Ah, I missed the reference to a knee operation. That would make sense that he'd have to have the lower bunk in that instance.
Were you turfed out immediately upon arrival at whichever station it was?
There’s a Freedom of Information request response which includes the train manager diagrams here:
Thanks
IMO it is not good, it is adequate in the sense that it covers the bare minimum needed to do a very long and normally tedious train journey through the night so you can (try to) sleep through most of it for a high price. It is a hostel on wheels and even comparing to similar accommodation, the Norwegian mountain huts for example (which are dormitory accommodation with bunk beds) are vastly better for comfort, catering and sleeping. If I used the sleeper again I would probably go for one of the better cabins which look to be more like a budget hotel room.
Surely June, since that has the most daylight?
Makes sense. Thank you
I travelled on all three portions (with the old stock) in the summers of 2012 - 4, from and back to Preston (two in June and one in early August). The whole of the West Highland line was traversed in daylight in the morning and as far as Rannoch coming back in the evening, according to my notes. On the Aberdeen portion, I moved to the lounge car for the crossing of the Forth Bridge just before 0500, as the sun was already up. When I was heading for Inverness the train was 90 late arriving at Preston so it was daylight when we left Edinburgh!
Thread here:Teenagers charged after 'tampering with parcels on Royal Mail train'
British Transport Police were called during the early hours of Tuesday morning following reports two men had gained access to a Royal Mail train service at Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway.news.sky.com
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What would the hotel in London or Edinburgh have cost?
Sadly, it's probably the best option for most...
I fail to see how anyone can describe the bar car as luxurious. I used to love doing the Fort William sleeper where you could sit comfortably enjoying your breakfast and watching the wonderful scenery. Now if you're travelling by yourself you are not allowed to use the seats but you have to try on sit on the horrible stools which were hurting my back so much I had to finish my breakfast quickly and return to my cabin where at least I could sit fairly comfortably on the bed but not enjoying the view as much as you would in the bar car. Such a pity to spoil what was a wonderful experience.
Yes I know, but the dawn taxi to Heathrow (necessary to be in time to check in for an early enough flight), or hotel in Edinburgh in the fringe season at short notice (which is what we'd have done if the sleeper was full), would have eaten into the margin - not to mention the extra time needed to get to and from Princes Street from the Airport.
Beyond the whole sleeper market specifically - what I associate with it most is it being a very nice way to travel. I have a leisurely evening, have a shower, wander into town, walk through an otherwise deserted station, get to my bed, and wake up on Euston Road. There is a premium of course. But compared to so so many instances of laughable overcrowding, mass cancellation; industrial action, weather or passenger related delays, absent or reduced cafe service, and a race to the bottom of how many windowless seats can be rammed where a luggage rack should be, my personal experience of the sleeper is one of greater reliability, and considerably reduced stress. In the midst of Edinburgh and the mayhem of the festival, people will pay a lot for that (and clearly do).
So the Scottish tourists can visit London for cheap, but the southern tourists can't visit Scotland for cheap...?
If they'd wanted people to visit Scotland cheaply, they'd have done what GWR did to their Mk3 SLEPs.