Has the sleeper been switched out for standard rolling stock before? Anyone know the last time if so?
Better than a cancellation - not ideal though!
As others have said, it does happen. I experienced it myself a few years ago before the stock was refurbished. Boarded the sleeper at Paddington soon after 22.30, settled into berth, got sleep of sorts but was aware that it was way past scheduled departure time and was still at station. Disturbance then caused by the station PA repeatedly playing out a section of the shipping forecast- presumably testing or working on the system.
Then sometime after 1, a knock on the door and was told to get up and move to a waiting HST. I didn’t question this and just went along with it and found an empty table of four and tried, unsuccessfully, to get comfortable. I have to say, it was a horrible experience and that, along with some bad experiences using the then Scotrail sleepers, put me off using sleeper trains for about 5 years.
if a similar situation ever occurred to me in the future, I’d decline to travel, take a day train instead and try to find some hotel accommodation.