Steam train travel

[STEVIEBOY1]

GOOD EVENING,

Does anyone in the FL ever go on any on the surprisingly many main line railway special steam hauled charter trains in theUK? I must admit to taking quite a few since I discovered these a few years ago, the noises of the old locos & smell of the smoke and steam all add to the enjoyment of these trips. You do have to expect delays etc but it's a wonder these special trips can be fitted in amongst the mainline scheduled rail services. If anyone is interested look at uksteaminfo website which give all the details with links to the various firms that operate these wonderful trips which often also go through very scenic areas especialy in the south west and northwest.

Of course there also many small private railways running on old closed lines which are well worth a visit too.

Kind Rgds.

 

[H.Johnson]

Yes, yes and yes!

As often as possible. My favourite main line special being PMRC Tours on the West Coast Mainline (including Holyhead and Settle to Carlisle).

Duchess of Sutherland, 6233 is being overhauled at the moment, but a Royal Scot and a Princess are doing stirling work (!) on the usual 'specials'.

Vintage clothing fans may want to consider one of the 'wartime' or 1940s days at one of the many preserved railways. My favourite being Severn Valley Railway (where I learned to drive steam engines).

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Yes, yes and yes!

As often as possible. My favourite main line special being PMRC Tours on the West Coast Mainline (including Holyhead and Settle to Carlisle).

Duchess of Sutherland, 6233 is being overhauled at the moment, but a Royal Scot and a Princess are doing stirling work (!) on the usual 'specials'.

Vintage clothing fans may want to consider one of the 'wartime' or 1940s days at one of the many preserved railways. My favourite being Severn Valley Railway (where I learned to drive steam engines).

Hallo again, all being well I am booked this Saturday with Duke of Gloucester from Euston to Shrewsbury, there have not been too many steam trains in recent years at Euston, I think they worry that the smoke may affect the fire alarms as it's a low roof. I have done steam a few times over the Settle & Carisle and the Dawlish Coast. I tend to book Steam Dreams, RTC, & UK Railtours as I am in the South, I did go with PMRC a couple of years ago from Waterloo when they ran a steam Special to Salisbury & Yeovil in connection with a railway artist. All being well too in July there is a steam special from Paddington to Minehead & rtn on the WSR that I hope to go on, it's unusal because the train with split at Taunton, one part with Tornado goes onto Minehead, the other portion goes to Exeter & Plymouth. (I presume you are the same H. Johnson that has been on the Guernseys thread?) Rgds Steve

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Good Morning Gentleman,

I recently spent a week Travelling around the UK Mainland on an organised special railtour hauled by Steam all the way apart from two sectors. It was arranged by a Rail Tour Firm based in King's Lynn in Norfolk. They are hoping to do it again next April, if anyone has the chance, do go on it, it was wonderful. We travelled from London to York, Edinburgh, Inverness, Kyle, Wick, Glasgow, Lancashire, Bristol, Penzance & Back to London. Several Locos were used during the 9 day trip, two being sister engines to the famous Mallard. As well as the steam and rail interest, the scenery we went through was stunning too.

 

[djd]

Stevie can I ask how much that cost? Sounds wonderful

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Stevie can I ask how much that cost? Sounds wonderful

Good Morning, DJD, Yes it was a wonderful trip, but not cheap, they don't have standard class, just First, which with the Single room supplement, on a BB Basis was just under GBP 2000.00, Tea & Coffee was included on board. They do a premier dining option too which is about GBP 2,500.00. I am so glad that I did it though. It was by Railway Touring Compnay in King's Lynn. I think they may be taking provisonal bookings by telephone. If you can do it, do so. The timings were very good throughout and they hotels better than I had expected too. They even did a luggage transfer service which I was not expecting and was jolly useful.

They used Mk 1 & Mk 2 open coaches and they were comfortable, they had a regular buffet trolley also.

Are there any main line steam services in N. I. now, I recall there used to be something called the Portrush Flyer sometimes from Belfast.

Rgds Steve.

 

[djd]

Yes there are some occasional steam trips on what remains of the main line. They do some jazz evenings and trips to Dublin. There are also some small steam lines but nothing grand. I grew up taking regular trips to the Bluebell Railway in Sussex so I was a but spoilt for great trains!

Thanks for the info

 

[Tomasso]

Railway Touring Company

They have many interesting tours. Have you been on any of their European or World tours?

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

You're welcome.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Yes there are some occasional steam trips on what remains of the main line. They do some jazz evenings and trips to Dublin. There are also some small steam lines but nothing grand. I grew up taking regular trips to the Bluebell Railway in Sussex so I was a but spoilt for great trains!

Thanks for the info

You're welcome. All being well, I am having a few days in Sussex next month staying in a 1930s style hotel by the coast which looks good on their website. I hope to visit the Bluebell Railway, the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway, The Narrow Gauge Line from Hythe to Dymchurch etc and the Spa Valley Line from Tonbridge which has recently been extended to Eridge and maybe some others too. Rgds Steve.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

They have many interesting tours. Have you been on any of their European or World tours?

Yes Tomasso, I have been on many of their day trips on the UK mainlines by steam which have been very good, these include the very scenic Settle/Carlisle Line in the North of England and several around the South & South East Coasts. It's interesting when travelling on one of these special steam charter trains, watching the surprised look on passengers faces who are waiting for regular trains at stations we go past and we come steaming through. I love the sounds and smells of these lovely old trains and coaches which are far more comfortable than the modern trains. I have also been on one of their trips to Switzerland which used partlly regular scheduled trains and also some steam charters too. People I have spoken to who have been on other of their European & World Wide trips have spoken very highly of them, especially their tours to Sardinia. Rgds Steve.

 

[djd]

We've just got tickets to go on a jazz steam trip on the 1st July from Belfast. Should be fun! A jazz band and a bar

http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/events/

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

We've just got tickets to go on a jazz steam trip on the 1st July from Belfast. Should be fun! A jazz band and a bar

http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/events/

Sounds great, hope you have a great time.

 

[Saint-Just]

On the continent, if you're in the Nice area (that's Nee-ce like Mee-lan, not nice ) you have the train des pignes that goes to Digne les bains. It runs on WE from May to October as a steam train, diesel train every day throughout the year.

Highly recommended.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

On the continent, if you're in the Nice area (that's Nee-ce like Mee-lan, not nice ) you have the train des pignes that goes to Digne les bains. It runs on WE from May to October as a steam train, diesel train every day throughout the year.

Highly recommended.

Hallo, Tks for this, infact I did go on that a couple of years ago when I was staying in Nice. It was in the Month of March so the steam service was not running so I went on the usual scheduled service, it went through lovely scenery and I stopped for lunch at one of the little villages about half way along the route. I think since I went on that train, the line etc has been upgraded. Kind Rgds.

 

[Warden]

I thought I would update this thread with a little story of Edna & I having a photoshoot on a Victorian railway dining coach.

Enjoy

http://www.myspace.com/homefrontfriends/blog/544281268

 

[TidiousTed]

This is a local railroad about an hours drive out of Oslo. I used to take my daughters there when they were kids and they loved it