Jonathan's Gen
Railtours, Preserved Railway Events, Ferries and Service Trains Gen List
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- Last updated: Sat 26 Sep 2020
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The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express Saturday 6th February 2021 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 return from Preston to London behind our blue electric locomotive. We leave London Euston at around 07:10 with electric traction, and speed north along the West Coast Main Line (WCML). We stop to pick up passengers at Milton Keynes (where passengers from Watford Junction join by service train), 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 three 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 Watford Junction will travel to Milton Keynes by service train to join our train. **Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.
Valentine?s Bath & Bristol Steam Express?? Saturday 13th February 2021? To commemorate Valentine?s Day in February, why not embark on a romantic day out with a nostalgic steam hauled train to the attractive cities of Bath and Bristol. You can chose to alight at Bath or carry on to Bristol. Our route will follow a mixture of main and secondary lines, including the Salisbury Plain and the attractive Avon Valley to Bath. Our journey commences at the busy terminus station of London Waterloo. We will make our way via Clapham Junction and onwards via Barnes to Twickenham, where we pause to pick up passengers. After Staines, a further stop will be made at Egham to pick up before we continue to Woking. We will pause at Winchfield to water our steam locomotive before continuing westwards to Basingstoke for a further pick up stop. From Basingstoke, we can expect a fast run along the former London & South Western Railway?s route via Andover to the cathedral city of Salisbury. We stop at Salisbury, for the loco to take on water, and then continue along the ?South West? main line to Wilton. Here we turn northwards and cross the edge of Salisbury Plain en route to Warminster. We descend steeply to Westbury, with its famous hillside white horse, and then follow the scenic Avon Valley through Bradford on Avon. We shall soon catch sight of the Georgian city of Bath as we approach the well-kept Bath Spa station, which is close to the city centre. The afternoon is free to explore the city, which is noted for its splendid Georgian buildings, attractive riverside setting and its fine Abbey. Also, take time to explore the Roman Baths and its warm waters in the Pump House buildings. Bath has many shops around its central location to tempt shoppers, along with restaurants catering or all tastes. Meanwhile our train continues to Bristol, another fascinating destination for those who wish to explore this fine city instead. It has several world class attractions including Britain?s most acclaimed historic ship, the S.S. ?Great Britain?; Brunel?s iconic Clifton suspension bridge; the world?s fifth oldest zoo; and an historic harbour-side, the location of the M Shed, an exciting new innovative museum. The city is a major haven for shoppers with all the major retail outlets in the Broadmead and Cabot Circus shopping centres. Our steam locomotive will be serviced at Bristol before we return to Bath and London Waterloo steam hauled. We stop to pick up those passengers who opted to visit the city of Bath! We return by the route of our outward journey, stopping at the same stations for passengers to alight. Our arrival back in London?s Waterloo station will signal the conclusion of a varied and interesting day out on the evening of Valentine?s day.
The Cotswold Venturer Saturday 20th February 2021 Join us on this scenic rail tour by steam train through the beautiful Cotswold Hills. Our destination is the cathedral city of Worcester, located on the banks of the River Severn and internationally famous as the home of Worcestershire Sauce. We travel outward via the Golden Valley line through Stroud and Kemble and also return the same way, which will include the steep climb up to Sapperton tunnel. Our steam hauled train leaves London Paddington at around 07:40 hauled by Princess Coronation Class steam locomotive no. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland and heads down the ex-Great Western Railway (GWR) main line. We stop at Slough, Reading and Didcot to pick up more passengers. Our journey continues through the Vale of White Horse to Swindon, where we take the Golden Valley line through Kemble and up the climb to Sapperton Tunnel. We bypass Gloucester and head northwards through Cheltenham to Abbotswood Junction, were we leave the main line to Birmingham and head for Worcester Shrub Hill. There will be more than three hours to explore the fine city of Worcester. The river Severn runs through the city and is overlooked by the 12th century Worcester Cathedral. The site of the final battle of the Civil War between Oliver Cromwell and King Charles II was here. It is also the home of Royal Worcester Porcelain, and the birthplace of the composer Sir Edward Elgar is nearby at Lower Broadheath. Our steam hauled train leaves Worcester Shrub Hill in the late afternoon and returns to London via the Golden Valley line. We follow the former Great Western Railway route from Standish Junction and climb steadily through Stroud before the gradients increase dramatically to 1 in 74 at Chalford. We continue to climb through the Golden Valley at a gradient of 1 in 60 prior to entering Sapperton tunnel at the summit of the climb. On easier gradients, we descend through Kemble and onwards through Wiltshire to the former railway town of Swindon. We will now retrace our earlier route through the Vale of White Horse back to Didcot and Reading. Our final part of the journey calls at Reading and Slough before arriving back in London Paddington in the evening.
The Cotton Mill Express Saturday 27th February 2021 Join us on this interesting and varied tour around the cotton mill towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire. There will be rugged scenery in abundance as we traverse the Pennines, and also some very steep gradients to climb, providing a good workout for our steam locomotive. The Cotton Mill Express picks up in Lancaster, Preston and Wigan before we reach Manchester Victoria, known as Cottonopolis at the heart of the cotton industry. We make our way eastwards, via the steep climb of Miles Platting Bank, towards Stalybridge and take the old London & North Western Trans Pennine line over the Pennines via Standedge Tunnel to Huddersfield. With steep gradients aplenty, and wide Pennine valleys to enhance the ruggedness, our steam locomotive will be working hard all the way. After passing through Huddersfield, we will take the Bradley Wood Curve towards Brighouse, where we will pause for water. We now head westwards through the Calder Valley, with its steep sides all the way to Hall Royd Junction, where we leave the Manchester line and commence the steep climb to Copy Pit Summit. Once over the summit, there are then a long string of mill towns that follow our route through to Accrington before we reach Blackburn. Leaving Blackburn, we run via Bamber Bridge and Chorley to Bolton and then onwards to Manchester Victoria once again. We continue to make another climb up Miles Platting Bank and head for Huddersfield once again for our second circuit of the Pennines to Brighouse. After taking water at Brighouse, we continue along the Calder Valley again but take the Manchester line at Todmorden and run via Rochdale to Manchester Victoria, where we call to set down passengers. Our final leg of the journey will retrace our outward steps back to Lancaster via Wigan and Preston, to conclude what promises to be an unusual tour of the Pennines and its former cotton mill towns.
The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express Saturday 27th February 2021 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 return from Preston to London behind our blue electric locomotive. We leave London Euston at around 07:10 with electric traction, and speed north along the West Coast Main Line (WCML). We stop to pick up passengers at Milton Keynes (where passengers from Watford Junction join by service train), 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 three 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 Watford Junction will travel to Milton Keynes by service train to join our train. **Passengers from Northampton will travel to and from Rugby by service train to join our train.