Better than Caledonian Sleeper?? | NIGHT RIVIERA SLEEPER from London to Penzance

[@StephandPete]

We did the Night Riviera and Caledonian Sleeper just a few days apart and were so impressed with both! The beds on the Night Riviera beat the Caledonian Sleeper, though! Those mattresses were so plush! Love reliving the journey via videos like this one, so thanks for posting! We just shared our experience, too. So fun!

[@grahamhutton3129]

You cannot beat a BR MK3 coach. Better than anything else on the railway.

[@danielnesbitt9565]

I hope when the time comes to replace the coaches, GWR will get a new sleeper fleet. Alstom now own the design rights to the MK3 and it would be fantastic if they could offer a updated version. I know that is unlikely though.

[@dontown-lb5ke]

I traveled for 2 weeks on a 1st class BritRail pass in June 1990. Took the Cornish Riviera to Penzance & returned on Night Riviera. Cheers from Vancouver.

[@paulhoughton5266]

You cannot beat a sleeper train with your own cabin. Great film Scott 👍👍

[@StephandPete]

That's the truth!

[@bradyspage]

Great episode Scott! Can't wait for the 7 way split ticket episode to come either!

[@lorijohnston4311]

I have this on my bucket list as well, next time I'm in the UK. I'm with you, Scott, on the livery. I think the dark green color looks very nice. And I love the slam doors!

[@steve-marsh]

Cool journey! Always fancied it myself, but never been for the very reasons you mentioned! Great to see the experience through your eyes - I'd heard it was a lot smoother and quieter than the Caley! Looking forward to the journey home too :)

[@chrisneppiras9408]

a remodelled class 47, very nice indeed for the train buff. yup indeed Scot, green is mean, cant imagine their alternative for the green probably Fred Carnos Circus coloured.

[@standrewpics]

Is there a need for more sleeper trains ? I think yes maybe London to Wales . London to Edinburgh via East Coast . The More competition the better.

[@davidspear9790]

In the BR days, there used to be a lot more. London to Liverpool and Manchester, London to Edinburgh and Aberdeen via the East Coast and Plymouth to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and they would convey your car too.

[@mattc9875]

They should be a standard way of transportation in any major tourist destination everywhere in the world if you ask me

[@David_Cri]

I really enjoy these videos but get frustrated as Scott rarely tells the price of the tickets!

[@kevinhastie]

``The guy at the front desk did n`t speak much English``.......well, it IS London where the native population is in a minority 😄

[@TheOracle65]

Great review! I live near Penzance and use the sleeper train a fair amount when commuting to London for meetings and events. I find the sleeper births very comfortable and always get a good nights sleep. The bar area is good and the staff on board are excellent. The train moves relatively slowly and smoothly as it’s not in rush, so none of the 125mph rock and roll from the GWR normal express trains. Highly recommended!

[@StephandPete]

The bar staff are SO lovely!

[@WINGSANDRAILS]

To bad sleeper trains are so hard to book these days especially in summer and in combination with an Interrail pass. Ow yeah and getting to expensive.

[@kudzumoose3861]

Just catching up on your videos. Suggestion: how about a map showing where you are and where you are going. As an American, most of those city names, other than the big ones, are unfamiliar and make it hard to visualize your trip. Great videos anyway.

[@BibtheBoulder]

I remember as a lad sleepers all over the UK. So sad so few exist these days. Could you imagine the convenience of one from Inverness to Penzance via Glasgow and Birmingham...

[@mott2945]

❤ imagine that ❤

[@Oddly1970]

Can you imagine the cost

[@mott2945]

@@Oddly1970 split tickets 😂

[@Oddly1970]

@@mott2945 imagine that Roflmao 🤣

[@davidscarrett3804]

There used to be a Motor rail service from Newton Abbott to Inverness many moons ago.

[@scottc1589]

At 7:24, you hit the nail on the head when you say, "There's something absolutely wonderful about gliding through the darkness in your very own sleeper cabin."

[@StephandPete]

100% agree!

