Vintage Trains - Birmingham

G W.

Travelled on the Shakespeare Express from Derby to Stratford-upon-Avon in Pullman Class. The engine was immaculate, and the Pullman Carriage and seating was very comfortable. The staff were very welcoming, personable, and quick to deal with any requests. The breakfast on the way to Stratford, and the Afternoon Tea on the return were excellent and plentiful. The only minor negative was the service on board was not as smooth as it could’ve been. We tried to order wine twice but no one came to take the order, no napkins with the meals, and at one point coffee came round but no tea. However, overall it was a lovely trip, and we are looking to book again.

shane B.

Went here to ride polar express which was an amazing experience. Train station was well kept and very clean. Only downside was no postage to where to queue for the polar express. Staff were very helpful and we're extremely fun and made the whole experience memorable. Highly recommend when the polar express comes around again

Gritted T.

One word sums the whole experience.

Outstanding !!!

So dont spend time thinking about it... just do it.

Book your seats and enjoy one of the best days you will ever experience.

We took a trip on the last Shakespeare Express of the season from Snow Hill. I can say with hand on heart it was an absolutely fantastic trip and one we will always cherish.

Spotlessly clean with volunteers who treat you like royalty.

The service provided was second to non.

Thank you to all involved.

E A.

Amazing day out on the Shakespeare Express from Birmingham to Stratford On Avon.
Booked a table for two on the Pullman class, well worth the price paid. Breakfast was hot & drinks were served quickly and effortlessly, and the quality of ingredients was second to none!
The afternoon teas was just perfect, sandwiches were fresh and pastries were warmed and scones were lovely and soft.
Staff were very friendly and attentive and it really did make for an enjoyable experience.

James B.

My experience with this company is poor as I feel their customer service is unacceptable and I would not recommend them. I booked the experience, made a lot of arrangements revolving around this and then a few months later, they simply cancelled the day - I was told they just were not running that day anymore. It's not as if there was an issue such as weather conditions or breakdown etc. This was a birthday event and resulted in me losing significant money, cancelling other plans made around this, so overall a ruined trip leading to a big disappointment. I made Vintage Trains aware of this on several occasions and asked for a good will compensation back towards a new booking, however this was just ignored so I have lost my money. Looking at other reviews, it seems apparent that it is hit and miss as to the experience you will have booking this company, you may get lucky or you may end up being seriously disappointed like myself and others who have also posted negative reviews. I cannot see any efforts from them to respond to disappointed customers like myself. Please take this review as a warning that if you wish to book, you are taking a significant risk and consider this before committing to booking especially if this a special occasion.

Paul W.

Volunteers on board were great and spirited run to Blackpool on the Illuminations Express. Only spoiled by the fact the return trip set off home before the lights were switched on which was really disappointing given the name of the train. Felt a bit misleading.

Dana R.

I took a trip in April 2023. Cumbria mountaineer. The first few hours were lovely. The stop off at Carlise was change last minute to Appleby, which was widely inappropriate for anyone with walking issues, which means the only venue close was standing room only. Only 1 toilet ended up working on the entire train. They ran out of water for tea and coffee by 1pm, it was recommended to ask for refreshments instead of going to get them which you had to pay for from dining cart, however the carriage attended disappeared for several hours. Early evening we were told to disembark to use the toilets at crewe station as the ones on the train didn't work, because of the sheer amount of people, 2 of the 3 toilets broke and were flooding the station. I email customer service with all of the above and more, they never even responded let alone apologised. Would recommend avoiding this company at all costs. Much prettier from the outside!

Kerry C.

Had a lovely (but really long) day on the train, with a stop in Cardiff for lunch.
Staff are all really friendly, and prices for tea & coffee on the train are very reasonable.
We took my dad for his birthday, and he enjoyed it very much.