Coaching stock
Both the ‘Lowlander’ and ‘Highlander’ trains use a mixture of Mk 3 and Mk 2 coaches. Many still carry First Scotrail colours, but several have been repainted in Caledonian Railway’s smart, dark turquoise livery. The current fleet comprises the following vehicles: Mk 2e Open Brake Unclassified (built 1972/73, converted from Mk 2e SOS): 9800-9810 Mk 2f Sleeper Reception (built 1973/74, converted from Mk 2f FOS): 6700-6708 Mk 3a Sleeping Car with Pantry (built 1981-83): 10501/502, 504, 506-508, 513, 516, 519/520, 522/523, 526/527, 529, 531, 542-544, 548, 551, 553, 561/562, 565, 580, 597/598, 600, 605, 607, 610, 613/614, 617 Mk 3a Sleeping Car (built 1980-1985): 10648, 650, 666, 675, 680, 683, 688-690, 693, 699, 703, 706, 714,718/719, 722/723 Fresh paint can’t hide the age of these vehicles, and one of the first things Serco did when it took on the franchise in 2015 was order new coaches. Spanish train builder CAF is supplying four variations on what will be Britain’s newest standard coach design (classified Mk 5) for the ‘Sleeper’. They should enter service later in the year. The Mk 5 fleet comprises: Sleeper with Brake (numbers 15001-15011) Sleeping Car Lounge (15101-15110) Sleeping Car Fully Accessible (15201-15214) Sleeping Car (15301-15340) There is a downside to the Mk 5s: Class 47, 67, 86, 87 and 90 can’t haul them because they have Dellner couplings and lack hook and chain couplings. That said, the future of Mk 2 and Mk 3 coaches isn’t entirely bleak. Caledonian Sleeper is investigating whether it can use these vehicles on a new, ‘internal’ Scottish sleeper service to places such as Thurso and Wick.