UK Steam Rail Day Trips 2026 E-Brochure by LucidSynergy Ltd

UK Steam Rail Day Trips 2026

Welcome

Dear Customer,

We are delighted to present the release of our new UK Day Trips brochure for 2026, featuring a selection of exciting steam-hauled journeys through some of the country’s most breathtaking landscapes.

This year’s programme highlights include returning favourites such as The Waverley, The Cumbrian Mountain Express and The Royal Duchy. We’re also thrilled to be bringing back The Coast to Coast Express and The Portsmouth Flyer, giving passengers an opportunity to explore charming harbours and the nostalgia of steam train travel.

Discover the joy of our day trips, with travel options to suit every preference. Savour the elegance of Premier Dining, featuring traditional silver service and freshly prepared onboard meals. Choose First Class for morning and afternoon refreshments served in comfort, or enjoy the flexibility of Standard Class, where you can bring your own picnic or purchase treats from the buffet car. Whatever you select, your journey will be a relaxing and memorable ride through the UK’s stunning countryside.

For any questions or assistance, our friendly team is always ready to help.

Thank you for your continued support. We can’t wait to welcome you aboard soon.

Kelly Osborne Managing Director

The Railway Touring Company

Charlie Rogers

UK Steam Rail Day Trips 2026

Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 31 January 2026

Start the year off with a scenic winter day out from the north-west to the Cumbrian Fells. Travelling outwards over the West Coast Main Line via Shap to Carlisle, time will be available to explore this historic border city. In the afternoon, we head southwards again, but via the highly scenic Settle and Carlisle line. This will be even more special if there is snow about to enhance the breathtaking scenery of the Pennines.

Our train leaves Manchester Piccadilly steam hauled and calls at Wigan North Western to pick up passengers. We join the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and travel north to Preston, our final stop to pick up passengers. We continue through Lancaster to Carnforth, where our locomotive will take on water. From Carnforth our steam locomotive will be working hard when we climb the first severe gradient to Grayrigg. We then travel through the beautiful Lune Gorge to Tebay, gaining speed for the ascent to Shap. This well-known section of the WCML has a gradient of 1 in 75 and, in the former days of steam locomotives, banking engines from Tebay were often used to assist trains. After crossing the Cumbrian Fells we descend to Penrith and then head for Carlisle. There will be around two hours in Carlisle, providing time to explore this ancient ‘Border’ city with its castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum and shopping centre.

Our return train, hauled by our steam locomotive, leaves Carlisle and joins the Settle & Carlisle Railway, one of the most well known and best loved stretches of railway line in Britain. We soon begin climbing and then at Appleby, we stop for our steam locomotive to take on water. The climbing continues through scenic Kirkby Stephen towards the highest railway summit in England at Ais Gill, 1,169 feet above sea level. We pass over high viaducts, including the famous one at Ribblehead, and through numerous tunnels. There are magnificent views across the Fells and to the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. We should have a fast run out of the hills, through Settle, until we stop again at Hellifield for our locomotive to take on water.

Our journey continues from Hellifield to Clitheroe and Preston where we say goodbye to our steam locomotive. We leave Preston diesel hauled stopping at Wigan North Western and Manchester Piccadilly to set down passengers.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability). A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Bob Green

Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 7 February 2026

The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express provides a wonderful opportunity to get out and about during the winter months, with the added bonus of steam haulage over the Northern Fells, including the spectacular Settle & Carlisle Railway. We have a high speed journey down the West Coast Main Line to Carnforth, hauled by a blue Class 86 electric locomotive. We then enjoy a circular steam tour outwards via Shap to Carlisle and back via the Settle and Carlisle line.

We leave London Euston with electric traction, and speed north along the West Coast Main Line (WCML). We stop to pick up passengers at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes, Rugby (where passengers from Northampton join by service train), Nuneaton and Crewe. We continue north along the WCML to Preston, our final stop to pick up passengers.

We continue through Lancaster to Carnforth, where we change motive power to a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool. Leaving Carnforth, our steam locomotive will be working hard when we climb the first severe gradient up to Grayrigg. We then travel through the beautiful Lune Gorge to Tebay, gaining speed for the ascent to Shap. This well-known section of the WCML has a gradient of 1 in 75 and, in the former days of steam locomotives, banking engines from Tebay were often used to assist trains. After crossing the Cumbrian Fells we descend to Penrith, and then head for Carlisle. There will be around two hours in Carlisle, providing time to explore this ancient ‘Border’ city with its castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum, and shopping centre.

We leave Carlisle and join the Settle & Carlisle Railway, one of the most well known and best loved stretches of railway line in Britain. We soon begin climbing, and then at Appleby, we stop for our steam locomotive to take on water. The climbing continues through scenic Kirkby Stephen towards the highest railway summit in England at Ais Gill, 1169 feet above sea level. We pass over tall viaducts, including the famous one at Ribblehead, and through tunnels. There are magnificent views across the Fells and to the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. We should have a fast run out of the hills, through Settle, until we stop again for our locomotive to take on water.

Our journey continues through Hellifield and Clitheroe to Preston where we say goodbye to our steam locomotive. We pass though Wigan and Warrington en route to Crewe hauled by our blue class 86 electric locomotive with a fast run to London expected. We stop at the same stations as on the outward journey to set down passengers.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Valentine’s White Rose

Saturday 14 February 2026

Join us for an exhilarating main line steam run from London’s King’s Cross to the historic city of York on Valentine’s Day. York is world famous for its variety of visitor attractions and home to the National Railway Museum. Our train will be steam hauled throughout from London, giving you the chance to experience the thrill of classic steam travel while enjoying time exploring one of England’s most charming and historic cities.

We leave London King’s Cross in the morning behind our steam locomotive and follow the East Coast Main Line route of famous express trains like the Flying Scotsman. We storm up the gradient through Gasworks Tunnel and Finsbury Park, and northwards, calling at Stevenage, Huntingdon and Peterborough to pick up more passengers.

Our steam locomotive then tackles the 15-mile climb up the famous Stoke Bank. Here on 3rd July 1938, “Mallard”, an A4 class ‘Pacific’, achieved a world record speed of 126 mph when travelling in the opposite direction. Once over the summit we should have a good, fast run down the 20 mile descent to the Trent Valley and on through Grantham, Newark and Retford. We steam through Doncaster and continue northwards to our early afternoon arrival in York. There will be plenty of time for passengers to enjoy the city and all it has to offer. York has some major tourist attractions including the National Railway Museum, the largest museum of its type in Britain; the Shambles; the splendid Gothic York Minster, one of the largest of its kind in northern Europe; and the city walls. There are a number of other interesting museums, quaint alleyways, and a good variety of shops.

Our train leaves York in the afternoon and returns via a different route. We run steam hauled through Gainsborough, stopping for our locomotive to take on water at Saxilby before continuing through Lincoln and Spalding. We continue steam hauled, stopping to set down passengers at the same stations as on the northbound journey, arriving at King’s Cross in the evening.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Valentine’s Stratford Flyer

Saturday 14 February 2026

Join us on this special Valentine’s Day out, steam hauled from Manchester to Stratford-upon-Avon, by a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool. Our train will travel via Stockport, Macclesfield Stoke and Stafford as we make our way towards the internationally popular destination of Stratford-upon-Avon, visited from far and wide by many to see its Shakespeare attractions.

Our special train starts at the cosmopolitan northern city of Manchester, from Victoria station, and we will be steam hauled through the suburbs to Stockport, where we will pause briefly to pick up passengers. We now head through Macclesfield and Stoke before we continue southwards towards Stafford.

At Stafford we will leave the Trent Valley line and take the Birmingham route via Wolverhampton. We will run through the industrial heartlands of the Midlands and make our way towards Birmingham New Street, our second major city of the day. We will thread our way through the suburbs of Birmingham and make our way steadily to join the former Great Western Railway’s route from Birmingham to Stratford upon Avon. The Warwickshire countryside will provide a pleasant outlook from your carriage window as we approach our destination for today at Stratford-upon-Avon.

There will be ample time in the town to take in all the famous sights, including the birthplace of William Shakespeare and his New Place home, possibly the most famous writer in the English language. Explore the other sites, including the Memorial Theatre, the Bancroft Gardens and the River Avon and Stratford Canal. The town offers many interesting shops and is well provided for with pubs and restaurants. All in all, a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon.

During our stay in Stratford, our steam locomotive will be turned and serviced for the journey back to Manchester. We will retrace our earlier route back through Birmingham, Stafford and Crewe before arriving back in Manchester at Victoria station in the evening, ending what promises to be an interesting and varied day out to Shakespeare country.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Steve Precious

Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 21 February 2026

We leave London Euston with electric traction and speed north along the West Coast Main Line (WCML). We stop to pick up passengers at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes, Rugby (where passengers from Northampton join by service train), Nuneaton and Crewe. We continue north along the WCML to Preston, our final stop to pick up passengers.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 28 February 2026

The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express offers a great chance to venture out during the colder months, with steam haulage across the Northern Fells and the impressive Settle & Carlisle route adding to the experience. Our day begins with a fast run up the West Coast Main Line to Carnforth behind a blue Class 86 electric locomotive. From there we take a circular steam trip, heading north over Shap to Carlisle before returning along the Settle and Carlisle line.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Buxton Spa Express

Saturday 14 March 2026

Join us for a contrasting main line steam run from Preston and the North West to the Peak District of Derbyshire and the spa town of Buxton. We will travel via the West Coast Main Line to Wigan, and then Manchester, before tackling the iconic Copy Pit line and then through to Peak Forest via Chinley. A tour of Pennine grandeur and Derbyshire peaks with the afternoon in the spa town of Buxton.

