The “Night Ferry” was
the first, and until the opening of the Channel Tunnel
the only, through train from London to Paris. The train
was made up of sleeping cars provided by the CIWL (Companie
Internationale des Wagon-lits or International Sleeping
Car Company) of “Orient Express” fame.
The train used the newly constructed
Train Ferry Dock
at Dover and one of the three specially constructed
train ferries, built by the Southern
Railway to ferry the sleeping cars across the Channel
to Dunkirk while their occupants (hopefully) slept.
The first train left London Victoria
Station at 10pm on 14th October 1936 and arrived at
Paris Gare du Nord at 8:55am the next morning. The first
return journey left Paris at 9:50pm on 15th and arrived
in London at 8:30 on 16th. From 15th October the service
ran daily in both directions, a return journey costing
£9.20 in First Class and £7.10 in Second.
The “Night Ferry” ran as usual the
night of 3rd/4th September 1939, then the French sleeping
cars and their crews were returned to France on a freight
sailing and the service suspended. The three train ferries
had an active war service, as did the sleeping cars.
In 1942 all twelve cars were requisitioned by the Germans
for use in Germany, from where only seven returned.
After the war the service restarted
on 14th December 1947 from Paris and in both directions
the following night. In 1957 a through sleeping car
from London to Brussels was added to the train. In 1967
a through car to Basle was also added but this was not
a success and was withdrawn in 1969.
By 1974 all of the original train ferries
had been replaced with more modern vessels. The service
finally ended on 31st October 1980 with the last departures
from London, Paris and Brussels.
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Sleeping cars being shunted onto a train ferry at Dover.
Once on board, the sleeping cars were jacked up to take
the weight off their springs and then chained to the
adjacent track.
Interior of a sleeping car cabin.
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