Dining with Distinction in Bury

What an authentic experience! We booked the Lancastrian Lunch for our family of 4 for my Dad’s 80th birthday. The 3 hour trip just flew by in the most memorable way! From arriving and being shown to our First class seats (they are all 1st class by the way) , a glass of fizz already on the table, a substantial 3 course meal with friendly and attentive staff, to the gentle ride through the lovely Bury/Ramsbottom countryside, it was all perfect! My Dad was allowed up into the engine to see the stoking and have a chat with the driver. This was actually the highlight for him, so a huge thanks for that!

What an authentic experience! We booked the Lancastrian Lunch for our family of 4 for my Dad’s 80th birthday. The 3 hour trip just flew by in the most memorable way! From arriving and being shown to our First class seats (they are all 1st class by the way) , a glass of fizz already on the table, a substantial 3 course meal with friendly and attentive staff, to the gentle ride through the lovely Bury/Ramsbottom countryside, it was all perfect! My Dad was allowed up into the engine to see the stoking and have a chat with the driver. This was actually the highlight for him, so a huge thanks for that!

absolutely fabulous evening, wonderful food, staff couldn't do enough for us, highly recommend, a truly wonderful evening & we will definitely be doing it again

Amazing experience , brilliant food enjoyed our trip . Highly recommended . Thank you John and colleague for wonderful dining with distinction experience

Superb as ever. Lovely setting, decor, ambient friendly attentive staff. Fantastic food and drink, 5 courses. Value for money and a ride on a steam locomotive.

Great atmosphere, the staff where really helpful and attentive Will be looking to book for next year. The food was delicious all three courses.

I want to highly recommend the 'dining with Distinction' company, had a lovely meal on the East Lancashire railway steam trip from bury. I am a coeliac and need gluten free food I really worry about events like this but I had to risk it as it was special birthday treat for my dad. They gave me a sticker on my seat and each meal brought to me separately, nothing served from the shared trays! Really good quality food too. I got a Yorkshire pudding! Nicest one I've had out. Bread roll was delicious soft and didn't collapse when I buttered it. Food excellent quality fresh, hot and tasty. Brownie as usual but extremely tasty. Again nicest one I've had out. I'd taken back up sandwich and snacks and didn't need anything! Staff were very clued up and carefull. They do loads of dining events on this line and I'd definitely recommend going if you're a steam fan, or just after something different, beautiful views lovely people.

Myself and the GLW thoroughly enjoyed the Wine Tasting dinner evening on board the steam-pulled train (with engine Hunslet Work No. 2890 for those interested). The four-course meal was high restaurant quality, with the superb wine pairings selected, served and presented by Kwoff (Silver Street, Bury). The staff serving were polite, professional and welcomingly efficient. A wonderfully relaxing and massively agreeable way to spend a Friday evening.

Great dining experience on the East Lancashire Railway steam train 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂 We boarded at 19:30 and deboarded at 10:20. The steam train was in motion up and down the line for a good portion of our time on it. Great waiter's and waitresses along with a bar waiter. The food was really good and after 4 courses I was stuffed 🧸 Really pleasant experience and I'd love to do it again. Thanks for hosting us 🤩💪

Fantastic evening with first class service. Will definitely go again to one of the themed evenings. Table magician was good too.

We went for a murder mystery night with meal and I can only say it was amazing the whole experience was fantastic the food was excellent and we will be coming back some time soon, I have told so many people about our night and I can't thank you guys enough, I am still giddy right now

I booked the Lancastrian Lunch to celebrate my 50th Birthday with my Family. 1st Class service in a Heritage 1st class dining coach, hauled by. Steam loco, my family were very impressed overall, particularly the quality of the 3 course meal. The staff even gave me and another party rendition of “Happy Birthday” and served my desert with a lit candle. Very impressed. Recommend booking at least 2 months prior as it was fully booked

Lancastrian Lunch booked for my Mums 85th Birthday. It’s worth arriving a little early to enjoy a beer on the station platform… after that service is friendly & efficient….food was nice & the caterers were great at providing special dietary requirements (gluten free)… train was spacious with comfortable seating, very popular (train was full) with a nice atmosphere. Would recommend

Nice food and service with a lovely steam engine ride. Highly recommended as a treat. Felt like I was on the Orient Express.

