What better way to spend a whole day when you’ve had a busy week chasing your tail, than luxuriating in the first-class carriage of a steam train en route and back from Euston station in London to Carlisle on the borders of Scotland?

When we were invited to experience this fabulous journey, I have to be honest I was not that enthusiastic, but on reading the information on the Steam Dreams Rail Co. website and reviews I had a swift change of heart! It sounded amazing and we were not to be disappointed!

We picked up the luxury train at Milton Keynes, very early one Saturday morning where we were greeted by the Steam Dream Rail Co. concierge, who guided us to the train. We boarded our carriage and made ourselves comfortable in the huge soft velvet armchair-like 1950s elegant seating, with a table beautifully laid ready for our breakfast feast. First Class carriages offer shared tables and tables for 2 (for a supplement, subject to availability).

As we pulled away from Milton Keynes we were offered a glass of champagne or a Belini, it was only 8 am and it was already proving to be a great start to our journey. A little while later we were offered porridge with whisky-soaked raisins and yogurt with granola and fruit, followed by a full English brekkie with a Scottish twist of black pudding, or smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, juice, tea, and coffee. A few hours later, just in case we were still hungry, we were treated to cake and coffee. The service was impeccable, with bone china, crisp white linen and silver cutlery, it really is the most stylish way to travel.

Sitting and enjoying the view is a truly relaxing way to spend a few hours, the scenery was not great for the first leg of the journey, but you have breakfast to concentrate on so it didn’t really matter. Once we reached the Blackburn area the scenery became a lot more pleasing, we passed through pretty villages, stunning countryside, over viaducts, under ancient bridges and past old church ruins, not to mention sheep and dozens of train spotters. Who knew train spotting was so popular, but we were being pulled by the iconic Royal Scott steam engine which was built in 1927 for the fastest passenger services between London and Birmingham and Manchester and Glasgow, and it created a lot of interest, we picked this up at Crewe for the final leg of the Settle and Carlisle railway route.

We then had a couple of hours in Carlisle before joining the train again for a speedy return to Euston, via Milton Keynes. The grandeur continued, with a five-course gourmet dinner. It was a set menu of an assiette of fish, followed by duck and fondant potatoes with all of the trimmings, a cheese board, a delicious gingerbread sponge, coffee and petit fours, all washed down with your choice of beverage from the extensive chargeable drinks menu.

It was a speedy return journey, comfortable and blissful, and the cuisine was stupendous.

There are different classes of travel available and lots of interesting routes to choose from on the Steam Dream Co. website

All-in-all this was a truly heavenly day out and would be a great treat as a gift, we highly recommend checking out the various journeys, see here:

Sat 22nd April London Victoria to Winchester
Wed 26th April London Victoria to Chesterfield
Wed 24th May London Victoria to Bath Spa
Sat 27th May London Victoria to Oxford
Wed 31st May Shoeburyness/Southend to Portsmouth Harbour
Sat 10th June London Victoria to Portsmouth Harbour
Tue 27th June London Victoria to Weymouth
Sat 15th July Colchester to Carlisle via Settle & Carlisle
Sun 10th September London Paddington to Chichester (Goodwood Revival)
Sat 16th September London Paddington to Cardi Central
Sat 23rd September Shoeburyness/Southend to York
Wed 27th September London Victoria to Bath Spa

T:   +44 (0) 1483 209 888
E.   Information
W:  Steam Dreams

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Written By Debbie Stone Global Editor for the Luxuria Group