(Image: THE NORTHERN BELLE)
North East passengers can enjoy champagne, fine dining and railway nostalgia when one of Britain’s most luxurious trains heads to Scotland for Christmas shopping.
The 1930s-style Northern Belle will leave Darlington and Newcastle on Saturday, November 7, for a day of Christmas shopping and sightseeing in Edinburgh.
A tartan-clad piper will play a lament at both stations as passengers board from a red carpet.
The Northern Belle hauled by the Princess Elizabeth. (Image: The Northern Belle)
A spokesman said: "Edinburgh is always one of our favourite destinations, especially in the run-up to Christmas.
"It’s a marvellous place to do a bit of festive shopping.
"And there is also the opportunity for passengers to visit the late Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Yacht Britannia at nearby Leith."
Liveried stewards will greet guests with champagne before serving a full breakfast as the train heads north.
Inside one of the luxurious carriages on board. (Image: THE NORTHERN BELLE)
In the evening, passengers will enjoy champagne and a six-course dinner of caviar, wine and port as resident musicians play.
The spokesman said: "We won’t just be taking them to Edinburgh, we will be transporting them back to the golden days of rail travel when nothing was too good for the pampered passenger."
Actor Bill Nighy called the Northern Belle "the Grand Dame of luxury travel" in a Channel 5 documentary.
A view of the table set for dinner. (Image: THE NORTHERN BELLE)
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The train was also named the fifth greatest in the world by Condé Nast Traveller magazine readers last year.
Tickets for the Edinburgh trip, costing almost £500, are selling fast.
A Christmas lunch journey will also run from Darlington, Durham and Newcastle on Thursday, December 17.
More information is available at www.northernbelle.co.uk.