One lucky passenger will sip champagne and tuck into a slap-up dinner while sitting in in what was once the Queen Mother’s favourite seat when one of the world’s most luxurious trains comes to Newark next month.

But he or she will probably never know … because staff on the Northern Belle are sworn to secrecy about just where she sat in one of the seven ornately-decorated 1930s-style Pullman carriages.

A spokesman explained: “The carriage used to form part of the Royal Train and we are told that the Queen Mum always liked to stretch out in the same seat while she sipped her gin and tonics.

“We don’t usually advertise the fact though, otherwise everybody would want to sit there and give a little regal wave out of the window as we pass through a station!

“And anyway, we like to think that every seat in our hand-decorated carriages, with their tapestries, paintings and marquetry work, is fit for a Queen!”

Actor Bill Nighy described the Northern Belle as “the Grand Duchess of luxury train travel” when it featured on Channel 5’s World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys  programme last year.

He told viewers: “This is a railway experience that harks back to the halcyon days of travel.”

Passengers will have a choice of tucking into a seven-course lunch or taking a classic afternoon tea during the five-hour round trip  on Thursday, June 9.

The Northern Belle will set out from Lincoln station at 11.30am before picking up passengers at Newark North Gate at 12.10 and then Grantham, at 12.30. It is scheduled to arrive back in Newark at 5.50pm.

The train will return to the town in December for a seven-course champagne Christmas Lunch trip.

Fares start at £260. For more details, phone 01270 899681 or see www.northernbelle.co.uk.