Motor rail or alternative to Scotland?

[xkse]

Ok, I know the old motor rail service to Scotland is long gone, but wondering if there are any alternatives anyone can recommend for getting the car (xk convertible) up to Scotland whilst we travel up on the sleeper train? Yes driving is fun etc, but the M1, M6 etc isn't and we'll drive it on the way back in any case. I've looked at car transporters but what we really need is something to go from a depot in London to a depot in Edinburgh, or Inverness or similar that we can pick up. It doesn't have to travel with us. If only the Scotrail sleeper had a car transporter on the back!

Cheers

[TinyCappo]

You will be looking at costs of anything up to £2 a mile using a car transporter.

For the cost of a transporter isn't there a PHER you trust who would enjoy the chance to drive your XK from London to Inverness/Glasgow?

[Bluebarge]

M40, M6 toll are both an easy drive and M6 is not too bad, if a bit dull. Stop somewhere nice overnight to break up the journey. That would be a much more comfortable solution than driving to some depot, getting a taxi home, getting a taxi to the station, rattling up in some stuffy carriage getting little sleep, getting a taxi to another depot to pick up your car whilst knackered and unwashed (there are no showers in sleeper trains).

[ColinM50]

Yes, shame the motorrail doesn't exist any more.

I had a car taken to South of France and it was cheaper than petrol, tolls and the tunnel. Only thing with the company I used they were very unreliable and bad at timing. Their idea of Wednesday at 10:00 for pick up was the following Friday at 15:00.

Try a post on www.shipley.co.uk.

Sort of an auction site for transport stuff.

Or Google "car transport" or look in the back of any car mag, they've all got car removal companies in them

[xkse]

Thanks for the comments. 2ukp a mile is a bit steep compared to Motorail on the continent, which is generally very reasonably priced. And time is money, plus it isn't just the fuel costs when you do a 500 mile drive.

Bluebarge - I've taken the sleeper to and from Scotland on quite a few occasions. My only complaints is it can be difficult to get availability. You should take the sleeper from Fort William one summer. Grab a spot in the dining car and enjoy some great food whilst the stunning scenery passes you and the summer light fades across Rannoch Moor. You wake up the next morning coming into London Euston as they bring breakfast to your cabin. It is easily in my top 3 train journeys I've done anywhere in the world. Yes, it doesn't have showers, but it is clean and comfortable. It sure beats a 10hr drive from central London to Fort William, with a car that also doesn't have showers...

[gshughes]

xkse said:

but the M1, M6 etc isn't

I'm sure you can plan your route to avoid these roads and have some fun. E.g. the A68 is a great road which starts at Darlington and ends at Edinburgh taking 141 miles (which is a fair chunk) out of the motorway equation.