West Country Steam 2026

Duration

6 Days

Departure Dates

3rd June 2026

Prices from

£975 Per person

Experience a fantastic steam tour to the West Country to explore remarkable rail heritage from the beautiful town of Torquay. Steam nostalgia over narrow-gauge lines, through stunning countryside, along magnificent coastlines, and past wild moorlands with heritage railway adventures every day plus enjoy free time in Bodmin and Dartmouth to discover these vibrant and historic towns.

Overview
Itinerary
Further Information
Departure Dates
Helpful Links

Torquay ©Shutterstock

6 days from £975

DEPARTS

Wednesday 3 June 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Steam nostalgia on the Bodmin & Wenford line
Travel on the Dartmouth Steam Railway along the beautiful English Riviera coastline
Enjoy free time to explore Dartmouth, an historic naval town
Take in a circular cruise viewing sights from the majestic River Dart
Journey on the delightful West Somerset Railway
Ride behind steam on the narrow-gauge Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
Journey on the scenic South Devon Railway to Buckfastleigh

Also included in your Tour Fare:

5 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Torquay and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Livermead House Hotel, our hotel for the next five 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 train over Brunel's Saltash Bridge into Cornwall arriving at Bodmin Parkway for a wonderful journey of nostalgia on the Bodmin & Wenford Steam Railway, a time-capsule of yesteryear's train travel. We enjoy some free time in Bodmin on our return, maybe grab a coffee in the café or browse the gift shops before we return to Torquay for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 3

Today, from Paignton, we join the Dartmouth Steam Railway and follow the English Riviera coastline to Churston, then on through the wooded slopes of Long Wood bordering the Dart Estuary to Kingswear. We take a short ferry crossing to the historic resort of Dartmouth where there is free time for some sightseeing before our gentle circular river cruise viewing Bayards Cove, Kingswear and Dartmouth Castles, Britannia Royal Naval College, Dittisham Village, and Sir Walter Raleigh's Boathouse. We return by steam train to Paignton and onwards to our hotel in time for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 4

After breakfast this morning, we travel by private coach to Bishops Lydeard for a ride over the delightful 20-mile long West Somerset Railway through stunning countryside to the seaside resort of Minehead. We enjoy time to explore the town before our coach journey via Lynton to Woody Bay for a ride behind steam over the narrow-gauge Lynton & Barnstaple Railway with wild moorland and rugged coastline views. Our coach returns us to our hotel in Torquay for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 5

Today, we travel to Totnes where we join the oldest preserved steam railway in the south-west, the South Devon Railway, and follow a scenic seven-mile rail journey connecting the beautifully maintained stations at Totnes and Buckfastleigh. We enjoy free time at Buckfastleigh where we can visit the Butterfly Farm and Otter Sanctuary, located next to the railway station and only a few minutes' walk from the platform or, alternatively, we can venture a little further and visit nearby Buckfast Abbey and Gardens. We return to Torquay and enjoy our final evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 6

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Torquay 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

Livermead House Hotel, Torquay

Ideally located close to the railway station and with a picturesque seafront location, the Livermead House Hotel offers outstanding sea views, high standards of cuisine, charming gardens, and fantastic leisure facilities including an outdoor swimming pool, sauna, snooker room, and gym. The elegant bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with complimentary toiletries, a flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Paddington	£1,209	£1,135
Greater London	£1,219	£1,139
South of England	£1,245	£1,159
East Anglia	£1,239	£1,149
South West	£1,075	£1,029
Heart of England	£1,225	£1,135
Midlands	£1,265	£1,119
Yorkshire	£1,335	£1,175
North East	£1,405	£1,205
North West	£1,305	£1,149
South Wales	£1,389	£1,139
North Wales	£1,319	£1,149
Scotland	£1,469	£1,249
Join & Leave at Hotel	£995
Single Traveller Supplement	£NIL
Deposit	£100

*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.