Our train leaves Preston diesel hauled and we head south up the West Coast Main Line to Wigan North Western, where we stop to pick up more passengers. We then travel eastwards to Manchester Victoria and a further stop is made here to pick up passengers. From Manchester, we will be steam hauled by a locomotive from the Carnforth Pool, which will require a reversal of our train to run northwards to Bolton. Here we will take the steeply graded 1 in 72 climb of 6 miles to Sough tunnel and Darwen, before pausing briefly at Blackburn* to pick up passengers. It is quite a few years now since a steam hauled train went this way over Sough.

Running now via Burnley, the next challenge for our steam locomotive will be the severe climb graded at 1 in 68 to the summit at Copy Pit. Expect some hard work all the way to the summit before we descend steeply towards Todmorden, where we will now take the Manchester line by means of the reinstated Todmorden curve. Running via Rochdale, we will skirt the suburbs of Manchester and take the Brewery Curve through to Ashton Moss North Junction, where we will then head for Denton for a water stop.

After Stockport, we will head through Hazel Grove and onwards towards Chinley as we enter the Peak District. Leaving the main line behind at Chinley East Junction, we take the freight only Peak Forest line through Dove Holes tunnel, which has a 1 in 90 gradient for nearly two miles. We descend to Millers Dale past the huge stone quarry at Tunstead and then run through attractive Ashwood Dale towards Buxton, our destination for the afternoon.

You will have a couple of hours in Buxton, the highest market town in England, with the famous spa waters in the Pump Room, The Crescent and the Pavillion with its extensive gardens. During your visit, our steam locomotive will be serviced for the return journey. We will return from Buxton via the LNWR route through Whaley Bridge to Stockport, with a water stop at Denton to replenish supplies for our steam locomotive. From here we return to Manchester Victoria, Bolton, Wigan North Western and finally arrive at Preston after an unforgettable day out in the spectacular scenic Peak District.

* Standard Class only from Blackburn – passengers joining here will need to disembark at an alternative station on the return journey.

** Standard Class only from Stockport.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Whitby Flyer

Wednesday 18 March 2026

This unusual tour by steam train visits the popular east coast seaside town of Whitby. We make our way from London to York hauled by a blue Class 86 electric locomotive, where our steam locomotive for the day is attached. We shall travel through Yorkshire, Teesside and the North Yorkshire Moors to reach Whitby. Our featured steam locomotive for the day will be from the Carnforth pool. There will be time at our destination to visit the attractions that Whitby has to offer.

Leaving London King’s Cross in the morning, we make our way northwards along the East Coast Main Line, picking up at Stevenage, Huntingdon and Peterborough. Our blue Class 86 electric locomotive will be running at speed to whisk us to York. We commence our steam haulage later that morning from York, a historic city and home of the National Railway Museum. Heading northwards, we speed along the East Coast Main Line through Thirsk and Northallerton, where we take the line to Teesside via Eaglescliffe. We now follow part of the original Stockton & Darlington Railway of 1825, engineered by George Stephenson, towards Thornaby and Middlesbrough. The railway was the first public railway in the world to have permanent steam locomotives hauling trains.

At Guisborough Junction, we leave the line to Redcar and Saltburn and head for Battersby on the edge of the Cleveland Hills. Here we will reverse direction of travel as the line no longer continues southwards from Battersby. We will now follow the attractive Esk Valley line through the northern section of the North Yorkshire Moors. This is very much a rural line that serves isolated communities and farming is the main activity these days, with walking a popular pastime from the stations along the route. We pass through Castleton Moor and Danby before we reach Glaisdale, where there is a passing loop on the single line. After Egton, we cross the Esk a number of times and reach Grosmont.

We continue along the Esk Valley through Sleights and Ruswarp and run along side the River Esk as we pass beneath the impressive Larpool Viaduct, which formerly carried the Scarborough to Whitby railway over the valley. Boat yards and a view of the ancient abbey herald our arrival at Whitby. There will be time here to explore the many attractions the town has to offer, including the working harbour, quaint shops and restaurants, the 13th century abbey and St Mary’s church reached by the 199 steps, the Dracula museum and there is even a kipper smokery where you can buy the produce!

After time in Whitby, we retrace our earlier route back to Battersby, Middlesbrough, Northallerton and Thirsk, arriving in York in the early evening after an interesting and varied day on rural branch lines of the north-east. Our blue electric locomotive will be waiting to take us back to London, calling to set down at our earlier pick up stations.

* Premier Dining is not available from York. Please note the sections between Battersby and Whitby and Battersby to Stockton will be diesel hauled.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability).

A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Bob Green

The Cumbrian Coast Express

Saturday 21 March 2026

Our journey will combine the scenic grandeur of the Cumbrian Fells with the exposed Cumbrian coastline that skirts the western edge of the Lake District. We have a high-speed journey down the West Coast Main Line to Carlisle, hauled by a blue Class 86 electric locomotive. We then enjoy a steam tour from Carlisle back to Carnforth via the Cumbrian Coast. We return from Carnforth to London behind our blue electric locomotive.

We leave London Euston with electric traction, and speed north along the West Coast Main Line (WCML). We stop to pick up passengers at Milton Keynes, Rugby (where passengers from Northampton join by service train), Nuneaton and Crewe.

We continue north along the WCML to Preston, our final stop to pick up passengers.

We pass through Lancaster and along the edge of Morecambe Bay before we arrive at Carnforth. Leaving Carnforth, we pass the Brief Encounter café and commence the long climb up to Grayrigg. We then travel through the beautiful Lune Gorge to Tebay, before the notoriously steep ascent to Shap. After crossing the Cumbrian Fells we descend to Penrith, and then head for Carlisle. There will be time available in Carlisle to explore this ancient city with its cathedral and castle, plus an assortment of shops and cafes.

We leave Carlisle steam hauled and our return journey to Carnforth takes the scenic coastal route around the Cumbrian Coast. After Maryport, we run along the shoreline through to the industrialised port town of Workington, once a centre for the production of iron and steel. There are spectacular cliff edge views as we journey southwards from Workington through to Whitehaven, with the Isle of Man visible on a clear day across the Irish Sea. We run very close to the shoreline for several miles prior to St Bees, famous for its priory and school. We pass Sellafield, where the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority plant dominates the landscape. At Ravenglass, we might catch a glimpse of the narrow gauge Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway which is normally steam operated.

At Millom, we head inland and follow the sweeping estuary through Foxfield and Kirkby in Furness. After Ulverston, we cross Leven Viaduct and curve along the edge of the bay through to Grange-over-Sands. There are more views across Morecambe Bay as we cross the lengthy Kent Viaduct at Arnside and approach Carnforth. Here, we shall say farewell to our gallant steam locomotive and our blue Class 86 electric locomotive will take over for a fast run to London Euston. We stop at the same stations as on the outward journey to set down passengers.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

Timings

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 28 March 2026

This trip provides a wonderful opportunity for passengers to get out and about during the spring months with the added bonus of steam haulage over the Northern Fells, including the spectacular Settle & Carlisle Railway. We have a high speed journey down the West Coast Main Line to Carnforth, hauled by a blue Class 86 electric locomotive. We then enjoy a circular steam tour outwards via Shap to Carlisle and back via the Settle and Carlisle line.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Cheshireman

Saturday 28 March 2026

This excursion provides a rare opportunity to travel by special train from the north Lincolnshire area to Chester. The route to Chester is via the scenic Hope Valley line from Sheffield and then through Altrincham and across the Cheshire Plain to the historic city of Chester. Join us on our special steam hauled train and indulge in a nostalgic experience with a locomotive provided from the Carnforth pool.

We depart Cleethorpes at around 07:15, steam hauled through to Chester, with our train picking passengers up at Grimsby, Barnetby, Scunthorpe, Crowle and Hatfield.

From here onwards, we head for Doncaster and Sheffield, then through the lengthy Dore and Totley Tunnel into the scenic Hope Valley, with the dramatic Peak District hills stretching out on either side of the line. We will encounter steep climbs and more tunnels as we head eastwards towards Chinley. Our route now skirts southern Manchester by way of Guide Bridge to Stockport and Altrincham, and then we take the old Cheshire Lines Committee secondary line via Northwich and through the arboreal Delamere Forest to Chester.

We will have nearly four hours to explore Chester, one of the most visited places in the UK. Situated on the River Dee, it is famous particularly for its Roman walls which date back as far as AD79. An elevated walk around the walls is recommended, taking in other attractions on the way such as the popular River Dee frontage with its frequent boat trips, the Castle, the Cathedral, historic houses and the Rows. The Rows are timbered galleried walkways, at first floor level, dating back to the 14th century, connecting shops and cafes.

We return from Chester diesel hauled via the Hope Valley to Cleethorpes, setting down as per the outward journey.

Experience the romance of steam travel while enjoying a day of history, culture and memorable rail travel.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Edinburgh Flyer

Saturday 4 April 2026

Our steam hauled journey will commence at the historic city of York, with its long association with railways, including the location of the National Railway Museum. Heading north away from York, we will travel down the East Coast main line through to Northallerton, where our locomotive will build up speed to its maximum on the straight alignment of the tracks. We will pause at Durham momentarily to pick up further passengers, before heading towards Tyneside and over the River Tyne to Newcastle, our final pick up point.

