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Great Central Railway Saturday Lunch

Loughborough, Great Central Station
REF: STSYL1
Rated Based On 118 Reviews

  • A Saturday steam train luncheon trip
  • On the historic Great Central Railway
  • Onboard the Carolean steam train
  • Three courses in the First Class dining car
 
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What's Included

  • Three-course lunch with coffee and mints served aboard The 'Carolean'
  • Enjoy a leisurely steam train journey through Charnwood's countryside
  • Your meal is served during the journey aboard the first class restaurant cars
  • There is generally a pause on Swithland viaduct with views across the reservoir to Charnwood Forest
  • A 'runabout ticket' allowing unlimited rail travel for the day
  • Opportunity to roam around the platform and museums
  • Your table on the steam train luncheon departure is reserved for you
  • Seating is generally on tables accommodating two or four people
  • The train journey lasts approximately one and a half hours

What Can I Expect

Great Central Railway Saturday lunch - all aboard the Carolean for a superb Saturday steam train lunch in Loughborough! This year-round luncheon service is one of the most popular of all our experiences!

The beautifully restored carriages of the Carolean (named after the King Charles III era) immediately transport you back to the truly golden age of steam trains. As you roll gently out of Loughborough, sit back in your large, armchair-style comfy seat, watch the plumes of steam billowing from the train's locomotive and enjoy the unspoilt countryside.

Your three course Saturday luncheon meal will be served at your table by the courteous and smartly dressed service team. You have a choice of main dishes in a classic British cuisine style, with vegetarian options too. What you might not realise is that there is a kitchen car onboard, where all the food is prepared and plated - quite a feat!

Midway through your steam adventure, the train will glide to a halt on one of the loveliest spots in the Loughborough area - the viaduct that spans the Swithland Reservoir. Chances are you'll see wildfowl enjoying the tranquillity of the water and we think there is no better way to spend a Saturday lunch time than this!

Once you arrive at the end of the line in Leicester North, your plates will have been collected and you'll most likely fancy a little stroll. So here's where you can get off the train to have a look around the station. You can watch the steam loco ‘runaround' and then hop back onboard for your return journey and your coffee and mints.

Every diner booked on the Great Central Railway Saturday steam train lunch from Loughborough also has a first class 'runabout' ticket. This gives unlimited travel for the day of your experience, so you can make the most of it and see all the attractions on the eight miles of mainline track and three other stations.

Availability

  • Most Saturday lunchtimes from February through to November
  • Departures are at 13:00, returning at approximately 14:45
  • On booking, the operator may ask for you to make your menu choices in advance
  • Due to popularity please book in advance to avoid disappointment
Vouchers are valid for any of the scheduled dates, subject to availability.
Request your preferred date when booking in for your experience.

2024 Dates

March

  • Saturday 30th March

April 

  • Saturday 6th April
  • Saturday 13th April
  • Saturday 20th April

May 

  • Saturday 4th May
  • Saturday 11th May
  • Saturday 18th May
  • Saturday 25th May

June

  • Saturday 8th June
  • Saturday 15th June
  • Saturday 22nd June
  • Saturday 29th June

July

  • Saturday 6th July
  • Saturday 13th July
  • Saturday 20th July
  • Saturday 27th July

August  

  • Saturday 3rd August
  • Saturday 17th August
  • Saturday 24th August
  • Saturday 31st August

September

  • Saturday 14th September
  • Saturday 21st September
  • Saturday 28th September

October

  • Saturday 12th October
  • Saturday 19th October
  • Saturday 26th October

November

  • Saturday 2nd November
  • Saturday 9th November

Location

  • The trains depart from and returns to Great Central Station in Loughborough
  • Head south, for around 4 miles where the train pauses to take in the beautiful views from the Swithland viaduct, near Rothley
  • The train follows the same route North back to Great Central Station
  • The Central station has good access from the M1 (J23) and A6

Suitable For

  • Minimum age 5
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by a participating adult
  • There are disabled facilities available on site
  • The dining car is not suitable for wheelchairs

Spectators

  • Spectators wanting to see off the train will need to buy a platform ticket which allows access to the museums

Anything Else

  • There are full facilities on board the trains and at the stations
  • The operator can also assist and advise on local accommodation in the area
  • Please note: There may be additional dates available outside of the listed dates, however runabout tickets will not be available due to pre-booked seasonal events
  • Dining vouchers are not redeemable between 24 November 2023 and 2 January 2024 

