogliki in the north. The service left Yuzhno at around 4 in the afternoom and arrived at around 8 the following morning. The company had it's own carriages that they attached to the rest of the train which was both seating and sleeping combined. The carriage had its own female attendant (no prudes on this train) who was responsible for dishing out copious amounts of cha and also feeding the stove in her compartment with coal in order to keep the rest of the carriage heated. All worked well until she fell asleep and the temperature in winter sometimes plummeted to minus 25. Ice on windows in the middle of winter and plenty of mosquitos in the middle of summer. The carriage came complete with it's own armed guards who I could never work out if they were there to keep others out of the carriage or keep us in. Plenty of single track and lots of loops to stand around in. Luxury pure luxury. Geoff Log in to reply |