Steam in England’s Beautiful Shires 2027

Duration

5 Days

Departure Dates

27th August 2027

Prices from

£725 Per person

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Steam nostalgia through England's beautiful countryside aboard some of the finest heritage railways. Journey on the scenic Severn Valley Railway, the iconic Shakespeare Express, the spectacular Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, and the delightful Toddington Narrow-Gauge Railway. Explore historic towns, picturesque Cotswold villages, and fascinating railway museums, combining spectacular landscapes with the golden age of steam.

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Severn Valley Railway ©SVR

5 DAYS FROM £725

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT

Book by 30th September 2026 using code EARLYBIRD100

to save £100 per person!

DEPARTS

Friday 27 August 2027

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Steam on the scenic Severn Valley Railway
Visit the fascinating railway exhibits of The Engine House
Ride behind steam on the iconic Shakespeare Express
Explore historic Stratford, the birthplace of Shakespeare
Journey through spectacular Cotswold scenery on the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway
Ride the delightful, narrow-gauge railway at Toddington
Enjoy free time in the picturesque village of Broadway

Also included in your Tour Fare:

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

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Birmingham and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Holiday Inn Hotel, our hotel for the next four nights. We enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings before meeting for our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

This morning, we travel by rail to Kidderminster for a scenic steam excursion on the Severn Valley Railway through 16-miles of beautiful countryside closely following the River Severn to Bridgnorth. Here, we enjoy free time in this charming, historic town and you can explore its independent shops, relax at the quaint cafés, or take a ride on England's oldest and steepest inland funicular railway. Afterwards, we continue by steam to Highley for a visit to The Engine House Visitor Centre, home to fascinating railway exhibits and heritage locomotives, before retracing our steps back to Birmingham.

DAY 3

Today, we will experience the iconic Shakespeare Express, a fantastic steam-hauled journey through the Warwickshire countryside to Stratford-upon-Avon. Sit back and savour the nostalgic sight, sound, and atmosphere of mainline steam travel to the historic birthplace of William Shakespeare. On arrival in Stratford, we enjoy time at leisure in this beautiful market town on the banks of the River Avon and you may wish to visit Shakespeare's birthplace, explore hidden gems and iconic buildings, stroll the quaint side streets with unique shops, or discover the open parklands along the river before we return behind steam to Birmingham.

DAY 4

After breakfast this morning, we board our coach and transfer to Cheltenham Racecourse for our nostalgic steam journey aboard the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway through spectacular Cotswold scenery, passing rolling hills, wooded landscapes, and charming rural stations to Broadway. We enjoy a little free time in this picturesque Cotswold village before departing to Toddington Narrow-Gauge Railway where an enjoyable visit includes a ride over their half mile line together with access to the locomotive shed, signal box, and impressive garden railway. Afterwards, we return by coach to Birmingham for our final evening at leisure.

DAY 5

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

*Important Note: The Shakespeare Express operating dates have not been confirmed for 2027 at the time of tour compilation. We do reserve the right to make substitutions and changes to the itinerary should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

*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, Birmingham City Centre

Ideally located in the heart of Birmingham and close to the railway station, the Holiday Inn offers a restaurant serving a buffet breakfast and an evening menu of international dishes plus a relaxing bar and lounge area. The modern 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: Euston	£975	£825
Greater London	£1,019	£845
South of England	£1,075	£885
East Anglia	£1,099	£899
South West	£1,069	£909
Heart of England	£885	£779
Midlands	£805	£759
Yorkshire	£945	£835
North East	£1,059	£885
North West	£979	£855
South Wales	N/A	£869
North Wales	£955	£839
Scotland	£1,139	£945
Join & Leave at Hotel	£730
Single Traveller Supplement	£250
Deposit	£75
£5 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 Tour Manager

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

Number of passengers:

Date	From Price	Book Now	Callback
27th August 2027	£725 Per person	Book Now	Callback

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Holiday Inn, Birmingham

Severn Valley Railway

The Engine House Visitor Centre

Visit Bridgnorth

The Shakespeare Express

Visit Stratford

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway

Toddington Narrow-Gauge Railway

Severn Valley Railway ©SVR

Bridgnorth ©Shutterstock

Bridgnorth Cliff Railway ©AdobeStock

Shakespeare Express ©John Evans

Stratford ©Shutterstock

Stratford, Holy Trinity Church ©Shutterstock

Toddington Narrow-Gauge ©Toddington Railway

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