En suite cabins and airline seats for Caledonian Sleeper

[John Ashworth]

En suite cabins and airline-style seats considered for Caledonian Sleeper trains

By Alastair Dalton
Published on Wednesday 18 April 2012 17:14
Scotsman

EN SUITE cabins and airline-style seats which fold flat are being considered for the upgrading of ScotRail’s ageing Caledonian Sleeper trains.

Keith Howard, commercial director of rolling stock leasing company Porterbrook, which owns the trains, has told MSPs that both options were “do-able” for the £100 million funding pledged by the Scottish and UK governments to overhaul the dated sleeper carriages.

He said Porterbrook was now awaiting a decision: “We have the ability to meet the needs.”

The overnight trains run between London and Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Fort William and Inverness.

Ministers have signalled they should be upgraded as part of the next ScotRail franchise from 2014, after initially suggesting some routes might be axed. They are due to announce details in the summer.

Mr Howard also said he anticipated ScotRail’s wi-fi trial, starting on the main Edinburgh-Glasgow line in June, would be “rolled out very quickly” over the next two years.