The
Caledonian Sleeper is a
sleeperThe sleeping car or sleeper is a railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured for...
trainA train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport freight or passengers from one place to another. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway....
service operated by
First ScotRailFirst ScotRail is the FirstGroup train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London. However, the company has now been renamed ScotRail - Scotland's Railway....
and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of
Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
, the other being the
Night RivieraThe Night Riviera is a sleeper train service operated by First Great Western. It is one of only two remaining sleeper services on the railway in Great Britain...
.
It connects
London Euston stationEuston station, also known as London Euston, is a major railway station to the north of central London in the London Borough of Camden and is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 British railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast...
and five
ScottishScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
termini – ,
EdinburghEdinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly called "Waverley", is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
, ,
GlasgowGlasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, Scotland, and is managed by Network Rail. It is the northern terminus of the West Coast Main Line, and was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879....
and – six times a week (departures are daily except for Saturday nights) and also serves a number of intermediate stations. The service to Fort William is colloquially known as
The Deerstalker.
CaledonianCaledonian is a geographical term used to refer to places, species, or items in or from Scotland, or particularly the Scottish Highlands. It derives from Caledonia, the Roman name for the area of modern Scotland...
is an adjective relating to Scotland or the
Scottish HighlandsThe Scottish Highlands include the rugged and mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east...
and derives from
CaledoniaCaledonia is the Latin name given by the Romans to the land in today's Scotland north of their province of Britannia, beyond the frontier of their empire...
, the
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
name for northern Britain.
Route
Two services leave daily (except Saturday nights) from
London EustonEuston station, also known as London Euston, is a major railway station to the north of central London in the London Borough of Camden and is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 British railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast...
northbound along the
West Coast Main LineThe West Coast Main Line is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. It provides fast, long-distance Intercity passenger services between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and southern Scotland....
. The
Highland Caledonian Sleeper services leave London as one train in the early evening (between 2000 and 2115) for Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William. Later on (around 2300 - 0000) the
Lowland Caledonian Sleeper services leave for Edinburgh and Glasgow, also as one train.
After leaving London, The Highland Sleeper calls at ,
CreweCrewe is a town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
and
PrestonPreston is a city and non-metropolitan district of Lancashire, in North West England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
for further boarding. (It is customary for the service to arrive early and wait for its booked departure time.) This train arrives at (where no alighting is possible) about six and a half hours after leaving London, where it splits into three separate trains, bound for Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. These trains call at intermediate stations en route to their final destinations. Travel to intermediate stations between Edinburgh and the ultimate destinations is possible in seated accommodation subject to availability. It is worth noting that customers for Central Scotland and Fife stations to Perth and Dundee may depart London later and arrive later by travelling on the Lowland Sleeper, then by local connecting service from Edinburgh. Also, although the Fort William portion of the Highland Sleeper skirts round northern Glasgow, customers may arrive in Glasgow earlier than the Lowland Sleeper by travelling on the Highland Sleeper and changing at Westerton.
The Lowland Sleeper leaves London, and calls at only to pick up passengers. The service stops to allow passengers to alight at and . At Carstairs it separates into two separate services, one bound for Edinburgh and the other for , also calling at .
Heading south, the Highland Sleeper trains depart from Fort William, Inverness and Aberdeen, calling at intermediate stations on the journey southwards. They merge to form one train at Edinburgh Waverley before continuing their journey via Preston, Crewe and Watford Junction (all stops permit alighting only) to London Euston. The Lowland Sleeper services depart from Glasgow (calling at Motherwell) and Edinburgh and merge at Carstairs. The merged service makes a further stop at Carlisle to pick up passengers, and arrives at Watford Junction and then London Euston the following morning. All four services stop at Carlisle to pick up breakfast supplies and for a driver change.
From London Euston, the front three coaches of the Highland Sleeper are for Fort William, the middle portion Aberdeen, and the rear portion Inverness.
Of the Lowland Sleeper, the front portion is for Motherwell and Glasgow Central, the rear portion for Edinburgh.
