The Daily Post's Peter Elson oils up A4 class steam loco Union of South Africa _320
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Many are celebrating birthdays or anniversaries and all thought it good value for money.
Jan Booth, from Maghull and now living in Huddersfield, who imports oil treatments, says: “We planned to do the Tall Ships in Liverpool as we missed them at Whitby. This is a great way to do it. The food and staff are excellent.”
Travelling with her, Tom Johnson says: “We spotted this trip on our way to Egypt and booked it at the airport. I saw these ‘streaks’ as a kid and it’s fantastic to still be able to travel behind one.”
David and Valerie Naylor, from Scarborough, were on their 15th wedding anniversary. Valerie says: “In spite of getting up at 4.40am, it’s been brilliant and the catering is superb. It’s a relaxing way of combining a steam train ride and the Tall Ships.”
David, an accountant and train buff, says: “We’d definitely do it again and are considering a Scottish train tour. I can recommend this to anyone as a special day out.”
As the train approached Liverpool, increasing numbers of spectators watched from stations. Having finished serving champagne to passengers, I couldn’t resist waving a fluted glass from the window as we swept through Edge Hill.
Easing into Lime Street station, Driver Williamson kept tooting No 9’s wonderful North American two-tone chime whistle to the hundreds of on-lookers, announcing that steam is truly back in this railway citadel.
