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A heritage train is set to tour the UK in the lead-up to Christmas, allowing passengers to wind through the British countryside in style. Dubbed “Britain’s most luxurious train”, guests aboard the Northern Belle will travel in 1930s-style carriages, each bearing the name of a British castle or stately home. Guests will be served a festive lunch while on board, with tickets starting from £395 per person. The grand experience begins before setting foot on the train, as a red carpet will be laid out on the platform for arriving guests. Once aboard, passengers will be welcomed with champagne and canapés such as caviar blinis, as they take in the restored interiors, designed to evoke the opulence of early 20th-century rail travel. Passengers will then be seated for a seven-course festive lunch, with options including a Scottish salmon roulade, roasted white onion potage, a traditional turkey balloting plus goose fat roast potatoes and honey-glazed heritage carrots. Passengers will also be served a choice of desserts, such as spiced apple and cranberry crumble tart or dark chocolate and hazelnut delice. To finish off the dining experience, a curated selection of Britain’s artisanal cheeses, Fortnum and Mason Royal Blend tea and petit fours will be served. One bottle of a sommelier-selected wine will be served per couple. Guests can also upgrade their journey to “Laurent-Perrier Class” for an additional £95 for more deluxe champagne and wine offerings. For an extra £195 per passenger, the “Krug Class” includes a bottle of Krug Grand Cuvée champagne per couple and allocated seating in the “Duart” carriage, formerly used exclusively used by royals, or in “Glamis”, named after Queen Elizabeth’s childhood home. Throughout the experience, musicians will be playing festive tunes, while the Northern Belle’s “onboard conjurer” will wander from table to table. Northern Belle’s Christmas lunch tour will start with Norwich and Ipswich on 12 December, followed by London, Coventry, Birmingham, York, Doncaster, Sheffield, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh. It is hauled by a variety of locomotives, including heritage steam engines on certain dates. The final Christmas lunch experience will happen in Manchester, Huddersfield and Leeds on 20 December. Northern Belle says the journey is an “ideal way to celebrate Christmas” and is open to couples, groups of friends or family, or even travelling solo. The luxury train company will also be celebrating Christmas with its “Historic Edinburgh at Christmas” service, as well as its “Historic York Christmas Markets” experience, whisking passengers away to the UK’s most festive destinations. Read more: Sneak peak – Inside Belmond’s all-new luxury sleeper train