Diversions
Occasionally, if the WCML is closed for engineering works, the train will use the
East Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a 393-mile long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh....
and miss out the usual stops. The train leaves Euston as normal but with a second locomotive still attached to the back of the train. Upon arriving at Wembley Car Maintenance Depot in North London, the first locomotive is detached and the train hauled southwards again, back in the direction of London. A curve is taken to join the
North London LineThe North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
through and onto the curve linking the
North London LineThe North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
to the
East Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a 393-mile long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh....
near St. Pancras. After passing through Finsbury Park (heading north again), the service is run non-stop to Scotland. By entering Edinburgh Waverley station at the opposite end to normal, any further shunting is avoided, leaving the train in the "standard" arrangement.
When the Lowlander is in Edinburgh Waverley, the Glasgow portion is detached from the front and hauled back down to Motherwell and up to Glasgow Central. The Highlander is split into three portions as usual. The opposite sequence is repeated going South. Because of the reversal at Wembley and additional route length, the train is normally booked to leave an hour early on such occasions.
Engineering work on other stretches can lead to the Highlander joining up/dividing at a different locations.
Other diversions include:
Northampton: Wolverton - Hanslope Jct - Northampton - Hillmorton Jct - Rugby
Bescot: Rugby - Stechford - Aston - Bescot Stadium - Portobello Jct - Bushbury Jct - Stafford
If the East Coast is shut and part of the West Coast is shut then these diversions over non electrified lines happen:
Manchester: Crewe - Stockport - Manchester Piccadilly - Bolton - Preston
Settle: Preston - Blackburn - Clitheroe - Settle - Carlisle
Dumfries: Carlisle - Dumfries - Glasgow Central (via Larkfield to Edinburgh)
Fort William Diversions:
Oban: The last diversion to Oban took place in 2006, while
class 37Class 37 may refer to:*British Rail Class 37, a British diesel locomotive* DRG Class 37, a class of German steam locomotives with 2-6-0 wheel arrangements operated by the Deutsche Reichsbahn:** Class 37.0-1: Prussian P 6** Class 37.1-2: PKP Class Oi1...
locomotives were still operating this section of the sleeper service. This is unlikely to be repeated however, as the current Class 67 locomotives are barred from operating the Oban branch west from Crianlarich due to their high RA (
Route AvailabilityRoute Availability is a system devised by the London and North Eastern Railway, and perpetuated by British Rail to ascertain which locomotives can work on which lines throughout the rail network in the Great Britain...
) rating.
Shotts: Westerton - Partick - Glasgow Central Low Level - Cambuslang - Holytown - Shotts - Edinburgh
Inverness Diversions:
Inverness - Aberdeen - Perth/Leuchars - Edinburgh
Inverness - Perth - Kirkcaldy/Cowdenbeath - Edinburgh
Aberdeen Diversions:
Aberdeen - Perth - Falkirk - Edinburgh
Via Fife Circle.
Formation
The service uses
Mark IIBritish Rail's second design of carriages was designated Mark 2. The Mark 2 has a semi-integral construction, giving it more strength than a Mark 1 in the event of an accident, although a key driver of the changed construction method was to overcome the serious corrosion problem point in the Mark 1...
and
Mark IIIBritish Rail's third fundamental design of carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
coaching stock, hauled by
Class 90The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by BREL at Crewe from 1987-1990. Each locomotive weighs 84.5 tonnes and has a top speed of . They operate from 25 kV AC overhead wires and produce...
and
Class 67The Class 67 locomotives were built from 1999 to 2000 by Alstom in Valencia, Spain under sub-contract from General Motors Diesel in Canada.- Overview :...
locomotives. From London, the train to each destination consists of up to six Mark III
sleeping carA Sleeper Either class and Sleeper Either class with Pantry are a type of railway sleeping car used in the United Kingdom. Some units were later modified for better wheelchair access as Sleeper Either class Disabled...
s, a
lounge carA lounge car is a type of passenger car on a train, where riders can purchase food and drinks. The car may feature large windows and comfortable seating to create a relaxing diversion from standard coach or dining options...
and seated car, the latter pair being converted Mark 2F coaches. The exception to this is the Fort William portion which consists of a First Class sleeper car and Standard Class sleeper car only - a Mark II Lounge Car and a Mark II seated carriage are added to this portion at Edinburgh. The reason for this is the train is at the longest permitted length for the platforms at London Euston. South of Edinburgh passengers in the Fort William portion can use the lounge car in whichever portion is marshalled behind.
