Railtours

[callum112233]

Hello all.
Can anyone give me a list of good railtour websites to look at? Preferably in the north of England
Cheers.

 

[YorkshireBear]

as in to find out when they run?

 

[callum112233]

Yeh, that, and just general information to see if there is any worth going on, prices etc. I quite fancy one going in the Leeds/York direction.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Ah right. Well www.railwayherald.co.uk lists all railtours. Theres also some good pictures on that site if you've never visited it before and a weekly magazine.

Each tour has the company listed next to it so you can search the company in goole(or w/e) and find out more details about tour ie prices etc.

This list is good for looking through as it lists all tours.

Also http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs11.htm gives steam tour information. Including times.

if theres anything else you wanna know just say.

 

[callum112233]

Cheers bud. No, never been on the railway herald, Iv'e heard of it but had no idea what it was all about. Sounds like a newspaper.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Cheers bud. No, never been on the railway herald, Iv'e heard of it but had no idea what it was all about. Sounds like a newspaper.

Definitely look, they update it most days with pictures that people upload. (upload your own if you do take photos) find some interesting stuff out sometimes.

Magazine released most weeks on a monday as a PDF again has some good info in it.

definitely a website worth looking at once every now and again.

 

[callum112233]

WCRC Class 47 (Pair) The Edinburgh Festive Christmas Shopper
Manchester Victoria (pu) - Ashton under Lyme (pu) - Huddersfield (pu) - Brighouse (pu) - Sowerby Bridge (pu) - Hebden Bridge (pu) - Burnley Manchester Rd (pu) - Rose Grove (pu) - Accrington (pu) - Blackburn (pu) - Preston - Shap - Carlisle - Beattock - Carstairs - Edinburgh Waverley (break/rev) & return setting down as outwards (Compass Tours)

Iv'e been thinking this one sounds good, except the part where it says 'shopping' which I couldn't care about
What's it like on these railtours? Can you take your own food and drinks?

 

[YorkshireBear]

that im afraid i cant help with. Not had the pleasure of a railtour myself as i can no where near afford it. Will do once i graduate though. Someone else should reply and help you with that one.

 

[callum112233]

I'm not too rich either . It's just something to save up for, like a rainy day.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Maybe thats my problem, there is that many rainy days i never save more than a fiver :P

 

[callum112233]

Or if you're like me, you end up in the local watering hole

 

[33056]

Don't worry about the shopping bit, that is for "normals"

Once you get to Edinburgh you can do anything you like, sightseeing or even buy a local ticket and have a bit of a bash

If you are into steam then this is the place to visit ; don't think any public steam tours escape being listed on that site.

 

[gazthomas]

Does anyone actually use Google on these forums!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Does anyone actually use Google on these forums!

Sometimes I wonder that too.

 

[Track Basher]

I have been on too many over the last 30 or so years. They are always a good days out. The best ones over the years are those that went disastiously wrong.

The record for getting home is over 9 hours late and many additional locos through multiple failures.

If you want an idea of what to expect see below. Yes you can take your own food.

 

[callum112233]

Does anyone actually use Google on these forums

I did have a look on google but a lot of rubbish came up as a result.

I thought it might all be a bit formal and that they might not allow you to take your own food.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I did have a look on google but a lot of rubbish came up as a result.

I thought it might all be a bit formal and that they might not allow you to take your own food.

You don't have to go through customs to get on them, you can take anything within reason, I have seen laptops, but only once or twice in roughly 70 tours. Picnics can be quite popular nowadays.

 

[callum112233]

For some reason though, I always imagined it being very prim and proper and full of posh people having afternoon tea. Obviously thats not the case

 

[MidnightFlyer]

For some reason though, I always imagined it being very prim and proper and full of posh people having afternoon tea. Obviously thats not the case

That's First Class Dining. If you go in Standard you'll be fine

 

[theblackwatch]

You don't have to go through customs to get on them, you can take anything within reason, I have seen laptops, but only once or twice in roughly 70 tours. Picnics can be quite popular nowadays.

