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DAY 1 Thursday 19 July
We meet at Stoke station and after registering at the
original North Stafford Railway Hotel we board our
vintage coach to Hanley in the heart of the Potteries to
get up close to Spitfire RW388 which was presented
to the city in honour of the planes creator, Reginald
J Mitchell, who was born locally. The museum is also
home to the world’s finest collection of ceramics for
which the Potteries is world renowned. We then have
a tour and tasting at the Titanic Brewery one of the
Potteries finest before returning to the NSR hotel and
our evening meal. (D)
DAY 2 Friday 20 July
We travel by vintage coach out into the delightful
Staffordshire Moorlands for a visit to the Rudyard
Lake Railway, which is now home to the track and
stock of the former Isle of Mull Railway. Rudyard
Kipling was named after this famous local beauty
spot and the line runs along the lakeside. Our
afternoon features a private steam charter at
the Apedale Railway, which is an excellent project
conserving a substantial collection of British Narrow
Gauge industrial locomotives and artefacts, including
those owned by the Moseley Trust after which we
return to our hotel for our evening meal. (B,D)
DAY 3 Saturday 21 July
We travel by vintage coach back out to the beautiful
Staffordshire Moorlands for a day on the standard
gauge Churnet Valley Railway, steaming through
Staffordshire’s ‘Little Switzerland’ as it was marketed
by the original North Staffordshire Railway. There
are excellent real ale pubs at each station, such as
the Boat Inn at Cheddleton, The Railway at Froghall,
and in our biased opinion the most scenically located
railway pub in Britain – the Black Lion at Consall
Forge - a truly relaxing day in glorious scenery. A
lunchtime excursion sees our vintage coach take
us to one of the North’s most revered pubs – the
amazing Yew Tree at Cauldon Lowe. (B,D)
DAY 4 Sunday 22 July
Our wonderful weekend concludes with a full day of
riding and photography at the famous Foxfield Steam
Railway annual gala. This former colliery line is 3.5
miles long with fine countryside views (the setting
for the BBC’s “Cranford” when the railway came to
the town in this Victorian drama). The gala, normally
5 or 6 locos in steam featuring passenger trains and
the unique sight of a rake of wagons being powered
by original industrial steam locomotives up a 1 in 30
gradient, plus lifting demonstrations with a steam
crane and lots more. Foxfield id also home to the
unique North Staffordshire Railway rake of coaches
owned by the Knotty Trust. We will also experience
the early evening culmination of the Foxfield event
- a fantastic rake of waggons being powered up
the infamous Foxfield bank with both train loco and
banker with regulators fully open. Our private vintage
coach then transfers us back to our hotel for our
farewell dinner. (B,D)
DAY 5 Monday 23 July
After breakfast we take our homeward journeys from
Stoke. (B)
ITINERARY
HOTEL
North Stafford Hotel, Stoke-on-Trent
Whilst retaining its period architectural glory, the
North Stafford Hotel now offers more budget
accommodation in a warm and welcoming
atmosphere; this beautifully designed Victorian
railway hotel is directly opposite the station,
situated in the heart of “The Potteries” city of
Stoke-on-Trent. Relax in the Clayhanger bar
and Winton Suite lounge; free WIFI is available
throughout the public areas of the hotel. The
en-suite rooms are fully equipped to give a
comfortable and homely feel with facilities
including trouser press, TV, hairdryer, telephone
and tea/coffee making.
FARES
Fare Region
First Standard RC
London: Euston
£595 £495 -£10
Greater London
£630 £520 -£10
South of England
£640 £530 -£10
East Anglia
£665 £545 -£10
South West
£610 £505 -£10
Heart of England
£550 £480 -£5
Midlands
£475 £440 -£5
Yorkshire
£515 £485 -£10
North East
£590 £530 -£10
North West
£500 £445 -£5
South Wales
£665 £505 -£10
North Wales
£505 £465 -£5
Scotland
£620 £510 -£10
Tour Base Fare
£415
Single Room Supplement
£75
Fare inclusive of:
4 nights’ dinner, bed & breakfast accommodation,
Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home station to Tour
Base (Standard or First Class)
All excursions & admissions as detailed
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager
To book visit:
www.railtrail.co.ukor telephone:
01538 382323
Standard Railtrail Tours Ltd. booking conditions apply to this tour, as detailed in our Escorted Holidays by Train brochure; copies available upon request.
Important Note:
Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place we do reserve the right to make substitutions
should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason. Your acceptance of this is a condition of your booking.
(B) = Breakfast included, (D) = Dinner included
Bygone times at the Yew Tree Inn, Cauldon Lowe