10/06/2023

Saturday Lunch Train, Churnet Valley Railway

The Saturday Lunch Train on the Churnet Valley Railway is an experience not to be missed. In this post I tell you all about my recent trip and why I highly recommend it.

Whether you’re a rail enthusiast or just want to step back into a less hurried time, you’ll enjoy a three-course meal in a comfy 1960s First Class dining carriage. Hauled by steam locomotive, sit back with stunning views of the Staffordshire Moorlands countryside while a courteous team of volunteers serves you.

CHURNET VALLEY RAILWAY

Living in Cheddleton, home to one of the stations on the Churnet Valley Railway, I’m very familiar with this heritage steam railway. One of the biggest tourist attractions in the Staffordshire Moorlands, its presence is part and parcel of living here. As well as travelling on it several times (the Rail Ale Trail is especially recommended), from my garden I can hear the train whistles, and my walks regularly take me near the impressively restored Victorian station.

*Photo taken while I was out walking near Consall*

No matter how many times I experience it though, it’s still always thrilling when, strolling beside the Caldon Canal or River Churnet, a gleaming locomotive comes majestically by, smoke billowing behind. But I got an entirely new perspective recently when I was invited to experience, along with a guest, the Saturday Lunch Train.

SATURDAY LUNCH TRAIN

The Churnet Valley Saturday Lunch Train starts and ends at Froghall Station. There’s plenty of free parking, and it’s here you’ll find the Signals Tea Room and a gift shop. Passengers for the lunch train are asked to arrive twenty minutes before the 1.30pm departure, but I think it’s worth getting there earlier for a good look around.

You also won’t want to miss the excitement of your train steaming into the station nor, as Froghall is one end of the 10-mile line, watching the locomotive being moved from one end of the train to the other.

On a bright, sunny Saturday, the station was busy. People crowded especially around the steam locomotive that would be pulling our train: No. 5197, built in the USA in 1945. Enthusiasts were welcome to take a look inside the cab, with youngsters being lifted up for a better view.

As the time approached to leave, my guest (ID) and I made our way to the dining carriages (‘Diana’ and ‘Nicholas’) at the other end of the train. A member of staff was on hand to greet us and direct us to our own table.

GETTING ABOARD

After the bustle and excitement on the platform, it was good to settle down and relax. This was easy as the seats in the 1960s First Class dining carriage were big and comfy. A full bar service was available and you can order drinks advance so they’re waiting when you get aboard. We hadn’t, but friendly staff soon came along to take our order.

There was a good range of wines by the glass and bottle, hot and cold drinks, spirits, and beers. I was pleased to see one of my favourite local breweries, Wincle Beer Co, well-represented. I had a bottle of excellent Sir Philip bitter while ID chose their Helles Belles lager. Swift service meant we were already enjoying our drinks when that all-important whistle blew. We were off!

LUNCH

It wasn’t long after we’d pulled out of Froghall Station that lunch began to be served. Understandably for a meal that’s cooked onboard, travellers are asked to make their choices in advance. When ID and I made our selections there were three choices each for starter, main course, and dessert. There was also an optional cheese course. The meal was a leisurely one, stretching over most of the trip which lasted around two and a quarter hours.

Between courses, there was plenty of time to enjoy the stunning scenery while the team of volunteers kept us topped up with drinks. We were also treated to a potted history of the Churnet Valley Railway and the work of its army of volunteers. This was delivered very engagingly and amusingly by the young man leading the team that day.

STARTERS

My starter was Ham Hock & Leek Terrine, and I thought it very good. It came as a chunky wedge with well-flavoured meat that was juicy and tender. As well as soft leeks, the terrine was seasoned with just the right amount of wholegrain mustard.

ID chose a simple, seasonal starter of perfectly cooked Grilled Asparagus. This was served with Parmesan and an olive oil and garlic dressing.

The other available starter, which seemed popular, was Sweet Potato & Red Pepper Soup served with bread.

MAINS

For my main course, I chose the vegetarian option Wild Mushroom Orzo. After experiencing some ‘wild mushroom’ dishes with very few mushrooms in them, I was pleased to see a good variety and plenty of them. The orzo pasta was nicely cooked and sprinkled with Parmesan. Personally, I’d have liked a little more of the olive oil dressing to moisten it.