Absolutely wonderful experience. Delicious food and drink. Fantastic ambience. Attentive and pleasant staff. Can't wait to come again

Great experience on the Lancashire Fusilier. Food was great staff and service is excellent all While enjoying he Lancashire countryside in style. I would definitely recommend and great for a special occasion or just a nice thing to do on a Sunday. Lots of different options available

Absolutely excellent roast beef meal served on a steam locomotive on the preserved railway. The service was well organised with plenty of attention to detail despite the large number of covers. The menu varies from week to week, so check when booking. Our food was well cooked and presented throughout the round trip from Bury.

Excellent outing. Better than we thought it would be We were greeted on the station platform by a lovely lady dressed in a very smart red uniform who offered to take our photographs with the steam enine in the back ground We were shown to our table in a very clean and tidy carriage. The carriage was impressive as was the carriage steward who was good company all the trip and served drinks with a happy attitude. We had a 4 course meal served on hot plates and we could not find fault with any part of the meal And good outing and we will go again

What a fantastic experience. The customer service was excellent, the staff just couldn’t do enough for us. Really enjoyable afternoon and the lovely weather contributed too! Would definitely do it again, and can highly recommend it as a special treat.

We had an excellent dining experience . The staff were all lovely and couldn’t do enough for you . The Turkey dinner , soup and rhubarb crumble were very tasty . A lovely relaxing experience . Highly recommend . 5 star for sure .

A scenic journey through lovely countryside, helped by the sunny weather. A tasty lunch was served as we travelled. All the staff were very helpful. We were especially grateful for the time and trouble taken to help those less able to embark and disembark. All in all a great trip.

This was a comedy themed night based on Allo Allo. It was good fun, everyone joined in, some in themed fancy dress. The setting was beautiful in the restored carriages and whilst it was dark outside and we couldn’t enjoy the scenery, the setting, lighting and comfort more than made up for it. A thoroughly enjoyable meal with silver service from lovely, competent staff. The only downside was a poor quality glass of fizz, very sweet, but a very minor complaint. All in all a lovely evening and we’ll be back.

A great evening on East Lancashire Railway tonight - great fun and service- a special mention to the sommelier Tom who was exceptional!

Had a fantastic evening of fine food, great entertainment and a wonderful vintage steam train what’s not to love!!! Staff were wonderful too would highly recommend Dining with Distinction on board the East Lancs Railway

Very spoilt for mothers day and belated 60th birthday presant. The staff were very attentive especially Peter, who kept my wine glass full. A special shout out to Simon the train driver who kept the train steady with no spilled gravy.

Great evening for a murder mystery. Considering the restrictions of a train, service and food were impeccable. Coupled with the entertainment , it was a fantastic way to spend and evening. Would highly recommend this.

Excellent experience. This was a present for for my 87 year old mother for Christmas and she said it was her one of her favourite experiences. Food and service were excellent and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Lots of very friendly diners.

This was an excellent Murder, Mystery night. The food was great and the actors were absolutely brilliant. The catering staff were amazing. Well worth it would definitely do this again.

We had a fabulous lunch and journey Val was the host in our carriage he was engaging and informative, the team were all young people they were friendly and professional. My only thing i was surprised by was packet soup being used instead of home...

Great Valentines train trip with my other half, including a good meal. Approx 3 hours on the train with great service from the crew. Only a couple of gripes which stopped a full 5 star score. Toilet was a bit grubby-needed a good clean and...

Excellent meal on board Steam Train - hot food, well prepared and served with a smile Very professional and faultless. .

