Sleeper Trains
 

I am a novice (in both the hobby and railway forum sense), so please forgive me if I have posted this in the wrong area.

My main interest is in the overnight sleeping services that have and still exist in Britain. Can anyone point me in the right direction with regards to researching more information (technical and historical) on the subject.

Thanking everyone in advance for any help they may be able to provide.

I have just got back from a fortnight in Fort William on the Jacobite support crew, am knackered!!!!

Anyway, while we where sat in Fort William allowing the punters onto the footplate the Caledonian sleeper service would arrive, at about 9:30am. I don't know when the stock returned, but it was still sat in the loop when we arrived back from Mallaig at 16:00.

It was an EWS 67 on the front, 67011 most of the time.

Here is a link for more info on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Sleeper#Route

Hello;
As far as I am aware, there are only two routes that see Sleeper trains nowadays. There is the First Great Western sleeper from Paddington to Penzance, usually hauled by the 57/6s. Departure from Paddington is about midnight and Penzance about 10ish (I think). The other is First Scotrail, and they run two trains. London Euston to Edinburgh, where the train splits into three, for Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness. The other train is London Euston to Glasgow and Edinburgh. These trains use DB-S Class 90s in First Corporate livery from London to Edinburgh/Glasgow and DB-S Class 67s north thereof.
For Exact times I'd suggest checking on the relevant websites.
During times of engineering works it has been known for the sleepers to use the east coast line rather than the west coast.
HTH
Dave.

Thank you to you both.

I regularly travel between Euston and Inverness, and it's a great service ... and has recently been fairly reliable to boot! :)
There's usually quite a good atmosphere on board, and the crews are generally very friendly. (There was a time when we were raided by the BT police at Preston, and a couple of guys got frogmarched away, but let's not go there!)
I understand that there is an obligation on Scotrail to provide the current service as part of the franchise obligation, and they do promote it sometimes, but I often feel it's underutilised. The carriage sets are showing their age, and must have clocked up an enormous milage - they could really do with refurbishment or replacement, and do suffer from a lack of storage space, especially for bikes.

Jeemac, I was hoping to use it for a journey to aviemore next year to visit the strathspey railway. It appears to be good value if booked well in advance. I would be travelling on my own. Would you recommend 1st or 2nd class ? Is there much difference in the comfort/food etc ?

If you travel 1st class you get a cabin to yourself.

Food wise you now have to order your breakfast when you board,for the standard class it cost £4 for a bacon roll or a croissiont tea or coffee otherwise you get the standard T or Coff with the shortbread. I am unsure about the 1st class breakfast.

Les

Can I get my car on a train to scotland?

No, you can't.

Did they transfer those 'Roadrailer' trains to the Chunnel then?
John (G)

This http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorai...ritish_Rail%29 seems quite accurate as far as I can tell.

Hi Pesmo, Yes, if you are travelling from London or the South East it couldn't be better, as arrival in Aviemore at 8.30am is usually just over the footbridge from the Strathspey Aviemore Platform!
You always get a much better price online if you can book in advance, and they often have special offers - it would probably be worth your while signing up to their Advance newsletter http://www.scotrail.co.uk/advance/index.html to keep up to date with those :) .
All the cabins are the same size - but as LesG says, 1st class you're sure to get one to yourself - 2nd class they pull out an additional upper bunk. To be honest the cabins are more functional than sumptuous, but if like me you can crash out easily, it's a good way to travel the length of the country.
Depending what your budget is, you can also travel on 'seated sleeper' seats (which is probably the only example of 3rd class still in existence! :rolleyes: ) These are actually not too bad - they recline a bit, and there are only three in each row (a double and a single) so you get reasonable elbow room.

Food - there's a common kitchen which serves meals in a lounge for 1st class, and through a hatch for the plebs in steerage!!! Generally they stock a remarkably wide choice of grub, which they will microwave for you, and they make PROPER tea with boiling water for £1 :D Prices are not cheap, but neither are they a rip-off. Alternatively, you can stock up at the M&S at Euston!

One tip though, bring plenty of drinking water - the train often gets quite stuffy - no doubt one of the better informed members will explain why the heating/ air-co never quite works properly!

What happened to motor rail?

Not 100% sure but more than likely the usual if its not paying in the private railway get rid of it.

Les