Fun Days Out For Kids That Love Trains
Does your youngster love trains? Whether they love to watch trains chug past or are obsessed with the likes of Thomas the Tank Engine, we’ve rounded up the best days out for train-mad kids across England.
Southern England
Kent and East Sussex Railway
Set amongst the stunning Rother Valley, the Kent and East Sussex Railway was one of the first ‘light railways’ to be built, and was originally part of a bigger system that ran between Headcorn and Robertsbridge.
With a mixture of glorious steam and diesel engines, some of K&ESR’s trains come with First Class accommodation as well as quaint carriages with family compartments that are ideal if you want your own personal space.
Don’t let your little train enthusiast miss out on K&ESR’s popular Junior Engineer experience on the 9th and 10th August 2022. Aspiring train drivers can climb onto the footplate and learn how it all works, followed by a behind-the-scenes tour at the locomotive workshop plus various activities. They will even take home a free copy of Chris Vine’s Peter’s Railway book.
Return Tickets start from £20.00 for adults and £13.50 for children (3-15 years) plus under 3s go free. Family Tickets start from £49.00.
South Devon Railway
Take a trip back to the golden age of rail from the 1930s to the 1960s with South Devon Railway. The journey along a traditional Great Western Railway branch line runs from Buckfastleigh to Totnes Riverside.
The railway has a rich and interesting history, with the line originally running for nine miles from Totnes where it joined the Plymouth to Exeter main line, to the ancient town of Ashburton. Did you know our Great Western Saddle Engine is inspired by South Devon Railway’s heritage?
Children can hop aboard a heritage steam train with the Heritage Train Experience and trundle alongside the river Dart amongst the glorious Devon scenery. With four return trips each day between Buckfastleigh and Totnes, the beautifully restored vintage carriages are pulled by a steam engine.
For something fun in the Autumn, join Thomas & Friends on 23rd-25th September as little ones get to meet Sir Topham Hatt, watch Thomas re-enactments, visit the Imagination Station, follow the Thomas Trail and much more.
Perrygrove Railway
Enjoy treehouses, trains and treasure at Perrygrove Railway. Suitable for kids aged up to 10 years old, Perrygrove is a child and dog friendly family attraction and a great day out. The four stations on the railways have paths leading to fun walks through pretty woodland.
A round trip takes around 30 minutes and the Treetop Adventure at Twilight Village is perfect for plenty of outdoor fun with a slide, bouncy bridge and ladders to climb. In the summer, you can bring along a picnic blanket and stay all day (plus, with the amount of woodland there’s lots of shade). Ice creams are available to buy from the cafe up until October.
Tickets for adults start from £9.30, children (2-15 years) from £7.50 and under 2s go free! Tickets last all day and you can re-enter as many times as you like. Do you recognise Perrygrove’s Lydia Engine from our Bigjigs Rail collection?
Eastern England
Bressingham Steam Experience
See Norfolk’s most stunning scenery as you trundle through the gardens, woodlands and countryside surroundings of Bressingham. The four mile steam line has four different journeys to choose from: The Fen Railway (formerly the Nursery Railway), The Garden Railway, The Waveney Valley Railway and the Standard Gauge Railway.
With over 20 acres of space for kids to run around, there’s lots of room for children to let off some steam. Alongside the four rail journeys, there are also pedal snails, mini waltzers, super dodgems and even a 9-hole 1960s style crazy golf course.
On Saturday 13th to Sunday 14th August, Bressingham has their very popular Steam in Miniature Weekend, where kids can see working scale models of steam locomotives in action - with everything from travelling fairs to road rollers and much more.
Leighton Buzzard Railway
One of Bedfordshire’s premier heritage railway attractions, Leighton Buzzard Railway is one of the last two-foot gauge light railways built in Britain. Opened in 1919 to transport sand, it has had a steam-hauled passenger service since 1968.
The railway has an 85-minute round trip from Page’s Park to Stonehenge Works; the current track is just under 3 miles long. This summer, Leighton Buzzard railway has two events to keep youngsters entertained Paw Patrol on Sunday 17th July and Dinosaurs Day on Sunday 4th September.
Prices start from £10.00 for adults (18-59), £6.35 for children (2-17) and under 2s go free. There’s also a 10% discount for families with four or more paying passengers.
Railworld
This impressive model railway has everything from Eurostar to Thomas the Tank Engine plus 30 operating locomotives. Located in a former coal storage yard that was once home to Peterborough Power Station, Railworld has transformed into an inner-city green space with ponds, waterfalls, and restored Victorian aqueducts.
Railworld has 2,000 sqft of model railway with lots of interactive exhibits. They even have the unique hover train RTV 31. Little eco-warriors will enjoy the “Railways and the Environment” model railways which shows the benefits of rail travel in reducing pollution and greenhouse gas.
Tickets start from £10.00 for a family ticket, £4.00 for adults and £2.00 for children.
The Midlands
Severn Valley Railway
Take a trip across the line from Kidderminster and Bridgnorth as you pass the serene River Severn. Keep your eyes peeled to spy the famous 200ft Victoria Bridge as well as the scenic views.
You can hop on and off at any station you like. If you alight at Highley, you can visit The Engine House which is home to an incredible collection of steam locomotives as well as railway-themed exhibitions.
Little vintage transport lovers can head to the Vintage Transport Extravaganza on Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th August and see tonnes of cars, tractors, buses, steam locomotives and diesel engines.
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway is the UK’s only main line, double-track heritage railway. In fact, it’s the only place in the world where full-size steam trains pass each other - just like they did in the good old days.
Rail trips run every weekend for over 8 miles from Loughborough Station to Leicester, calling at Quorn, Rothley and Leicester North. Thomas the Tank engine visits several times a year so keep your eyes peeled to see if he’s stopping this Summer.
Tickets start from £19.00 for adults and £10.00 for children, with family tickets also available.
Northern England
Wensleydale Railway
A delightful heritage railway in North Yorkshire, Wensleydale Railway is the perfect day out in the Yorkshire Dales. The railway starts at Leeming Bar with passengers travelling all the way up to Redmire before passing through the Yorkshire Dales National Parking, Bedale, Leyburn, the Vale of Mowbray and then the hills of the West Yorkshire Dales.
For a magical train ride that children will cherish, the weird and wonderful Mad Hatter’s Travelling Tea Party departs from Leeming Bar station. Grown-ups and kids are invited to dress up for the occasion in anything wonderland themed.
Enjoy cakes and cold drinks as you travel across the picturesque Yorkshire countryside. Tickets are £19.95 for children and £24.95 for adults.
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
One of the oldest and most scenic railways in the Lake District, Ravenglass Railway takes a 7-mile journey from Ravenglass, the only coastal village in the Lake District National Park. The railway was first built in 1873 and is surrounded by plenty of things to do, such as walks through the Eskdale countryside, cycle rides via train, and lots of wildlife and nature.
For little foodies, the Fish & Chip Supper includes a return journey that begins at Ravenglass station pulled by a diesel engine before they can tuck in to a fish & chip supper with mushy peas and a side of bread and butter.
Tickets from Ravenglass Station start from £12.00 for adults and £8.00 for children for one way. Under 3s go free.
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