Dinner in Leicestershire

This train excursion experience combines good food and nostalgia as you step back in time for a romantic dinner on board a steam train journey through some of the finest countryside in the East Midlands.

Your evening starts as soon as you arrive at the beautifully restored period railway station and glide down along the platform to climb aboard the first class restaurant carriage. The train you board is named 'The Charnwood Forester'.

The journey will pass through some spectacular countryside, with all the smells and sounds of the steam train as a wonderful setting to your meal.  The menus have been created to reflect the sort of food you could expect at the height of luxury steam train travel in the 1950's.

Both trains offer a well stocked bar and the restaurant cars are all non smoking

The train stops off at the destination station before returning, allowing time for you to stretch your legs and take a digestif on the romantic gas lit platform!
 
Please visit our main steam train trips page for more information on steam train dining experiences or alternatively, explore our main gift ideas section for more incredible gifts from IntotheBlue. 
 

The meal for two also includes a first class 'runabout' ticket for each passenger for you to travel for the day of your meal.  This means you can make a whole day of the experience before your meal to take in all the attractions and travel on the other steam trains throughout the eight miles of track and three other stations. The journey lasts around two and a half hours, typically departing from Great Central station at 7.00pm (you will need to arrive at 6.30pm), travelling through Quorn & Woodhouse and Rothley stations before pausing at Leicester North at 8.45pm. It then follows the same route back arriving at Loughborough Great Central at around 10.00pm. 

We also offer a weekend break with hotel accommodation, further details can be found on our Railway Break in Leics page.

The Charnwood Forester runs on selected Saturday evenings throughout the year.  Please note that the menus and timetable are samples only and subject to change, especially at Christmas time. Unfortunately this product is not valid for St Valentines Day.

The trains depart from the Great Central Station in Loughborough. The Central station has good access from the M1 (J23) and A6.

On booking, the operator may ask for your choice of main course in advance.  The operator also runs Christmas menus for which the vouchers will be accepted.

 It is possible for friends and family to buy a platform ticket only so they can wave you off and there are things to do at the station, but the most convivial thing to do is buy vouchers so you can make a family or group day of it and all eat together! Loughborough Central is where you will find a museum, station buffet and locomotive shed. You are welcome to visit the area outside the shed where most locomotives can be viewed, but access into the shed is restricted for security reasons. The operator can also assist and advise on local accommodation in the area.