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Settle & Carlisle Steam Special

Saturday 24th April 2027

Liverpool, Newton-le-Willows, Preston

5 stars

Read 34 reviews

£595
Per passenger
steam train day trips with lunch

Your Journey

No wonder Channel 5 chose to feature our trip over the magnificent Settle-Carlisle line on one of their “The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys”.

Narrator Bill Nighy was clearly impressed by the Northern Belle too, describing it as “the Grand Dame of luxury travel”.

The 73-mile route, snaking through the Eden Valley and the Yorkshire Dales, has been dubbed the most beautiful in the world.

And what better way to see it than comfortably ensconced in one of the Northern Belle’s plush vintage Pullman-style carriages—especially when the train is being hauled by a famous steam locomotive from a bygone era!

The day begins as usual when you board the Northern Belle over a red carpet laid across your home station platform.

Within minutes, a liveried steward hands you a sparkling Mimosa cocktail before a delicious three-course brunch is served as we travel north.After a little sightseeing in Carlisle—where the original diesel locomotive is now replaced by a steam engine—we set out again.

As we head for Settle, with your table adorned with pristine white linen and sparkling glassware, our staff begin serving a sumptuous six-course dinner with fine wines.

Each dish features the freshest seasonal ingredients and a mix of classic and innovative recipes, crafted with meticulous attention in our kitchen carriage, before finishing with our Great British Cheese Board and a lovely glass of port.It all makes for a dream day you will remember for the rest of your life.

THE SETTLE-CARLISLE LINE

Until the 1970s, steam-hauled expresses like the Thames-Clyde Express and The Waverley thundered between London and Scotland over this line, which was hewn out of the rugged Yorkshire Dales and the Cumbrian Fells by an army of 6,000 navvies during the 19th century.

Opened in 1875, one of the highlights is the magnificent 24-arch Ribblehead Viaduct, which stands 104ft high and stretches for a quarter of a mile across the wonderfully named Batty Moss.

Discover our carefully crafted seasonal menu, showcasing fine British cuisine prepared fresh onboard by our expert chefs.

View sample menu
Book your tickets
Book today with a 15% deposit

Saturday 24th April 2027

Departing from

Liverpool, Newton-le-Willows, Preston

  • Liverpool Lime Street

  • Newton-le-Willows

  • Preston

    • Destination

  • Carlisle Station

Timings shown are provisional.
Timings are subject to network rail confirmation 7 days prior to departure.
View sample menu

STEAM – NOT GUARANTEED

Steam haulage is not guaranteed and may be replaced by a heritage diesel locomotive in the event of dry conditions (due to fire risk from embers) or mechanical failure, as many steam engines are over 100 years old. The journey will still operate as planned regardless of the locomotive used. Our vintage diesel locomotives are steeped in history and extremely rare worldwide, with locomotives such as Windsor Castle and Scarborough Spa.

If the trip is diesel-hauled, guests will receive a £30 credit per person, equivalent to the steam supplement. While this is unlikely, we believe in being transparent as this is a possibility.

Book Your Tickets

Saturday, 24th April 2027
Settle & Carlisle Steam Special

Bill Nighy called the Northern Belle 'the Grand Dame of luxury travel'. Steam the Settle to Carlisle line that Channel 5 filmed, with brunch and six courses.

Spectacular steam hauled journey over the Settle to Carlisle line aboard the Northern Belle luxury train

Sparkling Mimosa or signature Bloody Mary

Delicious three-course brunch served on the outward journey

Time to explore Carlisle at leisure

Champagne welcome back on board, with a signature cocktail & small-bite pairing and caviar blinis

Sumptuous six-course dinner: a British seasonal table d’hôte menu featuring an award-winning Great British cheeseboard with port, a delicious dessert, and a selection of petits fours

Sommelier’s choice — one bottle of wine per couple

Fortnum & Mason tea and Northern Belle blend coffee

Onboard entertainment including strolling musicians

£595 per passenger

Book today with a 15% deposit

Book Now
Elevate your journey
Moët & Chandon Class

Some days deserve more than a glass. Founded in 1743, Moët & Chandon is the most celebrated Champagne house in the world, poured for royalty and favoured by Napoleon himself.

