The golden age of travel still exists in the UK, with heritage railway tours offering luxurious seating, top food and plenty to drink on a range of tours. The heritage trains range from diesel and special electrics, and the most eye-catching of them all, the steam trains.
(c) Railway Touring Company
While it’s fun to watch a steam train rushing past, but they can only do so if people are on board, so why not be one of those people in 2021? Be one of the people inside the train waving back as excited bystanders wave at you.
All things going well, by early Summer we’ll be out of the worst of the covid crisis, and many of us will be itching for a holiday break – so I’ve compiled a list of heritage train trips to choose from.
The tours vary a great deal from a chance to tour around the countryside in standard class heritage trains, through to a luxury restaurant on wheels. Personally, if you’re going for a special treat, try to go for the meals, as they really evoke the air of the upper-class golden age of travel at the turn of the 19th century.
After the year we’ve all had, a bit of pampering is richly deserved.
Prices start from £60 for an evening loop around London, though champagne dinners to week-long holidays.
(c) Belmond
And you don’t need to be a railway enthusiast to travel on heritage trains.
These tours are aimed at people seeking a nice day out, and most people travelling by heritage train are general interest travellers who come with their partners, family and friends.
Most of the day tours include a few hours at a notable town to visit and look around before heading home.
All tours listed below start and return to London, unless otherwise stated.
- Loco type Mixed – part of the trip will be steam hauled, and part will be diesel or electric.
- Loco type HST – restored Intercity 125 train
- Covid – there are fewer seats being offered so they can space people along the train, and each operator has its rules for safe travel at the moment. I’ve started the list from April, as lockdowns are likely to be over by then.
- Caveat Emptor – I’ve done the best to check details, but always go by the train tour operator’s website for the latest most up to date information.
| Date | Tour name | Prices from | Duration | Description | Loco type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 2021 |
8th April | London to Highclere, Bath & Bristol | £109 | Day trip | London to Bristol | Steam |
| 16th April | The Golden Age Of Travel | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 17th April | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey | Unknown |
| 17th April | London to the Settle & Carlisle Railway | £119 | Day trip | London to Carlisle | Mixed |
| 21st April | Historic Bath | £465 | Day trip | London to Bath | Unknown |
| 23rd April | Murder Mystery Lunch | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip with a murder mystery twist | Unknown |
| 24th April | The Golden Age Of Travel | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 24th April | Royal Highland Pullman | £370 | 3 days | London to the Scottish Highlands | HST |
| 24th April | The Merchant of Norfolk | £119 | Day trip | London to Norwich | Unknown |
| 27th April | London to Oxford & Stratford-Upon-Avon | £109 | Day trip | London Stratford Upon Avon via Oxford | Steam |
May 2021 |
|||||
| 2nd May | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey | Unknown |
| 4th May | London to York | £119 | Day trip | London to York | Steam |
| 6th May | Historic Oxford | £425 | Day trip | London to Oxford | Unknown |
| 6th May | Blenheim Palace | £425 | Day trip | London to Blenheim Palace | Unknown |
| 7th May | The Shetlander | £1,725 | 7 days | London to the Shetland Islands | Mixed |
| 7th May | The Golden Age Of Travel | £395 | Afternoon | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 15th May | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey | Unknown |
| 15th May | Shrewsbury in Springtime | £79.50 | Day trip | London to Shrewsbury | Unknown |
| 19th May | Historic Bath | £480 | Day trip | London to Bath | Steam |
| 20th May | Surrey Hills with Flying Scotsman | £109 | Afternoon | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 20th May | Surrey Hills with Flying Scotsman | £99 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 22nd May | The Edinburgh Explorer | £99 | Day trip | London to Edinburgh | HST |
| 22nd May | The Cumbrian Mountain Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Settle & Carlisle | Mixed |
| 23rd May | London to Oxford with Flying Scotsman | £109 | Day trip | London to Oxford | Steam |
| 26th May | Historic Bath | £425 | Day trip | London to Bath | Unknown |
| 27th May | The Cock O’the North | £1,695 | 6 days | London to northern Scotland | Mixed |
| 27th May | Murder Mystery Lunch | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip with a murder mystery twist | Unknown |
| 27th May | London to Salisbury with Flying Scotsman | £119 | Day trip | London to Salisbury Cathedral | Steam |
June 2021 |
|||||
| 1st June | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 4th June | The Golden Age Of Travel | £395 | Afternoon | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 5th June | The Buxton Spa Express | £99 | Day trip | London to the Peak District | Mixed |
| 6th June | London to Southampton with Flying Scotsman | £119 | Day trip | London to Southampton | Steam |
| 7th June | The Summer Highlander | £1,530 | 6 days | London to Scottish Highlands | Mixed |
