The Railway Touring Company delivers strong experiences with attentive staff and good itineraries, but inconsistent service quality, mechanical failures on premium trips, and infrastructure issues undermine the premium positioning at 4.0/5.
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The carriages were ex British Railways MK3s. These are not vintage but the first of modern generation - double glazed, air conditioned AND NO OPENING WINDOWS = UNABLE TO HEAR STEAM LOCOMOTIVE - poor heritage experience. On Sussex Belle (a shorter day trip) lunch served at 15.00 which was OK IF there had been something to eat after departure at 10.45. A solitary cinnamon swirl is just not enough - at least a continental breakfast - fruit yogurt, croissant and pastry. First and last day trip with RTC.
Premier Dining Experience… apparently stuck in 1972 We booked the York to Edinburgh steam train (04/04/2026) as a “Premier Dining Experience” at £329 per person. What we received was a deeply disappointing and frankly misleading experience. A member of staff proudly told us the carriage was from 1972, which, unfortunately, was the most accurate part of the day. This was not charming heritage; it was tired, cold, and poorly maintained. The steam locomotive failed after approximately 2 hours (cylinder issue), meaning, only around 1/7 of the journey was actually steam-hauled. The rest was completed by diesel, not what anyone paid for. Yes, the company hides behind its terms and conditions regarding mechanical failures, but when a train breaks down almost immediately on a 15-hour experience, serious questions about preparation and maintenance are unavoidable. The so-called “Premier service” was equally poor (pictures available if required): - Not once were we offered water, even during a long unscheduled stop - Tea was served carelessly, spilling everywhere, with no apology - Dirty cups were simply refilled - Breakfast was mediocre at best - The carriage was cold, with passengers repeatedly asking for doors to be shut. The experience of travelling back in time didn’t happen in a positive fashion. We eventually gave up and booked LNER back cleaner, warmer, more professional, and a fraction of the cost. After complaining, we were offered a £30 voucher per person, which frankly feels insulting given the price paid. Even more telling: all reviews are marked “unprompted” because customers are never actually invited to leave feedback. That says a lot about how seriously this company takes customer experience. A very expensive, poorly delivered experience that fails to meet its own promises. No Premier Experience and all negative comments are addressed in a passive aggressive manner and a dismissive tone. Avoid at all costs. Update following company response on my TripAdvisor review : “ The company’s response illustrates the issue perfectly. Rather than acknowledging clear failings (cold carriage, lack of basic provisions, poor service), they shift responsibility onto customers and external factors. Staff was informed on several occasions to close the broken sliding doors, service on a train or a plane is not very different and an apology is not hard to mak and you don’t promise a “premier dining experience” if you can’t freshen up cups or anything else! At no point do they address the core issue: the significant gap between what is marketed as a “Premier Dining Experience” and what is actually delivered.
If nostalgia is your thing, then the Edinburgh Flyer delivers in spades—just perhaps not the era you were hoping for. Marketed as a “premium dining experience” behind a magnificent steam locomotive, the reality feels more like a lovingly preserved tribute to British Rail circa 1983… and not in the charming, heritage sense. When the steam engine gave up somewhere north of Newcastle (arguably the most authentic part of the experience), we were gently reintroduced to diesel reality—along with carriages and cuisine that appear to have travelled through time with it. The dining element is particularly impressive if your benchmark is school dinners from a bygone decade. “Premier” might be stretching it slightly; “vintage” would be more accurate—both in flavour and ambition. One can only assume the menu was curated with a strong commitment to historical accuracy. Service, meanwhile, had a certain chaotic energy—tea offered repeatedly but rarely in a way that suggested fresh cups were part of the plan. At times it felt less like hospitality and more like a social experiment in beverage distribution. There is, of course, something poetic about sitting in a freezing carriage, watching the British countryside roll by slowly, wondering whether you’ve accidentally boarded a time machine set to “mild disappointment.” All in all, an experience that promises the romance of steam travel but delivers a rather more immersive lesson in why we moved on. Needless to say, the return journey will be via LNER—modern, warm, and reassuringly anchored in this century. It clearly wasn’t for me and my guests
Based on 20 verified customer reviews, The Railway Touring Company holds an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 — rated Great on ReviewTerminal. 75% of customers gave 4 or 5 stars.