Slap-up 70mph Christmas lunch on posh train

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Champagne-sipping Londoners will be able to tuck into a slap-up seven-course Christmas lunch in December while travelling at 70mph aboard one of the world’s poshest trains.

The 1930s Pullman-style Northern Belle – once part of the iconic Orient Express group – will spend nearly six hours meandering through the Kent countryside after setting out from Victoria station.

And the train’s own resident musicians will entertain passengers, with an extra touch of magic added by a conjuror who gets up to his tricks while strolling through the carriages.

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Tickets don’t come cheap at £395 but that includes champagne and wine, and in previous years the excursion has been booked up well in advance.

Historic steam locomotive Princess Elizabeth hauls the Northern Belle over the picturesque Settle-Carlisle lineHistoric steam locomotive Princess Elizabeth hauls the Northern Belle over the picturesque Settle-Carlisle line
Historic steam locomotive Princess Elizabeth hauls the Northern Belle over the picturesque Settle-Carlisle line

A spokesman said: “You’d be Christmas crackers to miss it.

“We like to think the Northern Belle harks back to the golden days of rail travel – an era when nothing was too good for the pampered passengers.

“We even lay a red carpet across the station platform before they board and are handed their first glass of champagne.”

The Northern Belle is regularly voted one of the world’s Top Ten trains and one of the individually hand-decorated carriages used to form part of the Royal Train. In fact, it is even rumoured to contain the late Queen Mum’s favourite seat.

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The train's resident musicians entertain passengersThe train's resident musicians entertain passengers
The train's resident musicians entertain passengers

Actor Bill Nighy described the train as “the Grand Dame of luxury travel” when it featured on Channel 5’s The World’s most Scenic Railway Journeys.

The Northern Belle’s Christmas Special will depart from Victoria at 12.30pm on Sunday, December 8, hauled by a vintagre diesel locomotive and is scheduled to arrive back about 6pm.

The train will be back in London on Friday, March 14, for a trip to the spectacular Cheltenham Gold Cup race meeting.

For more details and to book, see www.northernbelle.co.uk

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