[@gatsby4985]

Just found your channel Scott and now a subscriber. I live with my family in the Gover Valley, just outside St Austell, we can see the railway viaduct from our house. Love hearing and seeing the trains trundle past. Looking forward to catching up with your other work. You have a very relaxing style of presenting.

[@superseven220]

It's a lovely rich dark green colour that highlights the heritage of GWR. Great video Scott

[@ianraffel7505]

Glad you had a nice smooth journey Scott! But why oh why can we not get the basics like functioning showers and available towels right? Very shoddy.

[@steve-marsh]

It's like a British Racing Green eh? Very classy, makes me think of the Orient Express or something :)

[@alexmcwhirter6611]

Thanks Scott. When the new CAF stock for Cal Sleeper was about to enter service i thought it was the bee's knees compared to what GWR was operating. But, given all the teething issues withe the CAF stock, I have been proved wrong.

[@benjaminmack7567]

Gosh that's much smoother than when I did it a decade or so ago!

[@janetmackinnon3411]

Glad you had a good trip. i agree about the green!

[@markcherriman6136]

A video on how you sorce and how much you pay for your multi ticket journeys would be most welcome .

[@steevobarker581]

So glad this channel found its way to my feed. Brilliant. Along with Noel Phillips, always well presented, informative and fun. Watched the Paris to London video, and it was the best 30 mins of TV in many a moon. Cheers Scott. 👍👍

[@crazyfroggie6546]

Great video, don't suppose you could drop a hint to the price of this journey?

[@ArturKolejarz]

Thank you for this wonderful journey. I like watching your videos because I like to travel with my son on the trains, and thanks to your comments I can learn English.

[@smogmonster1876]

I like GWR green too Scott. Great video. Really enjoyed watching this.

[@Steve-eo9iy]

That one was fun. I like the colour, but then one of my favourite colours is British racing green. Looking forward to the video with the 7 ticket split. Cheers.

[@fredstrainandbusvids.]

That goes through Taunton, I live near there in Bridgwater, sadly the sleeper just bypass’ the line

[@robertabbott7770]

Scott only you could make green paint interesting !!!!!🤣

[@richardcoates2317]

I love your unique and entertaining style of presenting, Scott, and particularly enjoyed this video. Many thanks for the hard work and care you put into all your posts. Please keep them coming!

[@danieltuley7866]

Price would of been nice to know

[@christinecoates2499]

What a lovely train and wonderful trip. I can't explain why but I actually found it moving. Maybe I'm just a kid at heart too as far as train travel is concerned. Thank you Scott. Look forward to your 'exciting' trip back home.

[@WELLBRAN]

i find it moving all the time arriving at Penzance...I live and was born there! you need to be cornish to know

[@rolandharmer6402]

Thanks Scott. Yes the green looks good on Mk3s, DMUs, Castle sets and the EMUs. Much better than earlier First Group attempts. However the green does’t look so good on the Hitachi IETs. Maybe something a bit more dynamic is needed to cope with all the crevices and tapers on their bodywork.

[@john07973]

Well done GWR, very slack with the showers at both station but the dark green train looks the business. Loved the views from the rear carriage. It passes about a mile from our house every night, on the bucket list for sometime 👍

[@DaveSuperThomas]

Dark green for the carriages? Never! Chocolate-and cream!

[@johnlawrence2757]

They’re OK if you have the need to arrive at your destination at 6am. Otherwise catch a day time train (much cheaper) and arrive in time for lunch when most civilised meetings occur!

[@michaelsansom6]

Excellent as usual! Although I have used Paddington many times I have never seen it at night, You have captured the ambiance very well. I have done the journey to Redruth very many times, very scenic, especially beyond Exeter so a daylight trip would be well worth your while.

[@suchcone]

Good luck with the journey back. CrossCountry have atrocious trains but if you're lucky you'll get the HST. Birmingham New St is a challenge as the poor design means you need to scan out of the station and scan in again, unless you happen to discover the "B" end of the station which the CrossCountry trains often don't stop at. I look forward to seeing how you fared.

[@happygilmor1]

Great Vlog...to the point..calling Spade a Spade and appreciating where one should....Always refreshing to watch your vlog....Keep it going..

