Hello all,
Ginny and I will be in Ireland, England, and Scotland this summer.
We would greatly appreciate suggestions for train fun.
Steam, diesel and excursions.
Many thanks,
Eliot
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Eliot,
For the UK:
I like the Bluebell Railway, you can get to it via rail from London.
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/
The Severn Valley offers a GOOD trip and experience.
If you like mainline steam:
http://www.uksteam.info/tours/
I envy you! Enjoy!
ChipR
Try the Watercress Line in Alton, Hampshire - great steam and diesel restorations.
Direct connection from Waterloo Station via Southeast Trains (about 55 mins)
Hatton's train shop in Liverpool!
Take the train from London to York and visit the National Railway Museum, as BANDOB posted.
Also ride the "Chunnel" TGV between London and Paris
Forth Railway Bridge, Firth of Forth, connects Edinburgh and Fife
Perhaps a group will offer a cab ride or "at the throttle" in a steam locomotive on a siding. Be sure to post photo(s)
I second the motion for the Firth of Forth bridge..I stood under that and watched what
looked like a long string of ore cars (short gons?) trundle across into the sunset before
eating in a small pub. The Welsh narrow gauge!! I can't find my GB maps or tour books, but I rode that train with the VEDDY Welsh name, saw others, and walked the platform of the station with the longest name in the world, in Wales. There are other operating narrow gauge I read about I missed.
I went to college outside Dublin in the 1970's, had a rail pass and crisscrossed Ireland many times on CIE - Coras Iompair Eireann. Shared a compartment with a most remarkable young woman, from Cork back to Dublin's Heuston station one long winter day.
Any information I would have would be hopelessly outdated. I am told CIE is gone and missed by no one - it is now Irish Rail and, like the rest of Ireland between the 1970's and now, has lept from the 1890's directly into the mid-21st century. When I returned for a visit in 2010 (we rode no trains, drove a rented Audi A5 on highways that did not exist in the 70's) I could not recognize the place.
But thanks for the memories. I hadn't thought of that ride from Cork in a long time. Enjoy yourself.
Some good tips here, but Eliot, you must go to the National Railway Museum at York.
And please, put Ginny in better hotels than you do your friends.
Many thanks to you all.
i shall make a list of all of your wonderful tips and do as much as I can.
When we return, I'll share my photos.
Dave, we will go to York and we'll be sure to visit the museum.
Ginny has a machete.
I always get her a good room.
Eliot
Eliot, I also agree with those who have suggested a ride accross the Firth of Forth bridge if you visit Edinburgh. You could also take a train trip down to London (about a 7 hr. ride), pick up a map and go ride the London Underground. Enjoy your trip.
That well known Welsh narrow gauge road is (spelling?) the Festiniog. I remember
the long chuff up a grade in short coaches. Still can't find that RR station name...
Ye verily, you will find all the Welsh narrow gauge railways here:
http://www.greatlittletrainsofwales.co.uk/
I agree, the National Railway Museum in York is number one. However, I enjoyed the Bluebell so much I purchased shares in the company.
ChipR
My thanks, once again.
Long live the Forum.
I am trying to get tickets on the Scotish "Jacobite" steam train from Fort William to the west coast. Unfortunately, the web site is not working. E-mails have bounced back with error messages.
Any suggestions?
Yup . . . . Just ride in 'em Elliott. Don't, do not try your hand at the engineer's seat. Those folks may not be as understanding at the folks here were! 
If you're into history, there are some nice steam engine displays (railroad and manufacturing types) located at a museum in London. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the museum, but I seem to remember it focused a lot on the Industrial Revolution period.
Enjoy your travels.
Chuck
Originally Posted by PRR1950:
If you're into history, there are some nice steam engine displays (railroad and manufacturing types) located at a museum in London. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the museum, but I seem to remember it focused a lot on the Industrial Revolution period.
Enjoy your travels.
Chuck
You might be thinking of the Science Museum in South Kensington
Originally Posted by PRR1950:
If you're into history, there are some nice steam engine displays (railroad and manufacturing types) located at a museum in London. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the museum, but I seem to remember it focused a lot on the Industrial Revolution period.
Enjoy your travels.
