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Anglo-Scottish Sleepers in 1980s

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Whistler40145

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During the 1980s, what was the routing of the Fort Bill, Inverness & Aberdeen Sleepers north of the Border?

Also, what were the recognised diversion routes?

What was the main traction for each Sleeper & did many substitutes occur?
 
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flymo

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In the 1984/1985 timetable the Aberdeens were still off Kings Cross, there were generally 2 per night with an additional one from KX to Edinburgh. The Aberdeens are shown as running via Inverkeithing, Kirkcaldy and Dundee.

To Inverness / Fort William, in the currency of the timetable there were 2 per night from Euston to Inverness with one carrying the portion for Fort William. I think it divided/joined in Mossend Yard or thereabouts. The Inverness portions are shown as taking about 45 minutes to get from Motherwell to Larbert so I suggest a direct-ish routeing via Cumbernauld.

The Fort William portion is shown as having a stop in Glasgow QS.

There was also a Euston to Perth service shown stopping at Coatbridge and Cumbernauld (amongst others) on the way. This also carried a portion for Glasgow dividing/joining at Carlisle and running via the G&SW.

There was also the internal Inverness sleepers from Edinburgh/Glasgow QS splitting/joining at Perth.

Glasgow/Edinburgh also had the sleeper from the south west which split/joined at Carstairs.

I did a few of those in my younger days :D:D
 

Track Basher

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Summer 84 the Fort William sleeper was a portion off the Inverness. The normal routeing was West Coast Mainline as far as Carstairs, Wishaw, Holytown and Mossend Yard.

The train split in the yard. Inverness departed via Cumbernauld and Stirling. The Fort William then had a diesel from Mossend Yard, Springburn and Eastfield. This was booked for a Class 26 but could actually be anything that was available. The train was then booked to be hauled down the bank to Queen St by a Class 37 but could again be anything that was available on Eastfield. Cowliars curve did not exist as the carriage sidings were still in the triangle.

As Queen St Class 37, ETHEL a TSO and Mk1 Micro Buffet were attached for the 06:00 to Fort William.

I did the train in Summer 84 and one of the motorails had to be detached at Carstairs so we were hours late. The 37 (138) and ETHEL were brought down to Mossend Yard to work the sleeper forward. We then went via Coatbridge Sunnyside and Queen St low level to pick up time. We were still an hour late and the connection to Mallaig was held at Fort William (37192). We the has 37183 from Kyle to Inverness after Ferry - Bus - Ferry via Skye.

Happy days!
 

Moog_1984

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Summer 84 the Fort William sleeper was a portion off the Inverness. The normal routeing was West Coast Mainline as far as Carstairs, Wishaw, Holytown and Mossend Yard.

The train split in the yard. Inverness departed via Cumbernauld and Stirling. The Fort William then had a diesel from Mossend Yard, Springburn and Eastfield.

I did the train in Summer 84 and one of the motorails had to be detached at Carstairs so we were hours late. The 37 (138) and ETHEL were brought down to Mossend Yard to work the sleeper forward. We then went via Coatbridge Sunnyside and Queen St low level to pick up time.

Happy days!

One, good result on 37 138 because the run was booked a boilered 37 through out the year to be able to heat the first Mallaig service once in Ft W.

Pretty rare through GSQst Low level then too, but there were some diversions.

A year earlier and the then Mrk 1 bedz were split on the southbound at Dumbarton. A boilered 40/0 worked them forward one night ( 048 or 064 i havent me book to hand) through one of the low levels: can anyone confirm which route this took and if it joined a train actually at Carstairs to go to Euston ?
 

nag67

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wasn't there also a Glasgow-Aberdeen sleeper?

There was a single sleeper car detached from the Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness sleeper and attached to the overnight Perth to Aberdeen train. This only ran for a short time, but I can't be sure of the dates without digging into my timetable archives.

It only ran one way, with the sleeper returning south in the daytime mail train (if I remember correctly).
 

flymo

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In the '84/'85 timetable there is a train shown as leaving Perth at 01:05, calling at Dundee 01:34 - 01:36 and arr Aberdeen 03:20. It was not shown as carrying sleeping cars, not to say it didn't though....This ran Mon - Sat mornings.

Looking further back to '74/'75 it was pretty much the same, connecting from the Inverness sleeper at Perth but again no sleepers shown.
 

nag67

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In the '84/'85 timetable there is a train shown as leaving Perth at 01:05, calling at Dundee 01:34 - 01:36 and arr Aberdeen 03:20. It was not shown as carrying sleeping cars, not to say it didn't though....This ran Mon - Sat mornings.

This is the postal train, and the sleeper car was attached to it at Perth, but I think it only ran for a year or two, probably late 80s or early 90s. I remember it was a Mk3 sleeper car.

That train had run as postal and passenger (although not always advertised), for donkeys years, until around the time the sprinters took over from loco hauled (1990ish).

Unfortunately my timetable archive is 300 miles away just now so I can't check the dates.
 

Moog_1984

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This is the postal train, and the sleeper car was attached to it at Perth, but I think it only ran for a year or two, probably late 80s or early 90s. I remember it was a Mk3 sleeper car.

That train had run as postal and passenger (although not always advertised), for donkeys years, until around the time the sprinters took over from loco hauled (1990ish).

Unfortunately my timetable archive is 300 miles away just now so I can't check the dates.

1S81/1A03/4N06 was the classic move for a roarer to Mossend, any Boilered loco and sometimes an NB to perth and then either that same loco forward to Aberdeen and eventually Elgin.

Here is a flavour of the sparky locos to Mossend and the delights which followed, including 40s, boilered and NB 37s, macrats of course and finally as booked by Carfinn man, a pair of 20s on the last ever 1S81 diagram Mossend-perth. : 37 012, 37025, 37014 and 26038 were also locos I had on the run.

http://www.leightonlogs.org/S81remem.htm

Locos were ex motherwell but usually "loaned" over from Eastfield. Motherwell had an odd relationship with 40s due to 1CoCo1 bogied locos being banned from Glasgow Central and approaches there to!"

I never knew it gained a mrk III , but guess that was Ex Euston and in days of 37 /4 so it could be heated

The craziest "move" perhaps in ScR if not much of the railway.
 
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Yew

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I habe seen Mk1 sleeper cars mentioned here, what where they like? Have you got any pictures of the interiors?
 

nag67

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I never knew it gained a mrk III , but guess that was Ex Euston and in days of 37 /4 so it could be heated

The Mk3 sleeper started at Glasgow QS (not Euston) attached to the overnight service to Inverness (I think), before shunting onto the Aberdeen train at Perth.
 

gordonthemoron

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I saw a set of MkI sleeping cars in Hartlepool Station in 1979 forming a Newcastle/Sunderland-KGX service, they looked ancient even then
 

Moog_1984

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I saw a set of MkI sleeping cars in Hartlepool Station in 1979 forming a Newcastle/Sunderland-KGX service, they looked ancient even then

I think these were still being built in the 1970s!!!

Had some extra pipe on the ends on the roof IIRC. We used to drop me dad off on the WHL southbound quite often. He said he got a reasonable nights sleep which is more than can be said for waking up cold and with a dry throat on the mrk IIIs I remember!

Bail at Pitlochry was rancid then and still would be today.
 

Yew

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He said he got a reasonable nights sleep which is more than can be said for waking up cold and with a dry throat on the mrk IIIs I remember!

Last time I used one I woke up with a dry throat, however that might have been due to beer in london and the lounge car :D
 
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