North West Steam Adventure 2026

Duration

5 Days

Departure Dates

24th September 2026

Prices from

£875 Per person

Experience an action-packed steam tour in the North West featuring the fantastic "Autumn Steam Gala" event at Ribble Railway. Enjoy nostalgic journeys on five heritage railways plus an exclusive vintage tram charter, a relaxing cruise on Lake Windermere, fascinating museum visits, and free time in Blackpool to explore the famous illuminations.

Overview
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Blackpool ©AdobeStock

5 days from £875

DEPARTS

Thursday 24 September 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Steam on the "Owd Ratty" at Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway
Discover the collection at Ravenglass Railway Museum
Journey on the picturesque Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
Relax on a leisurely cruise on Lake Windermere
Enjoy an exclusive vintage tram charter in Blackpool
Experience the fantastic "Autumn Steam Gala" event at Ribble Railway
Travel on the scenic East Lancashire Railway
Visit the fascinating Bury Transport Museum
Journey on the narrow-gauge West Lancashire Light Railway
Enjoy free time in Blackpool to explore the famous illuminations

Also included in your Tour Fare:

4 nights’ bed & breakfast
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Blackpool and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Holiday Inn, our hotel for the next four nights. We enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings or stroll to the promenade for the famous illuminations before dining at leisure.

DAY 2

This morning, we board our private coach to Ravenglass for a return steam journey on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway where we can also visit the museum, affectionally known as the 'Ratty', which houses a collection of artefacts ranging from steam locomotives down to tickets and uniforms. Afterwards, we continue to the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway for a ride behind steam before our relaxing cruise across the picturesque Lake Windermere to Ambleside where our coach will be waiting to return us to our hotel.

DAY 3

Today, we enjoy an exclusive vintage tram tour from Blackpool to Fleetwood before our coach takes us to the Ribble Steam Railway for their fantastic Autumn Steam Gala. With five steam locomotives in action, unlimited travel throughout the day, demonstration goods trains, and railway workshops, this is a brilliant celebration of steam.

DAY 4

After breakfast this morning, we travel by road to Rawtenstall and board a wonderfully restored steam locomotive on the East Lancashire Railway for a scenic journey through the Irwell Valley returning as far as Bury. Here, we visit the superb Bury Transport Museum packed with historic vehicles of every shape and size and we enjoy time for lunch before rejoining our coach to the West Lancashire Light Railway. We journey on this heritage, narrow-gauge railway through woodland scenery and explore their collection of industrial locomotives before returning to our hotel for our final evening at leisure.

DAY 5

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Blackpool 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

Holiday Inn, Blackpool

Ideally located in the centre of Blackpool within walking distance to the seafront and town centre, the new Holiday Inn offers a Marco’s New York Italian Restaurant serving dishes created by Marco Pierre White, a relaxing bar and lounge, and a fitness suite. The modern bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with a power shower, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, ironing facilities, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Euston	£1,165	£1,015
Greater London	£1,205	£1,029
South of England	£1,255	£1,069
East Anglia	£1,275	£1,079
South West	£1,189	£1,035
Heart of England	£1,085	£975
Midlands	£985	£945
Yorkshire	N/A	£935
North East	£1,165	£1,035
North West	£945	£919
South Wales	£1,125	£995
North Wales	£1,095	£969
Scotland	£1,099	£985
Join & Leave at Hotel	£875
Single Traveller Supplement	£350
Deposit	£90

*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

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’

Number of passengers:

Date	From Price	Book Now	Callback
24th September 2026	£875 Per person	Book Now	Callback

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Holiday Inn, Blackpool

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway

Ravenglass Railway Museum

Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway

Ribble Steam Railway

East Lancashire Railway

West Lancashire Light Railway

Blackpool Illuminations ©AdobeStock

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway 1 ©Mark Fielding

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway 2 ©Mark Fielding

Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway 1 ©Shutterstock

Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway 2 ©L&HR

Lake Windermere ©Shutterstock

Blackpool Tram ©Shutterstock

Ribble Steam Railway 1 ©AdobeStock

Ribble Steam Railway 2 ©Ribble Railway

East Lancashire Railway ©Richard Fox

Bury Transport Museum ©BTM

West Lancashire Railway 1 ©WLLR

West Lancashire Railway 2 ©WLLR

West Lancashire Railway 3 ©WLLR

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