Reviews

4 out of 5 stars

Average Rating: 4
Total Reviews: 118

Find out what other customers think of the experience

Reviews

  based on 116 reviews

Rating: 5 stars
Alison Steggall
4 Months ago
Everything was amazing, the train the staff and the food was wonderful would definitely recommend
Rating: 4 stars
margaret moore
everything was well organised even when little blips arose which where no fault of the staff. excel...
Rating: 4 stars
Lynda
We had a great day, excellent food and service. Friendly, helpful staff and the train was spotless.
Rating: 4 stars
Clare
Lovely relaxing day, the food was tasty and the dining experience great. The staff were friendly an...
Rating: 4 stars
Nigel Wharton
This was the first day back for luncheon on The Great Central Railway so not everything went as the...
Rating: 4 stars
lena parisi
had wonderful journey on the steam train. the food was excellent and beautifully served. couldn't...
Rating: 4 stars
Richard
This was a really great experience for me and my fiancée. The whole thing was excellent. The staff ...
Rating: 4 stars
Alan Sutton
The romance of travelling in a Pullman Car, hauled by a British-built steam locomotive, was enhance...
Rating: 4 stars
Graham Daniels
What a great way to spend a lunchtime. Hauled by a steam locomotive with excellent food, wine and s...
Rating: 4 stars
Betty Burrows
Enjoyable gift to receive.revived old memories of the way we used to travel wonderful smell of the ...
Rating: 4 stars
Ian Lloyd
Great meal, food was excellent and everything was well organised.
Rating: 4 stars
anthony dodson
Service and food excellent
Rating: 4 stars
Viv
It was excellent , stepping back in time the service and product was first class would recommend to...
Rating: 4 stars
John Fitzpatrick
A really good day out. The food was excellent and the staff very helpful. Nothing like the sound an...
Rating: 4 stars
Alan
We had a wonderful time. The train ride was good, the food was very good and the waiting staff were...
Rating: 4 stars
Dave and Chris Appleby
Very enjoyable day, despite the rain! The experience was very well organized, the staff were effici...
Rating: 4 stars
margaret bargus
lovely meal on the train, we really enjoyed the experience
Rating: 4 stars
Allan Wendy Plowright
Train meal etc. Excellent overall day ALLANPLOWRIGHT
Rating: 4 stars
Pete and Jo
Thoroughly enjoyed the experience, the railway, the journeys, the food, the service and the company...
Rating: 4 stars
Yvette
A perfect afternoon from start to finish, the food was delicious and the waiting staff were very go...
Rating: 4 stars
R Marfleet
A well organised trip on the Great Central Railway. The meal was excellent and the service outstan...
Rating: 4 stars
Mrs Pamela Paddy
Fantastic meal and service. A lovely gift and interesting experience.
Rating: 4 stars
Amanda
I brought the steam train experience as a 50th wedding anniversary present for my parents. They lo...
Rating: 4 stars
David Youdan
The Journey was impressive and the meal a real treat. The service was exceptional and always availa...
Rating: 4 stars
Roger Burns
A lovely gift for my birthday. Good location, very interesting, with a pleasant run through the cou...
Rating: 4 stars
Diana
Had a really great day. The lunch was excellent and so was the total experience. Really took us b...
Rating: 4 stars
Simon Graham.
We had a lovely day on the steam train at Loughborough, food was great as were all of the people lo...
Rating: 4 stars
Pam Nickerson
This was a lovely experience. A fantastic location and a beautiful meal served promptly by effici...
Rating: 4 stars
Helena Melbourne
Absolutely fantastic. Very welcoming staff and amazing food. Loved every minute of it. Thanks to ev...
Rating: 4 stars
Richard Browne
Enjoyed it but the choice was limited and the lamb very fatty. As a meal out it wasn't brilliant an...
Rating: 4 stars
Elizabeth
I love steam trains and was very excited to receive this gift of Christmas Lunch and a steam train ...
Rating: 4 stars
Susan nemeth
Lovely experience! And what a lovely gift! Only downside we had to share our carriage with 3 other...
Rating: 4 stars
Mrs June Wallace
Enjoyed the experience everything went smoothly from booking to steam train. My husbands birthday p...
Rating: 4 stars
Andy Coekin
Very nice experience lovely staff and food would definitely recommend this to other people
Rating: 4 stars
Emily
Food was really good and staff were all friendly and professional and would definitely recommend
Rating: 4 stars
Jess
Amazing few hours out! Really enjoyed it, food was beautiful! Would definitely recommend and will b...
Rating: 4 stars
John Larley
It was a thoroughly excellent experience stepping back in time with station master and guard dresse...
Rating: 4 stars
Kay Chadburn