Trains south of Glasgow Central or Edinburgh (where OHLE is provided) are usually hauled by a
Class 90The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by BREL at Crewe from 1987-1990. Each locomotive weighs 84.5 tonnes and has a top speed of . They operate from 25 kV AC overhead wires and produce...
electric locomotive. Until June 2006, a
Class 37The British Rail Class 37 is a diesel-electric locomotive. Also known as the English Electric Type 3, the Class was ordered as part of the British Rail modernisation plan....
diesel locomotive hauled the Fort William portion north of Edinburgh; it is now hauled by a
Class 67The Class 67 locomotives were built from 1999 to 2000 by Alstom in Valencia, Spain under sub-contract from General Motors Diesel in Canada.- Overview :...
diesel locomotive. Aberdeen and Inverness portions are also hauled by a Class 67. All locomotives are hired from DB Schenker. In 2006, First ScotRail and EWS (DBS' predecessor) came to an agreement that a dedicated set of Class 90s would be used for the Caledonian Sleeper, and these are painted in First ScotRail livery, with a small EWS logo at the cab.
Amenities
Three classes of travel are available on the Caledonian Sleeper. These are First Class, Standard Class and Seated Sleeper.
First Class and Standard Class both entitle the holder to an
air conditionedAn air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area, or provide heat to an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
cabin, with wash basin, shaver point, hand
towelA towel is a piece of absorbent fabric or paper used for drying or wiping. It draws moisture through direct contact, often using a blotting or a rubbing motion.-Types of towels:...
, bottled water and mini washkit - albeit more substantial in First Class. These berths are standard British Rail SLEP style rolling stock, and as such, were built with interlinking doors. These doors usually remain locked, however First ScotRail policy is to allow these doors to be unlocked if both berths booked as a group.
Berths are usually available prior to departure at the originating station and for a short while after arrival at the
terminusTerminal Station is a 1953 film English language film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
.
First Class
First Class is the most expensive, but most amenable class offered. This class of ticket entitles the holder to a private cabin consisting of a single
bedA bed is a piece of furniture used as a place to sleep.Beds usually consist of a mattress placed on top of a box spring inner-sprung base...
, morning
teaTea is the agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods...
,
coffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of "coffee cherries" that grow on trees in over 70 countries. It has been said that green coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind crude oil. Due to its...
and full continental-style
breakfastBreakfast is the first meal of the day. The word is a portmanteau of "break" and "fast," referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day's last meal. It is widely referred to as the most important meal of the day...
. Breakfast consists of a choice of bacon, egg or
Danish pastryDanish pastry, or simply Danish, is a sweet pastry which has become a speciality of Denmark and the neighbouring Scandinavian countries and is popular throughout the industrialized world, although the form it takes can differ significantly from country to country.Danish pastry is, like the...
with fruit salad, yoghurt, orange juice and shortbread, served with a
Scotsman newspaper.The Scotsman is a Scottish national newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of July 2009 it had an audited circulation of 45,080., a significant drop from an approximately 100,000 circulation in the 1980s....
Because of the Scottish scenery the train passes through, especially to Fort William, if there is enough light and the weather is good then breakfast can be a very pleasurable experience onboard as it may be taken in the Lounge Car.
Room service is also available in First Class, and First Class ticket holders may also use the Virgin Trains lounge at London Euston, including the showers.
Standard Class
Standard Class is a less costly ticket, even less so if booked more than two days in advance, and offers a shared cabin consisting of a bunk bed and wash basin. Included in the price is early morning tea or coffee with shortbread, delivered to cabins approximately 30 minutes before arrival. As these cabins sleep two people, single travellers may have to share with a fellow passenger of the same sex. Each pair of adjacent cabins have interconnecting doors, lockable from both sides.
