Jaine Blackman enjoys historic hotels and gets all steamed up over the railway museum

Yes, it’s good but I don’t think it’s that much better than Swindon’s, I said airily of York’s National Railway Museum after wandering around the historic carriages in the platform area.

Then it was pointed out that I hadn’t yet been to the Great Hall. So I went, and I was completely blown away.

My goodness, it’s amazing. And free (although a £3 donation is suggested)!

From Stephenson’s Rocket (a replica) to the only Bullet train outside of Japan; whether you’re interested in the social history of the railways, the design of the Eurostar or Thomas the Tank Engine, you’ll find it there.

There’s a steam train ride simulator and a champagne bar. Yes, a champagne bar. Railways and champagne . . . I was in heaven.

I could have spent hours looking round (it’s in the blood – both grandfathers were in “The Works” as the old Great Western Railway headquarters in Swindon were known and great uncle Reg was on the railways in India); days even.

Unfortunately we’d left about half an hour to pop in before catching a Cross Country train home.

If only the four-poster at Middlethorpe Hall, where we’d stayed the previous night, hadn’t been so comfortable, the breakfast so delicious and worth lingering over, the spa so inviting and the grounds so pleasant to stroll around, we might have had more time to linger.

But it was just a whistlestop tour at the end of what had been a lovely and quite railway-related couple of days.

The golden age of steam may be over but it’s still great to travel by train and watch the countryside go by.

If you can afford an upgrade (and sometimes it’s cheaper than you think, especially if you book online in advance) go first class.

We kicked back and enjoyed the complimentary drinks and snacks on our Cross Country service to York, arriving relaxed and ready to enjoy our first night’s stay at Cedar Court Grand.

It is, as they are keen to point out at any given opportunity, Yorkshire’s only five star hotel.

Grand by name and grand by nature, it had quite a formal air but service was faultless and there was great attention to detail.

What I found really interesting about it is that it’s housed in the former North Eastern Railway Headquarters.

Built in 1906, it was decided that only the best materials should be used in the construction, despite the fact that the country was, at the time, in recession. The interior of the building is typified by high ceilings, tall windows, lofty arches and wide open corridors and spaces. It’s quiet despite its city centre location as the original building was double-glazed to keep out the noise of the trams that used to run by it.

It was built to impress and is full of magnificent period features incorporated into an extensive refurbishment completed in 2010.

After checking to our swish room – one of 107 – I made full use of the spa pool, located in what were once the vaults where The North Eastern Railway stored its millions.

It’s been given a Roman feel, in keeping with the city, and a number of Roman artifacts were found beneath it when it was excavated.

That evening we met my Wicked Stepmother (it’s a term of great affection) who lives in the city for dinner at one of her favourite places to eat – Rustique in Castlegate.

It has a bistro feel and I loved it from the Moulin Rouge naked dancer painted on the wall to my steak frites.

My partner wasn’t so keen on his cassoulet; so mixed reviews, you’ll have to decide for yourself if you ever venture that way.

The next day, after some serious sightseeing (see panel left) we checked in to Middlethorpe Hall.

It may not have five stars or a railway connection but it does have class and character by the bucketload. The Duke of York has been known to stay here when visiting the city.

It’s a William and Mary country house built around 1699-1701 for a prosperous master cutler in a bid to establish himself as a country gentleman.

It’s had various uses over the years – including as a girls’ school and a night-club – but is now owned by the National Trust as part of its Historic House Hotels group.

Expert advice has been taken to restore historic detail and furnish it appropriately.

Even though its credentials are top drawer Middlethorpe has a very comfortable air about it.

Antiques and four poster beds nestle with more modern – but still old-fashioned – furnishings giving a warm homely feeling. It could feel almost like you were visiting your great aunt’s house... should she be a dowager duchess.

And if she had the most amazing chef. There were no complaints about that evening’s meal; the food was fantastic.

All in all, a great trip and we only touched on what York has to offer. I’ll certainly be going back. By train. . . and to see a lot more of them.

ESSENTIALS

* CrossCountry is the UK’s largest rail network serving major towns and cities like Oxford, York, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol. Travel from Oxford to York from as little as £28.60 with CrossCountry Advance fares (terms and conditions apply). Visit crosscountrytrains.co.uk to book.
* York has a year-round calendar of events.  For full details, to buy York Passes and to find out all you need to know about visiting York go to visityork.org
* Middlethorpe Hall Hotel and Spa online at middlethorpe.com or telephone 01904 641241
* Cedar Court Grand at cedarcourtgrand.co.uk or telephone 01904 380038