Following on from the various now-closed threads on Sleeper services past and present (such as www.railforums.co.uk/threads/sleeper-services-past-and-present.135785 and www.railforums.co.uk/threads/night-trains-in-bygone-eras.109744), does anyone know when each Sleeper service changed from Mark 1s to Mark 3s?
I believe that King's Cross-Aberdeen was the first to change over in January 1982, followed by King's Cross-Edinburgh in May of that year.
I have seen a photo of the Glasgow Sleeper derailed somewhere north of Watford in December 1982, still formed of Mark 1s, so I would guess that WCML Sleeper services changed to Mark 3s some time in 1983. I seem to recall that for a short while the Inverness was Mark 3s but the Fort William was still Mark 1s (so must have run as a separate train in those days, or maybe as a portion of the Stranraer?).
I also seem to remember that the Paddington-Penzance went Mark 3 in about July 1983, and the long since withdrawn Scottish internal (Glasgow/Edinburgh-Inverness) was the last to change in May 1984.
I believe that King's Cross-Aberdeen was the first to change over in January 1982, followed by King's Cross-Edinburgh in May of that year.
I have seen a photo of the Glasgow Sleeper derailed somewhere north of Watford in December 1982, still formed of Mark 1s, so I would guess that WCML Sleeper services changed to Mark 3s some time in 1983. I seem to recall that for a short while the Inverness was Mark 3s but the Fort William was still Mark 1s (so must have run as a separate train in those days, or maybe as a portion of the Stranraer?).
I also seem to remember that the Paddington-Penzance went Mark 3 in about July 1983, and the long since withdrawn Scottish internal (Glasgow/Edinburgh-Inverness) was the last to change in May 1984.