By Mim Williams
Walking the familiar route to York Train Station on a sunny Saturday morning and seeing such a grand steam train (a Black 5 No. 45212 engine to be exact) on the platform is not a sight you see every day. Having to walk past train enthusiasts taking photos just to get to our seats, was a new experience altogether! You are really taken back to the olden days and the way our city’s past residents must have travelled every single day.
We found our First-Class Carriage with the help of the lovely stewards. Everything was exactly as you would expect from a premier service for the 16-hour day ahead. We were welcomed with a glass of buck’s fizz on arrival by our server Mark — a bubbly accommodating gentleman who made our experience more enjoyable through every interaction we had with him. Everything the catering staff did for us was seamless and nothing we requested was ever too
much trouble.
We were lucky enough to get to try out the Premier Dining experience. This covers all of your dining needs for the entire day! We started off in style with a delicious full cooked breakfast, as well as fruit and pastries which really set us up for the exciting day ahead.
We found out that a lot of the on-board stewards who looked after us were actually volunteers, so as you can imagine, they were very passionate about steam trains. They offered out their knowledge to the guests throughout the journey, and I was fortunate enough to meet the Train Manager David Hughes. David gave us some brilliant insights into how much coal and water the train needed to run. His knowledge is also reflected throughout the route guide, that David wrote himself.
After breakfast I had a good read through the guide. It provides great in-depth descriptive information about the journey to Edinburgh, including a history of the places we go through, the bridges we go on, the route, and provides fascinating information about the train itself. I really enjoyed seeing Durham Cathedral and the Bass Rock in Dunbar, but there were plenty more lovely sights to see all throughout the journey. It was amazing to learn so much more about a part of the country that we had thought that we already knew well. All from the comfort of a window seat.
Upon arrival in Edinburgh, you then get three hours to explore the sights before heading back on-board. This gives you the great opportunity to see the likes of Scott’s Monument, St Andrew’s Square, and even Edinburgh Castle (if you’re a fast enough walker).
After working up an appetite from all the walking, we returned to the train where our evening four course dinner was served, with the pre-ordered drinks ready on the table and waiting for us.
They have their very own ale called the Gravy Train that is specially made just for the train service itself. On-board is the only place you can get it, so it’s well worth
a try!
The meal was served by silver service (which was a real treat on its own) and all the food was freshly prepared on-board. The way the serving staff worked their way around the carriages was seamless and very professional. We were treated to a choice of fresh soups, pâté and fish cake for starters, a lamb main course and a belgian chocolate dessert, finally polished off with cheese. We definitely needed a little snooze on the way back after all this!
Overall, I would definitely recommend this journey. The food, the sights, and the knowledge from all the staff about the history of the steam train, were nothing short of exceptional. I feel like I was taken back in time and sampled a little history of the past.
The Railway Touring Company have over 60 UK mainline steam day trips, each of which provides a unique bite-sized opportunity to indulge in a rail adventure in a new part of our historic country. Alongside “The Whitby Flyer”, passengers from York can also take “The Edinburgh Flyer”
train journey.
There are three classes of travel available on board (Standard, First, and Premier Dining Class), which assures that there is something to suit all tastes and budgets. Once settled on the train you’ll spend a day relaxing and watching the beautiful scenery of the United Kingdom pass by your window.
Voted ‘Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays’ for the fifth year running in the British Travel Awards 2024, The Railway Touring Company has been crafting rail adventures for 28 years. So, you can rest assured that wherever you choose to explore — they’ll get you there in both comfort
and style.
For more details visit their website www.railwaytouring.net or call them on 01553 661500.
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