Was a lovely experience, food was very very nice service was excellent. All ran very smoothly, the steam engine was fantastic. Carriages were comfortable and warm. Was excellent value for money.. would highly recommend, will be booking again soon.

Beautiful 4 course meal excellent service really enjoyed my valentines date night can’t wait to book again. The train is so beautiful and the views are fabulous

Lovely friendly staff, great food and drink. I’d recommend this train to anyone lovely comfy chairs and views great service and the brilliant day out for friends family couples

Delicious food served on a scenic railway journey straight from the era of Brief Encounter. Service very attentive to our needs so suitable for families and grown ups alike.

Fabulous afternoon on the east Lancashire railway Staff we’re so professional and friendly really went out their way to make the whole experience amazing Food was great fresh and hot

Excellent afternoon Lunch. Christmas present for my parents who thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thanks to all staff for the excellent friendly and efficient service

What an amazing experience. From arriving at the station which looked the part with lights and decorations the whole trip was delightful. We were made to feel special from boarding the steam train until the end. The waiters were friendly and efficient and were a...

Train to have Christmas dinner . Ambiance wonderful. Food (Christmas dinner very tasty) Servers fantastic and made the journey funny and enjoyable.

Just celebrated my husbands birthday and the whole experience was second to none. From the moment we arrived to when we sadly had to say goodnight. We can't thank the team enough making it an experience to remember. The food and service was 1st class. A special mention to Robin the driver who was lovely and friendly. An asset to the team. However cannot praise the rest of the team enough too

Me and my sisters had an awesome night Saturday night at the murder mystery we had a lovely 3 course meal fantastic entertainment fantastic atmosphere we will be coming again thank u so much to all the staff that looked after us xxxxxxxxx

We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience from start to finish, food absolutely amazing as were the staff, A big thankyou to everyone for the most fantastic day.

Fantastic food fantastic people the stuff were brilliand everyone had a good. It was amazing. For everyone

Fantastic evening with brilliant and very attentive staff and the food was spot on. Overall a great experience on the steam train highly recommend.

Lovely evening out. We have done this experience before quite a few years ago and didn’t disappoint for our 2nd time.. The train was amazing. Attention to detail on our table was tip top and our servers were great and very polite.. The food was excellent quality and piping hot which was amazing.. We took a bottle of wine with us and paid the corkage fee of £8.50, which was great as we are a little fussy with wine and we like what we like. Really enjoyed the experience again and would highly recommend.

I think the ELR is fantastic, and I wish it continuing success, however the Dining with Distinction catering isn’t consistent. I’ve had two really nice meals in the past year, but the food on my recent visit was very average for the price you pay. The majority of the staff are pleasant, however it does take rather a long time for the main course to be served as every item was served separately. It might be better if there’s the space in the galley/kitchen on board to just plate up the main courses and serve them to passengers.

What an experience. It was amazing, the staff was excellent, they could not do any more for you. They were very friendly and happy to serve you. The steam journey was exceptionally smooth. The dinner was superb. Soup, mains & sweet was hot. They poured the wine out and constantly topping your glasses up. We all will be back again may be in the summer and again at the end of the year. More of the family will be coming again with us as well.

Wonderful service, attention to detail and a thoroughly enjoyable experience. We will do this again. Highly recommended

The whole experience was fantastic. Lovely food. Piping hot. Specially made dessert as I have a food allergy. Wonderful staff. Can't praise everything enough. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

We had a fantastic four course meal and the food and service were excellent the carriage was very plush and we were made to feel special

Absolutely fantastic meal with great views to look at whilst eatong it. The only improvement would be a cheese and biscuit option for dessert (I just don't eat sweet things)

Absolutely delightful experience. My Wife and I attended the Dining with Distinction dinner 19 Aug. for our Wedding Anniversary. Staff on platform and aboard were fantastic dealing with all diners requests. We had a great experience. Well worth making it a regular occurrence.

Terrible food. The mushroom soup was thin and gruel like. The fish was tasteless, the mash potatoes like instant and the roasties soft and barely warm. The coffee like dishwater. Never again.

