NRT: generally a welcome improvement

Table 227

In a most curious move, the ‘Down’ sleeper is shown as the 0450 from Edinburgh to Fort William, but without sleeping cars. Alongside is another version just from Dalmuir to Fort William (with the same times) but this time showing the sleeping cars. However, the latter is shown as running ‘Tuesdays excepted’! But the really annoying thing is that the Glasgow Queen Street stop is again omitted as it was in May. It departs 0548 (from Low Level).

Similar errors occur Saturdays, and in the ‘Up’ direction the 1950 Fort William-Euston again omits both the sleeping cars and the Queen Street Low Level call (at 0014). Finally, on Sundays the errors are the same in the 1900 Fort William-Euston (it calls Queen Street 2329).

Tables 229 & 242

A new service (Mon-Sat) runs from Perth (0508) to Inverness (0749) calling all stations except Newtonmore.

The ‘Down’ sleeper from Euston only calls to set down sleeping-car passengers until it arrives at Kingussie when it becomes a ‘normal’ service to Inverness, dep 0719 and arriving 0838.

This arrangement was provided because otherwise the first normal day train into Inverness did not arrive until 1027. However, the arrangement still applies, despite the new early train from Perth. Incidentally it appears the new Perth service is standard class only, which is odd on the main line.

Southbound also saw a new early departure – and also seemingly standard class only – at 0536 from Inverness to Edinburgh (0921). This takes over the path of the previous 0712 Blair Atholl-Edinburgh. An almost four-hour journey on a suburban unit without a trolley service - and leaving 0536 too - does not sound at all attractive to me!

Finally, a new station has opened at Edinburgh Gateway (tables 229 & 242). Perth/Inverness and the slower Dundee services call, as do most Fife Circle trains. It is an interchange for Edinburgh Airport, which is three stops away by tram – just eight minutes.

Table 239

All the connecting times from/to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen into and out of Far North services have been removed and the lines left blank. 

These were added a few years ago when the NRT was trying to improve the information for such lengthy, but major, flows. Of course they were hand-edited in, but it was a relatively minor task and it is a great pity the effort is no longer being made.

Tables 400-404

As has been explained in my introduction, the NRT has abolished the Sleeper Tables but left in references to them, so although these won’t be found on line they do appear in the printed version, because the table from Middleton Press’s ‘Abbreviated’ ex-Thomas Cook version is shown, duly renamed T400. 

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