[@markmcniven2625]

Penzance truly is a lovely place. The last time I went there, I went by coach. The journey consisted of :- Cumnock to Glasgow, Glasgow to Birmingham, Birmingham to Plymouth & Plymouth to Penzance (a total of 26 hours travelling). The first time I went there was in 2002 & it was just 1 coach from Edinburgh to Penzance with a journey time of 19 and a half hours. When I was there 2 years ago, I went to St Michael's Mount & quickly discovered that you had to be at least half fit to get up to it lol.

[@s125ish]

They have split the services at Birmingham since covid

[@PaulSlater]

One day, or night even, I’m going on a sleeper train. Been something I’ve wanted to do all my life. Maybe a double header, Glasgow to London followed by London to Penzance the next night.

[@prof.hectorholbrook4692]

Interesting vid' man. Smooth & quiet ride because the Rolling Stock is properly built & British, with the correct wheel diameters. No railway engineer in their right mind would build a passenger coach - let alone a Sleeping Car - on the cheap with small diameter wheels, APT style. Caledonian Sleeper would improve MASSIVELY had they retained Mk3's or have a new fleet built in Britain to IDENTICAL Mk3 BREL spec's. And now that the rail-inexperienced cowboy SERCO has been ousted - and not before time - "CalSleep" can re-brand, chuck out that stupid "hotel on wheels" mantra, call their passengers "PASSENGERS" again AND re-equip their movable assets up to these GWR train standards. Hope GWR can get the station facilities right soon.

[@eileenjohnson6653]

Hi, I'm trying to figure out the best plan to get to Penzance. I was thinking of getting a direct train from Edinburgh but people have said it would be hell and expensive. Then I thought of this sleeper train from Paddington Stn but have read a lot of bad reviews. Why do you say its hard to get to Penzance from London? Did I misunderstand? I am glad you enjoyed the Sleeper Train. Perhaps that's still my best bet.

[@McSynth]

"he didn't speak much English". What, employed here in Britain ? Geez...

[@Glenn1967ful]

GWR still have a restaurant car on their services to Cornwall, which is quite rare these days. They do seem to be one of the better private rail companies and have improved massively since the Last Great Western jokes of the noughties. I didn't mind Virgin on Carlisle to London services, but seemingly Avanti are worse and have cut corners.

[@lincolncityful1]

Great watch Scott, it’s on my bucket list as well 👍

[@WayneKline]

Another great video from you, well done. Love a sleeper train. Have done 3 now. London to Edinburgh, Sydney to Perth and Singapore to Bangkok. Loved them all. Just one question if I may. Why is that loco on the rear end from London?

[@domin727]

7 Tickets cheaper than 1? That is bullshit, oh pardon, capitalistic market efficiency I wanted to say...

[@notroll1279]

A shower at the beginning and/or the end would have elevated the journey to a peak civilization experience. It's so annoying that GWR thought of it but ruined execution.

[@Drdee1]

Very useful Scott. I've done the 5PM Riviera in first class with food and now I'm planning on going to the Scilly Isles with a sleeper on both ends of the trip

[@MsCroatianCanuck]

Beautiful part of the country had the opportunity to do Devon and Cornwall Tours few years back. Pop into Tintagel just watch out for the seagulls...they stole my pasty 😭Safe journeys and thank you for sharing Scott.

[@andysmart2379]

Having travelled on both, the Night Riviera is, for me, far better than the Cal Sleeper, for all the reasons mentioned in this and other reviews. Also the First Class Lounge at Paddington (available for sleeper passengers) is like something out of a Victorian period drama. Just stunning and a great way to begin your journey.

[@Bungle2010]

Used to be Queen Victoria's waiting room.

[@DougPaulley]

That's the best video you've made so far, in my opinion. I'm an avid follower, I love what you do.

[@skyblazeeterno]

That 1st Class lounge experience - obviously they dont have people wanting a shower despite the facility being available!

