The conditions for running the train were that two locomotives would need to be provided, BR would provide the set of Mark 1 carriages, it was having these repainted into chocolate and cream for the year’s events, as many trains could be operated as the museum liked and that the cost would be £16,000. The conditions were accepted and in the end 8 trains ran across the inaugural weekend of the 8th and 9th June.
Over the coming years, The Shakespeare Express ran on several weekends as ‘one off’ charters with the final trains to run ahead of privatisation being in April 1990, headed by 6024 ‘King Edward I’ and 5080 ‘Defiant’, hauling eight weekend trains in total. This would be the final time The Shakespeare Express would run with wooden body coaches.
1999 saw the first year of regular Summer Sunday running of the service, with 4965 ‘Rood Ashton Hall’ hauling the trains and these have continued since, with every Sunday in August featuring steam trains between Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon, except when, in cases of extreme hot weather, the use of diesel locomotives are required, such as in 2023 where a pair of Class 20s were used.
As well as diesel locomotives standing in, guest steam locomotives have hauled the train, including 4953 ‘Pitchford Hall’ in 2006 and more recently in 2024, where 45596 ‘Bahamas’ hauled the 2nd ever departure of The Shakespeare Express from Derby.
In recent years, The Shakespeare Express has expanded to run on Sundays from April – November, including every Sunday throughout August as part of the Express’ Summer Season. In 2024, new routes were added, with departures from Derby, Leicester and Worcester added to the calendar to expand The Shakespeare Express to more passengers than ever before.
Just like the inaugural trains in 1985, today’s iteration still features onboard dining, now in Vintage Train’s authentic 1960s Pullman Cars. On the bookend departures each day, there is the Full English Breakfast and Afternoon Tea service and for the middle departure of the day from Stratford-upon-Avon, is the ever popular two-course Sunday Lunch service. For those in Tourist, there is the afternoon departure from Birmingham Snow Hill offering passengers an Afternoon Tea.
