Last updated: 29 October 2023
On a dark damp evening in winter, we find ourselves traipsing through the alleys of Bethnal Green in East London. In search of Pedley Street Station, a make-believe terminus and the setting for London’s latest immersive dining experience, The Murder Express.
The premise of this dining experience is a whodunit-style murder mystery on board The Murder Express, a luxury train taking passengers from London’s Pedley Street station through the wine countryside to the town of Murdér in France.
Funicular, the company behind The Murder Express, has successfully managed to walk the line between entertainment and fine dining with the menus frequently changing and designed by Masterchef contestants. Our visit coincided with a menu from Louisa Ellis, a finalist @MasterChefuk The Professionals in 2017. However, a brand new menu will be available for the 2023/2024 season that has been brought to life by Funicular’s new chef partner, two Michelin star Chef Niall Keating, owner of Lunar by Niall Keating in the World of Wedgwood in Stoke-on-Trent.
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We received a complimentary experience to The Murder Express but as always all opinions are our own.
What to Expect Aboard The Murder Express
Not one to spoil the fun, I shan’t be giving away too many secrets about The Murder Express. After all, the mystery and intrigue is half the enjoyment of these immersive dining experiences.
Our evening starts outside, on a quiet foggy dimly-lit street sandwiched between two working lines of the London Overground. Pedley Street Station, while fictitious, feels very real, as it is built into the arches of the working train line. From the outside, the experience is already atmospheric to say the least.
Arriving at Pedley Street Station – Tickets Please
Upon arrival, checking in involves giving your name to the Ticket Master upon entry to Pedley Street station, after which you’re provided with a ticket for the train. This has your table number on it so don’t lose it.
Passengers for The Murder Express can mingle around the Station, make full use of the 7 Sins Bar with themed cocktails, beer and wine while and take some photos with some props like vintage telephones, suitcases and period street lamps.
Before the fun really begins, now is a good time to pre-order drinks for dinner, we shared a bottle of wine which was delivered to our table after we boarded the train.
Some of the shady characters we would soon come to know and love, were loitering around the station. Mingling with other passengers, making a scene, or having a cheeky drink at the bar prior to the journey to Murdér.
Immersive dining experiences like this one really work best when everyone participates. Characters are just that, characters. So chat to them, ask questions, keep them on their toes and most of all, have fun with it.
It’s at this time I strike up a conversation with Tilly Tulip. Rocking a blonde bob with finger waves, Tilly’s a young lounge singer, dressed to the nines, perfectly resembling a flapper from the 20s. In her thick Cockney accent, she tells me a long elaborate tale about another man on the platform, a shifty grifter from London’s East End who appears to be embroiled in some sort of shake-down with other passengers.
All Aboard the Murder Express
The conductor makes an appearance and tells us all passengers for Murdér, should now board. We’re assured, despite the name, there’s never actually been a murder on this train. Well, I suppose there’s always a first time for everything!
Inside we’re greeted by a purpose-built train carriage. If this is what train travel should look like, then I. Am. Sold!
Wide centre aisle is perfectly spacious for two-abreast, while the styling and detail has a very strong nod to the Roaring 20’s where the attention really is in the detail. Fitted out with eight large booths, each capable of sitting six comfortably, booths have a vintage feel of tufted ink blue leather with accents of bronze and tan.
The leg room is impressive as is this distance from the booth to the table. No squishing necessary, it’s a welcome change from regular dining in London. Your group will be allocated a table, not sat with other passengers. If your group is less than six, be sure to leave a space at the end should one of the characters want to pop by and tell you a tale or two.
Generously sized dark timber tables at each booth and a perfectly on point art deco lamp provides additional light. Despite the fact that our train is stationary, you could be fooled into thinking otherwise by the huge screens which act as windows from which the view of our journey passes us by.
