Settle & Carlisle Fellsman — Saphos Trains

Saphos Trains, a luxury steam-train operator based in St Erth, Cornwall, sells the Settle & Carlisle Fellsman as a return day tour from Crewe to the border city of Carlisle. The operator describes a return steam-hauled journey on the Settle to Carlisle Railway, through the Yorkshire Dales and up towards what it calls the roof of England, with limestone peaks, deep valleys and the 24-arch Ribblehead Viaduct.

The tour boards at Crewe, Chester, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Leyland, Blackburn and Clitheroe. The operator says the train is steam hauled from Chester by one of a pool of restored engines it names on the tour page, and that time is available in Carlisle for sightseeing: the castle, the cathedral with its 14th-century stained glass, and the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery. The way home retraces the high Pennines and the Ribble Valley, with the locomotive working hard up the climb of Wilpshire Bank.

Two or three classes are sold, depending on the tour. Pullman Dining is a seated meal service at tables dressed with linen and crockery: the operator lists bucks fizz and a full English breakfast, tea or coffee with pastries, then champagne with canapés and a five-course dinner on the return. First Class is non-dining, with complimentary tea or coffee and light snacks at the seat, the option of bringing a picnic, and a traditional Afternoon Tea available as a supplement. The Fellsman also sells a Standard Class, with seating around a table of four, complimentary tea and coffee, and snacks, wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks to buy from the buffet bar.

The locomotive is announced, not promised. The operator names a pool of restored steam locomotives for the tour and its booking terms say every effort is made to run with the advertised engine but that, in times of difficulty such as high fire risk or locomotive failure, it reserves the right to substitute locomotives, including replacing a steam locomotive with a diesel as a last resort, with no refund or compensation.

A full day out: an early-morning departure from Crewe, time in Carlisle for sightseeing and a late-evening return (timings are approximate). Pullman Dining carries a smart-casual minimum for dress, and there is no set dress code in Standard or First Class. Children are welcome in First and Standard Class; Pullman Dining is reserved for adults and children aged 12 and over. The operator says the tour is not suitable for guests who need a wheelchair or have severe mobility issues.

Boards at Crewe station, Nantwich Road, Crewe, with pick-ups at Chester, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Leyland, Blackburn and Clitheroe. All trips are return and the return journey is included; the operator never sells a one-way service. Passengers who want to join further up the line can ask when booking, and the same fare applies wherever they join. The heritage carriages do not allow wheelchair boarding and the operator asks guests with mobility needs to contact it before booking. Lavatories are at each end of every carriage. Own food and drink may be brought in Standard and First Class but not in Pullman Dining. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and pescatarian meals are catered for in Pullman Dining as standard and must be requested at least 7 days before travel. Travel documents and boarding cards are emailed no later than 7 days before the tour.