22 brilliant days out for kids who love trains
Is your child a Thomas the Tank Engine fan, or just loves to watch trains and steam locomotives? Here are some brilliant days out for train mad kids.
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Southern England
1 Avon Valley Railway, Bitton, Gloucestershire
When: all year round. See website for timetable.
The whole family can enjoy this six-mile round trip on Avon Valley Railway.
Steam and diesel engines will take you through beautiful West Country landscapes from Bitton station through Oldland Common and Avon Riverside.
Thee's a cafe on board too so you can relax with a spot of lunch while enjoying the scenery.
2 Ruislip Lido Railway, Hillingdon, London
When: weekends and school holidays February - November. See website for full timetable.
Ruislip Lido Railway is a cute miniature railway that runs from the Waters Edge pub in Ruislip to a little play area and back.
The journey itself is about 11 minutes long and makes for a nice gentle ride through the trees that your train mad kids will love.
3 Dartmouth Steam Railway, Paignton, Devon
When: daily for most of the year. See website for full timetable.
If your kids are mad about trains and boats, they'll love a day out with the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company.
The steam train runs seven miles down the beautiful Devon coastline while the river boats cruise gently down the River Dart. A great day out for the whole family.
Eastern England
4 Mangapps Railway Museum, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex
When: March - October weekends and school holidays, 11.30am - 5pm
Learn all about steam locomotives through the ages at Mangapps Railway Museum.
There is a fascinating collection of memorabilia, signalling equipment, carriages and wagons ... as well as train rides.
5 Leighton Buzzard Railway, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
When: Sundays mostly all year round. See website for full timetable.
Enjoy a day of gentle travel on Leighton Buzzard Railway on a 1 hour 10 minutes round trip on a steam locomotive.
During the journey, you'll learn about 90 years of history on the railway while your little ones watch the world go by the window.
6 Wells and Walsingham Light Railway, Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk
When: daily March - October. See website for full timetable.
Boasting the longest narrow gauge steam railway in the world, Wells & Walsingham Light Railway takes in the beautiful scenery of Norfolk.
Covering five bridges in total and the lovely village of Walsingham, it's a great family day out.
7 Railworld, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
When: April - October weekends 11am - 4pm
The past and present collide at Railworld. With over 30 operating locomotives, this model railway has everything from a Thomas the Tank Engine to Eurostar.
There's also a live video feed from inside the driver's cab of a diesel train. Your child can even drive a model Thomas the Tank Engine - a great day out for train mad kids.
Midlands
8 Great Central Railway, Loughborough, Leicestershire
When: weekends all year round. See website for full timetable.
Running for eight miles from Loughborough to Leicester, Great Central Railway is the UK's only mainline steam railway.
Thomas the Tank Engine visits a few times a year so check the website to see when he's next due.
9 Irchester Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
When: Sundays all year round 10am - 4pm
Learn all about steam locomotives from history at Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum.
See steam and diesel locomotives and find out how they worked as well as other steam railway exhibits.
10 Echills Wood Railway, Kingsbury, Warwickshire
When: March - October Sundays 11am - 4pm. November - March Sundays 11am - 3pm. Closed January and February.
Echills Wood Railway is a cute little steam train that runs through the beautiful wooded 600 acres of Kingsbury Water Park.
There are special Halloween and Christmas events, so check the website for details.
Northern England and Yorkshire
11 The Wensleydale Railway, Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire
When: all year round. See website for full timetable.
With special events happening all year round, The Wensleydale Railway is always a fun day out for the family.
Explore the history of train travel between the 1950s to 1980s and visit the pretty Yorkshire towns you'll pass through on the journey.
12 Brookside Miniature Railway, Poynton, Cheshire
When: weekends all year round 11am - 4pm
Brookside Miniature Railway features three steam trains and two diesel trains - perfect if your kids love trains.
Enjoy a half a mile trip round Brookside Garden Centre in an authentic replica West Country train station.
13 The Stephenson Railway Museum, North Shields, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
When: weekends until 29th October. Daily from 23 October 2017, 11am - 4pm
Learn all about the history of working trains in Tyneside at The Stephenson Railway Museum.
Exhibits span from the 1800s to the 1950s, so you'll get a brilliant train-themed tour through time.
14 Ravenglass And Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass, Cumbria
When: all year round. See website for full timetable.
Possibly the most scenic rail ride in the country, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway takes in seven miles of the beautiful Lake District National Park.
The whole family will love watching the wildlife from the window - see if you can spot buzzards and red squirrels.
Scotland
15 The Jacobite Steam Train, Fort William, Highlands
When: see website for full timetable.
Harry Potter fans will love a ride on the real Hogwarts Express.
The Jacobite steam train offers a magical 84-mile round trip through the breathtaking Scottish Highlands. Starting close to Ben Nevis, you'll go over the Glenfinnan viaduct (also featured in the Harry Potter films) and through numerous beautiful villages and valleys.
16 The Clyde Valley Model Railway, Carluke, Lanarkshire
When: daily all year round, 10am - 4.30pm
Thomas the Tank Engine fans will love The Clyde Valley Model Railway - especially watching Thomas chug round the track with Annie and Clarabel.
17 Ness Island Railway, Inverness, Highlands
When: weekends and daily throughout school holidays, 11.30am - 4pm
Take a picturesque ride through Whin Park on the cute seven and a quarter inch gauge Ness Island Railway.
Over half a mile long, it's a gentle ride that both kids and adults will love.
Wales
18 Vale of Rheidol Railway, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
When: daily for most of the year. See website for for full timetable.
Get on the little steam train at Aberystwyth and enjoy the 12-mile trip to Devil's Bridge on the Vale of Rheidol Railway.
See if you can spot a red kite or two out the train window.
19 Snowdon Mountain Railway, Caernarfon, Gwynedd
When: March - October daily. See website for full timetable.
The landscape surrounding the beautiful Mount Snowdon is second to none.
The Snowdon Mountain Railway will take you to the summit so you and your family can enjoy the stunning views.
20 Gwili Steam Railway, Bronwydd Arms, Carmarthenshire
When: mostly all year round. See website for full timetable.
At Gwili Steam Railway, you can take a gentle steam ride alongside the river as well as a trip on the miniature railway - both are included in the ticket price.
You can also enjoy afternoon tea on board or take a picnic to the riverside. Ideal for train fans, young and old.
Northern Ireland
21 Downpatrick and County Down Railway, Downpatrick, County Down
When: see website for full timetable.
Every train enthusiast will love a trip on the gentle nostalgic Downpatrick & County Down Railway.
As well as a ten minute trip on a steam locomotive, there's a small museum and fascinating things to see at each station.
22 Drumawhey Junction, Donaghadee, County Down
When: every first and third Sunday of the month, 1pm - 5pm
The longest seven and a quarter inch gauge railway in Northern Ireland, Drumawhey Junction offers a 15 minute journey under bridges and over embankments.
A great day out if your kids love trains.