Leaving Newcastle, we head northwards and pass through Morpeth, running at maximum speed along this former LNER racetrack, once the preserve of the A1 and A4 Pacifics until their withdrawal in the mid-1960s. With coastal views and quaint villages along the way, we make our way through Northumberland, with views of Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne Island shimmering in the distance. Continuing towards Berwick-on-Tweed, we cross the spectacular 28-arch Royal Border Bridge, designed by Robert Stephenson. Just after Berwick, we cross the border and enter Scotland. Our steam locomotive will now be getting steam up ready for the long climb up to Grantshouse, a stiff climb at gradients of 1 in 190/200 and a test of the stamina of locomotives heading towards Edinburgh.

We pass through the Scottish Borders, with more costal views along the way before we reach Edinburgh, the Capital of Scotland. Time will be available here for passengers to visit the city and its many attractions, located near Princes Street Gardens, whilst our steam locomotive is serviced for the return journey back to York. Apart from its many shops and restaurants along Princes Street, there are many sights to see and visit, including the Palace of Holyrood, the Castle on the Royal Mile, Galleries and Museums and Princes Street Gardens.

We will return south with our steam locomotive and follow our outward route. Highlight of the journey back to Newcastle will be the southbound climb to Grantshouse, graded at 1 in 96 for over four miles. In no time at all, we will be back at Newcastle to set down passengers, followed by Durham and finally York.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Dave Collier

The Sussex Belle

Wednesday 15 April 2026

Join us on a train travelling from London Victoria to the Sussex coast, crossing the North and South Downs and passing through the beautiful countryside of the Weald. It will be steam hauled by a Black 5 locomotive. This is a wonderful way to enjoy a leisurely lunch while taking in the ever-changing scenery from the comfort of your carriage, making for a truly relaxing and memorable day out.

Our day out begins when our train leaves London Victoria station mid-morning, hauled by a Black 5 steam locomotive. We journey south along the main line towards Brighton passing through East Croydon, Redhill, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges and Haywards Heath. The route crosses the Weald, an ancient area of woodland scattered with farms and villages. We leave the Brighton line at Keymer Junction, just after Wivesfield, and head southeastwards through Cooksbridge to Lewes. Here we join the East Coastway Line that runs from Brighton to Eastbourne, Hastings and Ashford. We pass through the South Downs, an area characterised by rolling chalk downland and recognised as one of the most important chalk landscapes in England.

We head to Eastbourne where our steam locomotive will be serviced and there will be time to visit this popular South Coast seaside town. The seafront consists almost entirely of Victorian hotels, which along with its pier and bandstand, give it a timeless appeal. The town is situated immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and the easternmost point of the South Downs National Park. This sheltered position contributes to Eastbourne’s title of the sunniest place in Great Britain.

We leave Eastbourne, diesel-hauled and head along the Sussex Coast through Normans Bay, Cooden Beach, and Bexhill to Hastings. Hastings can claim fame through its connection with the Norman Conquest of England, and also because it became one of the medieval Cinque Ports. The town is sometimes referred to as the birthplace of television since the pioneer of television, John Logie Baird, lived there.

Our train reverses direction of travel at Hastings and leaves with the steam locomotive in charge. We continue our journey heading north through Crowhurst and Battle, and then passing through Mountfield Tunnel. Robertsbridge station was formerly a junction station with the Colonel Stephens’ famous old Kent and East Sussex Light Railway. We pass through Royal Tunbridge Wells, a spa town situated on the northern edge of the High Weald. At Sevenoaks, we take the line through Bat and Ball station, which was named after a local inn that no longer exists. We join the line from Ashford at Otford, and the Chatham Main Line at Swanley. Our day trip ends when we arrive back at London Victoria in the early evening.

Approximate

There are three classes available: Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability).

A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Steve Precious

The Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 9 May 2026

The Cumbrian Mountain Express provides a wonderful opportunity to get out and about during the summer months, with the added bonus of steam haulage over the Northern Fells, including the spectacular Settle & Carlisle Railway. We have a high speed journey down the West Coast Main Line to Carnforth, hauled by a blue Class 86 electric locomotive. We then enjoy a circular steam tour outwards via Shap to Carlisle and back via the Settle and Carlisle line.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

There are three classes available: Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability).

A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Bob Green

The Edinburgh Flyer

Saturday 16 May 2026

Join us on board this special steam train hauled by a locomotive from the Carnforth Pool, running at speed both ways from York to Edinburgh and return. There will be time in Edinburgh to visit the sights before we return south. Along the way, you’ll pass through historic cities and towns, as well as scenic coastal and countryside landscapes. Experience the thrill of classic steam travel as the locomotive powers through challenging gradients and high-speed stretches.

Leaving Newcastle, we head northwards and pass through Morpeth, running at maximum speed along this former LNER racetrack, once the preserve of the A1 and A4 Pacifics until their withdrawal in the mid-1960s. With coastal views and quaint villages along the way, we make our way through Northumberland, with views of Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne Island shimmering in the distance. Continuing towards Berwick-on-Tweed, we cross the spectacular 28-arch Royal Border Bridge, designed by Robert Stephenson. Just after Berwick, we cross the border and enter Scotland. Our steam locomotive will now be getting ready for the long climb up to Grantshouse, a stiff climb at gradients of 1 in 190/200 and a test of the stamina of locomotives heading towards Edinburgh.

We will return south with our steam locomotive and follow our outward route. The highlight of the journey back to Newcastle will be the southbound climb to Grantshouse, graded at 1 in 96 for over four miles. In no time at all, we will be back at Newcastle to set down passengers, followed by Durham and finally York.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Dave Collier

The Buxton Spa Express

Saturday 16 May 2026

Join us for a contrasting main line steam run from Ealing Broadway to the Peak District of Derbyshire and the spa town of Buxton. We will travel via the Midland Main Line to Kettering, and through Melton Mowbray to Chesterfield, before heading westwards through the scenic Hope Valley and Peak Forest routes to Buxton. Enjoy the sights and sounds of a classic steam locomotive as it powers through the dramatic landscapes of the Peak District.

Leaving Ealing Broadway early in the morning, diesel hauled, we join the Midland main line and pick up at St Albans, Luton, Bedford and Kettering. Heading northwards away from Kettering, we now head for Leicester, our final pick up point for passengers and where our rostered steam locomotive for the day will be waiting to take us on our journey to Buxton at Humberstone Road, just north of Leicester station.

We pass through Loughborough and join the Erewash Valley Line at Trant Junction. After Chesterfield with its crooked spire and after Sheffield, we take the Hope Valley line at Dore. We pass through the heart of the Peak District before leaving the main line at Chinley East Junction and take the Peak Forest line past the huge stone quarry at Tunstead. We now run through Ashwood Dale towards Buxton, our destination for the afternoon.

Buxton is famous as a market town and also for its spa waters and Georgian architecture. An interesting town to explore whilst our steam locomotive is serviced for the return journey. You will have just over an hour in Buxton, the highest market town in England, with the famous spa waters in the Pump Room, The Crescent and the Pavillion with its extensive gardens.

We will return from Buxton via Chapel-En-Le-Firth, Hazel Grove and Stockport before stopping for our steam locomotive to take on water at Denton. We then continue our return journey through Woodley and Romiley to rejoin our outward route at Chinley. From here we return on the same route as on the outward journey. Our steam locomotive will be detached at Humberstone Road in Leicester and we will return to Ealing Broadway, diesel hauled, setting down at our earlier calling points.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability).

A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Bob Green

The Swanage Belle

Wednesday 20 May 2026

A unique experience awaits those who join this day trip by steam train to Swanage. It uses the re-opened rail link from Wareham to the ‘Heritage’ Swanage Railway, which is available only to specially chartered trains. Swanage is a superb seaside destination where the railway station is situated close to the town centre.

We leave London Victoria station hauled by our steam locomotive, and cross the River Thames at Battersea and at Barnes. We pass through Feltham and stop at Staines to pick up more passengers and then re-cross the River Thames. We join the South Western Main Line at Byfleet Junction and stop at Woking to pick up further passengers. At Winchfield, we stop for our steam locomotive to take on water. Our final stop to pick up passengers is at Basingstoke.

We leave the West of England Main Line at Worting Junction and head through Winchester and Southampton to Bournemouth. We pass through Poole, where there are spectacular views of Poole Harbour, and continue to Wareham. We leave the Weymouth Line at Worgret Junction and take the re-opened link to Norden and the Swanage Railway. There are magnificent views of Corfe Castle as we head towards Swanage along this attractive Heritage Railway. There will be around three hours for passengers to explore the pleasant seaside resort of Swanage, with its sandy beach and Victorian pier. Durlston Castle is in Durlston Country Park & Nature Reserve from where there are stupendous views along the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Park contains Anvil Point Lighthouse, the 40-ton stone Great Globe, fascinating artefacts from London, and an amazing diversity of wildlife. The Park is one mile from the town and can be reached by bus from the railway station or by walking via public footpaths.

Our train leaves Swanage for the return journey in the late afternoon and is diesel hauled to Southampton where our steam locomotive takes over. We then take a different route from the outward journey, via Romsey to the outskirts of Salisbury where we join the West of England Main Line at Laverstock North Junction. We travel up the main line through Andover and then stop at Basingstoke, Woking, and Staines, to set down passengers. The train is due to arrive at London Victoria in the late evening.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability).

A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Bob Green

The Atlantic Coast Express

Saturday 23 May 2026

Join us on this classic rail journey, following part the route of the old Atlantic Coast Express (ACE) that ran from London to the seaside resorts of Devon and Cornwall in South West England. We will leave London Waterloo steam hauled by Merchant Navy Class No.35028 Clan Line in the morning and make our way to Exeter where there will be a break to visit the historic city centre. Our return route will be via Bristol, Bath and Salisbury back to London Waterloo.

