Scottish Internal sleeper services

[murray1]

I am looking to model Scottish Internal sleeper service from Edinburgh to Aberdeen circa 78 - 82. Aware most will be through service from Kings Cross. Looking to use 4 or 5 mk1 sleepers but like to know what other coaches would complete a compacted 7 or 8 coach rake.

[Bomag]

I was not aware that the Aberdeen train had that many sleepers on it, I only knew it where it seemed to be a single Mk3 attached to an a/c rake. I travelled on an Inverness service a couple of times an the train was mostly vans.

 

Sleepers allocated from new were 2424-2426 2443-2444  (all SLCs). They were later joined by 2415, 2423, 2434, 2436, 2448, 2452 (SLC), 2555 (SLS), 2825, 2827, 2828, 2832 (SLEP) in/by the early 1980s

 

The last Mk1 sleeper service was the 23:30 train on 13th May 1984 with 2423 and 18865 leading.

 

Longworth has the 23:20 GQS to Inverness in 1978 as BG, TSO, CK, TSO, SLC x2, CK, TSO, BGx8

 

 

[murray1]

Thanks. So the longer rakes of sleepers would have been the Kings Cross to Aberdeen. I believe they poss had coaches added at Edin Waverley.

[murray1]

I am referring to the marshalling booklets for information of rakes for modelling. The order the coaches are listed - does that reflect accurately the order the coaches were in reality. In other words, is the top coach always the first behind the loco or were they more generic and random. For example on the overnight Aberdeen to London KC services they list either TSO / RMB coaches to be detached at Edinburgh first, but not sure if that means behind loco.

[Gwiwer]

The Aberdeen sleepers were generally London trains and loaded well.  I personally don't recall an internal Edinburgh - Aberdeen sleeper but remember well the Glasgow / Edinburgh - Inverness one which combined / split at Perth.  That was formed of two similar portions of three sleeping cars (two second, one first IIRC) and two seated (TSO/BFK again IIRC) plus as many vans as were required to be moved on the night.  I would venture to suggest that Edinburgh - Aberdeen did not support as many as five sleeping cars so perhaps 2 or 3 with as many sitters and a handful of vans (of which some might be Company designs quite late in the day) would be representative.

[murray1]

The Aberdeen sleepers were generally London trains and loaded well.  I personally don't recall an internal Edinburgh - Aberdeen sleeper but remember well the Glasgow / Edinburgh - Inverness one which combined / split at Perth.  That was formed of two similar portions of three sleeping cars (two second, one first IIRC) and two seated (TSO/BFK again IIRC) plus as many vans as were required to be moved on the night.  I would venture to suggest that Edinburgh - Aberdeen did not support as many as five sleeping cars so perhaps 2 or 3 with as many sitters and a handful of vans (of which some might be Company designs quite late in the day) would be representative.

Thanks. My spotting days in 1980 ish was like most daytime so sleepers were rarely seen. 

[CliveM]

Some very impressive overnight trains in their day (no pun intended!)  Typically MK I sleepers, day coaches, mail vans and parcels vans.  Usually headed by a steam heat class 47 with load 18.  By the mid 1980's ETH class 47's and MK III sleepers brought the load down to 12.  Amazing to think as late as 1980 ScR were still utilising class 40's over the Highland mainline for top link work like this:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardboyd484/10040953743/