First class service food and staff Loved every minute of the experience will be coming back may be at 🎄 christmas

Absolutely fabulous experience Food Service Staff and atmosphere were all excellent! Why haven’t we done this before?

Everything was first class and I would recommend it.

We celebrated our first anniversary on board the East Lancashire Railway and enjoyed the Red Rose Dinner service. Everyone's food arrived simultaneously which left no room for complaints and the food was exceptional. What struck me was the considerable size of the portions we received which was beyond what we had expected for a four-course dinner. Our waiter Valem (?) was animated, entertaining and generous, and he was a huge part of the experience. All the staff were attentive and cheerful, and it was clear that they enjoyed working at the venue. Overall, an experience to remember.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening! Lovely, friendly staff, good food. For something a little different it's a great night out.

W e had a good time and the meal was lovely the train ride was excellent to. The weather could have been better and I have no more to say

Excellent food and service. Far exceeded our expectations

Fine dining on the move .. spoiled by boisterous, loud fellow passengers.. you should have a Quiet Coach Not the seats we booked - not in coach A shuffled to B4 The arrival was awful.. 90 minutes on a cold platform whilst the first event...

Lovely environment, great food and fantastic service. A thoroughly enjoyable 3 hours on the train. Aim to get there a bit earlier to enjoy a drink at the bar too.

Brilliant food & lovely night. The service was great, everyone so polite. It was a relaxing evening. A pleasant evening.

Absolutely lovely day out (Sunday Lunch) on board the East Lancashire Railway steam train, Dining with Distinction, staff attentive, food delicious 😋 carriages comfortable, highly recommended

Fantastic experience - good food - fantastic staff - will certainly go again - would highly recommend.

Very pleasant hot lunch, and the service could not be faulted. Would we do it again - yes. This review now wants 100 characters so despite my giving a good review in less than 100 words it wants more, so that should now be 100...

Lovely food , staff serving it were very pleasant, but steward asking for our reservation was rather indignant and quite rude, continually asking for my name even though we knew where we were going. He then served every table topping up wine etc but completely...

Brilliant night out watching Allo Allo tribute on the train. Lovely meal. Nice staff. Highly recommended.

Ambience very good .Waiting staff and service excellent Food disappointingly average , Train was stationary twice once at Rawtenstall then Heywood . Which cut into journey time

We were given this trip as a present and we were reall looking forward to a nice lunch. We were very disappointed that the main course being served today was cheese and onion pie with mushy peas. This is a meal we would not eat...

A lovely little outing, some quant little views. Extremely polite professional attentive staff. Good old british food, all tasted wonderfull!

Had a amazing time on the East Lancashire railway food great staff were fabulous couldn't do enough for us big shout out to Vallen and all the staff.

Wonderful experience. Food excellent and well presented. Staff were very pleasant and made you feel special and looked after. Shame about the weather

We traveled with "Dining With Distinction" for lunch on Wednesday 02.08.2023 to celebrate my wife's Christmas present and it was a truly marvelous experience. This is a classy way to enjoy lunch with all the thrills and trappings of a bygone era, in the lovely...

Ten out of ten for staff, ten out of ten for experience, two out of ten for value. £52 each was outrageous for lasagna and a small fruit tart.

This was a birthday treat for my elderly mum who has poor mobility. The staff from booking an accessible seat to helping at the station and onboard has been excellent. We do the luncheon and the atmosphere and food were great - a lovely afternoon...

We have been a number of times and once again Dining with Distinction you did not disappoint. We only booked at short notice as we both have been unwell but our visit has certainly cheered us up. Thank you for making us feel special and...

This is well worth a visit. Food is beautiful and all staff were excellent and very professional. Train carriages are lovely and it's a great experience.