As someone who’s prone to motion sickness, initially I thought ‘oh dear’ when I saw the movement whizzing past the windows and I thought it might make me feel a little queasy. To be honest, it really didn’t unless I stared right at the window. What a relief that was!
Dining Aboard The Murder Express
The 2023 | 2024 Menu
The 4 course dining menu designed by two star Michelin chef Niall Keating for the new season of The Murder Express has been announced and it looks amazing! If you’re interested in vegan options then you’ll be happy to know a vegan menu will be coming soon.
- Amuse-Bouche
- Potato salad, warm cheese mousse
- Starter
- Mushroom and Ricotta stuffed cabbage, Mushroom consommé
- Main Course
- Braised beef cheek, charred leek, and caramelised onion puree
- Dessert
- White chocolate cigar, Cremux, White Chocolate Ice Cream
Dining Menu from our journey with The Murder Express
The physical printed menu and the four courses to come continued the Jazz Era styling.
Amuse-Bouche
The Amuse-Bouche was an earthy mushroom crostini with a watercress garnish.
Starter
A parsnip and maple Velouté was just as the name implies, velvety. It is a generous helping of creamy parsnip and unexpected sweetness of maple made for a fantastic and ample starter.
Main Course
The main was a gamey 3 bird roast with hispi cabbage which is very on point for the 20’s when meat and cabbage was as common back then as it is today.
Dessert
Dessert was a Speculoos and Oat cookie pie. A sweetened flapjack with an earthy yet sweet vanilla cinnamon ice cream Tasty but not moorish, it was seemingly less on trend with the 1920’s theme than the rest of the menu. I’m no chef, but taking inspiration from Britain’s favourite baking show, I think a custard pies or a pineapple upside-down cake would have been better fitting.
With vegetarian and vegan options available, diners simply need to convey their dietary requirements before the night to ensure it can be accommodated. While the menu isn’t experimental or game changing, it for the most part is a gentle nod to the era, and likely to please the majority. Additions of water jugs, bread basket on each table and tea and/or coffee following dinner would be a nice touch.
Verdict on The Murder Express
In between each course, the whodunit mystery continued to find the murderer on board our train. Actors remained in character and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish providing enjoyable innuendo and slapstick entertainment.
Diners are entertained by Vera Valentine and her dog Muffy who look down their noses at the riff-raff in the carriage, while Tilly and her theatrics often dominated the spotlight, with bumbling waiter Tomathy, who would not be out of place in Fawlty Towers, falling over himself to please her.
Frank Fletcher is the name. A grifter, wheeler and dealer, a spiv and a salesman…of sorts. Armed with an assortment of wares he just may fleece you of some of your hard earned cash for some magic potions or bootlegged items.
Tickets for The Murder Express are on the pricier side and for the 2023/2024 season start at £74.50. This includes the four-course meal and the hilarious immersive dining experience.
Drinks are available to purchase from the bar, although I suggest pre-ordering drinks before you board the train to keep the flow of the evening. Prices are reasonable with soft drinks priced at £3.25, beers under £6, G&T ~£9. The bottle of wine we chose to accompany dinner was a reasonable £25 although there are choices ranging up to £95/bottle.
The Essentials | The Murder Express
- Where: Pedley Street Station, Arch 63 Pedley St, Bethnal Green, London E1 5BW
- When: 9 Nov 2023 until 3 Nov 2024
- Duration: 2 hours
- Nearest Train Station: Bethnal Green train station 5 min walk. Liverpool St Station: 20 min walk
- Nearest Tube Station: Bethnal Green (Central Line) 12 min walk. Whitechapel (Hammersmith & City, District & Overground) 10 min walk
- Dietary Requirements: Allergy or specific dietary requirements can be accommodated with advance notice. Set menus for meat, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Advise any requirements at the time of booking
- Accessibility: From street to platform Pedley Street Station is step free, this includes the bar and an accessible bathroom. A ramp is available for wheelchair access to the train, otherwise it’s 3 steps with dual handrails