[@paulwoolgar5384]

Thank you so much for this! It's been 20+ years since I travelled on the Night Riviera Sleeper (heading the other way!). We've been wondering whether to have another go, so I'm grateful for the lovely review. I commute by train from Redruth to Penzance every weekday morning, and it's a great little journey, even when the weather isn't the best. I hope you had time to spend some time in lovely Penzance before heading back! For anyone else making the trip, if you look up 'Walking Tour of Penzance', there's a lovely lady called Anna who does walking tours (some free, some paid) from just outside the train station entrance.

[@DaveSuperThomas]

I got to use the shower facilities at London Paddington for free before my "Night Riviera" Sleeper journey to Penzance/Pensans in November 2019. The First Class Lounge attendant provided me with a large towel and a small bottle of shampoo, The water was plenty warm enough!

[@nesmonTV]

Hi Scott love the videos! Do you have any recommendations for getting from Glasgow to London Stansted?

[@knigweenis7092]

If you dont want to be deafened, mute the first 12 seconds if you've headphones on loudly.

[@daniel69]

GOAT

[@louisep4805]

I don't know how I remember but sleeping on the sleeper train going to Penzance is like being in a pram as a baby. Rolling and rocking all night very cosy and relaxing. Thanks for a great vid 🙏💎

[@samanthabrooker5478]

Great views of the south west coast esp Dawlish Warren and over the brunel bridge into Cornwall on this train trip, loves this route Scott like all your adventures. You should try the mini tamar valley train from Plymouth to Gunnislake with beautiful views of the river tamar and the viaducts and a trip to Calstock too❤

[@tonys1636]

Last time on that train was early 60's (60 and 61), one could have a late dinner in the Dining car (Mum and Dad did and breakfast (all of us), all wood panelling, with rattles and squeaks to send one to sleep. Dad's car on the flat bed wagons on the rear of the train. The car had to be dropped off to the side of Paddington an hour or more before departure and collected from a yard at Exeter, Plymouth or Truro and from Penzance as a wagon was detached at each of those. One hoped they were all loaded in the right order on the right wagons.

[@kateturnbull9085]

Love this video. I travelled on the sleeper from Manchester to Penzance with a group of friends when we were 17. Loved it

[@r8m8s8]

Enjoyed your vid! Come to Japan and do a vid :) Japan is all about punctuality in transport.

[@sueg2470]

Enjoyed this, I would also love this journey some day 🤞looking forward to the seven seat change tickerty split journey 😮

[@kennethhume8628]

I expect that these trains will be scrapped in the not too distant future and replaced by inferior equipment .

[@harrychown6854]

Hardly seems worth a sleeper cabin for 6 hours travel time.

[@ianraymond5686]

Great video. As someone who has lived in the West Country it used to be one heck of a lot easier to get to/from Scotland when we still had the Plymouth to Glasgow and Edinburgh sleeper... They were always well used, but I believe they didn't fit with the 'map' of franchising as services were let, so had to go. Also wondering if the smoothness owes something to the better track engineering compared to the West Coast line - when trying to get work done while travelling, I always note that it's less bumpy on the routes out of Paddington than Euston.

[@woden20]

When they label something boring it's on their "to eliminate" radar. Too British too traditional

[@teresahill6356]

Thanks for great video that is on my bucket list as well

[@paulroach2538]

Hi Scott your on a mk 3 coach 'superior build quality.

[@domingo-7]

👍

[@Oddly1970]

GWR got the best livery

[@Dave-zn3gf]

“ 3 inches makes all the difference “ that’s what she said 😂

[@mecx7322]

Wow, it's almost Orient Express !

[@davidhansell7012]

Why do showers never seem to work correctly in this country?

[@Scotrailboy2]

The night Riviera is better than the caledonian sleeper it's quiter

[@craiglee3253]

are there sleeper rooms for two? en-suites?

[@timspencer6912]

Having travelled on both the Caledonian Sleeper and the Night Riviera I can only agree that the GWR is the better experience. You get plenty of complimentary food and drink with the Night Riviera, not so with the Caledonian. I also love the green livery. It's such a change from the drab grey or silver that most TOCs opt for. Great video. Nice one Scott. Happy travelling!

