Christmas Lunch

The weather outside is frightful, but our festive dining experiences are delightful!

Step on board our festive decorated, beautifully restored pullman-style carriages while being steam hauled through the picturesque Irwell Valley. With polished panelling, luxurious furnishings, and crisp linen it’s a perfect way to dine with family and friends while enjoying a traditional Christmas lunch.

Expect a sparkling welcome drink upon boarding and a sumptuous three course, silver served meal followed by coffee and after dinner chocolate. With your own personal waiter/waitress for the afternoon you can relax knowing every aspect of your experience will be catered for to the highest standards.

Boarding commences at 12:00pm where you will be checked in and advised of your table number and carriage. The journey lasts just under 3 hours with a departure time of 12:30pm and a return time of 3:45pm.

On 6 December boarding commences at 12:30 pm with  departure time of 1:00pm.

The dress code is smart/casual.

Please note when making your booking, dietary requirements of Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten Free/Pescatarian/Halal/Dairy Free/Diabetic can be selected from the ticket option menu using drop down selection button. Tickets for 2024 are priced at £67.50pp for adults and £54.50pp for children aged 12 and under. Price includes train fare.

If you have further dietary requirements, please contact us in advance of booking at dwd@eastlancsrailway.co.uk

Dining With Distinction

Our Christmas lunch Dining trains run on selected dates in November and December. Boarding from 12:30pm, with a return to Bury at approximately 3:45pm.

Tickets now on-sale – priced at £67.50 per head and £54.50 for children under 12.

4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18 and 19, 27, 28, 29 December

2024 Menus

The menus for the 2024 Christmas Lunch Trains are available to download below.

FAQs Icon

FAQs

Where does the Dining Train depart from?

The Dining Train departs from, and returns to, Bury Bolton Street Station.

Will our service be steam hauled?

Every effort will be made to ensure that steam locomotives haul our dining services. However, should a steam locomotive be unavailable, the East Lancashire Railway reserves the right to substitute a diesel locomotive without prior notice. We reserve the right to suspend, reschedule or cancel services if operational circumstances or safety make this necessary.

My tickets don't have any details of which table I will be dining at?

We do not guarantee that the seats you book will be the seats you are given on the day. This is because our Dining Train Manager may have to move passengers around to allow us to accommodate those with limited mobility or large groups. However, we do guarantee those booked on a table for two, will be seated on a table for two. Those booked on a table for four, will be seated on a table for four. If you have booked two seats on a table of four, you will be seated next to each other, allowing both parties on the table to benefit from a window seat.

Please advise us if you have booked specific seats due to mobility or have arranged to be seated next to a booking under a different name.

Are children allowed on the diner?

Our evening diners are for ages 16 and over (18+ on Tasters, Comedy and Premium), but children are most welcome on our day time diners, which includes our Midweek Luncheons, Sunday Lunches and Christmas Lunches. A child ticket can be chosen at the time of booking and a smaller version of the set menu will be provided. A child ticket is for children aged 5 to 12, you are more than welcome to bring a child under 5, but they will not get a seat and we cannot provide a high chair due to the layout of the carriage.

Can I bring my own drinks on-board?

The East Lancashire Railway has a selection of reasonably priced drinks on board.

You can bring bottled wine or champagne on board, but there will be a corkage fee of £8.50 per bottle.

Is the Dining Train wheelchair accessible?

All of our Diners depart from Bury Bolton Street Station which has step free access to the platforms. However, we regret that our 1950’s coaches are unable to accommodate wheelchair passengers. We can provide a small ramp during boarding to aid those with limited mobility, but passengers will be required to walk to their seats. Please let us know when making your booking that you require priority seating near the door.

What is the reception drink on board and can I change it?

It is a sparkling Perry, 7.5% alc and can be changed for a fresh orange juice upon request.

Can I bring my dog on board?

No, dogs are not permitted on board, unless it is an assistance dog, which you will need to notify us about beforehand.

What is the dress code?

Premium nights are black tie events. We encourage fancy dress for our Murder Mysteries. Trainers, Sportswear and baseball caps are not permitted on evening diners.

We are celebrating a special occasion, what can we do to make it special?

Please let us know in advance so we can ensure our staff are aware of the occasion. You can also choose to purchase some of our dining add-ons which include champagne. These can be bought up to 7 days before the date of your experience.

Can I smoke on board?

No, E-Cigs and cigarettes are not permitted on board.

I cannot eat the set menu, is there an alternative?
  • We cater for a range of dietary requirements including Vegetarian, Pescetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Diabetic and Halal (This will be a roast chicken breast.)
  • We also offer the option to select an alternative starter of Melon on all applicable dining experiences (excludes Mid-Week Luncheons and Afternoon Teas) and an alternative dessert of Fruit Salad or Cheese and Biscuits (Excludes Afternoon Teas.)
  • Vegetarian/Pescetarian – Starters will be as per the standard set menu unless unsuitable, in which case the advertised Vegetarian starter will be provided.
  • All dietary requirements must be selected at the time of booking, or emailed to dwd@eastlancsrailway.co.uk no later than 7 days before the date of travel.
  • Please note, regretfully we are unable to cater for diabetic, lactose free, dairy free, vegan or pescetarian options on our afternoon tea services.
I need to cancel or rearrange my booking?

In-date Vouchers can be refunded in full, up to a month after the date of purchase, to the person who made the original booking only.

  • Any bookings cancelled OVER 3 weeks before the date of the booked event – 100% refund (minus original booking fee) to original payment method.
  • Any bookings cancelled between 1 week and 3 weeks before the booked event – 100% refund via gift voucher or 75% refund to original payment method (minus original booking fee).
  • Any bookings less than a week but more than 3 days before the booked event – 50% refund via gift voucher (minus original booking fee)

Bookings cancelled less than 3 days prior to the event will not be entitled to any refund.

Refunds may take up to 28 days to process.

Has the East Lancashire Railway been affected by rising costs?

The simple answer is ‘yes’ and unfortunately these costs have to be passed on. The cost to run a steam locomotive has risen considerably. This is primarily due to the volatility of coal supply – in terms of cost and availability. On the dining train set, a Diesel generator is used for power and heating, and it is no longer permitted to use tax-free fuel for this purpose. In addition, the ELR is facing significant increases in catering cost provision which directly affects the dining operation.

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Tickets

Christmas Lunch – Adult Ticket

Includes meal and train fare.

£54.00

Christmas Lunch – Child Ticket

Includes meal and train fare.

£43.00