All aboard for nostalgic train journeys around the UK

Take a vintage train to discover the beauty of Britain’s landscape

Whether you want to splash out on a luxury rail break with liveried fine dining or just enjoy a steam-inspired day trip, there are fabulous options all around the country, from a trip to Georgian Bath in Somerset to the breath-taking Glenfinnan Viaduct in the West Highlands.

Iconic Pullman luxury from yesteryear

Travel from London Victoria back to a more glamorous era with a clutch of day trips that sit you down in the lap of vintage luxury that is the Belmond British Pullman. These carriages are the sisters of those that once formed the legendary Simplon-Orient-Express train, which a century ago began running from Calais through France, Italy and the Balkans to Istanbul – becoming an iconic setting for literature and film in the process.

You’ll be travelling in individually named and lovingly restored carriages: think antique wood panels, vintage lighting and heritage fabrics. The oldest date back to the 1920s and each has its own resonant history. Zena, for example, was used in the film Agatha, while Perseus served as Winston Churchill’s funeral train on his final journey in 1965.

Trips tap into different themes too. Architecture and interiors buffs may want to head to grand country piles like Highclere Castle (famous for being the set of Downton Abbey), Chatsworth House and Blenheim Palace in grand style, or enjoy a day trip to a historic town like Bath. Gourmands can opt for a journey where, rather than a stewed cuppa and soggy sandwich, catering features champagne afternoon tea or a five-course meal cooked on board by illustrious chefs such as Michel Roux Jr or Raymond Blanc. Alternatively, put your inner Poirot to the test on one of the regular Murder Mystery trips.

Hop aboard the Scarborough Spa Express

Dubbed the ‘Scarborough Flier’ when inaugurated in 1927, this service once whisked travellers from King’s Cross to the Yorkshire seaside resorts of Scarborough Central and Whitby via York. Now the Scarborough Spa trains – still bearing their famous sunburst design – offer atmospheric services between the west coast town of Carnforth by Morecambe Bay across northern England to the east coast.

As well as Gothic Whitby, ancient York and historic Scarborough (arguably the first beach resort in Britain), passengers can join or hop off at places en route including Skipton, Leeds, Hebden Bridge and Lancaster, pulled along by steam locomotive and vintage carriages dating back to the Jazz Era.

Off to market along Hampshire’s Watercress Line

Submerged fields in and around the now chi-chi medieval Hampshire village of Alresford have long been the heartland of watercress growing in Britain, and a Victorian railway line once whisked freshly plucked cress to the markets of London. Today, steam locos on the Watercress Line haul vintage carriages around some of the loveliest bits of Hampshire – within easy striking distance of beautiful villages and historic houses linked to names such as Jane Austen and 18th-century naturalist Gilbert White, credited with founding the science of ecology from his museum home in the idyllic hamlet of Selborne.

A host of regular events augment the simple pleasure of being pulled along by vintage engineering marvels dating back to the 1920s, including A Day Out with Thomas, where children can get up close to a full-size Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as dining trains and Christmas specials.

Moors the merrier in North Yorkshire

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a steam-driven nostalgia fest involving gorgeous antique Pullman carriages used in Downton Abbey, pulled by locomotives dating back to 1890. Rattling through the stunning scenery of one of Britain’s finest National Parks, you can sit back and just enjoy the ride over a leisurely couple of hours, or take breaks from the journey at atmospheric stations along the way. The most famous is Goathland – Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter films – though fans of the trains themselves may be equally captivated by the engineering sheds at Grosmont.

Travellers can enjoy quaint station shops, or on-board meals and afternoon teas in a heritage saloon car. Begin and end your journey either in the medieval market town of Pickering or the ravishing historic port of Whitby, whose winding cobbled lanes frame the majestic Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey (famed for links to Dracula!).

First-class ticket to Bath on the Northern Belle

Departing from various cities in the Midlands and northern England, the historic Northern Belle train will whisk you in vintage style to the Georgian spa town of Bath. These trains embody 1930s opulence, with each carriage named after a stately home and furnished appropriately with specially commissioned vintage décor, offering silver service from liveried stewards as you travel through idyllic countryside. There’s plenty of time to explore Bath – the honey-coloured architecture of the elegant Royal Crescent, striking Bath Abbey, or the dazzling Roman Baths. The Jane Austen Centre pays tribute to one of the town’s most famous residents, and there are also some great shops – including vintage spots such as the Bartlett Street Antiques Centre.

Ride the Harry Potter train on a Scottish odyssey

Voted the top rail journey in the world four years in a row by Wanderlust Magazine, the Jacobite steam train also became famous for its starring role in multiple Harry Potter films as the train that bore young wizards to Hogwarts. The classic scene shows the train sweeping across the majestic Glenfinnan Viaduct on its real-life journey between the Highland ports of Fort William and Mallaig, sweeping past lochs and wild beaches on a route that has its very own magic.

Use this brilliant vintage train ride as a thread to weave together a grand Caledonian tour. Scotland specialist McKinlay Kidd’s 10-night Classic Round Scotland by Train break features the Jacobite run alongside outstanding rail trips from Glasgow or Edinburgh to the Highlands. You’ll get to explore places as diverse as the medieval jewel of Stirling, the Highland ‘capital’ Inverness and the pretty yachting village of Plockton. Add a small group boat jaunt on Loch Ness, and a sailing trip over the sea to enjoy the dramatic Isle of Skye.

Head west for England’s longest heritage line

West Somerset Railway is the longest heritage railway line in England, journeying from the beautiful Somerset coast at Minehead into the delightful foothills of the Quantocks, steaming along an old branch line that calls at 10 unique stations in bucolic spots that offer plenty of chance to jump off and explore en route. Along the way, you’ll get views to Exmoor and the Bristol Channel, as well as rattling through a sylvan landscape past timeless villages. One break of journey you must do is to visit the stupendous Dunster Castle and Gardens, as well as soaking up the Victorian seaside vibe of Minehead.

WORDS: NORMAN MILLER