A Train Journey Like No Other Aboard Steam Dreams Sunset Express

A plume of white steam spread into the air, as 70000 Britannia, pulling the 1950s and 1960s carriages, slowly approached platform 2, in Victoria Station. The chuffing of the wheels and the locomotive’s shiny black metal got everyone’s attention, turning heads left and right. This was the beginning of a luxurious Steam Dreams sunset experience through the Surrey Hills.  

As “70000 Britannia” came to a complete stop, an air of excitement swept through the crowd. We were invited onto the platform through a way too modern barrier for the experience we were about to have. Men dressed smartly and women wearing elegant dresses gathered around the locomotive, as the train drivers, wearing blue uniforms, checked the wheels and the exterior. Seeing all these elegant people I could only imagine how glamourous rail travel must have been mid last century. When we were bound at home, a few years, ago, a random book about the history of train travel in London came into my hands. And it was fascinating to read about the start of rail travel and train companies, who used to build their own stations – that’s why there are so many in London. Did you know that this is the reason why Victoria station has two entrances and why the tracks are separate? In fact, did you know that when the first underground was built, there used to be steam trains going through the tunnels? That didn’t last for long though, as the smoke didn’t get along with the health of the passengers. And now we have the tube!

Exploring the 70000 Britannia

The shutter noise of a camera woke me up from my day dreaming, and I posed as well with the locomotive. The driver extended an invitation to the thrilled passengers – a chance to step inside the locomotive and see its inner workings. I eagerly climbed aboard, immediately noticing the coal stacked in the tender at the back and the roaring fire in the firebox at the front. We then engaged in a conversation about steam locomotives, which I love talking about.

You see, growing up, steam locomotives were my playground. My parents often took me with them at work, in the locomotive depot at the local train station of our city. It happened that there they had the largest collection of steam locomotives in the country, most of them not working anymore, but all gathered in a unique museum. I was always there when the occasional film crews would come to commission one of the two working steam locomotives, bringing these sleeping giants back to life for the camera.

Boarding the Pullman Dining Carriage

After we had taken our fill of photos, we made our way along the platform to our assigned carriage. We were booked in C, the Pullman dining carriage. As we approached, I peaked inside the other carriages and noticed the elegant décor, with small lamps on the table, for each window.

At the door of carriage C we were greeted with a smile and a warm welcome by the carriage host, and we were directed to our seats. The first thing I noticed as we got on was how private the entire area felt like, even though it was an open carriage. The layout of the tables and the dividers throughout the space made it feel like we were almost alone. The table was set for the unique dining experience. Pretty porcelain plates with delicate patterns, were flanked by gleaming silverware and the spotless, shining glasses. I loved the small touches, like the little white vase with white and purple flowers sitting next to the window.

At 6:16 we heard a whistle, and the train started to slowly move, with the locomotive huffing and puffing the white smoke. The carriage assistant reappeared, this time bearing a bottle of champagne from which she poured in our glasses. With glasses in hand, we toasted to the adventure ahead. Through the window, the scenery began to change from the urban setting, leaving the luxurious glass towers of Battersea behind, to more green, picturesque countryside views.

Dinner On Board Steam Dreams

Dinner service started soon, and the carriage assistant stopped at every table to make sure that everything was all right. I ended up switching my appetiser to the vegetarian version because of a new discovered allergy to crab – which was on the menu.

We ordered a bottle of Barolo, which I was very surprised to find on the wine list. Barolo is one of my favourite wines but, because it has such a small production, you don’t usually find it that easily. It is produced in the north of Italy, in the Piemonte region, in a very small area composed of 11 communes only. It is a bold wine, dry, with a lot of character. And glancing over the menu, I knew that it would be the perfect accompaniment for the lamb main.

Before the appetisers arrived, we were offered a selection of bread with room temperature butter which spread easily. We both went for the cheesy sourdough.

The appetiser was a South Coast rillette with new potatoes and spring onion salad, saffron and citrus emulsion, pickled radish and dressed shoots. My friend said it was delightful. The vegetarian option, which I had, was a grilled asparagus salad with pearl barley, peas, roast yellow tomato and a fresh herb pesto. The flavours in this salad were complementing each other so well, with the herbs bringing everything together. Absolutely lovely.

The main star of the dinner was the main course, a duo of Kent Downs lamb, with roast rump and braised shoulder, celeriac puree, English asparagus, baby heritage carrot, kale, redcurrant jus, and a dollop of mint sauce. The lamb was cooked perfectly. The shoulder was just falling apart – I didn’t even need a knife to cut through it. The rump was pink in the middle and extremely tender. And the jus was so rich and shiny, perfectly cutting through the sharpness of the mint sauce.

For dessert, we enjoyed a Garden of England apple and vanilla tart with vanilla cream, apricot glaze and fresh lemon balm. And it did not disappoint. I loved the almost caramelised texture of the apples on top of the soft and delicate pastry underneath. The apricot glaze brought an element of freshness that balanced the sweetness of the vanilla.

Before we even realised, the sun started to set as we finished dinner. It was an overcast day but we could still spot a few faded orange trails through the thick clouds, as we savoured a cup of hot coffee accompanied by Steam Dream’s own chocolate truffles.

If you are looking for a unique experience, especially if you love trains as much as I do, Steam Dreams is the answer. The train runs year round with different themed journeys. In summer there are scenic tours. In winter there are Christmas themed tours. You can even go on a five day tour of England and Wales, aboard the Welsh Dragon. For more information about the upcoming journeys and day trips, click here.

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Please note that I was a guest of Steam Dreams for this experience. However, all the opinions and thoughts in this article are my own, and this article has no editorial control from the brand.