Departing from London Waterloo, we will thread our way steam hauled through the west London suburbs towards Woking and Basingstoke, where there will be stops to pick up passengers. We continue to follow the London & South Western Railway’s main line to Salisbury and Exeter, following the route of the old ACE expresses.

After the Salisbury water stop, we will follow the main line through to Templecombe, which will give our steam locomotive an opportunity to get up to its maximum permitted speed. We will pass the Yeovil Junction steam centre as we continue westwards and take on the challenging 1 in 80 climb up Crewkerne Bank. After Axminster, there is further adverse climbing as we encounter the testing eight miles of mainly 1 in 80 up to Honiton Summit. Descending gradients then lead to Exeter, where we will have an afternoon break to visit this historic city, with its Cathedral at the very centre of the city.

With our steam locomotive serviced ready for our return journey, we will now follow the Great Western Railway’s Exeter to Bristol route, which includes the long climb up Wellington Bank towards Taunton. A fast run across the Somerset Levels then brings us to Bristol. We pass through Bath and Westbury before reaching Salisbury once again. The ACE will now retrace our earlier steps back to London Waterloo, bringing to a close a varied and interesting day over classic railway routes.

Approximate Timings

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Paul Blowfield

The Royal Duchy

Sunday 31 May 2026

These ever-popular summer day trips by steam train run from Bristol Temple Meads, Yatton and Taunton to Devon and Cornwall. The route includes travelling along the internationally famous sea wall at Dawlish, crossing Brunel’s famous Saltash Bridge into Cornwall, and some of the most varied and exciting scenery in the country. Passengers can choose to spend time in Plymouth or travel on to Par, where buses are provided for visits to Fowey or Charlestown.

Our train leaves Bristol Temple Meads steam hauled and stops to pick up further passengers at Yatton and Taunton.

Almost immediately on departure from Taunton, our steam locomotive will be working hard as it tackles the climb to Whiteball Summit. We stop at Exeter St David’s station for our locomotive to take on water and for more passengers to join the train.

We leave Exeter and follow the Exe Estuary to the seaside. We then travel along the famous sea wall between Dawlish and Teignmouth, an experience not to be missed.

After Newton Abbot, our steam locomotive will demonstrate her real strength as she powers up some of the steepest main line gradients in the country. First there is the difficult climb to the summit at Dainton Tunnel, followed by a dramatic drop down to Totnes, then an equally difficult climb up Rattery Bank before descending to Plymouth. Passengers have the option to alight at Plymouth or remain on the train to Par. There will be over five hours free time to explore the historic maritime city of Plymouth which includes the Hoe, the ancient Barbican and seafront areas, and the National Marine Aquarium.

We leave Plymouth, steam hauled, and cross the River Tamar on Brunel’s masterpiece, the Royal Albert Bridge, to enter Cornwall. Our train continues through the magnificent Cornish countryside to Par, where there will be a break of more than three hours. Buses will take passengers from Par, at no extra charge, to visit either the picturesque seaside town of Fowey or the harbour village of Charlestown. The latter is a working port and home to the Shipwreck, Rescue & Heritage Centre.

Our locomotive will turn and service at St Blazey’s before we embark on our return journey. We leave Par steam hauled by our locomotive and stop at Plymouth to pick up those passengers who chose to alight there. Our train then returns to Bristol, stopping to set down passengers at Exeter, Taunton and Yatton en route.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Coast to Coast Express

Saturday 6 June 2026

The Coast to Coast Express is a day trip by special train travelling from Liverpool to Scarborough and back, thus linking the Irish Sea with the North Sea.

The journey includes some spectacular scenery crossing the Pennines and the option of visiting either York or Scarborough. The train will be hauled by a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool.

The Coast to Coast Express will leave Liverpool Lime Street, hauled by a powerful steam locomotive. We travel via Edge Hill and Rainhill. Heading eastwards, we run via Chat Moss to Manchester Victoria, where we stop to pick up further passengers.

From Manchester, we now run via Guide Bridge and Woodley, where we will pause to take on water. Running via New Mills, we now head for Chinley and join the former Midland Railway’s ‘Hope Valley’ line to Sheffield, our final pick up station. We pass through Hathersage, a charming village associated with Robin Hood and the Eyre family of Bronte fame. This route is spectacularly scenic and encompasses a number of long tunnels, including the passage through the 3½ mile-long Totley Tunnel, first opened in 1892, before arrival at Sheffield.

On leaving Sheffield, we head northwards through Meadowhall, adjacent to the famous Meadowhall Shopping Centre, and onwards, avoiding Rotherham, towards Swinton. We make our way northwards through Church Fenton and follow the East Coast Main Line towards York. Passengers may leave the train at York or continue to Scarborough.

York is a fascinating city to visit at any time of the year, with a huge variety of interesting places to see. It has some of the best preserved historical buildings in Europe, the city walls, Minster, Shambles, Jorvik Centre and the superb National Railway Museum. For those passengers who choose to travel to Scarborough, we leave York and take the Scarborough line, immediately crossing the River Ouse, with views of the Minster

We should have a fast run through the Vale of York before slowing for the curves that follow the River Derwent past Kirkham Abbey. We pass through Malton and Seamer before arriving in Scarborough.

Scarborough is a Victorian spa town and the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast. It has been named as the most enterprising town in Britain and provides all the facilities you would expect at an established seaside resort. It has two beautiful bays, the North Bay and South Bay, providing safe sandy beaches, and a busy harbour with an active fish quay.

Our train leaves Scarborough, steam hauled in the late afternoon and stops at York to pick up passengers who chose to visit the city. We change motive power at Milford Loop and return to Liverpool, diesel hauled, via Wakefield Kirkgate, from where passengers from Sheffield* will return by service train, and then onward as our outward journey to set down passengers.

* Passengers from Sheffield will return by service from Wakefield Kirkgate.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability).

A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Bob Green

The Portsmouth Flyer

Saturday 13 June 2026

Join us on this special steam hauled train that will leave London Victoria early on Saturday morning for a scenic journey to the attractive city of Portsmouth. You can choose to alight at Portsmouth and Southsea or continue to the end of the line at Portsmouth Harbour. Once in Portsmouth, take the time to explore the Historic Dockyard and learn more about the city’s naval past before returning to London.

We depart from London Victoria behind our steam locomotive, which will be working hard as we leave the capital and run through Clapham Junction, continuing via Barnes and over the Thames towards Staines, our next pick-up point. We thread our way through Virginia Water and Chertsey and join the LSWR main line at Byfleet.

After a fast run along the South Western main line towards Woking, our final stop for passengers, we leave the Basingstoke line here and make our way towards Guildford.

We now take the Portsmouth Direct line away from Guildford, which is renowned for its pleasant scenery and undulating gradients, including a four-mile climb at 1 in 80 up to Haslemere. Running across country via Godalming to Haslemere, we will pause here to water the loco. We will then climb hard to Buriton Summit before descending through Rowlands Castle towards the coastline at Havant, where the main south coast line is joined.

The Portsmouth Flyer now leaves the main line to Fareham and Southampton at Farlington Junction as we make our way towards Portsmouth and Southsea station, where you will have the option of alighting here to visit this historic city. Apart from the shops and museums, the city has a navel feel about it. Continue to the end of the line at Portsmouth Harbour and experience its true navel heritage.

Portsmouth is a port city and naval base on the south coast, mostly spread across Portsea Island. It is known for its maritime heritage and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The dockyard is home to the interactive National Museum of the Royal Navy, the wooden warship HMS Victory, where Nelson died in the Battle of Trafalgar, and HMS Warrior 1860. The Tudor ship Mary Rose is also conserved in a dockyard museum. The harbour is a busy place and you can take a trip up the Spinnaker Tower for the best view over the Solent.

After time in Portsmouth, we return to London via Fareham and Southampton steam hauled, calling at our outward pick up stations to set down before arriving back into London Victoria.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 20 June 2026

This trip provides a wonderful opportunity to get out and about during the summer months, with the added bonus of steam haulage over the Northern Fells, including the spectacular Settle & Carlisle Railway. We have a high speed journey down the West Coast Main Line to Carnforth, hauled by a blue Class 86 electric locomotive. We then enjoy a circular steam tour outwards via Shap to Carlisle and back via the Settle and Carlisle line.

We continue through Lancaster to Carnforth, where we change motive power to a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool. Leaving Carnforth, our steam locomotive will be working hard when we climb the first severe gradient up to Grayrigg. We then travel through the beautiful Lune Gorge to Tebay, gaining speed for the ascent to Shap. This well-known section of the WCML has a gradient of 1 in 75 and, in the former days of steam locomotives, banking engines from Tebay were often used to assist trains. After crossing the Cumbrian Fells, we descend to Penrith and then head for Carlisle. There will be around two hours in Carlisle, providing time to explore this ancient ‘Border’ city with its castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum, and shopping centre.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Cumbrian Coast Express

Saturday 27 June 2026

We continue north along the WCML to Preston, our final stop to pick up passengers.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

Timings

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Tynesider

Saturday 4 July 2026

Join us for an interesting trip from London’s King’s Cross to travel steam hauled on the Blyth and Tyne line to Morpeth. Passengers have the option of spending time in Newcastle-upon-Tyne or staying on the train to travel over the Blyth & Tyne Railway to Morpeth, a freight route that reopened to passengers in 2025. Our train will be steam hauled for the sections from York to Morpeth and then back to York.

We leave London King’s Cross in the morning behind vintage electric locomotive Les Ross, and follow the East Coast Main Line route, calling at Stevenage, Huntingdon and Peterborough to pick up more passengers.

