aving at the crowds lining the station platform, I felt like the Duchess of Cambridge.

With people pointing cameras in your direction, and gathering to point and wave as you pass by, you feel pretty special travelling by steam train – especially on such a famous route.

Organised by heritage rail operator the Railway Touring Company, The Waverley is running every Sunday this summer, taking passengers on a nostalgic journey over the world-famous Settle and Carlisle railway.

We boarded the first journey of the summer series, hauled by the 1927-built No 46115 Scots Guardsman, one of the latest additions to the historic steam locomotives pulling The Waverley’s restored carriages.

The Scots Guardsman played a central role in Night Mail, a classic 1936 GPO documentary about a mail train from London to Scotland, accompanied by a WH Auden poem, recited to the rhythm of the train, and music by Benjamin Britten.

The other new addition to the pool of locomotives is the No 45699 Galatea, a 77-year-old loco withdrawn in 1964 and rescued from a scrapyard, emerging from restoration this year.

The Waverley attracts thousands of passengers each year, drawn by the excitement of steam travel and the drama of the Settle and Carlisle journey which includes the magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct, England’s highest railway station and a climb to Ais Gill Summit – all 1,169 feet of it.

As the mighty locomotive chugged by, people waved from kitchen windows, roadsides, farmyards, pub gardens and playing fields. At every station we pulled into, the platforms were lined with people taking photos. Throughout the journey, from the climb up the Yorkshire Dales to the Eden Valley descent, we’d spy the occasional lone trainspotter in the middle of a field, camera poised.

Accompanied by my niece Ellie, nephew Alex and my dad, we were thrilled to experience premier dining in a vintage carriage which, with plush seats, sliding door and table lamp, evoked the style and glamour of the steam age. It felt like being on board an Agatha Christie murder mystery.

Steaming towards Skipton, we tucked into a hearty cooked breakfast, with glass of Buck’s Fizz, then the train stopped at Hellifield for water, before heading for the Settle Junction and the ‘Long Drag’ through the Dales.

Sheep stared at the fire-breathing dragon as we steamed past rolling fields in the shadow of the Three Peaks. There’s something moving about gazing up at the mighty Pen-y-Ghent from a steam train window.

A couple of hours into the journey, we reached the Ribblehead Viaduct, 440 yards long with 24 arches up to 160ft high. It took four years to build, by a team of navvies living in a shanty town on a site now occupied by hikers and daytrippers waving madly as we steamed across. If you manage to glimpse the viaduct through an open window as the train approaches, it’s quite a sight.

In front was the dramatic peak of Whernside then, after leaving the viaduct, we passed under an aqueduct, entering the depths of the mile-and-a-half long Blea Moor tunnel. Ellie’s eyes were like saucers as the lamp cast shadows around our cosy carriage.

After reaching Dent, England’s highest mainline station, we crossed Ais Gill Viaduct, with stunning views of Mallerstang Edge and the ruins of 12th century Pendraggon Castle, then passed through Kirkby Stephen station.

A 20-minute stop at Appleby allowed us to stretch our legs, joining the crowd taking photos of the Scots Guardsman in her splendid green livery.

Next we headed through Cumbria, where the River Eden cuts through a luscious rural landscape, less rugged than the Dales.

Arriving at Carlisle, we walked from the Gothic-style station to the bustling town centre, browsing through bookshops and boutiques and enjoying a cuppa in The Lanes arcade, before wandering around the tranquil grounds of the Cathedral, dating back to 1092.

Carlisle’s castle is worth a visit, too. The motte and bailey were built in 1093 and the remains of a tower where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned is visible. Today the castle is home to the Border Regiment Museum.

Back at the station, we boarded the train as onlookers waved.

Following the line back to Appleby and beyond, with the Lake District rising on one side and the Dales on the other, we tucked into a delicious three-course dinner; a starter of tomato and vegetable soup; a main course of roasted prime sirloin beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast and creamed potatoes and cauliflower cheese (I had the tasty vegetarian option of stuffed butternut squash with vegetables), followed by lemon tart and a cheese selection.

Gazing out of the window, soothed by the rhythm of the train, I could have happily stayed there for longer. A perfect way to experience one of the country’s most beautiful railways.