Historic train steaming into Shropshire
A historic train described as the "Grand Duchess of Luxury" will be setting off from the county this summer.
The Northern Belle will leave Telford on a champagne trip over the spectacular Settle-Carlisle line through the Yorkshire Dales – being hauled by the locomotive Princess Elizabeth from Carnforth.
Nearly 300 passengers will be on the ornately-decorated 1930s-style Pullman carriages during the outward journey to Carlisle on the morning of Saturday, July 31.
Then in the evening a five-course dinner with wine will be served as the train steams to Settle.
The Northern Belle, which used to be part of the iconic Orient Express group, featured on Channel 5’s World’s Most Scenic Railways programme earlier this year.
It was described by actor Bill Nighy as “the Grand Duchess of Luxury”.
Like on that occasion, the train will be hauled by 88-year-old steam locomotive Princess Elizabeth, which once pulled crack expresses between London and Scotland.
Named after the Queen while she was still a schoolgirl, the engine was fondly nicknamed “Lizzie” by generations of railwaymen before being withdrawn from service by British Rail in 1962.
The Northern Belle will set out from Telford Central at 7am and pick up passengers at Shrewsbury at 8am, then Wrexham at 8.30am and Chester at 8.50am on July 31.
The train is scheduled to arrive back in Telford at 9.30pm.
For more information visit northernbelle.co.uk or phone 01270 899681.