At York we change motive power to a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool. We continue steam-hauled northwards from York across the Plain of York where we can expect some fast running, especially through Thirsk and Northallerton.

We pass through Darlington and Durham, the latter being famous for its Norman Cathedral, en route to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Here passengers may choose to alight and spend time visiting the city. It is famous for a series of dramatic bridges over the River Tyne and its quayside along the banks of the river. Other well known attractions include the Tyne & Wear Metro, Eldon Square Shopping Centre, Cathedral, Castle, Grainger Market, and the largest indoor shopping centre in Europe, the Metro Centre, located nearby in Gateshead.

Our train continues, steam hauled, travelling north from Newcastle Central to Benton Junction. Here we leave the ECML and take the Blyth and Tyne Railway route which was chiefly constructed to link collieries in the area to the River Tyne. This line reopened to passenger traffic in 2025, which parallels the Tyne & Wear Metro route to Northumberland Park and then runs northwards through Newsham to Bedlington. At Bedlington North Junction, we branch left and head for Morpeth where we stop for our steam locomotive to take on water. We return to Newcastle-upon-Tyne via the ECML.

We stop at Newcastle Central station to pick up passengers who chose to visit the city, before setting off across the River Tyne on the King Edward VII Bridge. We return south, steam hauled, up the ECML to York. Here the vintage electric locomotive takes over the train for the remainder of the journey back to London. We stop at the same stations as on the outward journey to set down passengers.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The End of Southern Steam

Thursday 9 July 2026

This day trip by steam train provides a unique opportunity to visit the Yeovil Railway Centre and the popular seaside resort of Weymouth for the afternoon. This special train, marking the anniversary of the end of Southern steam, will be steam hauled by Merchant Navy Class No.35028 Clan Line from London Victoria to Yeovil. We continue to Weymouth diesel hauled before our steam locomotive hauls us back to London via Bournemouth.

Our train leaves London Victoria station behind our splendid Southern steam locomotive. We travel out of London through the suburbs and then stop for further passengers at Woking and Basingstoke.

At Worting Junction, we take the West of England Main Line to Andover and Salisbury. At Wilton Junction, the line becomes single track. We cross the edge of Salisbury Plain and pass through Tisbury and Gillingham both part of the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape in Dorset. We cross Gillingham Viaduct and pass through Buckhorn Weston Tunnel before Templecombe, where once the iconic Somerset & Dorset Railway passed beneath our line.

Travelling westwards through north west Dorset, we pass through Sherborne, one of the most beautiful towns in England, before continuing with the train to Yeovil Junction where the steam locomotive will be serviced at Yeovil Railway Centre.

Our train leaves Yeovil Junction, hauled by a diesel locomotive, and runs southwards through Maiden Newton towards Dorchester and the large seaside resort of Weymouth. There will be a break here to visit the town, with its many attractions and restaurants, before we return to London Waterloo instead of Victoria, steam hauled.

Our return route will be via Bournemouth, Southampton and Eastleigh back to Basingstoke and Woking to set down passengers, followed by the journey’s end at London Waterloo.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

The Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 11 July 2026

This is a wonderful opportunity for passengers from Merseyside and Lancashire to travel by steam train over two of England’s most scenic railway routes. Our train travels north to Carlisle via the West Coast Main Line over Shap and returns by the spectacular Settle & Carlisle Railway line. We have a magnificent steam locomotive to haul these trains, which recall the glorious days of steam train travel. It promises to provide a memorable day out.

Our train will be diesel hauled from Crewe to Liverpool via Runcorn, where we stop to pick up further passengers. We leave Liverpool Lime Street, diesel hauled and stop to pick up passengers at Broad Green and St Helens Central. We join the West Coast Main Line (WCML) before stopping for more passengers at Wigan. Our final stop for passengers is Preston. From Preston, we continue up the WCML and pass through Lancaster, and along the edge of Morecambe Bay, before we arrive at Carnforth, where we change motive power to our steam locomotive for the day, taken from the Carnforth pool.

Leaving Carnforth, we pass the Brief Encounter café and commence the climb of our first severe gradient up to Grayrigg. We then travel through the beautiful Lune Gorge to Tebay, gaining speed for the ascent to Shap. This well-known section of the WCML has a gradient of 1 in 75 and in the former days of steam locomotives, banking engines from Tebay were often used to assist trains. After crossing the Cumbrian Fells, we descend to Penrith, and then head for Carlisle. There will be time available in Carlisle to explore this ancient city with its cathedral and castle, plus an assortment of shops and cafes.

We leave Carlisle and join the Settle & Carlisle Railway, one of the most well known and best loved stretches of railway line in Britain. We soon begin climbing, and then at Appleby, we stop for our steam locomotive to take on water. The climbing continues through scenic Kirkby Stephen towards the highest railway summit in England at Ais Gill, 1169 feet above sea level. We pass over high viaducts, including the famous one at Ribblehead, and through many tunnels. There are magnificent views across the Fells and to the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. We should have a fast run out of the hills, through Settle, until we stop again for our locomotive to take on water.

Our journey continues through Hellifield and Clitheroe to Preston where we say goodbye to our steam locomotive. Our train returns to Liverpool, diesel hauled, stopping to set down passengers at Wigan, St Helens Central, Broad Green and Liverpool Lime Street. Our train continues on to Runcorn and Crewe diesel hauled.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The White Rose

Saturday 11 July 2026

Join us for an exhilarating main line steam run from London’s King’s Cross to the historic city of York. York is world-famous for its variety of visitor attractions and home to the famous National Railway Museum. Our train will be hauled from London to York and as far as Peterborough on the return journey by A1 steam locomotive, Tornado.

We leave London King’s Cross in the morning behind Tornado and follow the East Coast Main Line route of famous express trains like the Flying Scotsman. We storm up the gradient through Gasworks Tunnel and Finsbury Park, and northwards, calling at Stevenage, Huntingdon and Peterborough to pick up more passengers.

Our steam locomotive then tackles the 15-mile climb up the famous Stoke Bank. Here, on 3rd July 1938, Mallard, an A4 class Pacific, achieved a world-record speed of 126 mph when travelling in the opposite direction. Once over the summit, we should have a good, fast run down the 20 mile descent to the Trent Valley and on through Grantham, Newark and Retford. We steam through Doncaster and continue northwards to our early afternoon arrival in York. There will be plenty of time for passengers to enjoy the city and all it has to offer. York has some major tourist attractions, including the National Railway Museum (the largest museum of its type in Britain), the Shambles, the splendid Gothic York Minster (one of the largest of its kind in northern Europe), and the city walls. There are a number of other interesting museums, quaint alleyways, and a good variety of shops.

Our train leaves York late afternoon, and we will return steam hauled via Lincoln. We say goodbye to our steam locomotive at Peterborough and continue diesel hauled, stopping to set down passengers at the same stations as on the northbound journey, arriving at King’s Cross in the evening.

Approximate Timings Outward Return London King’s Cross 07:20 21:35 Stevenage 08:20 20:55

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

The North Wales Coast Express

Sunday 12 July 2026

The North Wales Coast Express is a special steam hauled summer train that runs from Liverpool and Chester to Holyhead. It provides an excellent opportunity for passengers from Merseyside and Cheshire to experience the excitement of travelling by steam train along the picturesque North Wales Coast railway line. Passengers have a choice of three destinations: the seaside town of Llandudno, the historic city of Bangor, or the port of Holyhead.

Our train leaves Liverpool Lime Street Sunday morning, hauled by a magnificent steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool, and then makes its way through Edge Hill cutting to Broad Green, where we will make a stop to pick up. Next we pick up at Warrington Bank Quay. Running via Frodsham, we reach Chester, where we pick up further passengers. On leaving Chester, we pass through the ancient city walls and cross the River Dee into Wales. We steam alongside the Dee Estuary, with views across to the Wirral Peninsula. We pass through the coastal resorts of Prestatyn, Rhyl, and Colwyn Bay along the delightful Irish Sea coastline, which is well known for its fine beaches. We stop at Llandudno Junction where passengers for Llandudno can take the service train to spend time at this popular seaside resort.

From Llandudno Junction, we continue westwards along the North Wales Coast Line, crossing the Conwy estuary on Robert Stephenson’s Tubular Railway Bridge, with Edward I’s castle overlooking the town and bridge. The railway line runs very close to the Irish Sea as we pass through Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan, with magnificent sea views across to the Island of Anglesey. We stop at Bangor station to set down those passengers who may wish to spend time visiting this historic city, with its cathedral and restored pier. Our train crosses the Menai Strait on the Britannia Bridge and enters the Isle of Anglesey.

We now run across the Island through Valley to enter the sea port of Holyhead, where there will be time to visit the town or marina whilst our steam locomotive is turned and serviced for the return journey.

Our train leaves Holyhead, steam hauled late afternoon, and stops at Bangor and then Llandudno Junction, to pick up passengers who opted for a visit to Llandudno. It continues via Chester and Warrington Bank Quay to Liverpool Lime Street, stopping at the same stations as on the outward journey, to set down passengers.

* Premier dining is not available from Chester.

** By service train from Llandudno Junction.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Jack Boskett

The West Somerset Steam Express

Saturday 18 July 2026

This series of trains from London Paddington to Minehead features haulage by two steam locomotives in one day. One steam locomotive will haul our train from London Paddington to the West Somerset Railway at Bishops Lydeard.

*The Heritage Railway will then provide a steam locomotive to haul our train to Minehead and back. This provides a truly fascinating day out travelling through beautiful scenery to the Bristol Channel coast.

