Welcome to Railtrail Tours
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
01538 382323
Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm
Embark on a journey of discovery staying in the beautiful countryside of Wiltshire. Explore the innovation and invention of pioneers on a variety of captivating attractions including a visit to STEAM, Bowood House & Gardens, and Dr Jenner's House. Discover the original thinkers of railway engineering, wildlife conservation, and scientific legacy on this inspiring tour.
View Dates & Book5 days from £840
DEPARTS
Thursday 3 July 2025
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Discover engineering genius at STEAM
Learn the story of the remarkable Great Western Railway
Explore the fascinating Bowood House & Gardens
Enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful Roman city of Bath
Step back in time at the Scott House Museum
Visit Dr Jenner’s House – home of a world changing discovery
Stay in a beautiful countryside hotel with fantastic leisure facilities
Also included in your Tour Fare:
4 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager
DAY 1
Journey from your home station to Swindon and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Blunsdon House Hotel, our hotel for the next four nights. We enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings before meeting for our first evening meal together.
DDAY 2
After breakfast this morning, we visit STEAM in Swindon, the Museum of the Great Western Railway where we learn the story of the men and women who built, operated, and travelled on this remarkable railway. We will discover the engineering genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and get up close to iconic GWR locomotives. Afterwards, we will transfer to Bowood House & Gardens where we will explore this historic location including the laboratory where Dr Joseph Preistley identified Oxygen gas plus the fascinating exhibition rooms and beautiful gardens. This evening, we return to the hotel and enjoy our evening meal together.
B, DDAY 3
Today, we enjoy a full day in Bath starting with an introductory walking tour to visit the highlights of the city. Afterwards, we have time at leisure to explore this great Roman city at your own pace before returning to the hotel in time for our evening meal together.
B, DDAY 4
This morning, we visit the Slimbridge Wetland Centre and step back in time at the Scott House Museum, the former home of Sir Peter Scott, a pioneering wildlife conservationist. Here, we can view his notebooks and sketches, enjoy the spectacular views from Sir Peter Scott's studio, and learn how Slimbridge became the birthplace of modern conservation. This afternoon, we travel by road to the famed Dr Edward Jenner's House where he made the world changing discovery of vaccination. We explore his home of innovative discoveries, wander the beautiful garden containing many of the herbs that were used, and see the rustic summerhouse used by Edward Jenner as the world's first vaccination clinic. Afterwards, we return to the hotel and enjoy our final evening meal together.
B, DDAY 5
After breakfast, we bid farewell to Swindon and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys.
BB=Breakfast, D=Dinner
HOTEL
Set in 30 acres of beautiful Wiltshire countryside with views of the Cotswolds, the Blunsdon House Hotel offers a stylish restaurant serving flavourful dishes, a relaxing lounge and bar, and fantastic leisure facilities including an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi. The comfortable bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom with a power shower, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.
FARES
| Fare Region | First* | Standard |
| London: Paddington | £949 | £909 |
| Greater London | £955 | £915 |
| South of England | £975 | £929 |
| East Anglia | £975 | £925 |
| South West | £1,025 | £929 |
| Heart of England | £975 | £925 |
| Midlands | £999 | £905 |
| Yorkshire | £1,065 | £949 |
| North East | £1,125 | £979 |
| North West | £1,089 | £959 |
| South Wales | £949 | £889 |
| North Wales | £1,025 | £935 |
| Scotland | £1,159 | £1,009 |
*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.
£5 tour discount for holders of National Railcards
Join & Leave at Hotel £845
Single Room Supplement £160
4 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
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