Friday 15 to Monday 18 April 2022

Join us for a memorable trip to the scenic splendours of Scotland, travelling in classic First Class carriages. Enjoy freshly prepared on-board meals served at your seat and a choice of off-train options.

Our inclusive fare includes:

• First class rail travel aboard our special train, your choice of optional activity each day, hotel transfers and three nights hotel accommodation in a shared twin or double room (a supplement applies for single room occupancy).
• On train meals and refreshments as described.

Itinerary

We ask that your choice of off train option for each day is advised at the time of booking.

Friday

At your choice of joining station, you will be warmly welcomed aboard our special private First Class train. With luggage safely stowed and as you settle in your seat, the Great British Breakfast will be served for those joining at stations as far as Birmingham New Street. Derby joiners will enjoy a lighter serving.

With everyone on board, we make our way through Yorkshire into the Aire Valley, with a short break taken at Skipton before we traverse the full length of the spectacular Settle and Carlisle line to Carlisle. We then cross the border into Scotland at Gretna, taking the attractive ‘South-Western’ route by way of Dumfries and the long climb through the Nith Valley, before returning to sea-level at Ayr. A four course evening meal will be served whilst we make our way towards our destination.

From Paisley, road coaches will whisk you across the Erskine Bridge to our three night stay at the Golden Jubilee Hotel, with an arrival time of around 2130 hours.

Saturday

A full day lies ahead as road coaches collect you from the hotel for the short trip to Dumbarton, to rejoin our train. Breakfast will be served at your seat as the train runs close to the Clyde, before climbing into the mountains.

At every twist and turn of the track, new vistas open up of mountains, lochs and glens, alongside Loch Lomond and to Crianlarich, where we fork left. After Loch Awe, a view of the magnificent Connel Bridge shows we are approaching the end of the outward journey at Oban, where you will have the following three activities to choose from:

Option A – Tobermory
After a short break at leisure in Oban, make your way to the main quay (alongside the railway station) and join the ferry across the water to Craignure on the Island of Mull.

Road coaches will be waiting there to take you on a 40 minute run along the coast to Tobermory, a delightful harbour town with multi-hued houses. After a break, return to Oban as outward.

 

Option B – Inveraray

After a short time to wander in Oban, travel by road coach (with a local guide) to Inveraray, with around three hours to enjoy the attractions, including the Castle and the notorious Inveraray Jail (entrance fees not included).

The return will be down Loch Fyne to Lochgilphead, then northwards with stops to admire the views before arrival back into Oban, with again time for a short leg-stretch stroll before our train departs.

 

 

Option C – Oban

 

Enjoy the attractions of this port, noted for its town centre distillery and for McCaig’s Tower/Folly, which looks down on the town and harbour, and out across the sea to Mull. There are also ferries to the nearby Island of Lismore.

 

 

Please note: To give all passengers flexibility to explore at leisure, no lunch will be provided on Saturday, but all options offer opportunities to locally purchase a selection of food and drink. A four course evening meal will be served once everyone is back on board for the return rail journey to Dumbarton and our hotel.

 

Sunday

Breakfast will be taken in the hotel this morning before departure by road coach to join our train at Dumbarton. The rail route will take us around Glasgow and through Stirling, then by way of Gleneagles to Perth and down the widening river Tay to Dundee.

Elevenses will be served as we follow the coast via Arbroath to Montrose and Stonehaven, before arrival at Aberdeen. Todays activities to choose from are:

Option E – Caledonian Railway (Brechin)
Alight at Montrose and join the waiting road coaches for transfer to Brechin for a ride on the preserved section of the Caledonian Railway, followed by a visit to the Royal Deeside Railway before re-joining our mainline special train at Stonehaven.

 

 

 

 

Option F – Crathes Castle

We will depart from Stonehaven by road coach to this 16th Century Castle near Banchory in the Dee Valley, with time to explore the Castle itself and to wander round the 530 acre estate in which it sits, before the coach returns you to the train at Stonehaven.

 

 

 

 

Option G – Distillery Visit

This area of Scotland is renowned for its distinctive Whiskies, so a visit by road coach with a guide, from and back to Aberdeen, to Oldmeldrum and the Glen Garioch Distillery (founded in 1797) will not disappoint.

 

 

 

Option H – Aberdeen – The Granite City
Armed with a map and information, spend the afternoon exploring this bustling City and port. Whilst the enduring image of Aberdeen is of solid grey buildings that sparkle in the sun, the 45 parks and gardens offer an astonishing array of flowers, trees and other greenery, complemented by city wide floral displays.

No wonder it has won the Britain in Bloom ‘Best City’ award 10 times!

 

 

With everyone back on board, the train will return south. Evening dinner will be served as we return to Dundee, then cross the Tay on the two mile bridge.

Varied scenery of coast and hills takes us through the Kingdom of Fife, then over the magnificent Forth Bridge. A westward run follows through Falkirk, leading to Glasgow and back to Dumbarton, for road coaches to the hotel.

 

 

 

Monday

After a full Scottish Breakfast at the hotel, coaches will take you back to Dumbarton to rejoin the train soon after 0930.

The return route will take us through the Forth-Clyde Valley to Edinburgh, then take in the stunning views of the East Coast as we travel over the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick-upon-Tweed and via Newcastle, to York for a short leg stretch.

A full roast luncheon will be served during this journey. Then, all too soon, we will arrive back at our first set-down at Derby.

A light supper will be served to those who are alighting at stations later in the journey.

 

Wherever you have travelled with us on this weekend excursion, we are sure that it will leave you with a treasure trove of indelible memories.

Confirmed Timings

Fares

The fares shown above include: First class rail travel aboard our special train, your choice of optional activity each day, hotel transfers and three nights accommodation in a shared twin or double room – a supplement applies for single room occupancy. On train meals and refreshments as described. Breakfast at the hotel on Sunday and Monday also applies.

Please choose your option(s) when you book.

A non-refundable deposit of £200 per person is payable at time of booking, with the balance payable six weeks before the date of departure. For parties of three, a deposit of £800 is taken to reserve the fourth seat.

Additional Information

Seating in the carriages is arranged at tables of four, with two seats facing two. There are also a limited number of ‘Tables for Two’, with single seats facing each other.

Dietary requirements: If you have any specific dietary requirements, please advise when you book.

Discounts are available for groups of ten or more. Please enquire for further details.

Confirmation: All bookings will be confirmed in writing when the deposit payment has been processed.

Boarding passes will be posted to you around a week before the date of running, along with confirmation of the final timings, seat reservations and other details relating to the rail-cruise. Operating within the constraints of the national rail network, confirmed times are normally advised to us 7-10 days before the date of departure. These times may vary by up to an hour in either or both directions – the times quoted are for guidance only.

Locomotives: We will be in the capable hands of Direct Rail Services, who will provide classes 37 and 68 diesel locomotives for this train.

THIS TRAIN IS NOW FULLY BOOKED