£20 tour discount for holders of National Railcards

Single Room Supplement £NIL (on true single rooms)

Double Room for Sole Occupancy Supplement £75

5 nights’ bed, breakfast & 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’

Number of passengers:

Date	From Price	Book Now	Callback
3rd June 2026	£975 Per person	Book Now	Callback

Can't see a date that suits you? Please register your interest for additional departures on this tour.

Register interest

Enter your details to receive updates on upcoming departure dates for the West Country Steam 2026 rail tour.

Livermead House Hotel, Torquay

Bodmin & Wenford Railway

Dartmouth Steam Railway

West Somerset Railway

Lynton & Barnstaple Railway

South Devon Railway

Butterfly Farm & Otter Sanctuary

Buckfast Abbey & Gardens

Torquay Harbour ©iStock

Brunel's Saltash Bridge ©Shutterstock

Bodmin & Wenford Railway ©Shutterstock

Dartmouth Steam1 ©Shutterstock

Dartmouth Steam2 ©Shutterstock

Dartmouth Harbour ©Shutterstock

West Somerset Railway ©AdobeStock

Lynton & Barnstaple Railway ©AdobeStock

South Devon Railway ©Shutterstock

Otter Sanctuary ©Shutterstock

Buckfastleigh Abbey ©Shutterstock

Steam & Sail in the English Riviera 2027

Enjoy a relaxing rail holiday along one of Britain's most iconic routes to the English Riviera with the opportunity to explore the beauty and charm of Devon's magnificent coastline by boat as well as travelling on two of Devon's finest steam railways. Stay in a picturesque seafront location with seaview rooms included plus enjoy free time in Torquay and Dartmouth to discover these vibrant and historic towns.

5 Days Choice of Dates from £745

Land's End to John O'Groats 2027

Experience a fantastic coast to coast adventure from Land's End to John O'Groats crossing three countries with many of the UK's greatest scenic rail journeys along the way. Journey through England, Scotland, and Wales visiting iconic locations, exploring beautiful cities, and discovering picturesque scenery on a tour that has it all!

13 Days 16/09/2027 from £3,549

Steam & Sail in the English Riviera 2026

5 Days Choice of Dates from £710

Mystery on the Winter Riviera 2027

Step into a world of seaside charm and old-fashioned suspense on this captivating new tour inspired by Agatha Christie. Explore the life of the Queen of Crime and step into the role of detective on an immersive Murder Mystery Evening - will you solve the case? With nostalgic steam journeys, scenic river cruises, and fascinating museum visits, the beautiful English Riviera becomes the backdrop for your very own unfolding mystery.

5 Days 22/02/2027 from £849

Torquay, Tinsel & Christmas Cheer 2026

Enjoy all things Christmas on this relaxing short-break tour in the beautiful seaside town of Torquay. Journey on the spectacular Christmas Train of Lights, discover the Christmas Illuminations at Babbacombe Model Village, and visit Plymouth's Winter Wonderland plus enjoy free time in Torquay to soak in the atmosphere on this magical Christmas adventure.

4 Days 18/12/2026 from £529

Land's End to John O'Groats 2026

14 Days 03/09/2026 from £3,595

What our customers say

Sounds like the holiday for you?

View Dates and Book

Why Book with Railtrail

Railtrail Tours is a family firm with an ethos of honesty and integrity. Our passion for delivering quality escorted holidays by rail at great value fares along with consistently excellent customer service has stood us in good stead for over 40 years – Big on Quality, Small Enough to Care

Unique Experiences

Our tours are unique to us, created by our team of rail travel experts who each have a lifetime of knowledge and experience in the rail holiday industry

Financial Protection

Railtrail Tours are members of ABTOT and ATOL, meaning you can relax knowing that you are fully protected when booking any holiday with us.

Loyalty Rewards

For every pound spent you will receive Loyalty Points on return from your holiday, which can then be used as a discount on future bookings.

Award Winning Team

We were proudly awarded Silver at the British Travel Awards for ‘Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays’ in 2024.

More about us

Destinations

Tour Types