table38
Established Member
I had wanted to do the sleeper for ages, and with the talk of Serco making some changes, and having the opportunity of a few days off work, I decided to give it a go at long last.
I needed the Inverness to Aberdeen line, so my initial thoughts were to do Inverness sleeper up and Aberdeen back down, but there didn't appear to be any availability to Aberdeen at all, so I decided instead to do Crewe to Inverness on the sleeper, then Aberdeen and back to Glasgow, then back on a 350.
Booking was straightforward on the Scotrail web site, with the tickets to be picked up from a TVM. I did first class, not wanting to risk having to share. Total Crewe to Inverness was £152.80 which compares well with the Standard Anytime Single at £134.50.
Crewe at 11 o'clock at night is not very welcoming. The waiting rooms were open and there was a machine selling tea-flavour drinks, but that was all, so I decided to walk down to the 24hr McDonalds. Oddly the waiting room lights are movement-activated, so kept going off! I totally forgot about the FC lounge at Crewe, didn't even think to look to see if it was open.
The sleeper was not on any of the departure screens, maybe this is deliberate because it isn't really a walk-up service. RTT said it was due into Platform 6 around 6 early, so I nipped in the Gents only to find it already pulling in, so I didn't get the number of the 90 at the front.
The coaches were in a fairly random order, but I located Coach J towards the rear, by which time the steward had the door open. He had a list of reservations so was already expecting me. I chose the "hot" breakfast from a choice of "hot" or "cold", and he said that as we would arrive in Inverness around 08:30, he'd deliver it to my room at 07:30.
I dumped my bag in the room and headed off to the lounge car. I worried about not being able to lock my door, and the possibility of returning to find a naked drunk scotsman asleep in my bed, but alas not. Reading the bumph later, you can lock the door if you want to by effectively "locking yourself out" but then you have to find the steward to let you back in.
There were only two other people in the lounge car.
There's a mixture of 2 and 4 seat tables with free-standing chairs, and some sofas. The lighting is a bit harsh as they have retro-fitted some bright led downlighters, but other than that, it was very pleasant. There was a two-page food menu, a two-page "wine and champagne" menu, and a five-page whisky menu - so they get their priorities right! There's a nice Inter-City swallow on the vestibule door.
I wanted to stay up until at least Preston, it was fun going through Warrington non-stop. I did wonder if I had ever done that before, but then I remembered the Pathfinder tour that failed to pick up there, so I definitely had!
At the Preston stop (8 early), there seemed to be plenty of freight, two 86s north, and a Frieghtliner then a DRS 66 south.
So off to bed. The rooms are clean but a bit "tired". You get a duvet, 2 pillows and a blanket. Because it was First Class, the top bunk was folded away. I got a free washbag, towel and a bottle of water. The window blind is full blackout, but there is a night-light in the cabin you can leave on.
Luggage space really is at a premium; there's a luggage rack, and room under the bottom bunk for a couple of flat suitcases, but not for those huge solid wheely things people seem to favour these days. There are adjoining doors which you can ask the steward to unlock if you are travelling with others.
The sink is under a flap in the counter. Plenty of hot water too.
It's rather odd because you need to get used to being laid down "sideways", so the curves tip you head to toe, and the brakes roll you out of the bed! I'm nearly 6'2" and the bed was a bit narrow but plenty long enough for me. I dozed until the next stop at Carlisle, then was more or less wide awake for a while. I registered the slow down for the curve at Carstairs, then I must have gone back to sleep because the next thing I knew was the sound of the tunnels at Haymarket and we were pulling into Edinburgh.
The actual noise was quite relaxing. None of the squeaks and rattles of the loose panels on modern stock, or the knocking and squeaking of modern bogies. And that nice reassuring Mark 3 braking sound! And I suddenly realised, of course no annoying automated announcements.
It seemed odd at first that Edinburgh isn't a passenger stop, but then I guess they don't want people boarding or alighting while they are splitting the train. We were in the back portion, and it wasn't long before 67021 arrived, drew us forward a bit to split the coaches, then in no time at all, we were off again.
I dozed through the Stirling stop, but then some rattly jointed track outside Perth woke me up. Then it's more or less all shacks to Inverness, so a bit of noise from doors being slammed and people shuffling down the corridors. It was getting light by then. I considered going back to the lounge car which is open all night, but couldn't really be bothered.
Breakfast duly arrived, it occured to me I hadn't been asked about Tea or Coffee, but you get a teapot full of hot water and the choice of a teabag or instant coffee.
The steward returned to collect the tray before we got into Inverness.