[@StephandPete]

We were also pleasantly surprised with how lovely the Night Riviera was given that we see a lot more posted about the Caledonian Sleeper-- we did both just a few days apart and loved each of them.

[@theguvnor5964]

No hot water.....3rd world comes to mind.

[@ianeyre3590]

This looks great. Is there any reason why the Caledonian Sleeper can’t have trains of this model?

[@Bungle2010]

They did. They got replaced with modern rolling stock. These ones are very old.

[@raiskis1]

Not a great advert for GWR. First class lounges were poor. Tap running for 7 minutes. Narrow bed.

[@Bungle2010]

It was probably just stuck and would have probably stopped if he'd pulled it back out......

[@BIGV710]

,mk3 sleepers are better than new mk5s

[@awaytoanywhere699]

what do people say about Penzance? Going further would be S(c)illy…

[@awaytoanywhere699]

explainer: South of Cornwall there are islands called Scilly.

[@jf840fourtheloveoftransport]

its one amazing trip and welldone to you on doing the trip to penzance

[@gamblingman]

Very interesting.Thankyou I really enjoyed the video

[@richardstreet7518]

Yes better ride than the Scottish sleeper

[@kevingraham2733]

These old MK3 sleepers are far better, more comfortable than the new sleeping coaches on the WCML

[@Oddly1970]

Totally agree

[@keepgoing1973]

How much was the ticket?

[@paulcallow1331]

Great report. Your enthusiasm is infectious. I'm traveling on it this Thursday - very excited.

[@nathan_ro]

Miss this train growing up in Penzance was always a life saver those seats are the old first class seats

[@yorkiethelion7734]

Brilliant video, your content is absolutely awesome Scott, thanks for all you do and please don’t stop!

[@ianthomson6678]

I traveeled by both sleeper trains this past June, and must say the Night Riveria from Penzance to London was a far better and more comfortable train that the Caledion Sleeper train from Aberdeen to London. The lounge car in the Night Riveria was far better designed than that of the Caledonia train as were the cabins.

[@happymoo4694]

I am 2 mins in and i love anyone who has the intelligence to research and check and work out with a little time and a few brain cells you can get to do what you do so I like that a lot. I did it with flights and not many people have sat in first class and I. The next seat is a toy turtle being handed hot towels. I’m fact the whole 777 was ours ok not expected but that’s a story! So this is my decision maker for this experience as it’s been on my bucket list and might book tonight just checking so let’s see !!

[@send2gl]

Great video, Kid at Heart, definitely. The 7 split ticket sounds interesting. Coincidentally few days back watched the identical journey by @GLovesTrains which was equally entertaining.

[@grahamlive]

You're so right about the colour of the train. The first time I saw that train it was like going back in time. A little memory of yesteryear. So much better than the garish colours that often assault our eyes on all sorts of things nowadays. Or maybe I'm just getting old. 😉

[@ruthbickerstaffe1915]

That was a beautiful journey to Penzance, very civilized being able to sleep well. Thank you. The scenery of the ocean was lovely also.

[@MidlandRailEnthusiast]

What a fantastic review of the GWR Night Rivera I really enjoyed watching this Vlog keep up the good work

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Great Scott. I'm from Glasgow too and I expected your plumbing caption to read Taps Aff! (7 minutes). When I go to Penzance I usually use an all-line Rover then book a sleeper supplement which was £55 last year. Then you can return via London and avoid the horrible Cross-Country Voyagers. I agree that the GWR sleeper staff are amazing, but a pity you had issues with the shower. When I did the journey last June I had no trouble getting a shower at Penzance. By the way, why is there a loco attached to the rear as far as Reading?

[@baseballfan99]

The rear loco will bring the sleeper from the sidings and then detach at Reading where I would assume it attaches the next morning to the sleeper going other way so it can bring the empty sleeper from Paddington back to the sidings again.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

@@baseballfan99 Thanks. Where are the sidings - Reading?

[@baseballfan99]

@@Clivestravelandtrains Yes Reading Depot. it used to be Old Oak Common till it closed.