Racing The Caledonian Sleeper - La Carrera Caledonian
Discussion
I had this idea about 5 years ago and didn t have the time or the car to carry it out but on the 31st July, myself as one of the Scotch Pie Hunters on YouTube and fellow YouTubers, Barney from Proving Autos and Ed from Back Road Hero were about to race the Caledonian Sleeper from London Euston to Edinburgh Waverley.
I've been wanting to do this run for years and spent ages planning it out. Only downside, my daughter, Katy, couldn't make it this time and it won't be the same without her.
The train leaves at 23:45 and arrives at about 07:19. We have to follow the train route as much as possible, so using the M1, M6, M74 and then cut across country to the finish. Exit and entry routes from London and Edinburgh are free from restrictions but the time getting out and into the cities may be where the challenge is won or lost.
I would be driving my Audi TT Quattro, Barney in his Ibiza Cupra and Ed in his EV, an Audi E-tron GT.
We started at Barnby Street, Somers Town on a bridge that overlooks Platform 1 at London Euston Station, where the Caledonian Sleeper departs.
We waited for it to leave the platform just after 23:45 and then ran to the waiting cars and set off. Getting out of London was a nightmare. How do people survive down there with all the 20mph speed limits, speed cameras, congestion charge, and ULEZ.
Within a few motorway miles we were confronted with a 25 minute delay when the M1 was closed between Junctions 5 and 6 for emergency barrier repairs and we had to take a long slow diversion through Watford.
After that, it was heads down to reduce the time lost and catch up with the train, which I did shortly after my mid-point refuelling stop at Charnock Richard Motorway Services.
With daylight returning on the M74, we all felt we had a chance of arriving in Edinburgh before the train, although Ed, in his Audi E-tron GT was 30 miles behind me by now and would require another quick recharge. Edinburgh approached and Waverley Station from the New Street Car Park came into view.
In typical Top Gear guise, "I was the first to arrive" followed shortly after by Barney in his Ibiza Cupra but no sign or word from Ed.
Barney and I were standing on the station pedestrian overbridge overlooking Platform 11 where the Caledonian Sleeper would arrive in a few minutes.
We were resigned to the fact that it looked like Ed wasn't going to make it when the phone rang. It was Ed. "Where are you" he says, "I'm on the platform and can't see you". We were directly above him on the overbridge in the station and he sprinted up the stairs to join us.
Ed had made it with just 2 minutes to spare in his EV and we all stood together as the Caledonian Sleeper glided into the platform at 07:18.
Congratulations all round between us and then we headed down to Loudons restaurant, where we all had a full Scottish breakfast in Edinburgh after a job well done.
This is an excellent Top Gear type event emulating The Race To The North challenge that the trio took part in with Clarkson in the Tornado steam locomotive, James May in a Jaguar XK120 and Richard Hammond on a Vincent Black Shadow motorbike and anyone can do this run at any time of the year. Spoiler alert: the car won.
The Caledonian Sleeper runs every night except Saturdays, so get out there and beat the train.
Note: this was not an actual race between the cars, just a few train spotters out and about and meeting up for a full Scottish breakfast afterwards.
Jim.
I've been wanting to do this run for years and spent ages planning it out. Only downside, my daughter, Katy, couldn't make it this time and it won't be the same without her.
The train leaves at 23:45 and arrives at about 07:19. We have to follow the train route as much as possible, so using the M1, M6, M74 and then cut across country to the finish. Exit and entry routes from London and Edinburgh are free from restrictions but the time getting out and into the cities may be where the challenge is won or lost.
I would be driving my Audi TT Quattro, Barney in his Ibiza Cupra and Ed in his EV, an Audi E-tron GT.
We started at Barnby Street, Somers Town on a bridge that overlooks Platform 1 at London Euston Station, where the Caledonian Sleeper departs.
We waited for it to leave the platform just after 23:45 and then ran to the waiting cars and set off. Getting out of London was a nightmare. How do people survive down there with all the 20mph speed limits, speed cameras, congestion charge, and ULEZ.
Within a few motorway miles we were confronted with a 25 minute delay when the M1 was closed between Junctions 5 and 6 for emergency barrier repairs and we had to take a long slow diversion through Watford.
After that, it was heads down to reduce the time lost and catch up with the train, which I did shortly after my mid-point refuelling stop at Charnock Richard Motorway Services.
With daylight returning on the M74, we all felt we had a chance of arriving in Edinburgh before the train, although Ed, in his Audi E-tron GT was 30 miles behind me by now and would require another quick recharge. Edinburgh approached and Waverley Station from the New Street Car Park came into view.
In typical Top Gear guise, "I was the first to arrive" followed shortly after by Barney in his Ibiza Cupra but no sign or word from Ed.
Barney and I were standing on the station pedestrian overbridge overlooking Platform 11 where the Caledonian Sleeper would arrive in a few minutes.
We were resigned to the fact that it looked like Ed wasn't going to make it when the phone rang. It was Ed. "Where are you" he says, "I'm on the platform and can't see you". We were directly above him on the overbridge in the station and he sprinted up the stairs to join us.
Ed had made it with just 2 minutes to spare in his EV and we all stood together as the Caledonian Sleeper glided into the platform at 07:18.
Congratulations all round between us and then we headed down to Loudons restaurant, where we all had a full Scottish breakfast in Edinburgh after a job well done.
This is an excellent Top Gear type event emulating The Race To The North challenge that the trio took part in with Clarkson in the Tornado steam locomotive, James May in a Jaguar XK120 and Richard Hammond on a Vincent Black Shadow motorbike and anyone can do this run at any time of the year. Spoiler alert: the car won.
The Caledonian Sleeper runs every night except Saturdays, so get out there and beat the train.
Note: this was not an actual race between the cars, just a few train spotters out and about and meeting up for a full Scottish breakfast afterwards.
Jim.
Edited by Scotch Pie Hunters on Sunday 2nd August 14:55
Edited by Scotch Pie Hunters on Sunday 2nd August 14:57
Edited by Scotch Pie Hunters on Sunday 2nd August 14:58
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