Seated Sleeper
The cheapest of the classes offered by the Caledonian Sleeper, this ticket entitles the user to an airline-style reclining
seatSeat can refer to:A place to sit, particularly the area one sits upon , See:* Chair* Car seat* Airline seat* Saddle, a type of seat used on the backs of animals, bicycles , etc....
in an
air conditionedAn air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area, or provide heat to an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
carriage, shared with up to 31 people, roughly what you would expect from a daytime First Class service. Amenities include
tablesA table is an item of furniture comprising an open, flat surface supported by a base or legs. It may be used to hold articles such as food or papers at a convenient or comfortable height when sitting, and is therefore often used in conjunction with chairs. Unlike many earlier table designs, most...
, footrests and a reading light — while it can be turned off, the standard coach lighting remains on throughout the night.
BlindfoldA blindfold is a garment, usually of cloth, tied to one's head to cover the eyes to disable the wearer's sight. It can be worn when the eyes are in a closed state and thus prevents the wearer from opening them...
s have been provided since 2004.
Lounge Car
Holders of First Class and Standard Class tickets are entitled to use the Lounge Car, although it can be restricted to First Class ticket holders at busier times. There is a
buffetA buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area and diners generally serve themselves. It is a popular method for feeding a large number of people with minimal staff. Buffets are offered at various places including hotels and many social events...
car service available for Seated passengers and all passengers can take purchases back to their seat or cabin. The lounge car provides meals, snacks and alcoholic or soft drinks.
The lounge car permitted smoking until 9 October 2005, being the last place where it was legal to smoke on the British railway network, but it is now banned. It is highly unusual amongst British trains in having chairs which are not secured to the floor. Recently, Lounge Cars have had a complete refurbishment, including the installation of leather sofas and electric sockets for chargers.
Luggage
Luggage is generally conveyed on all sleeper services, with large areas available for storing luggage. Bicycles are conveyed on all sleeper services subject to availability, with a necessary booking. Bicycle and luggage van storage on southbound services from Inverness and following stations is limited.
Pets
Dogs are allowed on sleeper services, with a conveyance fee (no fee is charged for Assistance Dogs). Dogs are only allowed in single-berth cabins or where the ticket holder has exclusive use of a twin-berth cabin.
Showers
There are no
showerA shower is a device for washing, typically consisting of an enclosed area and an overhead nozzle. To use a shower, a person stands in the enclosed area while the nozzle sprays water down on the body...
s available on the Caledonian Sleeper. However, there are showers available at , , and for an extra charge.
There are new shower facilities at Fort William station that have recently opened which are free for use by First Class Caledonian Sleeper ticket holders and come at a cost of £3.50 for Standard Class passengers.
Only First Class ticket holders are entitled to use the shower facilities at
London EustonEuston station may refer to one of the following stations in London, United Kingdom:*Euston railway station*Euston tube station...
, however showers are available for all at nearby London King's Cross station.
Booking
Booking the Caledonian Sleeper services can be tricky, because there is often no differentiation between these and seated services on the
National RailNational Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
booking system.
First ScotRailFirst ScotRail is the FirstGroup train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London. However, the company has now been renamed ScotRail - Scotland's Railway....
offers an online booking service which specifically shows its sleeper services, from the syndicated
National RailNational Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
database.
Ticket prices vary depending on the demand expected for the train, and time of booking. Standard Class and Seated Class both offer cheaper 'Apex' fares, if booked in advance of the date of travel and subject to availability. First Class does not offer an 'Apex' ticket, but special fares are available for travelling on weekends. Railcard discounts apply at the network standard rate of 34% in Seated Class, and at a lower rate on tickets with berths. This discrepancy is due to the Railcard discount being available on the travel portion of the ticket, but not redeemable against the berth. Discount rates are typically not available with the cheaper 'Apex' tickets.
Cheap tickets, termed "Bargain Berths", may be booked in advance and are allocated in very limited numbers to each service. They are available from as little as £19 and are available in Standard Class. The process of booking Bargain Berths is entirely web-based and no physical tickets are issued. It is necessary to print off the booking confirmation e-ticket as confirmation.
External links