We leave London Paddington steam hauled, and stop at Slough and Reading to pick up more passengers. At Reading we join the Berks and Hants line which runs through picturesque rural countryside. We pass the celebrated Newbury Racecourse before making our final stop for passengers at Newbury station. We continue westwards, travelling beside the tranquil Kennet & Avon Canal, and climbing steadily to Savernake Summit. We pass through the Vale of Pewsey, with views of one of the famous Wiltshire White Horses as we approach Westbury and continue through undulating agricultural countryside to Taunton.

Soon after leaving Taunton, we arrive at Norton Fitzwarren, where we transfer to the West Somerset Railway (WSR), the longest Heritage Railway in the country. We continue to Bishops Lydeard, where a WSR steam locomotive will take over our train for the remainder of the journey to Minehead. The WSR runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills between Bishops Lydeard and Watchet where it meets the coast. The line then turns inland to Washford and returns to the coast at Blue Anchor, passing near to Dunster with its magnificent castle, and terminating at Minehead.

On arrival at Minehead, there will be about two hours to explore this delightful Bristol Channel seaside resort, where the railway station is close to the beach. A WSR steam locomotive will haul our train from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard, where our main line steam locomotive will take over for the return journey to London Paddington. The train will stop at Newbury, Reading and Slough to set down passengers.

*Please note these trains may run with the main steam locomotive hauling the charter all the way to Minehead and return.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

London Paddington 07:15 21:30 Slough 07:40 21:00 Reading 08:05 20:30

08:45 19:15 Minehead 13:05 15:20

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Waverley

Sunday 19 July 2026

This summer series of steam hauled trains provides an opportunity for passengers from York, Leeds and the Aire Valley to travel over the spectacular Settle & Carlisle Railway, probably the most famous railway route in Britain. These day trips revive the nostalgic former days of steam when travel by train through magnificent scenery was an experience to savour.

Our steam hauled train leaves York, hauled by a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool and heads for Church Fenton where we take the direct route to Leeds. We stop to pick up more passengers at Leeds, Keighley, and Skipton. There will be a stop at Hellifield for our steam locomotive to take on water before we join the famous Settle & Carlisle Railway at Settle Junction. Here begins one of the most arduous climbs on Britain’s railway network, a total of 15 miles mainly at a gradient of 1 in 100.

Once through Settle station, there are magnificent views across the Fells to the Pennine Three Peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. We cross the breathtaking Ribblehead Viaduct, high above the valley floor, and enter Blea Moor Tunnel. We pass through Dent Dale and the highest open station in England at Dent, travelling through tunnels and crossing valleys on numerous lofty viaducts, as we make the final ascent to Ais Gill Summit (1,169 feet). We travel high above the valley at Mallerstang and then drop down through Kirkby Stephen and Appleby to Lazenby where our locomotive takes on water.

We continue to Carlisle and passengers will have about two hours to explore the Border City, possibly visiting the castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum or the Lanes Shopping Centre.

Our train leaves Carlisle for the return journey late afternoon and climbs almost continuously for just under 50 miles back up to Ais Gill summit. We stop, en route, at Appleby for our steam locomotive to take on water. We continue to stops at Skipton, Keighley, Leeds and York to set down passengers.

* Premier Dining is not available for passengers joining from Skipton.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Shep Woolley

The Dorset Coast Express

Wednesday 22 July 2026

We are offering a number of attractive summer day trips from London to Weymouth by steam train. These trains provide plenty of opportunity to visit the beautiful Dorset coast and relive the ‘golden age’ of steam. Passengers have the option of spending time at the celebrated seaside resorts of either Bournemouth or Weymouth, where both have fine sandy beaches. Each train will be hauled by a steam locomotive that was built for express passenger train work.

Our train leaves London Victoria station steam hauled and travels westwards, crossing the River Thames at Barnes Bridge, through Kew and Feltham. We stop at Staines and Woking to pick up further passengers. At Winchfield, we pause for our steam locomotive to take on water before continuing to our final pick up point at Basingstoke.

From Basingstoke, we continue through Andover, bypassing Salisbury and on through Romsey to Southampton. We reverse our direction of travel at Southampton and continue towards Weymouth, diesel hauled, with our steam locomotive on the rear.

We stop at Bournemouth to set down those passengers wishing to visit this coastal resort, a spa town famous for its parks and pine trees. After leaving Bournemouth, there are spectacular views of Poole Harbour. We continue to Wareham and Dorchester travelling through classic Dorset countryside and delightful scenery. We arrive at Weymouth and have around three hours there to discover much of what this seaside town has to offer. The railway station is close to the beach and shops.

We return from Weymouth steam hauled for the entire journey. We stop for our locomotive to take on water at Southampton and then continue through Winchester to Basingstoke, where we stop to set down passengers and for our steam locomotive to again take on water. We then continue to Woking and Weybridge, from where Staines passengers will return by service train and on to our final destination at London Waterloo.

* By service train from Weybridge.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Jack Boskett

The Royal Duchy

Sunday 26 July 2026

Our train leaves Bristol Temple Meads steam hauled and stops to pick up further passengers at Yatton and Taunton.

We leave Exeter and follow the Exe Estuary to the seaside. We then travel along the famous sea wall between Dawlish and Teignmouth, an experience not to be missed.

After Newton Abbot, our steam locomotive will demonstrate her real strength as she powers up some of the steepest main line gradients in the country. First, there is the difficult climb to the summit at Dainton Tunnel, followed by a dramatic drop down to Totnes, then an equally difficult climb up Rattery Bank before descending to Plymouth. Passengers have the option to alight at Plymouth or remain on the train to Par. There will be over five hours free time to explore the historic maritime city of Plymouth, which includes the Hoe, the ancient Barbican and seafront areas, and the National Marine Aquarium.

Our locomotive will turn and service at St Blazey’s before we embark on our return journey. We leave Par steam hauled by our locomotive and stop at Plymouth to pick up passengers who chose to alight there. Our train then returns to Bristol, stopping to set down passengers at Exeter, Taunton and Yatton en route.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Cumbrian Mountain Express

Saturday 1 August 2026

The Cumbrian Mountain Express provides a wonderful opportunity to get out and about during the Summer months, with the added bonus of steam haulage over the Northern Fells, including the spectacular Settle & Carlisle Railway. We have a high speed journey down the West Coast Main Line to Carnforth, hauled by a blue Class 86 electric locomotive. We then enjoy a circular steam tour outwards via Shap to Carlisle and back via the Settle and Carlisle line.

We continue through Lancaster to Carnforth, where we change motive power to a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool. Leaving Carnforth, our steam locomotive will be working hard when we climb the first severe gradient up to Grayrigg. We then travel through the beautiful Lune Gorge to Tebay, gaining speed for the ascent to Shap. This well-known section of the WCML has a gradient of 1 in 75 and, in the former days of steam locomotives, banking engines from Tebay were often used to assist trains. After crossing the Cumbrian Fells, we descend to Penrith, and then head for Carlisle. There will be around two hours in Carlisle, providing time to explore this ancient ‘Border’ city with its castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum, and shopping centre.

Our journey continues through Hellifield and Clitheroe to Preston, where we say goodbye to our steam locomotive. We pass through Wigan and Warrington en route to Crewe hauled by our blue Class 86 electric locomotive with a fast run to London expected. We stop at the same stations as on the outward journey to set down passengers.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

Approximate

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The West Somerset Steam Express

Saturday 8 August 2026

* Please note these trains may run with the main steam locomotive hauling the charter all the way to Minehead and return.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

London Paddington 07:15 21:30 Slough 07:40 21:00 Reading 08:05 20:30

08:45 19:15 Minehead 13:05 15:20

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

The Waverley

Sunday 9 August 2026

Our steam hauled train leaves York, hauled by a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool and heads for Church Fenton, where we take the direct route to Leeds. We stop to pick up more passengers at Leeds, Keighley, and Skipton. There will be a stop at Hellifield for our steam locomotive to take on water before we join the famous Settle & Carlisle Railway at Settle Junction. Here begins one of the most arduous climbs on Britain’s railway network, a total of 15 miles mainly at a gradient of 1 in 100.

We continue to Carlisle and passengers will have about two hours to explore the Border City, possibly visiting the castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum or the Lanes Shopping Centre.

* Premier Dining is not available for passengers joining from Skipton.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

The Dorset Coast Express

Wednesday 12 August 2026

From Basingstoke, we continue through Andover, bypassing Salisbury and on through Romsey to Southampton. We reverse direction of travel at Southampton and continue towards Weymouth, diesel hauled, with our steam locomotive on the rear.

* By service train from Weybridge.

There are three classes available: Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Jack Boskett

The Cumbrian Coast Express

Saturday 15 August 2026

This is a wonderful opportunity for those from the Crewe and Manchester areas to travel by steam train on a journey combining the scenic grandeur of the Cumbrian Fells with the exposed Cumbrian coastline that skirts the western edge of the Lake District. We travel from Carnforth steam hauled around the very scenic Cumbrian Coast line.

Our train leaves Crewe, diesel hauled, at around 07:00 and calls at Wilmslow, Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly to pick up passengers. We join the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and travel north to Preston, our final stop to pick up passengers.

We pass through Lancaster and along the edge of Morecambe Bay before we arrive at Carnforth, where a locomotive from the pool will take over hauling our train. Leaving Carnforth steam hauled, we take the scenic coastal route around the Cumbrian Coast. We cross the lengthy Kent Viaduct at Arnside with views across the Morecambe Bay. We continue through Grange-over-Sands and follow the curve along the edge of the bay to the Leven Viaduct before heading through Ulverston to Kirkby-in-Furness and Millom.