| 8th June | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 12th June | The Cotswold Venturer | £99 | Day trip | London to Worcester | Steam |
| 15th June | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 16th June | Historic Bath | £425 | Day trip | London to Bath | Unknown |
| 17th June | London to Cambridge with Flying Scotsman | £109 | Day trip | London to Cambridge | Steam |
| 19th June | The Derbyshire Rose | £79.50 | Day trip | London to Chatsworth | Unknown |
| 19th June | The White Rose | £144 | Day trip | London to York | Mixed |
| 20th June | London to Portsmouth & The Isle Of Wight | £99 | Day trip | London to Portsmouth | Steam |
| 22nd June | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 25th June | The Dinner | £405 | Evening | Round trip | Unknown |
| 26th June | The Golden Age Of Travel | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 26th June | The Cumbrian Mountain Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Settle & Carlisle | Mixed |
| 29th June | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 30th June | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey | Unknown |
July 2021 |
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| 2nd July | Murder Mystery Lunch | £325 | Afternoon | Round trip with a murder mystery twist | Unknown |
| 3rd July | The Bournemouth Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Bournemouth | Steam |
| 5th July | Tribute to the Bournemouth Belle | £399 | Day trip | London to Bournemouth | Steam |
| 6th July | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 7th July | Heart of Scotland | £1,455 | 6 days | London to Inverness and the Isle of Bute | Mixed |
| 8th July | The Far North and Orkney | £1,595 | 8 days | London to northern Scotland | Mixed |
| 9th July | The End of Southern Steam | £99 | Day trip | London to Weymouth | Mixed |
| 9th July | The Golden Age Of Travel | £325 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 12th July | Arran and Kintyre | £1,695 | 6 days | London to northwest Scotland | Mixed |
| 13th July | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 15th July | The Golden Age Of Travel | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 16th July | The Dinner | £360 | Evening | Round trip | Unknown |
| 17th July | The Cheshireman | £99 | Day trip | London to Chester | Steam |
| 18th July | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £280 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey | Unknown |
| 18th July | London to Salisbury | £79 | Day trip | London to Salisbury Cathedral | Steam |
| 20th July | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 22nd July | The Kentish Belle | £99 | Day trip | London to Canterbury and Margate | Steam |
| 22nd July | English Lake District | £1,395 | 7 days | London to the Lake District | Mixed |
| 24th July | The Elizabethan | £370 | 3 days | London to Scotland | Mixed |
| 24th July | The West Somerset Steam Express | £99 | Day trip | London to the Quantock Hills | Steam |
| 24th July | The Golden Age Of Travel | £395 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 26th July | The Western Isles | £2,099 | 8 days | London to northwestern Scotland | Mixed |
| 27th July | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 30th July | Glorious Goodwood | £600 | Day trip | London to Goodwood Racecourse | Unknown |
| 31st July | London to Weymouth | £109 | Day trip | London to Weymouth | Steam |
August 2021 |
|||||
| 1st Aug | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey | Unknown |
| 3rd Aug | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 4th Aug | Historic Oxford | £425 | Day trip | London to Oxford | Unknown |
| 4th Aug | Blenheim Palace | £425 | Day trip | London to Blenheim Palace | Unknown |
| 5th Aug | The Dorset Coast Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Weymouth | Steam |
| 7th Aug | The Aln Valley Venturer | £98.50 | Day trip | London to Alnmouth via Newcastle | Unknown |
| 10th Aug | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 12th Aug | The Far North and Orkney | £1,595 | 8 days | London to northern Scotland | Mixed |
| 14th Aug | The West Somerset Steam Express | £99 | Day trip | London to the Quantock Hills | Steam |
| 14th Aug | The West Country Explorer | £1,275 | 5 days | London to the West Country | Mixed |
| 17th Aug | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 19th Aug | The Dorset Coast Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Weymouth | Steam |
| 20th Aug | The Golden Age Of Travel | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 21st Aug | The Cotswold Venturer | £99 | Day trip | London to Worcester | Steam |
| 24th Aug | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 26th Aug | The Cock O’the North | £1,695 | 6 days | London to northern Scotland | Mixed |
| 28th Aug | London to Cambridge & Great Yarmouth | £109 | Day trip | London to Great Yarmouth via Cambridge | Steam |
| 31st Aug | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
September 2021 |
|||||
| 2nd Sept | GBRf 2021 | TBA | 4 days | Around the UK | Diesel |
| 2nd Sept | The Dorset Coast Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Weymouth | Steam |
| 3rd Sept | The East Anglian | £1,595 | 6 days | London to East Anglia | Mixed |
| 3rd Sept | The Golden Age Of Travel | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 8th Sept | Severn Valley Enterprise | £99 | Day trip | London to Kidderminster for a trip over the Severn Valley Railway | Steam |
| 8th Sept | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey | Unknown |
