South of England, Solent & Steam 2026

Duration

5 Days

Departure Dates

10th September 2026

Prices from

£910 Per person

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Immerse yourself in the golden age of rail travel on this action-packed tour featuring the fantastic "Autumn Steam Gala" event at Swanage Railway. Steam nostalgia on the scenic Watercress Line, experience the fascinating Island Line, and journey on the charming Isle of Wight Steam Railway plus miniature steam action, workshop visits, and free time in the picturesque village of Shanklin.

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Royal Victoria Railway ©Royal Victoria

5 days from £910

DEPARTS

Thursday 10 September 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Experience the fantastic "Autumn Steam Gala" at Swanage Railway
Tickets allowing unlimited rides on the intensive service
Exclusive miniature steam charter on the charming Royal Victoria Railway
Ride behind steam on the Watercress Line through beautiful countryside
Discover the impressive engineering sheds at Ropley Station
Journey on the historic Hythe Pier Railway
Experience the fascinating Island Line on the Isle of Wight
Steam nostalgia on the delightful Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Enjoy free time in the picturesque village of Shanklin

Also included in your Tour Fare:

4 nights’ bed & breakfast plus 1 evening meal
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Southampton and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Ibis Hotel, our hotel for the next four nights. After checking in, we transfer to the Royal Victoria Railway at Netley for an exclusive charter on this charming line with beautiful views of the surrounding parkland. This evening, we enjoy a welcome meal at The Jolly Sailor in Bursledon, overlooking the picturesque River Hamble.

DAY 2

After breakfast, we take the train to Wareham and transfer to Swanage Railway for their Autumn Steam Gala. With six steam locomotives in action, unlimited travel on the intensive steam-hauled service along the scenic line, and brilliant photographic opportunities, this is a fantastic celebration of steam.

DAY 3

This morning, we travel by coach to Alresford to board the Watercress Line for a return journey through beautiful Hampshire countryside to Alton. We return as far as Ropley Station for a behind the scenes look at their restoration programme in the impressive engineering sheds plus time to explore the miniature railway. This afternoon, we transfer to Town Quay for the ferry to Hythe where we enjoy a ride on the historic Hythe Pier Railway, hauled by a 109-year-old electric locomotive. We retrace our steps and return to our hotel for an evening at leisure.

DAY 4

After breakfast, we take the train to Portsmouth Harbour for our ferry across the Solent to Ryde on the Isle of Wight. From here, we board the Island Line service which utilises modified and refurbished London Underground trains due to the rural nature of the island's railways and low clearance of the Ryde Tunnel. On arrival at Smallbrook Junction, we transfer to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway for a nostalgic steam journey aboard beautifully restored carriages through scenic countryside to Wootton and return. We will also visit the Train Story Discovery Centre exploring the collection of rare rolling stock and learning the history of the island railways before continuing to Shanklin with time to stroll this picturesque village before returning to Southampton for an evening at leisure.

DAY 5

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Southampton and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

HOTEL

Ibis Hotel, Southampton

Ideally located in the heart of the city and close to the railway station, the Ibis Hotel offers a bright, modern restaurant and a relaxing bar. The comfortable bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Waterloo	£1,035	£979
Greater London	£1,049	£985
South of England	£1,089	£1,009
East Anglia	£1,075	£1,019
South West	£1,159	£1,079
Heart of England	£1,089	£1,015
Midlands	£1,129	£1,055
Yorkshire	£1,205	£1,075
North East	£1,255	£1,099
North West	£1,219	£1,075
South Wales	N/A	£989
North Wales	£1,299	£1,115
Scotland	£1,285	£1,119
Join & Leave at Hotel	£925
Single Traveller Supplement	£250
Deposit	£95
£15 discount for National Railcard Holders

*Please Note: Some local and regional train services are Standard Class seating only and First Class ticket holders will travel in standard class accommodation for these sections of their journey.

4 nights’ bed & breakfast plus 1 evening meal

Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class)

Rail & coach travel, with transfers as described

All excursions & admissions as detailed

Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

Important – Please select the number of passengers before proceeding to ‘Book Now’

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Ibis Hotel, Southampton

Royal Victoria Railway

Swanage Railway

Watercress Line

Island Line

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Train Story Discovery Centre

Swanage Railway ©Steven Hatton

Swanage Railway ©Shutterstock

Mid-Hants (Watercress) Line ©Shutterstock

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