'Goodnight to the sleeper train' - Highland sleeper faces the axe

[teuchter]

Proper? Engines pulling carriages. Mid journey traction changes. Shunting moves with passengers onboard. Stock built to spec for BR. Manual couplings. Sit-down dining car. Lounge seats. Guard's van with luggage space. Slam doors. Single tail light hung on the back. Windows you can open and get a breath of fresh air. Clickety clack track. A sense of occasion and journey. World class scenery and lines built and kept alive against the odds. Britain's heart and fringes connected, not because it makes money but just because that's what railways are for.

OK, I went a bit off-brief towards the end, but that kind of stuff.

 

[Crispy]

*wipes tear from corner of eye*

 

[teuchter]

*And* £2.70 for a pint of Deuchars.

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

Proper? Engines pulling carriages. Mid journey traction changes. Shunting moves with passengers onboard. Stock built to spec for BR. Manual couplings. Sit-down dining car. Lounge seats. Guard's van with luggage space. Slam doors. Single tail light hung on the back. Windows you can open and get a breath of fresh air. Clickety clack track. A sense of occasion and journey. World class scenery and lines built and kept alive against the odds. Britain's heart and fringes connected, not because it makes money but just because that's what railways are for.

OK, I went a bit off-brief towards the end, but that kind of stuff.

I can suddenly hear some Elgar playing. Serously though, cracking post.

 

[chilango]

I tried booking a berth up to Fort William and back the other week. It was about £250. So I'm flying to Norway instead for £90.

 

[teuchter]

A few hours in Norway and you'll have racked up the difference already.

 

[chilango]

A few hours in Norway and you'll have racked up the difference already.

Usually I'd agree. But I'm heading to the middle of nowhere to hike for days on end, eat freeze dried meals from foil packets and sleep in mountain huts.

 

[teuchter]

Sounds good. Enjoy it.

 

[chilango]

I still want to go on the sleeper, get off in ft William, walk up Ben Nevis and get back on the sleeper and go home one day though...

 

[Roadkill]

Usually I'd agree. But I'm heading to the middle of nowhere to hike for days on end, eat freeze dried meals from foil packets and sleep in mountain huts.

Sounds good, but a couple of pints in the pub will wipe out the difference. I spent a happy week in Tromso last autumn. Lovely city, but a pint of cheap lager was £9 and speciality beer in the Ølhallen was nudging £25.

 

[Roadkill]

I can suddenly hear some Elgar playing.

 

[teuchter]

I still want to go on the sleeper, get off in ft William, walk up Ben Nevis and get back on the sleeper and go home one day though...

There are probably better walks to be done from the WHL, than Ben Nevis from Fort William, really. Getting off at Corrour or something instead.

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

MC Auden, dropping some rhymes.

 

[SikhWarrioR]

You want to watch the whole "Night Mail" dvd things long gone now................Like the block Mail trains themselves

 

[Sasaferrato]

Returned to london on the fort William sleeper last night. Not much changed under the new ownership. Makes a stop at glasgow queen st now for the "day" passengers in the seated coach, a welcome and sensible move.

Still without doubt the best rail journey in the uk. Will be sad when the slightly creaky BR stock gets replaced in a couple of years. But in the meantime I'll take all the opportunities to travel on what's pretty much the last proper train in the country.

Travelled on that train many times, in a seat though, not a sleeping carriage.

I managed to get from Fort William to Euston once without the return side being clipped. The next journey, I used the same ticket, the outbound side got clipped a couple more times, and there were some quizzical looks, but no one commented. It got clipped on the return. The most difficult bit was getting the pay office to swap my out of date warrant for a new one.

 

[Pickman's model]

Travelled on that train many times, in a seat though, not a sleeping carriage.

I managed to get from Fort William to Euston once without the return side being clipped. The next journey, I used the same ticket, the outbound side got clipped a couple more times, and there were some quizzical looks, but no one commented. It got clipped on the return. The most difficult bit was getting the pay office to swap my out of date warrant for a new one.

Suppose it was the first time they'd ever seen a return, back in the 1840s

 

[Sasaferrato]

Suppose it was the first time they'd ever seen a return, back in the 1840s

I think you are confusing me with cupid_stunt , he's getting on a bit.