Northern Belle turns into Love Train for Rochdale couple

For as the 1930s Pullman-style Northern Belle chugged sedately through the Lancashire countryside, romantic Simon went down on one knee and asked her to marry him.

Stunned Karen stared at him in open-mouthed disbelief for a long moment, before finally nodding and breathlessly replying: “Yes, yes … I will.”

Then champagne began to flow as other passengers toasted them as the luxury train, which once formed part of the iconic Orient Express set-up, turned into the Love Train.

“I’d already opened one bottle of bubbly, but suddenly another bottle appeared from nowhere,” said warehouse manager Simon. “Everybody in the carriage was congratulating us.”

Both he and Karen love the romance of old trains,  especially when hauled by historic steam locomotives, and between them have made seven previous journeys on the Northern Belle.

But Simon feared his plans to pop the question to hospital theatre practitioner Karen had been derailed when a planned stream trip on the Belle in April was cancelled because of emergency track engineering work.

So he hid the engagement ring away and rescheduled his proposal for another Belle journey this month. 

But then that was also in jeopardy when the 70-year-old steam locomotive that should have hauled the train broke down.

The trip finally went ahead pulled instead by a heritage diesel engine.

“I did wonder if my proposal was jinxed,” joked Simon.  “So I was extra nervous popping the question. But it all went like clockwork on the day.

“We both love travelling on the Northern Belle. The train is so special and glamorous, and, like most passengers, we enjoy dressing up in our Sunday best for the occasion. It’s wonderful.”

A spokesman for the Northern Belle said: “We were delighted to play our small part in this lovely couple’s romance. Simon isn’t the first suitor to propose marriage on the train.

“The other year, a couple even hired a whole carriage to take their wedding guests to watch them tie the knot in Edinburgh. The Belle is turning into quite the Love Train!”

Now the couple are hoping to tie the knot as soon as possible. But there is a slight problem because Simon’s two daughters are getting married next year. 

“We don’t want to take the limelight away from them,” he explained.

The Northern Belle, described by actor Bill Nighy as “the Grand Dame of luxury travel” when it featured on Channel 5, was voted the world’s fifth best train by readers of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller magazine last year. 

It travels to destinations all over Britain from various stations around the country. Last week it took passengers from Manchester to Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot, and will be back in the city next Saturday (June 27) for a trip to Bath, with the opportunity to visit the historic Roman baths. 

Then in July there are trips from the city to Edinburgh and the Sandringham Flower Show. Fares start at £445. 

For more details, see www.northernbelle.co.uk.