Chuck
There is also the London Transport Musuem at Covent Garden, well worth a visit
Maybe it's just me, being Irish and all; but the first place I would go to would be the Guinness brewery in Dublin!!!
http://www.panoramio.com/photo...e_desc&user=2575
I'd probably check this place out in Edinburgh, too.
https://plus.google.com/117709...5712810/photos?hl=en
Rick
I would make it a point to see the Romney, Hythe and Dymechurch miniature railway!
http://www.rhdr.org.uk/pages/gettinghere.html
I suggest you take me along! 
Find the guys with the 5" Live Steamers and take a ride. Video was posted in the last day or so.
Jack,
Guinness Brewery is a striking idea !
Eliot
FROM THE WEBMASTER:
Please learn how to actually POST A LINK, and do NOT just paste a HUGE URL into this posting window. It destroys the page formatting for many people.
Goathland: the north Yorkshire town used for the British TV series Heartbeat.
Clink on - images for Goathland railway station.
Rick
Eliot,
While not really a tourist destination, I really enjoy both Paddington, and Victoria stations in London.
The Heathrow express (best way into the city) arrives in Paddington while the Gatwick Express shows up in Victoria.
As compared to stations like Grand Central or Penn Station we would be familiar with, the grand Victorian train shed is impressive with all the trains arriving and departing. Something you don't see in the states.
Rick B and Rich,
Many thanks.
I love the european stations and I will take your advice for a trip over.
I'll "drag" Ginny with me LOLOL
Originally Posted by hojack:
I went to college outside Dublin in the 1970's, had a rail pass and crisscrossed Ireland many times on CIE - Coras Iompair Eireann. Shared a compartment with a most remarkable young woman, from Cork back to Dublin's Heuston station one long winter day.
Any information I would have would be hopelessly outdated. I am told CIE is gone and missed by no one - it is now Irish Rail and, like the rest of Ireland between the 1970's and now, has lept from the 1890's directly into the mid-21st century. When I returned for a visit in 2010 (we rode no trains, drove a rented Audi A5 on highways that did not exist in the 70's) I could not recognize the place.
But thanks for the memories. I hadn't thought of that ride from Cork in a long time. Enjoy yourself.
CIE still exists but is a holding company for Irish Rail,Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann.
Eliot, if you are going to be in the Yorkshire area, then i can highly recommend a visit to the 'Keighley & Worth Valley Railway'. This line runs through Bronte country, and was the railway used in the film of 'The Railway Children'.
If you stop off at Haworth, you can walk up the hill through the beautiful village, and visit the Bronte museum. You can also walk up onto the moors for the full 'Wuthering Heights' experience.
This railway joins the main-line railway system at Keighley, so it's very convenient to reach by rail. 
Here's a link to their website. http://www.kwvr.co.uk
Go to your nearest newsstand, or book store, and pick up a copy of "Steam Railway". It is the foremost steam railfan magazine in the U.K. It has listings and descriptions of most of the tourist railways, and a schedule of rail related events. A schedule of Mainline excursions is also listed. In the first 3 weeks of July there are 30 trips listed. These trips are high speed mainline and hauled by steam. They know how to railfan over there. If you are into diesels, there are other magazines that offer the same types of information.
Originally Posted by Scrapiron Scher:
My thanks, once again.
Long live the Forum.
I am trying to get tickets on the Scotish "Jacobite" steam train from Fort William to the west coast. Unfortunately, the web site is not working. E-mails have bounced back with error messages.
If you're going to Fort William, let me suggest that you consider getting there via the Caledonian Sleeper:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/...tinations/44869.aspx
the morning scenery between Helensburgh and Crianlarich is amazing - in many places the only sign of human existence for miles is the railroad.
You can also put together a nice day in North Wales: the North Wales main line runs along the base of Conwy Castle, and there are great views from the castle walls:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conwy_Railway_Bridge
The drive over Horseshoe Pass from Conwy to the LLangollen Railway is absolutely gorgeous. And somewhere east of Llangollen, I think it's on the A539 to Ruabon, I remember a stone bridge carrying a canal over the road. Odd to look up and see boats floating above you.
Finally, for my money, the most beautiful scenery in England is found along the Settle - Carlisle line. Drive north along the railway through Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Blea Moor. Visit Chapel le Dale near Ribblehead Viaduct, where a plaque honors the workers who died building the railway:
http://www.visitcumbria.com/ca...-st-leonards-church/
From there, take the Coal Road to Dent and Garsdale, then on to Ais Gill. The view as you reach the summit and descend into the Mallerstang is beyond description. From there it's on to Kirkby Stephen, and Appleby-in-Westmorland.
Enjoy your trip.
