Railway 200
19 September 2024
2025 marks the 200 year anniversary of the birth of the modern railway. Caledonian Sleeper is incredibly proud to part of the railway family and to support the yearlong celebration with the launch of Railway 200 which celebrates 200 years of passenger rail travel in the UK.
The iconic Caledonian Sleeper forms part of the story behind the history of rail and how it evolved and changed over the centuries. With over one hundred and fifty years of history behind it, the first sleeper service between Scotland and London travelled from Glasgow Queen Street Station to London Kings Cross on the 2nd April 1873.
For a supplement of 10/- your seat rolled flat to make a bed with a blanket and pillow. Since then, sleeping car design has developed rapidly, until by the 1920s, night trains had become a stylish and sophisticated way to travel between Scotland and England. With iconic names such as the Night Scotsman, the Royal Highlander, and the Aberdonian linking the two.
Offering teak lined cabins, carpeted corridors, crisp bedlinen, and uniformed stewards these iconic trains of yesteryear soon attracted an aura of luxury and intrigue, even featuring in several detective stories.
After the Second World War new rolling stock was introduced with more sophisticated features such as air-conditioning.
Sleeper train design has continued to evolve through the decades and in 2019 brand new carriages were introduced including an iconic update to the Caledonian Sleeper branding, (first introduced in 1996), as well as en-suite shower facilities, double beds, and a smart club car showcasing the flavours of Scotland.
Caledonian Sleeper celebrated 150 years of this service on the 2nd April 2023, releasing an exclusive limited edition single malt whisky with only 200 70cl bottle produced, to mark the occasion and give whisky and rail enthusiasts alike the chance to own a little piece of rail history to pass on to future generations.