Roemin abit

We had decided to have breakfast at the Ramada before we left as it was offered as 'buy one, get one free' when we checked in on Saturday. The dining experience included two Day Rover tickets to use on the railway over the weekend. We drove to the restored station at Rothley on our way home where it was easy to park the car. We waited for the next train north, which happened to be a vintage diesel, to Quorn and Moutntsorrel. We had a guided tour of the Victorian booking office while we were waiting at Rothley station. It still has gas lighting and all the ticketing technology of the era. We also had a look at some of the vintage Morris Minors on a rally and then a cup of coffee in the cafe at Quorn station. Then we travelled back on the 13:08 to Rothley. This was the Elizabethan Sunday luncheon train so it had very limited non- dining accommodation and we stood in the guards van. Another interesting experience.

Rosemary took the bus from Nottingham to Loughborough whilst I travelled by car and met her at the Ramada Inn just after 2.00pm. We had a walk around the town centre, where the Saturday market was just packing up, and a coffee at Greggs. The Grand Central Station was only half mile walk from the hotel so we left at 6:15 in order to take our seats in the restored 1st Class Pullman dining car and order some drinks, before the train left at 7:00 pm. The evening was to be spent on two journeys between Loughborough and Leicester North with breaks for leg stretching at Rothley and both terminals. The meal consisted of tomato and mozzarella starter, followed by pea and mint soup, rack of lamb main course, lemon meringue pie, cheese and biscuits with coffee and mints to finish. The meal was cooked in the original dining car kitchen during the journey, no pre-cooked food brought on to the train. The train stopped for 10 mins on the via-duct over Swithland Reservoir to take in the...

We are looking forward to the dinner on board the Charnwood Forester steam train this weekend. Mark bought us the experience as a Christmas present and the booking date has finally come around. We decided to stop the night in Loughborough instead of driving back and chose the Ramada Inn instead of the CL at Cotes and taxis,  which were originally planning to do. Rosemary was meeting her sisters in Nottingham on Friday evening so it was all getting a bit complicated.