Bagpipe player greets passengers boarding Northern Belle train at Preston railway station
There were bagpipes at Preston railway station this morning as part of a luxury train experience to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Commuters were surprised to find a man dressed in full tartan clothing playing the bagpipes on platform 3 on Thursday morning.
The performance was to welcome passengers to the Northern Belle - a unique, luxurious and exclusive train journey.
One passer-by said: "I got off the train as normal and couldn't quite believe my eyes when I spotted a man in full kilt playing the bagpipes at 8.30 in the morning.
“He was quite good actually and was starting to draw a bit of a crowd, so it was a nice surprise.
“I'm not sure what it was for but it brightened my morning.”
The train departed from Liverpool Lime Street at 7:55am before stopping at Wigan at 8:25am and Preston at 8:45am.
It then continued on to Scotland’s capital where passengers can enjoy the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
At each station, passengers are welcomed onto the train with a red carpet and musical accompaniment in the form of bagpipes.
This was the individual that commuters may have seen playing this morning.
One of the individually-decorated carriages – which all feature paintings, embroidery, marquetry and mosaics – used to be part of the late Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Train.
Malcolm Tattersal, a former journalist who now works for the PR of West Coast Railways said: “Passengers will be greeted with a glass of champagne and later on enjoy a three course brunch along with drinks, music and magic performances throughout the journey.
“ On the return journey a six course meal will be served to passengers as well.”
The price for this experience is £440, or for an extra £195, guests can enjoy Krug Class and champagne during their journey.
Bill Nighy said it was the “Great Dame of UK travel.”
Guests can enjoy all of these luxuries in 1930s train carriages which were once part of the orient express group.