A series of dining trains over two itineraries in Norway will give the opportunity to travel behind 1954-built electric locomotive no.El11 2098.
Above is a link to a video uploaded to YouTube by user Khanet Phokaew showing El11 2098 departing from Hønefoss on a charter in 2015.
Nordmarka Rundt
The “Nordmarka Rundt” tour operated by Historiske Togreiser will run on twelve Thursday evenings between May and October 2018.
It will depart from Oslo Sentral at 17:00 and runs via a circular route: up to Roa, then via the non-passenger line to Hønefoss – run round – then back via Hokksund and Drammen. Arrival back in Oslo is 21:00-22:00.
The downside is that this is not come cheap – the train is full dining, and the ticket for the train plus four-course meal comes to 2500 NOK – £226 at current prices. However, it may well come in handy perhaps as way of shoehorning a railway interest into a romantic city break to Oslo!
Dates: Thursday 03/05/18, Thursday 10/05/18, Thursday 24/05/18, Thursday 21/06/18 and Thursday 28/06/18, Thursday 16/08/18, Thursday 30/08/18, Thursday 06/09/18, Thursday 13/09/18, Thursday 20/09/18, Thursday 27/09/18 and Thursday 04/10/18.
Bergensbanen
The El11 will also twice be given the opportunity to stretch its legs on a much longer journey, from Oslo to the North Sea coast at Bergen along the stunningly scenic Bergensbanen.
These will each from Oslo to Bergen on the Friday and return from Bergen to Oslo on the Sunday. Inclusive of breakfast, a two-course lunch and a three-course dinner, a single is 2850 NOK (£258 at current prices) with a 50% discount applied to one leg if you book a return.
Dates: Friday 25th/Sunday 27th May 2018, Friday 14th/Sunday 16th September 2018.
European Traction 