Trains & Steam

Railways were an invention of the early 19th century and went on to transform Britain. Originally intended to move coal and goods, passengers soon flocked to this new form of transport. The Victorians were fascinated by the railways which were seen as fast and exciting, with a certain amount of glamour and romance to them.

Today, the great affection for heritage railways continues; perhaps a sense of nostalgia for Britain’s great pioneering railway past or the romance of travelling by steam train. The UK has more heritage railways per square mile than anywhere else in the world. There are more than 100 heritage railways while 60 steam museum centres are home to 700 preserved locomotives that were once rejected by British Railways in the 1960s.

There is a railway for everyone; from the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway in the Lake District, the Ffestiniog Railway in North Wales and the Kyle of Lochalsh Railway in the Highlands. Not forgetting, of course, the most famous and iconic steam locomotive of all, The Flying Scotsman; all offer a wonderful way to admire the surrounding scenery.

Relive a golden era and take a journey back in time to the heyday of railways with our selection of coach holidays in both the UK and abroad, featuring wonderful railway journeys through stunning scenery and unspoilt countryside.