A man in full combat gear and a locked trunk: just another quiet night on the Caledonian Sleeper

In the latest in his series on memorable pathways and journeys, Will Gore recalls a brief encounter on the 21.15 to Inverness

All I wanted was a decent night’s sleep (Caledonian Sleeper)

This week the Caledonian Sleeper rail service unveiled its new fleet of carriages, complete with double beds and en-suite bathrooms.

The long-overdue upgrade will certainly make overnight travel between London and the Highlands more glamorous – and perhaps, for those sharing a double room, romantic in both senses of the word.

Brief encounters and railways go hand in hand of course. And they needn’t be passionate affairs of the sort seen in the cinema.