The LNER Encyclopedia

This was one of the last Gresley sleepers left in service on BR and was much favoured by an old chap called Gordon S Duncan, very well connected and who actually used to have it formed in trains when he travelled overnight to Scotland. There was a file in the Passr Trains Section at GN House, KX 'The travels of Gordon S Duncan' and as soon as a sleeper reservation was made for him, things started to happen....

Can anyone say what became of it, please?

I thought it had been preserved, but have seen or heard nothing of it. Does it still exist?

Hi,

Yes Gresley SLF 1211 is still around. It is however in a poor state of repair and at serious risk of being lost forever. Have a look here for more details http://www.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se ... sp?Ref=933

Regards

Karl

Thanks Karl

A shame but it highlights the problem of preserving a sleeping car as, apart from using them as static accomodation for staff, to what other uses can they be put? I suppose that's why they are well down the list for restoration on the preserved railways although the WSR have a beautiful GWR car fully restored. B&B? No, perhaps not......

Any other LNER sleepers been preserved?

I think that it would be a valuabe crowd puller to have a sleeping car fully restored to how it would have been in regular service they could even have it as an exhibition or restor it to different stages of its life, i.e. When it was built, Early BR, Late BR and as withdrawn. I would visit something like that if it were local just out of interest.

Regards

Karl

It would be nice to run in a train ocne in a while, can't say I've seen a sleeper running.

Just imagine the delight of dinner in a LNE restaurant car then walking through the corridor connection to your berth - 'tea or coffee in the morning, sir - and what time would you like a call?' I wonder if there would be a market somewhere? A lovely thought...

Seriously, though - anyone any knowledge of links to LNER sleeping car services, e.g was ther a KX - Leeds service in those days?

PS Sleeping car services still pass through YK (sometimes - if they are diverted via the ECML due to engineering work on the WCML, neutrally timed they call it nowadays ha ha)

Try Here http://www.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/search.asp it's a very handy search engine for most carriage information. Also AFAIK there was only the Anglo Scottish sleeping services on the LNER and later BR(E) as that was the only length of time that you could get a decent sleep. for example the 'Night Scotsman' took 8 hours from London to Edinburgh and the 'Car Sleeper Limited' in 1961 took around about 9 hours from London to Perth.

Regards

Karl

I don't know how far back this service could trace its provenance, but there was definitely a Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness sleeper in the 1980s.

I remember having to travel from Plymouth to Invergordon back in the 80's... 2 days before Charles and Di got wed...

Plymouth to Paddington, then-

Euston to Inverness (night sleeper) where we stopped i have no idea, i was out like a light however i do recall seeing Rugby as we screamed through there..

When i returned a month later it was Inverness to Edinburgh, then night sleeper to Bristol TM (via Glasgow) - Bristol TM to Plymouth