We continue around the Cumbrian Coast through Ravenglass, where you might catch a glimpse of the narrow gauge Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, and on to Sellafield, where the British Nuclear Fuels plant dominates the landscape. We continue through St Bees and Whitehaven, running very close to the shoreline at times and with the Isle of Man visible on a clear day across the Irish Sea. There are spectacular cliff edge views as we journey northwards from Whitehaven through to Workington, once a centre for the production of iron and steel. We then continue through Maryport to Carlisle.

There will be time available in Carlisle to explore this ancient city with its cathedral and castle, plus an assortment of shops and cafes.

We depart Carlisle in the afternoon and travel via Penrith crossing the Cumbrian Fells as we head for Shap Summit. After Shap, we continue through Tebay and the beautiful Lune Gorge as we return to Carnforth via Grayrigg.

Here, we shall say farewell to our gallant steam locomotive and we continue our journey to Crewe, diesel hauled, stopping at the same stations as on the outward journey to set down passengers.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat. (not available from Preston)

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability).

A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Bob Green

The Blackpool Steam Express

Saturday 22 August 2026

Join us on this special train to the Fylde Coast and the vibrant seaside resort of Blackpool. We have a high-speed journey down the West Coast Main Line, hauled by a blue Class 86 electric locomotive as far as Crewe. Here, we will attach our steam locomotive for a direct run via Preston to Blackpool. We return from Blackpool, steam-hauled, to Preston, then via Manchester back as far as Crewe, and onwards by electric traction to London Euston.

We leave London Euston with electric traction and speed north along the West Coast Main Line (WCML). We stop to pick up passengers at Milton Keynes, Rugby (where passengers from Northampton join by service train), Nuneaton and Crewe, where we change motive power to a steam locomotive chosen from the Carnforth based pool. We continue north along the WCML through Warrington Bank Quay and on to Preston.

From Preston, we will join the line to Blackpool North, recently electrified to serve local trains and also to allow through trains to and from London. We will head westwards across The Fylde and pass through Kirkham, the junction for the Blackpool South branch. We will take the Blackpool North line and pass through Poulton-le-Fylde Station, where there should be by now views of the famous 518 ft tall tower at Blackpool.

Time will be available to visit the town and some of its attractions, including the Tower, the Winter Gardens, Madame Tussauds, the three piers or perhaps take a vintage tram ride along the seafront. Shops are also nearby along with many restaurants and pubs to cater for all tastes.

After a refreshing break, we will return from Blackpool North through Preston to Wigan North Western, where we will take a diversion away from the WCML to run via Hindley and Eccles towards Manchester. We pass through Manchester Piccadilly Station and then take the line through Styal at Slade Lane Junction towards Wilmslow and then on to Crewe to set down passengers.

At Crewe, we say goodbye to our steam locomotive before continuing to London with our blue electric locomotive, stopping as outward to set down passengers.

* Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Waverley

Sunday 23 August 2026

We continue to Carlisle and passengers will have about two hours to explore the Border City, possibly visiting the castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum or the Lanes Shopping Centre.

* Premier Dining is not available for passengers joining from Skipton.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

The Royal Duchy

Sunday 30 August 2026

These ever-popular summer day trips by steam train run from Bristol Temple Meads, Yatton and Taunton to Devon and Cornwall. The route includes travelling along the internationally famous sea wall at Dawlish, crossing Brunel’s Saltash Bridge into Cornwall, and passing through some of the most varied and exciting scenery in the country. Passengers can choose to spend time in Plymouth or travel on to Par, where buses are provided for visits to Fowey or Charlestown.

Our train leaves Bristol Temple Meads steam hauled and stops to pick up further passengers at Yatton and Taunton.

We leave Exeter and follow the Exe Estuary to the seaside. We then travel along the famous sea wall between Dawlish and Teignmouth, an experience not to be missed.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Wensum and Thames Explorer

Saturday 5 September 2026

This new tour from East Anglia features a steam-hauled departure from Norwich early in the morning, giving you time to settle in and enjoy the start of the journey. The train takes a relaxed cross-country route through the Midlands, allowing passengers to watch the scenery change as we continue towards Warwick, then on to Oxford, before finally reaching Reading.

Our journey will leave Norwich and run across Norfolk to pick up passengers at Thetford and March before arriving at Peterborough for a further pickup. Our steam hauled journey continues westwards through attractive Stamford in Lincolnshire, Oakham and historic Melton Mowbray to Leicester, where we will pause to pick up further passengers.

Traversing rural Leicestershire, we now head for Nuneaton on the West Coast Main Line where we will call to pick up passengers before continuing via Water Orton to the West Midlands. Taking the suburban lines to the east of Birmingham, the HS2 construction sites are evident along the lineside, before we pass through Tyseley and follow the former Great Western Railway’s main line through to Warwick, our first set down station. Warwick is ideal for those wishing to explore this interesting Warwickshire town located on the River Avon, with a well known preserved castle.

Continuing our steam hauled journey southwards, we enter Oxfordshire and speed through Banbury and onwards to our next calling point at Oxford. The ‘City of Dreaming Spires’ is teeming with cultural character with its many famous universities and college buildings. Perhaps take a relaxing river trip along the Thames? Modern Oxford also has a vibrant shopping tradition along with many restaurants and bars.

We continue through Didcot and along the Thames Valley to our final set down destination of Reading. There are many shops and riverside restaurants dotted around the town centre. The Reading Museum contains exhibits on the town’s history and displays a Victorian replica of the Bayeux Tapestry. The ruins of the 12th-century Reading Abbey lie beside Forbury Gardens, a Victorian formal garden.

We will return to Norwich diesel hauled and call to pick up and set down passengers at our morning stations, with our arrival in Norwich late evening concluding this varied and interesting rail day trip.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Jack Boskett

The Weardale Explorer

Saturday 12 September

Join us for a memorable day of classic railway adventure as our special train departs London King’s Cross and journeys north toward the rugged beauty of County Durham. After a fast run up the East Coast Main Line, we reach York, where the true spectacle begins – our train will be taken forward by a magnificent steam locomotive for the onward trip.

Our special train commences at London King’s Cross in the morning and we make our way northwards along the East Coast Main Line towards York, picking up passengers at Potters Bar, Stevenage and Peterborough. We will be electrically hauled by the celebrity blue liveried Class 86 locomotive ‘Les Ross’ from London to York. Here, we will attach our steam locomotive for the onward northbound journey along the East Coast Main Line to Darlington, where we will pause to pick up further passengers.

From Darlington, we will branch off the ECML and run along the historic Bishop Auckland ‘Tees Valley’ line, calling at Shildon, the world’s first railway town. Passengers will have the opportunity to visit the National Railway Museum’s Shildon ‘Locomotion’ Museum, that houses many famous locomotives. You can also visit the Timothy Hackworth museum and the house formerly occupied by this famous locomotive engineer, who was the first locomotive superintendent of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

We continue along the branch line to Bishop Auckland to the present limit of the national network. Here we will take the special link line to join the 18-mile-long Weardale Railway at Bishop Auckland West station for a run as far as Stanhope, where we will have a short break to service the locomotive and an opportunity to visit the station. Our return journey along the Weardale line will be diesel hauled back to Bishop Auckland and onwards to Darlington, calling at Shildon to pick up passengers who chose to alight there earlier. At Darlington, we will reverse our direction of travel and run steam hauled once again northwards along the ECML through Durham to Newcastle.

At Newcastle, we will turn the train and head southwards once again, passing through Durham for a swift run southwards along the ECML back to York, where our steam locomotive will leave the train.

Our return journey back to London will be with our blue electric once again, setting down at our earlier calling points.

There are three classes available: Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Dave Collier

The Waverley

Sunday 13 September 2026

We continue to Carlisle and passengers will have about two hours to explore the Border City, possibly visiting the castle, cathedral, Tullie House Museum or the Lanes Shopping Centre.

Our train leaves Carlisle for the return journey late afternoon and climbs almost continuously for just under 50 miles back up to Ais Gill Summit. We stop, en route, at Appleby for our steam locomotive to take on water. We continue to stops at Skipton, Keighley, Leeds and York to set down passengers.

* Premier Dining is not available for passengers joining from Skipton.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Shep Woolley

The Swanage Belle

Wednesday 16 September 2026

Our train leaves Swanage for the return journey late afternoon and is diesel hauled to Southampton where our steam locomotive takes over. We then take a different route from the outward journey, via Romsey to the outskirts of Salisbury, where we join the West of England Main Line at Laverstock North Junction. We travel up the main line through Andover and then stop at Basingstoke, Woking, and Staines, to set down passengers. The train is due to arrive at London Victoria in the late evening.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £50 per person (subject to availability).

A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Bob Green

The West Somerset Steam Express

Saturday 19 September 2026

We leave London Paddington steam hauled, and stop at Slough and Reading to pick up more passengers. At Reading we join the Berks & Hants Line which runs through picturesque rural countryside. We pass the celebrated Newbury Racecourse before making our final stop for passengers at Newbury station. We continue westwards, travelling beside the tranquil Kennet & Avon Canal, and climbing steadily to Savernake Summit. We pass through the Vale of Pewsey, with views of one of the famous Wiltshire White Horses as we approach Westbury and continue through undulating agricultural countryside to Taunton.

Soon after leaving Taunton, we arrive at Norton Fitzwarren, where we transfer to the West Somerset Railway (WSR), the longest Heritage Railway in the country. We continue to Bishop’s Lydeard, where a WSR steam locomotive will take over our train for the remainder of the journey to Minehead. The WSR runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills between Bishop’s Lydeard and Watchet where it meets the coast. The line then turns inland to Washford and returns to the coast at Blue Anchor, passing near to Dunster with its magnificent castle, and terminating at Minehead.

