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 Kentish Belle?? Thursday 5th August 2021 This day trip by steam train provides an interesting day out to the historic city of Canterbury and the popular north Kent coast resorts. We follow a rambling route across Kent to Canterbury West, where you can opt to visit this famous cathedral city. The Kentish Belle then continues to Ramsgate, Margate, Broadstairs, Margare and terminates at Faversham. You have the option to detain at any of these attractive destinations. We then return to Canterbury from Faversham, continuing forward from Ashford via Tonbridge and Sevenoaks back to London Victoria. ??? The Kentish Belle will leave London Victoria station steam hauled in the morning and thread its way across the south London suburban lines through Bromley South, where we will join the Maidstone East line. Cutting across central Kent, we will reach Ashford where we take the line to Canterbury West. Canterbury is a world famous cathedral city. It was a pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages. Ancient walls, originally built by the Romans, encircle its medieval centre with cobbled streets and timber-framed houses. Canterbury Cathedral, founded 597 A.D., is the headquarters of the Church of England. We continue across Thanet to the coastal resort of Ramsgate, a popular seaside resort and a busy ferry terminal for ferries to Ostende and Boulogne. Alternatively, stay aboard and alight a Broadstairs, with its magnificent horse shoe shaped bay which is the main attraction. Margate is a busy seaside resort that has all the trappings to provide entertainment in all weathers, and a wide beach with a sweeping promenade. You have the option to continue to our destination at Faversham, a town famous for its maritime history. It is the oldest market town in the county and recorded in the Domesday Book, and is located on a winding creek. By 1900, and after 400 years of manufacturing gunpowder for famous battles such as Trafalgar and Waterloo, Faversham had grown to be the centre of the nation?s explosives industry. With an amazing array of independent shops, regular markets, walking and a reputation for fine foods, Faversham is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy a short break. We retrace our earlier route back to Canterbury, picking up at each set down station, before continuing back to Ashford. We join the main line to Tonbridge this time, where you will see the orchards and characteristic Oast house of Kent. We return to London Victiria by way of Severnoaks and Bromley South to conclude a variable-option day in the delightful Kent countryside.
The Cumbrian Mountain Express Saturday 7th August 2021 The Cumbrian Mountain Express provides a wonderful opportunity to get out and about during the spring, summer and autumn 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 pass through Lancaster and along the edge of Morecambe Bay before we arrive at Carnforth. Here, we will change over our electric locomotive for today?s steam locomotive, taken from the Carnforth pool. Leaving Carnforth, we pass the Brief Encounter caf? 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, 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 following to London. 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.
The Waverley Sunday 8th August 2021??? 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. There is also the option of visiting the Cumbrian market town of Appleby or the border city of Carlisle. 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, at 09:30 and heads for Church Fenton where we take the direct route to Leeds. We stop to pick up more passengers at Leeds, Shipley, 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 to Appleby, where our locomotive takes on water. Passengers who choose to alight at Appleby will have around four hours to visit this historic market town, which lies in a loop of the picturesque river Eden. Passengers choosing to continue to Carlisle will have over one and a half 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 at around 16:15 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 and to pick up those passengers who spent the afternoon there. We continue to stops at Skipton, Keighley, Shipley, Leeds, and York, to set down passengers.
The West Somerset Steam Express Saturday 14th August 2021 This series of trains from London Paddington to Minehead features haulage by two steam locomotives in one day. An express 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 at around 08:05, steam hauled by Princess Coronation class steam locomotive No.46233 Duchess of Sutherland 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 more than 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.
The Waverley Sunday 15th August 2021?? 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. There is also the option of visiting the Cumbrian market town of Appleby or the border city of Carlisle. 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, at 09:30 and heads for Church Fenton where we take the direct route to Leeds. We stop to pick up more passengers at Leeds, Shipley, 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 to Appleby, where our locomotive takes on water. Passengers who choose to alight at Appleby will have around four hours to visit this historic market town, which lies in a loop of the picturesque river Eden. Passengers choosing to continue to Carlisle will have over one and a half 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 at around 16:15 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 and to pick up those passengers who spent the afternoon there. We continue to stops at Skipton, Keighley, Shipley, Leeds, and York, to set down passengers.
The Dorset Coast Express Thursday 19th August 2021 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 at around 08:45 steam hauled by either steam locomotive No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, or a Black V, 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. We leave the South Western Main Line at Worting Junction and take the Bournemouth Line, heading south through Winchester and Southampton. 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 around 13:45 and have almost 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 hauled by U Class steam locomotive No. 31806 at around 16:35 as far as Southampton* with our main steam locomotive banking on the rear, from here the main steam locomotive will take over for the remainder of the return journey. We continue through Andover to Basingstoke, where we stop to set down passengers and for our steam locomotive to take on water. We then continue to Woking and Staines, where we stop to set down passengers, and on to our final destination at London Victoria. *In the event of a high fire risk the section from Weymouth to Southampton on the return leg would be diesel hauled.
The Cotswold Venturer?? Saturday 21st August 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 Waverley Sunday 22nd August 2021?? This steam hauled train 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. There is also the option of visiting the Cumbrian market town of Appleby or the border city of Carlisle. 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 No. 60103 Flying Scotsman at 09:30 and heads for Church Fenton where we take the direct route to Leeds. We stop to pick up more passengers at Leeds, Shipley, Keighley and Skipton. There will be a stop 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 cross the breathtaking Ribblehead Viaduct, high above the valley floor, and enter Blea Moor Tunnel. We pass through the highest station open in England at Dent, travelling through tunnels and crossing valleys on numerous viaducts. There are magnificent views across the Fells to the Pennine Three Peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough 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 to Appleby, where our locomotive takes on water. Passengers who choose to alight at Appleby will have around four hours to visit this historic market town that lies in a loop of the picturesque river Eden. Passengers choosing to continue to Carlisle will have over one and a half 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 at around 16:15 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 and to pick up those passengers who spent the afternoon there. We continue our journey back to York, stopping at Skipton, Keighley, Shipley, Leeds, and York, to set down passengers.
The Cumbrian Mountain Express Saturday 28th August 2021 This is a wonderful opportunity for those from the Crewe and Manchester areas to travel by steam train over two of England?s most scenic railway routes. We travel north to Carlisle by the West Coast Main Line over Shap and return via the famous Settle & Carlisle Railway Line. Both routes pass through spectacular mountain scenery. A magnificent steam locomotive will haul these trains, which recall the glorious days of steam travel. ??? Our train, which is hauled by a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool, leaves Crewe at around 06:00 and calls at Wilmslow, Stockport, Manchester Victoria and Bolton 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 and Carnforth, where beyond 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. 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 Blackburn, where passengers for Preston leave the train. We join the WCML at Farington Junction and, shortly afterwards, take the Manchester line, stopping at Bolton and Manchester Victoria to set down passengers. We continue our journey to Crewe stopping at the same stations as on the outward journey to set down passengers. *Passengers for Preston travel by service train from Blackburn on the return journey.