Larry

Has anyone taken the overnight train from Glassgow to London in a sleeping compartment? <BR>Any info or experiences would be most welcome. <BR> <BR>Larry

Ben Haines

<BR>I take the sleeper from Edinburgh to London every two years or so. It's a normal night trip, except that since the distance is so short I like to board as early as allowed (2300 or 2330) and to leave the train at Euston at the last minute, which means oned minute to eight. The conductor, on the other hjand, wants me to leave early so he or she can complete clearing up, asnd pop out for a smoke. This should be resisted. So should offers of morning tea or coffee: you want to lie in undisturbed as long as you can. When I do leave the train I walk away from the platform gate, up a vehicle ramp, turn right at the top, and go 20 yards to the main road with bus route. I turn left there and go 20 yards more you're at a cafe where (not on Sundays) a couple of Algerians serve a good breakfast. Then I either flag a taxi or take a bus southwards to the West End or City. Euston station at eight in the morning is not a pretty sight, and has no decent breakfast. <BR> <BR>Second class has two berths, and first class has one. If you phone 0044 8457 55 00 33 with a credit card 3 weeks or so before travel you can often get a SuperApex ticket at 100 pounds rteturn, berth included. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Britain. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR>

ed

<BR>Ben: Virgin trainsadvertises a London to Glasgow with return for 28 pounds Virgin value). Have you used them? Are there other trains that go to Glasgow? This price seems extremely cheap, don't know how long it may take, however.

Sheila

I too sleeper it every so often tho usually between edinburgh or Aberdeen and Glasgow. If you can sleep on a train, it's a good investment of time. <BR> <BR>Ed, I think the Virgin price is not for the sleeper. If it is grab with both hands and don't let go.It may be for an overnight train but without sleeping compartment. <BR> <BR>Ben, what joy to discover I am not the only one. I have to fight to stop them waking me at Montrose on the way home. <BR> <BR>Do you know the story about the man who asked the conductor to make sure he did not sleep past Berwick on Tweed, and tipped him a tenner to make sure. he woke up at waverley and went looking for the conductor, raging at having missed his stop. <BR> <BR>"Aye, man, aye" says the conductor, "ye're in a bonny fury,.... but ye're no hauf so bad as the chap I pit aff at Berwick!"

John

A story I believe to be true, from 20 or so years ago.. <BR>A friend of a friend (okay, so it’s possible it’s made up, but I trust the principals) rode the Glasgow-London sleeper, first class, yet, and discovered in the morning he’d been bitten badly by creepy crawlies in the bed during the night. <BR> <BR>On return to Glasgow, he wrote a furious letter to the British Rail Scottish Region office, complaining, etc., and mentioning he was a lawyer. Some weeks later he got a reply, signed by the regional boss, effusively apologizing, oh, my dear sir, oh, we’re so sorry, this has never happened before, please use the enclosed voucher for free travel on BR, we’re investigating with all our resources, sorry, sorry… <BR> <BR>And clipped to the letter was a handwritten note from the BR boss to the BR secretary, saying, “Send the usual first class bug letter.” <BR>