First time. Couldn't fault a thing. Food amazing. Staff ayyentive and so pleasant. Didn't know what to expect but was fabulous from beginning to end. Cant wait to do another one. Congratulations to all the staff involved. You made our night unforgettable. Jayne and phil

Wonderful experience Staff lovely & the food was amazing Emma our waitress for the day was very professional & a credit to the company

Apologies for the late review. 2 weeks ago we went on the Sunday lunch train for my mum’s 90th birthday. Just wanted to say a massive thank you for the whole trip. From the moment we stepped on the train everyone thoroughly spoilt us. The...

We booked the Sunday lunch to celebrate a family birthday, and it was a wonderful experience. The staff were lovely. The food was excellent. The ambience was great. Beautiful scenery as we ate. Would absolutely recommend.

This is a must do trip. The food is amazing and the staff even better. At £65 it’s pretty pricey for a Sunday roast however the experience of the train makes it worth every penny. I would without doubt recommend this trip

Fantastic experience. Food was great but service from the team was amazing. Views were super too along the way

What a fantastic experience….the steam train was amazing and it felt like a special experience. For a set menu the food was delicious (Caesar Salad, Lentil Soup, Duck and Dauphinois Potatoes and Red Velvet Cake) and better than we have had in some higher end...

Window seat for two 💜✨🚂✨🥂✨we were bought this wonderful experience in Christmas 🎄 2021., & thought we better use it!!!! We absolutely loved each and every second! We enjoyed the experience so much, we will definitely do another one without a doubt! We can’t believe...

What a fabulous night on the ELR Red Rose Dining. The food was superb, especially the wild mushroom soup!! It was great to relax and watch the scenery go by whilst enjoying an excellent meal. Staff serving were extremely efficient and pleasant, always smiling

We had a wonderful time. We were looked after from arriving until we left. The staff were very attentive, friendly and efficient, the meal was nicely presented and the food and plates hot. We were given plenty of time between courses. We would certainly recommend...

It’s the 1st time I have had dinner in a train, and what an experience. It was my Mum’s 80th birthday, and she absolutely loved it, thank you for making it such a special evening. Great food, service and the carriages were so comfortable, we...

A superbly presented meal by a charming team. Top job, well done. Thoroughly well done and thank you for a lovely evening.

Fabulous experience for my mother's 80th Birthday! -the whole evening was just perfect for her and our family-the carriages/seating were so comfortable and the food was amazing-also for myself with a vegan option.The staff were wonderful too-we will be back again for Sunday lunch and...

I booked this as a treat. The food was wonderful, piping hot and tasty. It had a lot of what is lacking in most places, it was home made and by people who know how to cook honest and tasty original British food. Overall, we...

Absolutely beautiful as it’s always been for many many years . Wow I know it’s not cheap but costs are rising. The food is exceptional as is the service led by John , such a lovely guy . Waitering staff are exceptional xx

We booked the Red Rose Diner as a birthday treat for my husband and had a thoroughly pleasant evening. There were three Pullman dining carriages with passengers all enjoying some special occasion. The staff were excellent and the four course meal was of a very...

What a fabulous experience!! The Caledonian Pipe Band were great and entertained us while the Flying Scotsman was coupled to the VIP Dining carriages. The canapés and Prosecco was a lovely touch and very enjoyable. The meal was very tasty and well presented. The staff...

We dined with Dining With Distinction on 12 March 2023 on the East Lancs Railway dining evening behind the Flying Scotsman. The whole experience was wonderful. Food was delicious and plentiful. The staff were cheerful and pleasant and contributed highly to the overall experience. Definitely...

staff serving the food were terrible and rude don’t expect to go on and have people drop cutlery everywhere they should be silver service trained. No staff are trained clearly just kids thrown into a fast pace environment. Cutlery was so disgusting to

absolutely wonderful experience, staff were friendly and efficient, food was perfect, whole thing was perfect

Outstanding 3 course meal, very friendly helpful staff. Would recommend. Drinks reasonably priced. Very comfortable seats.

First time Christmas meal yesterday.The meal was of high quality and was served by very attentive staff.Will be back next year for some more of the same.I was part of the CAB Travel