North East Steam

DAY 1

Travel by rail from your home station to Newcastle staying five nights at the Royal Station Hotel situated right by the station. All rooms have private shower/toilet, Wi-Fi, tea/coffee making facilities and evening meals are included.

DAY 2

Today we visit Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, an incredible experience through time. They have two steam railways, one recreating the very early days of railways, the second being a narrow-gauge colliery line. There is also a recreated town including an Edwardian bakery, a coal mine, a local pub, and a school amongst other things, all linked together by a historic tram system. On our return to Newcastle, we make a visit to The Angel of the North for a quick photo-stop.

DAY 3

We will take a private coach to Tanfield for a 6-mile round trip behind steam over a former colliery line, the world's oldest existing railway, and grab the opportunity to view some of the locos in their huge industrial heritage collection. Afterwards, we will continue by road to the Stephenson Steam Railway in North Shields for a ride over their 2-mile line and a look at their other locos which include the third oldest surviving locomotive in the world.

DAY 4

We will travel by road to the Aln Valley Railway at Alnmouth for a ride over their short line between Lionheart and Greenrigg, part of the former branch to Alnwickh. This afternoon we travel to Alston to discover the 2ft gauge steam railway built over the trackbed of the branch from Haltwhistle which currently operate over 5 miles to Slaggyford.

DAY 5

After breakfast this morning, we take a fast train along the superbly scenic coastal route through Berwick to Edinburgh. Here we have a private coach to take us to the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway for a steam hauled ride to Manuel and return. The Museum of Scottish Railways is on the same site with its large collection of nearly 50 steam and diesel locos. We will enjoy free time in Edinburgh before taking the train back to Newcastle.

DAY 6

We depart after breakfast for trains to your home station.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner