The Royal Scotsman

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Introduction

The Royal Scotsman has been running since 1985. It is a luxury tourist train that tours Scotland from May to October each year.

The Royal Scotsman train heads north through Dunblane on 13 June 2001, hauled by 37401. Photo by Dysgraphyk


The train's operator 'The Great Scottish & Western Railway Co.' was aquired by Orient-Express Hotels in 2005, owners of other luxury services including the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Northern Belle.

Coaching Stock

The current train has been in use since 1990. Six of the vehicles are former ECML Pullman coaches built by Metro-Cammell in 1960. These have been extensively rebuilt for their present use.

The oldest vehicle in the train is Dining Car No.2 which was built by the LNER in 1945 as a First Corridor, and later converted in to a inspection saloon. In the early 1980s (numbered as Sc1999) it was named 'Lochaber' and used on Fort William - Mallaig trains.

Two former Mk3 Sleeping cars were added to the train in 1997, replacing Mk1 coaches. These have been extensively modified, the air conditioning has been removed, and diesel generators are fitted to provide an electric train supply.

Name Number Originally Details
OBSERVATION CAR 99965 319 SNIPE Lounge with open veranda at one end.
DINING CAR No.1 99967 317 RAVEN Kitchen/dining car
DINING CAR No.2 1999 LNER 1513 Kitchen/dining car
STATE CAR No.1 99961 324 AMBER 3 twin, 2 single bedrooms
STATE CAR No.2 99962 329 PEARL 4 twin bedrooms
STATE CAR No.3 99963 324 TOPAZ 4 twin bedrooms
STATE CAR No.4 99964 313 FINCH 3 twin, 2 single bedrooms
STATE CAR No.5 99968 Mk3 10541 2 twin bedrooms, 4 staff compartments, stand-by generator
SERVICE CAR 99969 Mk3 10556 7 staff compartments, mess room, generator


The first train, in use between 1985 and 1989 was made up of Mk1 sleeping cars and 3 antique coaches: A teak bodied 1912 Great Northern Railway Saloon, a clerestory roofed 1890 LNWR dining car, and an oberservation saloon converted in 1960 from an 1892 LNWR vehicle.
These coaches were later used on the 'Queen of Scots' train, which is now based at Clapham Junction.


The Royal Scotsman train in 1985, hauled by 37035. Photo by Bill Wilson


Traction

In 2005 West Coast Railway Company took over the job of providing traction from EWS. In recent years under EWS the services were booked to be Class 37 hauled (with some Class 66s providing occasional cover), but WCRC have used Classes 31, 33, 37, 47 and 57 including some hired in traction from other operating companies. Tours in 2007 were hauled by WCRC's Class 47s, with 33207 and 33029 being used when the train was required to be top and tailed on trips to Mallaig and Wemyss Bay. 2008's tours will no doubt see similar traction.


Hired in DRS 37029 at the blocks at Wemyss Bay with the Royal Scotsman Western tour. August 28 2006.


EWS painted 37428, 37401 and 37416 in Royal Scotsman maroon livery. The WCRC livery is coincidentally a very similar shade of maroon.

Tours

The various tours, on which you'll find no more than 36 passengers at a time, include
  • Classic a 720 mile, four-night trip from Edinburgh to Kyle of Lochalsh and back including visits to Strathisla Distillery, Plockton, the Strathspey Railway and Glamis Castle.
  • Western a 660 mile, three-night trip from Edinburgh to Mallaig and back including visits to Morar Sands and the Isle of Bute.
  • Highland a 540 mile, two-night round trip from Edinburgh via Aberdeen and Inverness including a visit to the Highland Folk museum and Strathisla Distillery.

Timetables



WCRC's 47854 reverses the Royal Scotsman stock at Perth prior to working to Dundee, 4th August 2006. Photo by camerar


Prices

If you need to ask you probably can't afford to go - but just so you know, for the 2007 tours they begin at £870 for a Wee Dram trip up to £4,980 for a Classic and Western combined.

See also

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Created by Ewan and last modified by him at 15:41, 17 of July 2008.