So, the Caledonian Sleeper has been put down to a mixed experience. I’ve never been to prison and have no wish ever to do so, however the first class berth on the sleeper was about as close as I am ever going to get to being Norman Stanley Fletcher. Unfortunately the guard on the train looked nothing like Fulton Mackay or the experience may have been even more authentic.
The sleeper is a difficult beast to get used to. It’s badly named. You get bugger all sleep basically due to the general noise and jolting as the train starts and stops, slows to a crawl (presumably so you don’t get to London too soon) and then speeds up again. I can only liken it to sleeping inside a washing machine on spin cycle.
There are plus points of course. You arrive in London at 7am. Plenty of time to get a good breakfast and start the day. You also travel using dead time. I got to spend the evening with my wife and son, as opposed to travelling down on a 7pm flight and spending the night in a featureless travelodge.
I’m down in London again the week after next. I’m in two minds as to whether to do it again. We’ll see.
on Jun 13th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Mm I wonder if this train is just less comfortable than the old Trans Mongolian I was on, but I have slept like a dog on that one (2nd class even!), 6 nights in a row! I love sleeping on the train, the idea of travelling while you sleep - it’s cool.