Top UK Steam and Diesel Train Trips

Steam train trips in the UK are offered by an abundance of heritage and tourist railways. We are very fortunate to have the choice of visiting a steam railway in most parts of the country. Indeed, the Heritage Railway Association report that an incredible 185 of member organisations regularly open to the public. I’d like to thank all the campaigners, volunteers and staff that strive to keep the railways open and running.

I have been fortunate to enjoy train trips at several heritage railways. Listed below are my reports from a railway enthusiast’s perspective. Click on the photos or headings to read my full reports and see all the photos.

North Norfolk Railway Review

The North Norfolk Railway operates between Sheringham and Holt through a delightful area of North Norfolk designated as being of outstanding natural beauty. There are historic stations, a museum of the railway’s history, a museum signal box and a children’s activity carriage. There are also buffets and souvenir shops. However my review concentrates on the locomotives and the beautifully restored carriages. I also managed to take a look into the shed to see what work was going on at the time of my visit.

9F 92203 Black Prince in the workshops

Locomotives at the Nene Valley Railway

Take a steam train trip on one of the resident locomotives and enjoy beautifully restored carriages. This railway regularly has visiting ‘big name’ locomotives and on my visit I was lucky enough to see Tornado 60163. The railway has seven and a half miles of track through varying scenery and is well worth a visit.

34081 92 Squadron on the turntable at Wansford station on the Nene Valley Railway

Luxury Travel on the Dartmouth Steam Railway

The scenery on this picturesque line is breathtaking from the sea views across Torbay to the River Dart. I thoroughly enjoyed my train trip travelling in the Devon Belle Observation Carriage. This historic coach, built in 1917 originally as an ambulance vehicle for the London & North Western Railway, has recently undergone a major refit and the result is superb. At Kingswear, you can take the ferry to Dartmouth station. You will find yourself at the only station in the country where trains have never stopped!

Enjoy luxury travel in the Devon Belle Pullman Observation Car

An Enthusiast Reviews The Epping Ongar Railway

It’s easy to take a train trip on the Epping Ongar railway if you are visiting London. It can be conveniently accessed from London Underground. Vintage buses start from the front door of Epping and Shenfield stations, whisking you back in time to period stations. I have to confess that I love heritage buses so to start my visit this way was an added treat!

D6729 waits to depart from North Weald Station as London Transport country area RT1700 arrives on the Station forecourt

How to go on holiday via the West Somerset Railway

The West Somerset Railway is the longest heritage railway in England. You can start your train trip in the depths of the countryside and finish with sparkling sea views. Covering 20 miles of countryside and 10 beautifully restored stations, the WSR is a delight. The West Somerset Railway has a fantastic stable of locomotives. You can never be sure which ones will be hauling your steam train. You might get a very nice surprise as I did when I last visited.

Former Bath Green Park 4F 44422 at Minehead

Mid Norfolk Railway Review

Based at Dereham, Norfolk, the Mid Norfolk Railway operates along 11 miles of track to Wymondham. Travelling on a heritage DMU here gives a great opportunity to view the line ahead from behind the driver’s cab. There are not many train trips in the UK that afford such a vantage point. Winner of Heritage Railway of the Year Award in 2013, this railway is a great day out for enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike.

The view ahead at Thuxton with new signal box and classic Land Rover at the crossing gates

Closure of the Waverley Route

In April 1969, I read an article in Railway World magazine about the closure of the Waverley Route. The report had a profound effect on me which has stayed with me throughout my personal professional life. However on 6 September 2015 I’m delighted to say that the line re-opened from Edinburgh to Tweedbank. Passengers can once again enjoy train trips on this line. Run by Network Rail, the line accommodates the occasional steam train trip and I was very fortunate to get a ticket for one of these memorable journeys.

Union of South Africa 60009 arrives at Tweedbank station

The Unique History of Railway Restaurant Carriages

Whilst not technically a ‘steam train trip’ since the carriages do not move, Carriages of Cambridge is a fantastic place to visit. A visit to a restaurant located in a colonial railway station in India provided the inspiration. The tea rooms offer a complete railway experience. You enter through a railway station complete with signal box. Dining is atmospheric in Pullman Style Carriages alongside platforms and a 1920’s station house. I was delighted to come across this new addition to railway preservation and only wished I lived a bit nearer!

Step back in time with afternoon tea on a restored railway carriage.

A Railway Enthusiast Visits the Llangollen Railway

I have always wanted to visit the Llangollen Railway but had never been. As part of the trip, we had organized a visit to the workshop and saw working being done on the LMS Patriot project locomotive 5551 The Unknown Warrior. There was also partial new build steam locomotive 6880 Breton Grange, LNER locomotives and GWR Pannier 6430. Finally a ride on a Class 104 DMU brought back some happy memories.

Class 104 at Llangollen Railway

Telford Steam Railway

The Telford Steam Railway has considerable industrial heritage. It is now home to a variety of locomotives and rolling stock including Barclay fireless locomotive works number 1944, Diesel Shunters, Class 108 power cars and Class 37 locomotives. I report on a tour with one of the fantastic Telford Steam Railway volunteers as our guide.

Class 08 08757 ex D3925 in Spring Village station at Horsehay

The Heritage Railway Association

The Heritage Railway Association or HRA is a voluntary run trade association representing Heritage & Tourist railways, related Museums, Tramways, Cliff Lifts, Railway Preservation Groups and related organisations. An interactive map showing all of the heritage railways can be found on the website of the Heritage Railway Association here.

I hope to enjoy more steam train trips in the future. It’s great to see both steam and diesel locomotives re-creating the past. I also enjoy the little details that make the railways so authentic. Of course, being a railway engineer, a glimpse of the engineering works makes my day out complete! I’ll update this post and share with you what I love about these great days out. If you’ve had a great day out at a heritage railway, please let us know in the comments below.

If you want to give the gift of a steam train trip then you can find a great selection of Red Letter Day experiences here.