We enjoyed the experience very much. The service was excellent and the servers were all very polite...
Rating: 4 stars
Julie Smith
Staff are polite and those organising the meal were extremely efficient. No mean feat to provide 80...
Rating: 4 stars
Doreen and Roy Smith
What a fabulous experience. We thoroughly enjoyed everything about our trip and luncheon on the ste...
Rating: 4 stars
Claire Hillman
We spent a lovely day, and had a superb meal. The staff were excellent and friendly, the service on...
Rating: 4 stars
Terry Kemoe
A great day out the great central railway have it just right.my only comment would be children shou...
Rating: 4 stars
Jan & Ray Hutchinson
Excellent - service, journey and food all very good
Rating: 4 stars
G. Sturman
A most enjoyable experience. We were already familiar with the Great Central Railway, having visite...
Rating: 4 stars
Graham Sewell
Definitely one of the best themed days out that we have ever had. The lunch was excellent, the ser...
Rating: 4 stars
Jill Kenyon
We had a wonderful day and a superb meal. The staff were all friendly and helpful. I would certainl...
Rating: 4 stars
A Griffith
A brilliant day with good food, recommended
Rating: 4 stars
A & M
A new experience for us. A real treat to be able to travel on a Steam Train. Food excellent and sta...
Rating: 4 stars
eileen hope
the food and the ambiance was spot on, as was the service. the actual steam train experience was la...
Rating: 4 stars
Ian Barry
We had a really lovely time. It was all organised really well and smoothly. The food was great an...
Rating: 4 stars
A Roberts
Our experience was pleasant, did feel it was abit rushed, food was ok,i had the lamb but felt it wa...
Rating: 4 stars
Michael Smith
Has an experience it was truly great. It brought back many memories of how I remember the the huge ...
Rating: 4 stars
Ian Darbyshire
Very enjoyable day
Rating: 4 stars
Reginald Smith
A very enjoyable afternoon all staff so pleasant food excellent 10 out of 10 I will certainly recc...
Rating: 4 stars
Jennifer Lawrencej
A most enjoyable couple of hours on the Steam Train, the staff were excellent, very attentive and v...
Rating: 4 stars
Ian Spillett
A wonderful day out given as a Christmas present. Plenty of steam engines and great atmosphere of a...
Rating: 4 stars
Sarah Law
Lovely Christmas pressie for my 75+ parents. Train lovely staff and their service friendly and goo...
Rating: 4 stars
Steve Longrigg
A great day out. Lots of locomotives in steam on the day and really good food on the train. Would r...
Rating: 4 stars
Wendy
Booking was not great . Operator at great central operator did not know facts. Was told to go to ti...
Rating: 4 stars
Martin Ward
A great trip and would definitely do it again
Rating: 4 stars
Patricia Fensom
What a lovely day we had! The sights and sounds and smells of the station and trains brought back ...
Rating: 4 stars
Patricia Brookes
Great staff, very comfortable. Delicious piping hot meal. What a treat
Rating: 4 stars
k. lumsden
A very enjoyable experience. The meal was beautiful. The seating was very comfortable. The only dow...
Rating: 4 stars
Karen Walker
Such a lovely experience, we had a very enjoyable day, its definitely worth arriving early and expl...
Rating: 4 stars
john watts
Food staff and service was fantastic .only thing that let it down was not much scenery on route .
Rating: 4 stars
Denise Benham
Excellent trip. Loved all the authentic touches such as old suitcases on the platform and all the o...
Rating: 4 stars
Emma Cartledge
Good
Rating: 4 stars
Tricia Bowler
Very good service and excellent food. Really enjoyed it. Only criticism was that the dessert said w...
Rating: 4 stars
Beryl Thompson
We really enjoyed ourselves and felt as if we had stepped back in time. The food was first rate an...
Rating: 4 stars
Dave
Excellent food on a lovely steam train friendly staff
Rating: 4 stars
Helen Deaton
Booking the day was quick and easy. Everyone at Loughborough Station was very helpful and there was...
Rating: 4 stars
Mrs Anne Hawkins
We had a fantastic time food was excellent the service was great and very friendly all in all we co...
Rating: 4 stars
James McCulloch
Myself and my wife enjoyed the whole experience so much that we will be rebooking for my brothers b...
Rating: 4 stars
Paul Davies
We had an amazing day all round!
Rating: 4 stars
Des Boyle
An experience to remember. The service was excellent, the food great and the staff were very accomo...
Rating: 4 stars
M J Geer
Enjoyable, staff excellent, journey too short, especially as it had taken 1.5 hours to get there
Rating: 4 stars
Reg. Harper
An wonderful day out. Lunch was perfect, service outstanding. Only adverse comment I have is that t...
Rating: 4 stars
Andrew Collins