| 9th Sept | The Swanage Belle | £99 | Day trip | London to Southampton via Swanage | Mixed |
| 10th Sept | The Golden Age Of Travel | £395 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 11th Sept | The Golden Arrow | £99 | Day trip | London to Canterbury and Dover | Steam |
| 13th Sept | Devon Belle | £370 | 2 days | London to Devon coast | Steam |
| 13th Sept | The Summer Highlander | £1,530 | 6 days | London to Inverness | Mixed |
| 14th Sept | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 16th Sept | English Lake District | £1,395 | 5 days | London to the Lake District | Mixed |
| 17th Sept | The Shetlander | £1,725 | 7 days | London to Shetland Islands | Mixed |
| 19th Sept | London to Chichester & Goodwood Revival | £89 | Day trip | London to Goodwood racecourse | Steam |
| 21st Sept | The Sunset Steam Express | £59 | Evening | Round trip via the Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 22nd Sept | Historic Bath | £425 | Day trip | London to Bath | Unknown |
| 22nd Sept | Longleat | £425 | Day trip | London to Longleat House | Unknown |
| 23rd Sept | London to Highgrove, Lydney & Cardiff | £119 | Day trip | London to Cardiff (and Highgrove) | Steam |
| 24th Sept | The Dinner | £405 | Evening | Round trip | Unknown |
October 2021 |
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| 1st Oct | The Golden Age Of Travel | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 6th Oct | Bristol & Brunel’s SS Great Britain | £500 | Day trip | London to Bristol | Steam |
| 6th Oct | Historic Bath | £500 | Day trip | London to Bath | Steam |
| 8th Oct | Murder Mystery Lunch | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip with a murder mystery twist | Unknown |
| 9th Oct | The Settle & Carlisle Explorer | £99 | Day trip | London to the Settle Viaduct | HST |
| 15th Oct | The Dinner | £405 | Evening | Round trip | Unknown |
| 16th Oct | The Yorkshireman | £99 | Day trip | London to York | Mixed |
| 20th Oct | Historic Bath | £425 | Day trip | London to Bath | Unknown |
| 29th Oct | The Golden Age Of Travel | £395 | Afternoon | Round trip via Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 30th Oct | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 30th Oct | Blackpool Illuminations | £99 | Day trip | London to Blackpool | HST |
November 2021 |
|||||
| 3rd Nov | Historic Bath | £425 | Day trip | London to Bath | Unknown |
| 12th Nov | The Golden Age of Travel | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip via Kent | Unknown |
| 14th Nov | Champagne Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 19th Nov | Murder Mystery Lunch | £340 | Afternoon | Round trip with a murder mystery twist | Unknown |
| 20th Nov | The Golden Age Of Travel | £365 | Day trip | Round trip via Surrey Hills | Steam |
| 20th Nov | The Cheshireman | £99 | Day trip | London to Chester | Steam |
| 25th Nov | The Christmas Sussex Belle | £99 | Day trip | London to the Sussex coast | Mixed |
| 26th Nov | Winchester Christmas Market | £435 | Day trip | London to Winchester | Unknown |
| 27th Nov | The York Yuletide Express | £109 | Day trip | London to York | Steam |
December 2021 |
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| 1st Dec | Bath at Christmas | £435 | Day trip | London to Bath | Unknown |
| 2nd Dec | Christmas Lunch | £420 | Afternoon | Round trip | Steam |
| 3rd Dec | Festive Afternoon Tea | £315 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 4th Dec | The Lincoln Christmas Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Lincoln | Steam |
| 4th Dec | Christmas Lunch | £380 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 5th Dec | Christmas Lunch | £380 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 7th Dec | The Bath and Bristol Christmas Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Bristol stopping at Bath | Steam |
| 7th Dec | Canterbury Christmas Carols | £435 | Day trip | London to Canterbury | Unknown |
| 8th Dec | Christmas Lunch | £380 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 9th Dec | Salisbury Carols | £435 | Day trip | London to Salisbury | Unknown |
| 10th Dec | Christmas Lunch | £380 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 11th Dec | The Birmingham and Shrewsbury Christmas Express | £99 | Day trip | London to Shrewsbury stopping at Birmingham | Steam |
| 11th Dec | Christmas Lunch | £420 | Afternoon | Round trip | Steam |
| 11th Dec | The North Wales Coast Explorer | £99 | London to Crewe | HST | |
| 16th Dec | Canterbury Christmas Carols | £435 | Day trip | London to Canterbury | Unknown |
| 17th Dec | Christmas Lunch | £380 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 17th Dec | Christmas Lunch | £375 | Afternoon | Round trip | Steam |
| 18th Dec | The Christmas White Rose | £109 | Day trip | London to York | Steam |
| 18th Dec | Christmas Lunch | £380 | Afternoon | Round trip | Unknown |
| 31st Dec | New Year’s Eve Dinner | £405 | Evening | Round trip | Unknown |
Incidentally, only one of the tour operators offers a search filter by departure town, which seems an odd omission, and made compiling this list considerably more onerous than it should have been.
There are also the many heritage lines that have their own dedicated railways around the UK to consider if you fancy those.
And finally, there’s a new regular steam shuttle running between London Waterloo and Windsor in the summer months.
List of UK heritage train tour operators
Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust
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