Supreme Steam in Staffordshire 2026

Duration

5 Days

Departure Dates

23rd July 2026

Prices from

£829 Per person

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Experience the supreme steam of Staffordshire on this action-packed tour featuring no less than seven heritage railways including steam, narrow-gauge, and miniature railways. Steam nostalgia through Staffordshire's 'Little Switzerland' alongside scenic lakes and into charming stations, explore fascinating locomotive collections, and enjoy vintage tram rides on a tour that has it all.

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Ecclesbourne Valley Railway ©AdobeStock

5 days from £829

DEPARTS

Thursday 23 July 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Steam on the scenic Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
Step back in time at the Crich Tramway Village and explore its extensive collection
Enjoy vintage tram rides at the National Tramway Museum
Ride behind steam on the narrow-gauge Apedale Railway
Visit Leek, the home of Railtrail Tours
Journey on the charming, miniature Rudyard Lake Railway
Steam nostalgia on the picturesque Churnet Valley Railway
Explore the former colliery line by steam at Chasewater Railway
Visit the vibrant Statfold Barn Railway and view the amazing locomotive collection
Discover the rarely visited Amerton Railway

Also included in your Tour Fare:

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

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Stoke 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

After breakfast this morning, we depart by coach to Wirksworth for a steam-hauled ride on the scenic Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Derbyshire's longest heritage railway. We journey through the charming village of Idridgehay, passing the beautiful rural station of Shottle, to the southern terminus of Duffield and return. After free time for lunch, we continue by road to the Crich Tramway Museum, a unique open-air museum combining a period village with a working tramway, and we enjoy time to explore their huge collection and ride the vintage trams before returning to the hotel in time for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 3

Today, our coach takes to the nearby Apedale Railway where we can view their fantastic narrow-gauge collection and discover the industrial history of the area in the museum ahead of our steam journey over the 2ft gauge line. Our day continues in Leek, known as the 'Queen of the Moorlands' and home to Railtrail, where we enjoy a light lunch and a sampling of the renowned Titanic Beer at the characterful Roebuck Pub. This afternoon, we visit Rudyard Lake Railway for a charming journey through this local beauty spot running along the lakeside before making our way to Froghall, set in the picturesque Churnet Valley, where we enjoy a pre-train drink in the station bar. Afterwards, we will partake of a traditional pie and mash meal on board a special evening ride on the Churnet Valley Railway steaming through Staffordshire's 'Little Switzerland' as it was marketed by the original North Staffordshire Railway and, on our return to Froghall, our coach will take us back to the hotel.

B, L, D

DAY 4

This morning, we head to Chasewater Railway for their morning steam-hauled train over the former colliery line around the edge of the reservoir before continuing to Statfold Barn Railway which started as a private passion project and has developed into a vibrant destination for railway enthusiasts, and we enjoy another narrow-gauge steam journey and time to view their amazing collection of locomotives. Finally, we make our way to the rarely visited Amerton Railway for a nostalgic narrow-gauge steam journey over the circular, mile long route before returning to the hotel in time for our final evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 5

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Stoke 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, Stoke

Ideally located a short drive from the railway station, the modern Holiday Inn offers a bright, spacious restaurant with all day dining, a welcoming bar and lounge, and a leisure club including an indoor pool, spa, sauna, and gym. The comfortable bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom, a flat-screen TV, ironing facilities, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Euston	£1,069	£935
Greater London	£1,089	£949
South of England	£1,139	£985
East Anglia	£1,169	£1,005
South West	£1,099	£955
Heart of England	£1,005	£895
Midlands	£949	£869
Yorkshire	£1,009	£929
North East	£1,149	£1,005
North West	£979	£895
South Wales	£1,205	£965
North Wales	£985	£899
Scotland	£1,105	£955
Join & Leave at Hotel	£829
Single Traveller Supplement	£270
Deposit	£85

*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 & evening meal plus 1 lunch

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
23rd July 2026	£829 Per person	Book Now	Callback

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Holiday Inn, Stoke

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

Crich Tramway Museum

Apedale Railway

Rudyard Lake Railway

Churnet Valley Railway

Chasewater Railway

Statfold Barn Railway

Amerton Railway

Crich Tramway Village 1 ©Shutterstock

Crich Tramway Village 2 ©Shutterstock

Apedale Railway 1 ©Shutterstock

Apedale Railway 2 ©Apedale

Nicholson Memorial, Leek ©Shutterstock

Rudyard Lake ©Shutterstock

Rudyard Lake Railway 1 ©RLSR

Rudyard Lake Railway 2 ©RLSR

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