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
Discover the heritage of The Potteries on our exclusive tour in Staffordshire enjoying fantastic pottery experiences and guided factory tours. Explore the magnificent Trentham Estate, celebrate the work of Josiah Wedgwood at the famous World of Wedgwood, visit the fantastic Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, and indulge in sumptuous afternoon tea plus enjoy free time to browse unique shops, cafés, and bars.
View Dates & Book5 days from £799
DEPARTS
Monday 30 June 2025
Monday 6 October 2025
Monday 8 December 2025
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Discover the stunning heritage of "The Potteries"
Visit the historical Gladstone Pottery Museum – on the June departure
Enjoy a fantastic pottery experience at Emma Bridgewater – on the October & December departures
Explore the magnificent gardens and wonderful wildlife at the Trentham Estate
Celebrate craftsmanship at the famous World of Wedgwood
Marvel at the diverse displays of art and local history at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Enjoy free time to browse unique shops and cafés
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 Stoke and, on arrival, we will be transferred by private coach to the Hilton Garden Inn, our base for the next four nights. Once we are checked-in, we have free time to relax or visit the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery which is a short walk from the hotel, before reconvening for our first evening meal together.
DDAY 2
After breakfast this morning, we make our way to the Trentham Estate where we have entrance to the stunning gardens and will be met by our guide who will provide a fascinating insight into the wonderful array of wildlife that lives on the Estate. We will enjoy free time to explore the myriad of unique shops, cafés, and restaurants before returning to the hotel.
B, DDAY 3
Today we will journey by road to the home of the renowned potter, Emma Bridgewater*, for a fantastic pottery experience. We will discover behind the scenes of the Victorian factory learning of the traditional pottery production methods before designing our own masterpiece and indulging in a lovely afternoon tea. We enjoy time to browse the factory shop before returning to the hotel with time at leisure and reconvening for our evening meal.
*Please note that on our June departure, we will visit the Gladstone Pottery Museum today, the filming location of the Great Pottery Throw Down where we will enjoy a guided tour, a workshop, and lunch.
DAY 4
After breakfast today, we will travel to the World of Wedgwood where we will enjoy a guided factory tour to discover the craftsmanship of their famous jasperware. We continue our visit at the V&A Wedgwood Collection exploring the museum of Wedgwood's design history and creative future before enjoying a sumptuous afternoon tea in the stunning restaurant space. There will also be time for shopping at their diverse range of retail outlets, delicious eateries, and bars before we journey back to the hotel in time for our final evening meal together.
B, LR, DDAY 5
After breakfast, we bid farewell to the Potteries and make our way by private coach to the station for our homeward journeys.
BB=Breakfast, LR=Light Refreshments, D=Dinner
HOTEL
Hilton Garden Inn, Stoke
Located in the city centre, the Hilton Garden Inn is close to numerous attractions including the Potteries Museum and Trentham Estate with facilities including a restaurant, bar lounge, and fitness centre. The stylish bedrooms provide a private bathroom with a hairdryer, a flat-screen TV, ironing facilities, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.
FARES
| Fare Region | First* | Standard |
| London: Euston | £1,075 | £909 |
| Greater London | £1,099 | £925 |
| South of England | £1,155 | £965 |
| East Anglia | £1,189 | £985 |
| South West | £1,145 | £985 |
| Heart of England | £995 | £895 |
| Midlands | £929 | £849 |
| Yorkshire | £975 | £895 |
| North East | £1,115 | £969 |
| North West | £989 | £879 |
| South Wales | £1,185 | £939 |
| North Wales | £959 | £875 |
| Scotland | £1,149 | £989 |
*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.
Join & Leave at Hotel £799
Single Room Supplement £165
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
It is not possible to display any suggested tours because JavaScript is disabled in your web browser.
This website uses cookies to store information. By continuing to browse the website without changing your settings you are agreeing to their use. For more information view our cookie policy.
