Royal day out on UK's most luxuriouis train

ONE of the world’s most luxurious trains will take champagne-sipping passengers from Coventry for a slap-up day out at the Royal Family’s favourite retreat next month.

The Northern Belle – a 1930s Pullman-style train that was once part of the iconic Orient Express set-up – heads for Sandringham in Norfolk on Wednesday, August 13.

And passengers will be able to visit the grand dining room where King Charles and Queen Camilla traditionally enjoy their Christmas meal with the rest of the Royal Family.

The train was described by actor Bill Nighy as “the Grand Dame of luxury travel” when it featured on Channel 5’s The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys programme.

Tickets don’t come cheap, starting at £550. But for that passengers get a cocktail reception after boarding the train over a red carpet on Coventry station at 7.10am.

Then they will tuck into a leisurely three-course brunch during the journey to King’s Lynn station in Norfolk and transferring by coach to Sandringham.

Later there will be another champagne reception on board before a slap-up dinner with fine wine is served as the train heads back to Coventry.

The train’s resident musicians will serenade passengers during the journey while an onboard conjuror wanders from table to table to add an extra touch of magic.

A spokesman for the Northern Belle said: “We like to think we won’t only be taking our pampered passengers to Sandringham, we will be transporting them back to the golden days of rail travel.

“This promises to b a wonderful, unforgettable day out to what has been the Royals’ favourite retreat since Queen Victoria bought it for the then Prince of Wales who later became Edward VII.”

Before then, the Northern Belle will be doing a special steam trip over the Settle-Carlisle line from Coventry on Saturday, July 26.

This excursion will be repeated on October 18 , followed by a slap-up Christmas Lunch trip in December. Fares on the train start at £365. For more info, see www.northernbelle.co.uk