Red carpets will be laid across the platform at Nottingham Railway Station later this month to welcome the arrival of a Bodysnatcher. No need to worry though, as this Bodysnatcher is a vintage diesel engine that will be hauling the luxury Northern Belle train.
The huge Class 57 locomotives were nicknamed Bodysnatchers or Zombies by rail enthusiasts during the last century. And this one will be helping power the 1930s Pullman-style Northern Belle on am exciting trip to Llandudno and Conwy Castle in Wales.
The train, once part of the iconic Orient Express group, was described by actor Bill Nighy as “the Grand Duchess of luxury travel”. He said passengers had been “lapping up the luxury” when it featured on Channel 5’s World’s Greatest Railway Journeys programme last year.
Read more: DWP: Eligibility for State Pension Winter Fuel Payments explained
The train will return to Nottingham twice in November for trips to Bath and Winchester, and there is a sell-out steam-hauled journey over the spectacular Settle-Carlisle line in October. Each of the seven gleaming umber and cream-painted carriages is individually hand-decorated with murals, tapestries and mosaics - a huge plus for train-enthusiasts.
One once even used to make up part of the Queen’s Royal Train.
Yorkshire businessman David Pitts, who owns the Northern Belle, said: “Nothing is too good for our passengers. We like to pamper them from the moment they step on board.”
Tickets for the train, which leaves Nottingham at 8.15am on Friday July 29, don’t come cheap at £370 each. But for that passengers are welcomed with champagne before tucking into a slap-up three-course brunch on the way to Wales.
Then there is another champagne reception in the evening after which a five-course dinner with wine is served during the journey home.
READ NEXT:
Drag queens angry as Nottinghamshire school cancels talk after seeing social media accounts
Met Office issues health warning as heatwave set to hit Nottinghamshire
DWP could owe money to thousands due to underpayment of benefit
Iceland shoppers delighted as popular 90s dinner item returns to shelves