And that was it! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it. I went off into town in search of provisions, and by the time I had returned, the shunter had been to take the coaches away for servicing.
I needed the Inverness to Aberdeen line, so my initial thoughts were to do Inverness sleeper up and Aberdeen back down, but there didn't appear to be any availability to Aberdeen at all, so I decided instead to do Crewe to Inverness on the sleeper, then Aberdeen and back to Glasgow, then back on a 350.
Booking was straightforward on the Scotrail web site, with the tickets to be picked up from a TVM. I did first class, not wanting to risk having to share. Total Crewe to Inverness was £152.80 which compares well with the Standard Anytime Single at £134.50.
Crewe at 11 o'clock at night is not very welcoming. The waiting rooms were open and there was a machine selling tea-flavour drinks, but that was all, so I decided to walk down to the 24hr McDonalds. Oddly the waiting room lights are movement-activated, so kept going off! I totally forgot about the FC lounge at Crewe, didn't even think to look to see if it was open.
The sleeper was not on any of the departure screens, maybe this is deliberate because it isn't really a walk-up service. RTT said it was due into Platform 6 around 6 early, so I nipped in the Gents only to find it already pulling in, so I didn't get the number of the 90 at the front.
The coaches were in a fairly random order, but I located Coach J towards the rear, by which time the steward had the door open. He had a list of reservations so was already expecting me. I chose the "hot" breakfast from a choice of "hot" or "cold", and he said that as we would arrive in Inverness around 08:30, he'd deliver it to my room at 07:30.
I dumped my bag in the room and headed off to the lounge car. I worried about not being able to lock my door, and the possibility of returning to find a naked drunk scotsman asleep in my bed, but alas not. Reading the bumph later, you can lock the door if you want to by effectively "locking yourself out" but then you have to find the steward to let you back in.
There were only two other people in the lounge car.
There's a mixture of 2 and 4 seat tables with free-standing chairs, and some sofas. The lighting is a bit harsh as they have retro-fitted some bright led downlighters, but other than that, it was very pleasant. There was a two-page food menu, a two-page "wine and champagne" menu, and a five-page whisky menu - so they get their priorities right! There's a nice Inter-City swallow on the vestibule door.
I wanted to stay up until at least Preston, it was fun going through Warrington non-stop. I did wonder if I had ever done that before, but then I remembered the Pathfinder tour that failed to pick up there, so I definitely had!
At the Preston stop (8 early), there seemed to be plenty of freight, two 86s north, and a Frieghtliner then a DRS 66 south.
So off to bed. The rooms are clean but a bit "tired". You get a duvet, 2 pillows and a blanket. Because it was First Class, the top bunk was folded away. I got a free washbag, towel and a bottle of water. The window blind is full blackout, but there is a night-light in the cabin you can leave on.
Luggage space really is at a premium; there's a luggage rack, and room under the bottom bunk for a couple of flat suitcases, but not for those huge solid wheely things people seem to favour these days. There are adjoining doors which you can ask the steward to unlock if you are travelling with others.
The sink is under a flap in the counter. Plenty of hot water too.
It's rather odd because you need to get used to being laid down "sideways", so the curves tip you head to toe, and the brakes roll you out of the bed! I'm nearly 6'2" and the bed was a bit narrow but plenty long enough for me. I dozed until the next stop at Carlisle, then was more or less wide awake for a while. I registered the slow down for the curve at Carstairs, then I must have gone back to sleep because the next thing I knew was the sound of the tunnels at Haymarket and we were pulling into Edinburgh.
The actual noise was quite relaxing. None of the squeaks and rattles of the loose panels on modern stock, or the knocking and squeaking of modern bogies. And that nice reassuring Mark 3 braking sound! And I suddenly realised, of course no annoying automated announcements.
It seemed odd at first that Edinburgh isn't a passenger stop, but then I guess they don't want people boarding or alighting while they are splitting the train. We were in the back portion, and it wasn't long before 67021 arrived, drew us forward a bit to split the coaches, then in no time at all, we were off again.
I dozed through the Stirling stop, but then some rattly jointed track outside Perth woke me up. Then it's more or less all shacks to Inverness, so a bit of noise from doors being slammed and people shuffling down the corridors. It was getting light by then. I considered going back to the lounge car which is open all night, but couldn't really be bothered.
Breakfast duly arrived, it occured to me I hadn't been asked about Tea or Coffee, but you get a teapot full of hot water and the choice of a teabag or instant coffee.
The steward returned to collect the tray before we got into Inverness.
And that was it! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it. I went off into town in search of provisions, and by the time I had returned, the shunter had been to take the coaches away for servicing.
