Date: 21/11/2011

Shortly after nine this evening, Britain's most remarkable train will shudder its way out of Euston station in London. It's a struggle to get moving because the 9.15pm overnight train to Scotland is the UK's longest, stretching almost a quarter of a mile, and comprised of rolling stock four decades old. And the fear is that the day is not far off when it ceases to leave at all.

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Goodnight to the sleeper train

Independent

The Highland Sleeper, one of Britain's most romantic travel experiences, is under threat from the cuts. So is this the end of our affair with overnight rail travel?

Related images

View from a less than crowded waiting room at Carstairs on 6 June 2006. 90027 is in the process of coupling up to the rear of the Lowland Sleeper, 7 coaches of which it will take on to Edinburgh Waverley, while the front portion continues to Glasgow Central.
Location: Carstairs
Company: Caledonian Railway
06/06/2006 John Furnevel

The Fort William portion of the Sleeper service from Euston rolls into its penultimate stop at Spean Bridge behind DBS 67007. View looking east from the overbridge on 19 May.
Location: Spean Bridge
Company: West Highland Railway
19/05/2010 Mark Bartlett

The northbound Highland Sleeper pauses at Preston platform 4 on 21 April 2009 with First ScotRail liveried 90024 at the helm. The departure from Preston is scheduled for 0052 hrs and the train contains through carriages for Aberdeen, Fort William and Inverness.
Location: Preston
Company: Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway
21/04/2009 John McIntyre