Thornbury great grandmother Audrey Coles celebrated her 93rd birthday in style. She enjoyed a surprise champagne and caviar journey on Britain’s poshest train.
Son Ian and daughter-in-law Jo treated Audrey to a slap-up lunch trip on the Northern Belle from Coventry. The train’s own band serenaded her as she tucked into delicious canapes, smoked salmon, soup, beef and dessert, followed by a cheese board.
And an onboard conjuror made the occasion even more magical. Former secretary Audrey, who was widowed two years ago, said: "The trip was a wonderful surprise from my family.
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"I didn’t stop giggling from the moment I climbed on board over a red carpet on the station platform. The food has been delicious and the musicians were lovely – they took me back to my giddy youth. The whole trip has made some marvellous new memories for me.”
The Northern Belle, with its 1930s-style Pullman carriages, used to be part of the iconic Orient Express group. Actor Bill Nighy described it as “the Grand Dame of luxury travel” when it featured on Channel 5’s 'The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys' programme.
Last year it was the only British train to be voted into the world’s top 10 luxury trains by readers the prestigious Condé Nast magazine. It pipped famous foreign rivals like Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer and India’s Maharajah’s Express.
Yorkshire businessman David Pitts, who owns the Northern Belle, said: “Our train doesn’t just take passengers from A to B – it transports them back to the golden days of rail travel.”
The Northern Belle departs from various stations around Britain including Bristol. It describes itself as "Britain's most luxurious train".
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