Scrounging a bite of ID’s Herb Crusted Sea Bass, we both thought this just right. The fish seemed very fresh with perfectly cooked flesh and a crispy skin. Its bed of herby roasted potatoes and side of stem broccoli were good accompaniments.

The third option sounded equally tasty and seemed to go down very well with nearby diners: Chicken in Cider Jus with creamy mash and Vichy, i.e. glazed, carrots.

DESSERTS

My final course was a light Raspberry Frangipane Tart. The pastry was very good, and it was topped with crunchy flaked almonds. Alongside was a raspberry coulis with the right combination of fruity sweetness and balancing acidity.

ID is a sucker for chocolate desserts so couldn’t resist Dark Chocolate & Cherry Tart. Again, we noted the quality of the crisp pastry. The chocolate filling was rich without being too much, helped along by tart cherries.

Also on offer was Fruit Salad with pouring cream.

UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE

It’s thanks largely to the stunning Staffordshire Moorlands countryside that I ended up living here. Originally from Leicestershire, I spent many a day trip, long weekend, or week’s holiday walking in this area to the southwest of the Peak District. So, when I was looking to move away, the Moorlands was the obvious choice. That was nearly ten years ago, and I’ve since come to know it, and love it, even more. And that’s especially true of the Churnet Valley with its woods, hills, meadows, farms, and industrial heritage

But whether you know this beautiful part of the country or not, have walked it or just driven through it, I think you get a unique perspective through the window of a steam train.

Against a perfect, deep blue sky, the trees in late-Spring, full leaf, stood out brightly green, the sun flashing through them as we went by. Hedges frothed with masses of hawthorn blossom. Sheep, ponies and cattle (a few spooked by the train, most rather uninterested) grazed flower-filled fields. Glimpses of the Caldon Canal and River Churnet quietly ran past, including my favourite spot for foraging wild garlic, seen for the first time from the opposite bank.

I’ve already mentioned the stations at Cheddleton and Froghall, but the area around Consall station is notably picturesque. Another of my favourite walking spots, from the train I got a new and wonderful overview of the whole area with its pretty bridge, weir, lime kilns, and popular Black Lion pub.

A STEP BACK IN TIME

When I got home, I saw a Tweet from the Philip Larkin Society (I’m a member), pointing out that it was Whit Saturday. This is the day on which Larkin’s famous and much-loved poem The Whitsun Weddings is set. Published in 1964, it describes a train journey where the narrator, besides noticing wedding parties seeing off couples onto the train at each station, talks about the views on ‘the sunlit Saturday’.

Reading it again, I couldn’t help being struck by the similarities with my own journey in that 1960s railway carriage.

‘… all cushions hot, all sense
Of being in a hurry gone.’
…
‘Wide farms went by, short-shadowed cattle, and
Canals…
… hedges dipped
And rose: and now and then a smell of grass…’

Do steam trains encourage nostalgia and make even the most hardened a little sentimental? Of course. But in my view, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. As we pulled into Froghall Station again, I felt the afternoon had more than met my expectations. Prior to going, I’d wondered if an onboard meal would detract from the experience of a journey I’d made and loved several times before. But it turned out to be a positive addition.

Whether you’re a rail enthusiast or just want to step back into a less hurried time, I highly recommend the Saturday Lunch Train. You’ll be made to feel like an honoured guest as you relax and enjoy both the beautiful scenery of this exceptional part of the Staffordshire Moorlands, plus an unfussy home-cooked meal.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW CURRENT PRICES, MENU, & BOOK TICKETS FOR THE SATURDAY LUNCH TRAIN

ACCESSIBILITY

Churnet Valley Railway say that staff are always on hand to help with any assistance you require. Facilities and access information is available here.

DISCLOSURE

I was invited by Churnet Valley Railway to experience their Saturday Lunch Train. I was gifted places, including the cost of lunch, for myself and one guest. All drinks and staff tips were paid for by me. As always, my review is an honest one based on my own experience.

Where a product or service has been provided for free, I always include a disclosure in the blog post containing my review.