On arrival at Minehead, there will be about two hours to explore this delightful Bristol Channel seaside resort, where the railway station is close to the beach. A WSR steam locomotive will haul our train from Minehead to Bishop’s Lydeard, where our main line steam locomotive will take over for the return journey to London Paddington. The train will stop at Newbury, Reading and Slough to set down passengers.

* Please note these trains may run with the main steam locomotive hauling the charter all the way to Minehead and return.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

London Paddington 07:15 21:30 Slough 07:40 21:00

Reading 08:05 20:30 Newbury 08:45 19:15

Minehead 13:05 15:20

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

The Dorset Coast Express

Wednesday 23 September 2026

From Basingstoke, we continue through Andover, bypassing Salisbury and on through Romsey to Southampton. We reverse the direction of travel at Southampton and continue towards Weymouth, diesel hauled, with our steam locomotive on the rear.

* By service train from Weybridge.

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Jack Boskett

The Royal Duchy

Sunday 27 September 2026

These ever-popular summer day trips by steam train run from Bristol Temple Meads, Yatton and Taunton to Devon & Cornwall. The route includes travelling along the internationally famous sea wall at Dawlish, crossing Brunel’s famous Saltash Bridge into Cornwall, and some of the most varied and exciting scenery in the country. Passengers can choose to spend time in Plymouth or travel on to Par, where buses are provided for visits to Fowey or Charlestown.

Our train leaves Bristol Temple Meads steam hauled and stops to pick up further passengers at Yatton and Taunton.

We leave Exeter and follow the Exe Estuary to the seaside. We then travel along the famous sea wall between Dawlish and Teignmouth, an experience not to be missed.

Approximate Timings Outward Return

There are three classes available:

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

Bob Green

UK Day Trip Information

Travelling by Steam Train

Our Day Trips and Tours almost exclusively make use of specially chartered trains hauled by steam locomotives. The trains offer a choice of types of seating to suit your particular requirements. Each passenger is allocated their own reserved seat ensuring that travel on these special trains is a relaxing experience providing the perfect escape from all the hustle and bustle of modern day life. All of the seats on our trains line up with the carriage windows, unlike many modern trains, and thus provide the maximum viewing area to add to the enjoyment of your journey.

In addition to our UK Day Trips and Tours, the Railway Touring Company has a programme of tours using steam hauled charter trains in many other countries of the world. These tours can be for a few days duration or last for up to two weeks, with overnight accommodation provided in good quality hotels. Please visit our website www.railwaytouring.net for further details and to request an overseas brochure; or contact us by telephone if you prefer.

Premier Dining Class

Premier Dining Class on our trains is a silver served dining experience providing you with a full meal service at your table, whilst you relax in spacious comfortable seating. The coaches used are British Rail Heritage First Open coaches.* The Premier Dining service usually includes a traditional full English breakfast soon after you board the train, and a four course meal on the return journey. On board chefs prepare fresh food for all of the meals. We are able to offer vegetarian options but cannot meet other dietary requests. A fully licensed bar service is always available, we kindly ask passengers not to bring their own alcoholic drinks. A corkage fee of £10 per person will apply for alcohol not purchased on board. The dress code is smart casual, as we like our passengers to be relaxed and travel in comfort. Tables are available for four or two in Premier Dining Class. Our tables for two are the ideal choice for an unusual and memorable celebration, for a special occasion like a wedding anniversary or birthday. Tables for two, where both passengers have window seats, can be guaranteed for an additional charge of £50.00 † per person, subject to availability. Premier Dining Class is available up to and including any pick up station before 10:30. * Coaches used will be British Rail Heritage coaches, on some occasions a Pullman coach may be used.

† Prices shown as per individual day trip page.

First Class

First Class seat accommodation on our trains is provided in British Rail Heritage First Open coaches * and offers tables for four or for two in spacious comfortable seating. Tables for two, where both passengers have window seats, can be guaranteed for an additional charge of £50.00 † per person, subject to availability. First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and a Danish pastry and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by scone with butter and jam. We are able to offer vegetarian options but cannot meet other dietary requests. A fully licensed bar service is always available, we kindly ask passengers to not consume their own alcoholic drinks. A corkage fee of £10 per person will apply for alcohol not purchased on board. * Coaches used will be British Rail Heritage coaches, on some occasions a Pullman coach may be used.

†Prices shown as per individual day trip page.

Standard Class

Standard Class seats are accommodated in a mid-1960’s tourist standard open coach. These are usually arranged in groups of four around a table. In some cases you may be seated in second corridor coach which is a compartment coach seating six passengers per compartment without a table. All seats are reserved. Passengers in First and Standard Classes regularly bring hampers and picnics.

All the catering on board our trains is provided by a third party supplier.

Booking Arrangements

Passengers can book their tickets online by visiting our website www.railwaytouring. net or by downloading a booking form, which can be printed and sent by post to:- The Railway Touring Company, The Old Stables, Estuary Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 2HL. Passengers can also book by telephone during office hours on 01553 661 500. Office hours are Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 17:00. We accept most major credit and debit cards. There are no charges for paying with a credit card. When posting a booking form please enclose the full payment by cheque or postal order made payable to The Railway Touring Company, and, quoting your name, address, telephone number, choice of train, the number of seats you require, class and joining station. We regret that seats cannot be reserved unless full payment is received.

Organisers arranging group travel for ten or more persons on a UK Day Trip are invited to contact the office, details above, regarding discounts where a single booking is to be made. Any amendments that you wish to make to your booking, will incur a £10 admin fee.

Acknowledgements and Tickets

Bookings made by telephone will be verbally acknowledged at the time of booking and a written confirmation sent within 7 days. Tickets and travel information will usually be dispatched at least 5 days before the date of travel. However, this information and the tickets cannot be sent until the departure times are confirmed by the train operator which may be at shorter notice. Please pay particular attention to the departure and arrival

times sent with your tickets as these may vary from the approximate timings given in this brochure.

Gift Vouchers

We are pleased to offer gift vouchers which can be used against any future trip with us. Please contact the office to purchase these.

Junior Tickets

Junior children includes ages 15 and under (children 3yrs and under may travel on your lap but if they do require a seat then a junior ticket price applies).

Family Tickets

2 adults and 2 Juniors (aged 15 and under).

Standard Conditions of Booking and Travel

Every effort will be made to ensure that the locomotive, rolling stock, route and timings which are hired in from third parties, will run as advertised. However, the organisers reserve the right to alter these details at any time and shall not incur any liability to any person who has bought, or contracted to buy a ticket or tickets, as a result of any such changes. There may be occasional re-scheduling or re-routing of a train. Please note, whilst every effort will be made to ensure the use of the advertised steam locomotive, the organisers reserve the right to substitute a different steam or in exceptional circumstances, a diesel locomotive on occasions should it be required, for operational reasons, which would have to be accepted, no refunds will be offered for changes to advertised locomotives.

All reasonable efforts, within the control of the organisers, will be made to ensure that on the day of the trip, the train runs as planned. However, we cannot accept any responsibility for delays, mishaps, alterations or curtailment of the tour from situations outside of our control. Please note, all timings shown in the brochure are approximate and subject to change.

All planned routes are subject to gauging clearance, on occasion we might be required to revise the route.

In extreme weather conditions, such as heat waves, we may be restricted or forced to substitute steam haulage for diesel due to the high risks involved, in addition we may be permitted to operate with diesel assistance to reduce the risk of line side fires. In adverse conditions the train operating company, West Coast Railways, may feel the need to run with a diesel locomotive attached to the rear as a precaution.

The nature of steam trains is that breakdowns, delays and substitutions have to be accepted. Every genuine effort will be made to ensure that the tour runs as planned and advertised, or as close to it as possible. In the event of a failure/non-availability of the scheduled steam locomotive prior to departure of the trip, every best effort will be made to find a suitable steam locomotive as a replacement. However, if this is not possible and if there is insufficient time available to cancel or postpone the trip, then a diesel may be used as substitute. In such circumstances, outside of our control, acceptance of these terms signifies your acceptance of such a change and no refund will be due.

The organisers cannot accept responsibility for the options under the control of third parties and are only responsible for returning passengers to their joining stations.

Your booking is taken as constituting acceptance of these conditions. No refund or substitutions are available, other than due to cancellation by the organisers, which can happen on occasions. We will not be liable for any consequential loss you may suffer or pay any compensation to you. Any amendments that you wish to make to your booking, will incur a £10 admin fee.

Due to the age and construction of our trains, it is not possible to board whilst seated in a wheelchair, however, we will be pleased to convey passengers of limited mobility whenever possible, provided they can step onto the train from the platform and move to their reserved seats with the help of an able-bodied carer, the wheelchair then being folded by you and stored at the end of the carriage. We are unable to convey mobility scooters or non-folding wheelchairs due to the age and design of the trains used. Due to timing restraints at joining stations all mobility issues which require the use of walking aids or impact a passenger’s ability to board or disembark with ease must be confirmed and discussed prior to travel.

We are limited to only being able to provide a vegetarian dietary alternative, all other dietary requests are not available.

We recommend that during the winter months you travel wearing suitable layered clothing as the carriages on occasion can be cold. Although they are heated, unforeseen complications along with the nature of travelling by steam in vintage carriages can result in cooler conditions for passengers than modern trains. On warmer days, as we use vintage carriages for this service, we recommend for your comfort that you carry sufficient water for your own personal consumption.

All images shown on the website and within our brochure are for illustration purposes only and do not signify the exact routing of the train or locomotive to be used.

N.B. – All timings shown are approximate and subject to change unless otherwise shown.