Everything in your Settle & Carlisle Steam Special day, plus:

Your reception Champagne upgraded to Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage

A bottle of Moët & Chandon Impérial NV to share, per couple

Your wine upgraded from the Northern Belle Collection, per couple

+ £95per passenger

Single travellers receive half bottles.

Book with Moët & Chandon class
Experience another class
KRUG Class

For the once-in-a-lifetime days, there is KRUG: the most prized Champagne in the world, and the highest class of travel on the train.

Everything in your Settle & Carlisle Steam Special day, plus:

  • A bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée to share, per couple

  • Your wine upgraded from the Northern Belle Collection, per couple

  • Reserved seating in Duart, a former Royal Train carriage, or Glamis, named after the Queen Mother's childhood home

  • A parting gift to take home

 + £195per passenger - limited availability

Single travellers receive half bottles.

Book with KRUG Class

Guest experiences

Recent reviews of this journey

Memories of Settle & Carlisle Steam Special, shared by guests who travelled with us.

Have questions?

Please read our most frequent questions here, if you don't see what you're looking for, visit our full list of Travellers Tips.

If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our reservations team.

Get in touch

Northern Belle has limited tables for two. We are happy to take a request, however this is not a guarantee and there is a chance that you may be sharing a table of four with another couple. Subject to availability you may guarantee a table for two by paying a supplement of £105 per passenger. When booking online if private tables of two are available you can select your preference, but you can select a shared table without a supplement subject to availability.

All of the Northern Belle carriages are vintage pullman style. Each row of seats is a table for two and across the aisle a table for four.

Yes. If notified at the time of booking, we will do our best to comply with any dietary requirements. These include Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, Pescetarian and the exclusion of certain ingredients such as nuts, onions and dairy. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide meals requiring strict religious observance in preparation. Please order at least 14 days prior to travel to ensure we can order the supplies to the train whilst on tour. Please note that due to the small preparation areas on the train we cannot guarantee cross contamination within the kitchen and if you have severe allergic reactions then please call the reservations team to discuss. When you book on line you will find a section to list your passenger’s dietary needs and other comments.

We are able to accommodate passengers with slight walking difficulties. However, we recommend they are accompanied by a carer. We regret that our carriages cannot be boarded on wheelchair. Staff are able to assist passengers to their seats and folding wheelchairs can be stored during the journey.

Some journeys are not suitable for people with disabilities. Should you have any special requirements please contact your nearest reservations office.

For a journey aboard the Northern Belle luxury train, adhere to the smart casual dress code. Choose comfortable yet stylish attire and wear appropriate footwear for day trips that may involve walking.

Please Note

  • All timings shown on this website are for your guidance only—a confirmed schedule will be supplied with your travel documents
  • Steam: Due to the antique nature of the locomotive from time to time the engines do sadly fail, in this situation we will reserve the right to substitute the advertised locomotive with a replacement. In the unlikely event we can not obtain a substitute we will run the excursion with a heritage diesel locomotive and offer a credit of £30pp or a voucher of £75pp to put towards a future trip.
  • Please ensure you bring your travel documents on the day of your journey
  • If booking up to eight (8) weeks prior to departure, a non-refundable 15% deposit is required to secure your seats
  • Payment is required in full if you are booking within eight (8) weeks of travel
  • Bookings of two attract a surcharge of £105 per passenger for a private table for two
  • Bookings of five or six attract a surcharge of £210 for the use of the private table for two
  • Full payment and cancellation details can be found in our Terms and Conditions page >

Our Best Available rate is subject to availability at time of booking, it is not applicable for parties of 12 or more. Please contact [email protected] for group pricing.

Steam Train Day Trips With Lunch

Bill Nighy called the Northern Belle 'the Grand Dame of luxury travel'. Steam the Settle to Carlisle line that Channel 5 filmed, with brunch and six courses. Explore our steam train day trips with lunch

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