I see from the National Rifle Association's Facebook page that Mark 1 Sleeper Second 2592 was taken from the National Shooting Centre at Bisley, Surrey on Monday by low loader to Booth's at Rotherham for scrapping, and is to be replaced by a redundant ex-Caledonian Sleeper Mark 3 in the autumn to provide member accommodation at the NSC.
AFAIK 2592 was the last remaining SLSTP that was in reasonable condition, and leaves just eight surviving Mark 1 sleeping cars, of which five (SLSTP 2500 and Sleeper Firsts 2108, 2110, 2127 and 2131) are at Carnforth in a derelict condition and probably destined for scrap fairly soon if they haven't already gone. That would just leave Sleeper Composite at the Bluebell Railway and SLFs 2080 at Peak Rail and 2132 at Llangollen.
There are also a number of LMS sleepers still in existence, plus at least three GWR cars and one LNER car at Bo'ness. Understandably, as Mark 3 cars have been going spare these have been snapped up by preservation groups to replace Mark 1 or older vehicles.
Sleeper trains used to play a crucial role on the rail network, and still do on the few routes that still operate. Sleeping cars are thus an important but often overlooked part of our railway heritage.
Realistically, their only use on preserved railways is as volunteer accommodation. I believe that a few railways have considered using them as camping coaches, or even running trains all night up and down the line with sleeper berths on offer to re-create old-style sleeping car trains, but so far neither idea has ever really caught on.
AFAIK 2592 was the last remaining SLSTP that was in reasonable condition, and leaves just eight surviving Mark 1 sleeping cars, of which five (SLSTP 2500 and Sleeper Firsts 2108, 2110, 2127 and 2131) are at Carnforth in a derelict condition and probably destined for scrap fairly soon if they haven't already gone. That would just leave Sleeper Composite at the Bluebell Railway and SLFs 2080 at Peak Rail and 2132 at Llangollen.
There are also a number of LMS sleepers still in existence, plus at least three GWR cars and one LNER car at Bo'ness. Understandably, as Mark 3 cars have been going spare these have been snapped up by preservation groups to replace Mark 1 or older vehicles.
Sleeper trains used to play a crucial role on the rail network, and still do on the few routes that still operate. Sleeping cars are thus an important but often overlooked part of our railway heritage.
Realistically, their only use on preserved railways is as volunteer accommodation. I believe that a few railways have considered using them as camping coaches, or even running trains all night up and down the line with sleeper berths on offer to re-create old-style sleeping car trains, but so far neither idea has ever really caught on.
