The Shakespeare Express – Stratford – upon Avon – Warwickshire
I love locomotives! As a child I remember standing on railway bridges as the steam engines hurtled past underneath, I would always end up coughing & spluttering, but I loved the thrill of the steam engines.
When I toured South Australia a couple of years ago I took The Ghan overnight train from Adelaide to Alice Springs & I had a fantastic experience dining & sleeping on the train as it made its way to the red heart of Australia. By the time I travelled to New Zealand a year later I was totally hooked on rail travel, so I travelled the Tranzalpine Kiwi Rail across the Southern Alps from Greymouth on the west coast to Christchurch in the East of New Zealand’s South Island. I simply love travelling by train, taking in the stunning views & enjoying superb meals on board.
Nowhere can I think so happily as in a train.
A. A. Milne
With these thoughts in mind I was very much looking forward to enjoying a three course Sunday Lunch on board Vintage Trains Shakespeare Express on a return steam rail journey from Stratford upon Avon to Birmingham passing through the beautiful Warwickshire countryside seated in a glamorous Pullman Class dining carriage. Pullman dining offers passengers the opportunity to relive the golden age of steam whilst seated in some very stylish carriages, built for the world-renowned Pullman brand that was used by companies such as the London & Northeastern Railway on their elite express services between major British cities. When travelling in a Pullman carriage passengers can expect luxury, comfort & glamour. My wife & I were seated in a private Pullman carriage for four persons, all to ourselves! Now, this is the way to travel!
There was no choice of dishes on the menu. If you are looking for a vegetarian or vegan option I would suggest this is communicated when making your booking as Vintage trains are happy to accommodate all requests.
If a train doesn’t stop at your station, then it’s not your train.
Marianne Williamson
Sunday Lunch:
Starters: Prosciutto Salad with sun blushed tomatoes, chickpeas, quinoa, roasted peppers & pesto dressing. A beautifully presented starter with the prosciutto completely wrapped around the salad. The prosciutto was cut thick & there was plenty of it! A fresh, uplifting & very flavoursome start to our lunch!
Entrée or mains: Sticky Feather Blade of Beef: A long cut of tasty beef, taken from the inside of the shoulder, slow cooked in Rioja wine so the meat was beautifully soft & tender. It was served with a smartly cut Hassleback potato, butternut squash puree, caramelised root vegetables & steamed tender stem broccoli. I loved the look of the Hassleback potato, sliced into thin wedges but left joined at the bottom, then baked until the wedges fanned out. The sauce was sticky & sweet, perfect. Just as I like it!
Dessert: A classic homemade Manchester tart with Chantilly cream. A small traditional English baked tart consisting of a shortcrust pastry shell, spread with raspberry jam, covered with a light custard filling & topped with a Raspberry not a Maraschino cherry in this case!
Trains are wonderful – To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches and rivers, in fact, to see life.
Agatha Christie
Our carriages were pulled along by the GWR Castle Class steam locomotive Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, named after a former GWR director! Built in March 1936 the Earl was originally named Barbury Castle after an iron age hilltop fort, five miles south of Swindon, it frequently hauled the GWR’s Cheltenham Flyer, which was then the fastest train in the world! It was renamed Earl of Mount Edgcumbe in September 1937.
The Vintage Trains Shakespeare Express runs from either Birmingham Snow Hill or Stratford upon Avon, calling at Birmingham Moor Street & on the outward journey at Henley in Arden. The journey from Stratford -upon – Avon runs exceeds speeds of up to 75 mph via Solihull on its non-stop journey to Birmingham Moor Street. The volunteer guides were available throughout the carriages & were all very informative & helpful. Our guide, John, was particularly helpful, providing my wife & I with all kinds of interesting information about the rail lines, stations & places which we would pass en-route.
She had a penetrating sort of laugh. Rather like a train going into a tunnel.
P. G. Wodehouse
The Express locomotive really does pick up some speed, racing along at 80mph at one point with open fields & trees rushing past us! Travellers can choose from two return journeys. Travel outward from Birmingham in the early morning enjoying a hearty breakfast for a day’s sightseeing in Stratford & returning in the late afternoon with an afternoon tea; or you can enjoy a round trip from Stratford to Birmingham with mid day lunch returning in the early afternoon, which is what I decided to opt for.
The trains travel along the celebrated Shakespeare Line, a journey of approximately an hour in each direction through a mix of city townscapes & beautiful Warwickshire countryside. The Shakespeare line, branches from the main line at Tyseley & joins the route from Leamington at Bearley. As the suburbs end near Shirley, the scenery begins to change & we pass the intriguingly named Wooton Wawen, apparently it means, “farm near a wood”!
Many times the wrong train took me to the right place.
Paulo Coelho
The Shakespeare Express is England’s sole mainline regular steam itinerary, linking the city of Birmingham & the Bard’s own birthplace. Stratford-upon-Avon is a destination for an afternoon of fun & entertainment, visitors from Birmingham get to spend at least five hours enjoying an assortment of pubs & restaurants, boat trips, museums & much, much more before returning to their train.
If travelling from Birmingham, you get to enjoy a full English Breakfast, with toast, jams, juices and as much tea or coffee as you can drink! On the return journey travellers are spoilt with a delightful Afternoon Tea of finger sandwiches, home -made scones, clotted cream & jam, miniature cakes, sweet dainties & lots more tea & coffee or if you would like something a little stronger to celebrate there is a well-stocked bar available on every train! Tourist Class gives travellers the chance to enjoy high-quality vintage carriages, seats next to windows for everyone and a table. Seats are reserved and wheelchair users can be accommodated on request!
Life is a train, get on board.
Khaled Hosseini
I really enjoyed my afternoon on The Shakespeare Express. The meal was absolutely wonderful, I must admit to being pleasantly surprised at the quality & presentation of the three courses. Who says you can’t get good quality meals on board a train?
The Shakespeare Express caters for a wide range of visitor experiences, whether you want to eat or just travel for the rail experience. There will be something to suit everyone! It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon, particularly if like me, you love locomotives.
I would fully recommend you take a vintage train ride as soon as possible!
441217084960
bookings@vintagetrains.co.uk
vintagetrains.co.uk
The Travel Locker 