Europe by Sleeping Car

Between 1980 and 2011 author Michael Patterson made some forty week-long journeys by train through Europe. With camera at the ready and notebook or tape recorder in hand, he travelled each day, stopping off at places along the route. To reach the extremities of Scandinavia, Italy, Spain and Portugal on these no-fly trips Michael often travelled overnight by sleeping car and it is these journeys which are at the heart of this book. Utilising a splendid collection of images, Michael details the sleepers themselves as well as recalling this unique and exciting mode of transport from a bygone age. From journeying on the famous London to Brussels 'Night Ferry' service to breakfasting in the faded splendour of a Spanish restaurant car built in 1928, this is a wonderfully nostalgic and often amusing trip across Europe with a true railway aficionado. With an array of images supplemented by maps of these famous routes, Michael Patterson captures the essence of travelling across Europe in the comfort of a sleeping car.