Our competition has now ended and the winner has been announced.
Congratulations to our randomly picked winner Sharon Jones!
Enjoy!
Of course, passengers and our competition winners will want to be able to see the steam locomotive, Ex Great Western Railway ‘Hall’ No. 4965 Rood Ashton Hall and this will be possible at the leg break stretch stop at Leicester.
Following the replenishment of the locomotive’s tender with coal and water, the Valentine Express travels north via the Midland main line through Loughborough and then via Castle Donnington, Burton and Tamworth arriving back at Tyseley around 4.00pm.
The special Valentine’s Day meal in Premier dining will commence with champagne, followed by Shrimp Cocktail, Salad, and Beef Wellington with seasonal vegetables, New York Cheesecake and tea or coffee to follow. Beers, wines and spirits can be purchased (by dining and club passengers) from the dining car team.
The Valentine’s Day Express will use the Pullman Car ‘Pegasus’ introduced just over 60 years ago on the then new Golden Arrow train was introduced. This was designed to provide the ‘wow factor’ for important trade visitors to the 1951 ‘The Festival of Britain’ arriving from Paris. It only carried a dozen people who also had their own bar in the carriage so is ideal for a discreet corporate entertainment day or celebration.
This unique bar-car was the last of a long line of traditional Pullman Cars built at the Smethwick works of the Birmingham Carriage & Wagon Company. Along with the Trianon Bar, the coach represented in its day the height of luxury and was withdrawn from traffic in 1972.
The vehicle’s original wooden frame was replaced with a modern steel structure to comply with modern stringent safety standards and a new interior design was fitted with original brass embellishments adorning the walls and ceilings. The carriage returned to service in 2000 and despite the extensive works retained her outwards appearance.
Vintage Trains are running a double headed steam service to Carlisle, out via Shap returning via Ais Gill and on another train in early 2012, will reach Scotland behind steam.
Train travel in the UK should be a pleasure, not a headache. So if you’re taking a train on the UK railway, start your journey here. We’ve lots of hints, tips and advice to help you find your way around, travel smoothly and arrive in style by train.
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Our rail network would be nothing without them. From Stephenson's Rocket to British Rail Class 92 and beyond, explore the facts, information and anecdotes behind the steam, diesel and electric locomotives that built the age of the train.
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