'THE train arriving at platform 11 is . . . the 11.40 Orient Express." It may seem incongruous when the platform is at York but the train rolling into the station could claim at least some of the heritage, being the youngest sister in the world's best known rail family.

Dwarf palm trees decorating the platform were the only hint of the east, but the striking up of the railway brass band signified that this Orient Express was most definitely Northern. She is known as Northern Belle and will spend her less demanding, but no less glamorous, career taking passengers from the North on trips throughout Britain.

As the nine carriages came to a halt, guests who'd begun their journey in Liverpool and Manchester spilled out to light cigarettes and make calls on their mobile phones - both are banned on Northern Belle.

Chief executive of the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE) company, Nick Varian, explained why York had been chosen as the launch for the train's inaugural journey. "We have a lot of clients from the North who complained that they always had to travel to London to pick up our trains," he says

"The North of England probably has the best railway scenery in the country and, of course, the rail heritage. These combined made it right that we should make our inaugural departure from York."

Northern Belle has been two years in the planning, and every effort has been made to ensure that the heyday of luxury trains has been recaptured in her ambience and style.

From her wood-panelled cars to her white-gloved crew, she more than matches the elegant splendour of her sisters - but proudly is all British.

Fabrics, brassware and marquetry in the six passenger dining cars were commissioned from British craftsmen and each of the cars is named after some of the country's best known castles and stately homes - Warwick, Glamis, Alnwick, Harlech, Belvoir, and Chatsworth.

Painted in the dark maroon livery of VSOE, the 42-seat cars date back to the 1960s and were restored in Crewe and Eastleigh, Southampton.

Each is decorated individually with deep pile carpets and with different woods, decor and furnishings to reflect its name - Harlech has the daffodil of Wales, Glamis is based loosely on the work of Glasgow's most famous architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Alnwick is fitted out in oak, box wood, yew, sycamore, satinwood and walnut.

Light fittings are based on designs by the 1930s French glassmaker Lalique and all the fine bone china and glassware bear the VSOE insignia.

Even the toilets are wood-panelled, with Floris toiletries, a favourite of the Royals.

But Northern Belle is meant to be for the people of the North and for visitors to the region. Even the driver, Simon Hartshorne, is from Durham.

Each of the paying guests had laid out £250 for the privilege of being part of history, while the VIPs included the world of soap operas' own Northern belles Sue Jenkins and Karen Drury (Jackie Corkhill and Susannah Farnham from Brookside), Malandra Burrows (Cathy from Emmerdale) and Gabby Glaster (Debs from Coronation Street). Sports presenter Alan Hansen and singer Jane MacDonald were also there.

Just like any other train, the £4m Northern Belle is at the mercy of the rail network.

Whereas rail passengers are normally appeased with an apology and a visit from the trolley service, on Northern Belle the freely flowing champagne and a brunch of smoked salmon and lobster made up for the late departure.

Northern Belle is the only VSOE train to have a complete carriage as a kitchen - it needs it. As well as brunch, guests on the inaugural trip were also treated to afternoon tea and a four course dinner. The menu is, of course, English with a starter of chilled strawberry soup, followed by roast guinea fowl, fresh fruit and English cheeses.

The inaugural journey was to Grantham in Lincolnshire and on to Belvoir Castle, where passengers were welcomed by the Dowager Duchess of Rutland and jousters in medieval costume. The dramatic hilltop castle is one of the destinations offered as a Northern Belle day trip.

Back on board and gliding smoothly at 100mph through the South Yorkshire countryside and Doncaster where a group of train spotters waited for a glimpse, it was impossible not to find yourself humming The Royal Scot and keeping an eye out for Hercule Poirot.

The Orient Express conjures up romance and nostalgia but Northern Belle must work too as a modern train for passengers with high demands, hence features like air conditioning.

Northern Belle general manager Andrew Olverton, from South Shields, explained what makes his train special: "Wherever possible we try to maintain the luxury of the Pullman Belle train of the 1930s, even down to small details like ensuring that all the screwheads point in the same direction, but also to ensure that Northern Belle is a modern train for the millennium."

George Mortimer Pullman was responsible for bringing luxury rail travel to Britain in 1864, but it was George Nagelmackers who founded the luxury service across Europe - the Orient Express.

The name was re-launched in 1982 when the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express travelled from London to Venice.

Later that year a full programme of day excursions throughout Britain was created and now the British Pullman, Northern Belle's sister in the UK, is in almost daily use from its base in London for scenic rides through the countryside of southern England.

VSOE operates two other trains - the Eastern and Oriental Express which operates between Bangkok and Singapore, and the Great South Pacific Express, which carries passengers between Cairns and Sydney in Australia.

Northern Belle will operate 200 departures in a year from day trips to weekend breaks, leaving stations in Manchester, Liverpool and York.

Trips include murder mystery events at Belvoir, shopping in London, sporting events like Royal Ascot, city trips to Durham, Bath and Edinburgh or simply lunch for a special occasion.

The ultimate journey is to take Northern Belle from Manchester, pick up the British Pullman to the south coast and then catch the Venice Simplom-Oreitn-Express to Paris.

For those people who have uttered the words, "I've always wanted to go on the Orient Express", now you can.

l Northern Belle trips start at £115 per person. To book call 0161-831 7900. The website address is www.orient-express.com