Fantastic day all the people we met were brilliant - the dining experience was brilliant the food w...
Rating: 4 stars
Peter Harper
Fantastic time.staff and service excellent
Rating: 4 stars
Antony Gadsby
Fanatastic experience along with a real feel of nostalgia from start to finish. Food was excellent ...
Rating: 4 stars
Kim Hardy
We had an absolutely wonderful day. The service was fantastic and the food was lovely. Would defini...
Rating: 4 stars
Helen Williams
A lovely day out, the dining experience was first class. The staff looked after us really well, re...
Rating: 4 stars
Kirstie Law
Lovely experience, with enthusiastic and very helpful staff. It just wasn't long enough - got to th...
Rating: 4 stars
Jacqueline Gilbert
We had a fabulous time, the food was excellent and the staff really pleasant would easily recommend...
Rating: 4 stars
Betty Pape
Relaxing ,enjoyable experience. The staff were friendly and helpful. A lovely day out
Rating: 4 stars
Mrs. G.L. Brazier
Wonderful day, staff all helpful, friendly and efficient. Food was excellent. Even the weather was...
Rating: 4 stars
Mrs. Preston
STAff were courteous. I was impressed with the catering being able to accommodate my dietary requir...
Rating: 4 stars
Anne and Mick
Beautiful day. Lovely gift. Excellent experience and fantastic customer service.
Rating: 4 stars
Mrs E. Hulme
A very enjoyable experience a very welcome gift
Rating: 4 stars
Ian Hughes
Excellent trip, waitress service excellent, staff charming and polite. The restaurant car was profe...
Rating: 4 stars
pamela beehoo
i thought the hole experience was very good and just what my husband wanted for his birthday very v...
Rating: 4 stars
tracey
what a lovely day on the steam train , the Yorkshire man , and fantastic food served hot and yummy,...
Rating: 4 stars
Melvyn & Rosemarie Arkell
Exploring the station site was very interesting and the fine dining on board "The South Yorkshirema...
Rating: 4 stars
Lorraine
We thoroughly enjoyed the trip, the food was well prepared and presented and the staff were excelle...
Rating: 4 stars
Russell
We had an amazing day. The experiance was beyond our expectations. Everything went like clockwork, ...
Rating: 4 stars
Suzanne Brennan
I bought this as a gift for a friend we enjoyed the experience very much and thought the station an...
Rating: 4 stars
iris and john martin
We had an excellent day, staff were very helpful and the food was excellent and lots of it..
Rating: 4 stars
Peter & Anita Brown
We had an amazing day and really enjoyed the experience. The staff were really friendly and nothing...
Rating: 4 stars
Steve
We really enjoyed this experience it was well organised and we were really well looked after. The f...
Rating: 4 stars
Sarah Gordon
Interesting little journey with friendly staff. The Sunday lunch was disappointing.
Rating: 4 stars
Steve
We had a really great day the staff were very friendly and helpful, food was out of this world very...
Rating: 4 stars
Matt
it was a great experience, from the friendly staff to the enjoyable food, the only downside was tha...
Rating: 4 stars
Allan Salisbury
Brilliant day cracking lunch .great experience .
Rating: 4 stars
Jeff Burgess
First class day. Everything I was Looking forward to and more. The food and the staff were really g...
Rating: 4 stars
Simon Brittain
Really good freshly prepared meal, nicely timed and excellent staff.
Rating: 4 stars
Peter Helm
Meal very good. Very comfortable and enjoyable.
Rating: 4 stars
Guest review on reviewcentre.com
I booked a steam train lunch in Leicester for me, my Mum, Dad and brother as a special treat as we ...
Rating: 4 stars
Caroline, Leicester - by email
Having been given an Into the Blue activity gift token, I decided (being the good daughter that I a...
Rating: 4 stars
Customer Review from Feefo,
Service rating - excellent: well organised, impeccable service and really friendly staff. A wonderf...
Rating: 4 stars
Louise Webb, by email
I bought my partner the experience as he is a real steam train fan. However, as I am not, I was a l...
Rating: 4 stars
Mrs Coull, Northampton - by email
I'm just emailing to say thank you for the excellent service from Into the Blue. I ordered a steam ...
Rating: 4 stars
colin
we had a brilliant day on Great Central Railway the meal was superb and the staff brilliant. train ...
Rating: 4 stars
Joe Dawson
Excellent day. Meal was fantastic and Staff were so friendly. The whole experience was great.
Rating: 4 stars
Dave Dyment
Lovely surprise for my wife. A trip back in time on a sedate journey through the countryside. Lov...
Rating: 4 stars
Linda
We had a really lovely time on our train experience . The lunch was very nice and the staff were fr...
Rating: 4 stars
Phil Hughes
Excellent day out, staff were all very helpful !! special thanks to Mike the guard