I have been known to write a tour review using my laptop whilst on the train!

 

[bocaj]

Yeh, that, and just general information to see if there is any worth going on, prices etc. I quite fancy one going in the Leeds/York direction.

The Scarbourah Spa Express is a good one. It goes round in a loop Around the York and Leeds Area about three times during the day. I think it goes to Scarbourah once or twice in the day, so you could get it in the Morning and spend the day at York or Scarbourah and get it back.

I think the Route goes like this,
York-Normanton-Wakefeild Kirgate-Wakefeild Westgate-Woodelsford-Castleford-York-Scarbourah-York-Normanton-Wakefeiled Kirgate-Wakefeild Westgate-Woodelsford-Castleford-York.
It might go around it once more but Im not 100% Sure as I have never been on it. If it does go around three times I thinik it will miss out Scarbourah On ths third time round.

The Scarbourah Flyer is also a good one which runs from Crewe to Scarboruah, the two stops in the York Leeds area are Wakefeild Kirgate and York.

The Waverly is also a good one but I think it is very exspensive.

Hope this helps,

Jacob

 

[davelew99]

For some reason though, I always imagined it being very prim and proper and full of posh people having afternoon tea. Obviously thats not the case

I think it depends on the tour, for sure the Venice Simplon Orient Express tours are like this - their website talks about dress codes and all sorts!

Most tours though you can do pretty much what you can on an ordinary train.

We went on our first this year and really enjoyed it, also treated ourselves to first class - it was very comfy and quiet!

We took some nibbles but we were at our destination for lunch and home for dinner really. Plenty of people had taken picnics in both first and standard.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I have been known to write a tour review using my laptop whilst on the train!

Only ever seen one bloke doing some work on one, and another watching England vs. USA in last year's World Cup. Do you do the reviews on a professional basis?

 

[scotsman]

Callum, SRPS Railtours are running a railtour to Lincoln for the Christmas Market in conjunction with North East Railtours on Friday 2nd December - it calls at (ignoring the stations in Scotland) Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnmouth, Morpeth, Cramlington, Newcastle upon Tyne and Durham. Traction is 55022

more info at www.srps.org.uk/railtours

 

[class57basher]

I do like this little site (Railtourinfo) that lists railtours and the traction that is planned. updated often and a god overview i find

 

[theblackwatch]

Only ever seen one bloke doing some work on one, and another watching England vs. USA in last year's World Cup. Do you do the reviews on a professional basis?

Sometimes!

I do like this little site (Railtourinfo) that lists railtours and the traction that is planned. updated often and a god overview i find

But unfortunately somewhat inaccurate with its claims of booked motive power. I can see at least two tours listed in December where the 'Loco' is incorrect.

 

[callum112233]

Thanks all for plenty of info. I probably won't be booking a ticket anytime soon because christmas is looming, and this time of year can be costly.
Saying that, I think a new years eve tour would be quite a good idea.

 

[theblackwatch]

Thanks all for plenty of info. I probably won't be booking a ticket anytime soon because christmas is looming, and this time of year can be costly.
Saying that, I think a new years eve tour would be quite a good idea.

And here are details of two, though to quote you, they are a "bit formal".

http://www.orient-express.com/web/uktr/journeys/4_94321.jsp?date=31 December 2011

http://www.orient-express.com/web/uktr/journeys/4_94359.jsp?date=31 December 2011

You may need to start saving up!

 

[bocaj]

Apparently, you can get Scarbourah Spa Express rickets for just £10 on short jornies like York to Castleford.

 

[callum112233]

You may need to start saving up!

Indeed.
For two people on the train from Manchester comes up 590 pound and that's only for the basic package. Sounds good though, except the part where you are not allowed to wear jeans

Theres even a Guy Fawkes dinner listed on that website