Caledonian Sleeper Family ticket

Caledonian Sleeper has introduced a Family Ticket allowing up to six individuals (combinations from one adult and one child up to one adult and five children or three adults and three children) to travel together in Standard cabins but with access to First Class lounges and the on-board Lounge Car.

It is self-printed and non-refundable, and there are no reductions for railcard holders. Details and booking available at www.sleeper.scot. I tried it for one adult and one child in a week’s time from London to Inverness, returning the week after, and was quoted £90 - so it’s certainly an excellent offer.

Finally on Scottish matters, in RAIL 822’s The Fare Dealer I mentioned ticket machines at Drumry. In fact, it has none - and nor do any of the stations between Partick and Helensburgh.

Stations either have ticket offices (most open all day), or tickets are bought from onboard revenue staff who travel on nearly all trains. From frequent experience I know revenue protection is excellent. If the occasional train has nobody to sell tickets, the train still runs as he or she is not a guard.

In short, the system has existed with full union agreement for years, with the driver opening and closing doors. Yet those same unions are fighting battles to prevent this happening on trains for Northern and Merseyrail that are not even built. Dinosaurs become extinct.