SCOTRAIL yesterday claimed an increase of 10% in first-class passengers using its five sleeper routes last year.
It recorded a rise of 5000 first-class travellers compared to 1996-1997, taking last year's total to 50,000, and now plans to woo other passengers, especially the leisure market.
Managing director Alastair McPherson said: ''I am glad to say we have proven wrong the doom-merchants who said the sleepers had no future.''
One of the most popular routes was Fort William to London, with a 27.45% increase. Ironically, this line - the Deerstalker Express - was reprieved in 1995 only after a public protest stopped the rail franchise director from withdrawing the service.
Now, the Fort William sleeper, in common with those from Aberdeen and Inverness, joins up with the Lowland Sleeper at Edinburgh's Waverley Station for the trip south.
Other significant increases for Caledonian Sleepers included the Inverness to London route at 21%, London to Aberdeen at 19.86%, and Glasgow to London (via Edinburgh) 10.48%. The aim is now to increase the number of standard class sleeper passengers.
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