Passenger train travel was one of the great British contributions of the Victorian era. In the 20th century, rail enthusiasm and rail enthusiasts seem to have proliferated almost as fast as the railways themselves. Historic steam trains, special scenic drives and narrow gauge railways have all been restored and are maintained by groups of enthusiasts and conservationists across Britain. Here are some of the best steam train and heritage rail trips in the West Country counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset.
Bodmin and Wenford Railway
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway is the only full-size railway in Cornwall still running steam locomotives, it was also the first steam railway in Cornwall and one of the first to carry passengers in Britain. It was founded in the early 1830s to transport sand inland from the Camel Estuary for agricultural fertilizers.
Steam passenger services ended in 1963, but the line continued to carry passengers with diesel locomotives until 1967, and part of the line carried Chinese clay until 1983. The railway has been restored and is currently operated by volunteers and a small staff.
Where are you going
The train goes up Bodmin Moor from the main train station on Bodmin Parkway (to the south) and connects to the Camel Trail, between Bodmin and Padstow, at Boscarne Junction in the north.
Bodmin General, the railway company’s central station located atop Bodmin Moor, is halfway there and trains change direction there.
Colesloggett Halt, a station built in the 1990s on the southern half of the route, is a good stop for walking through the nearby woods. The entire route between Bodmin Parkway and Boscarne Junction is approximately 6.5 miles.
Reflexes
The train crosses two rivers, the Camel in the north and the Fowey River in the south. The Fowey Junction is on an interesting multi-arch bridge. Bodmin General Station, in the center of the line, has been restored to reflect the 1950s. There is a buffet station, a shop, toilets and baby changing facilities.
Dartmouth Steam Railway y River Boat Company
The Dartmouth Steam Railway is a combined steam railway, riverboat and vintage bus company. The company took over one of the many smaller railway lines abandoned by British Rail during the controversial and now lamented Beeching’s removal from the British Rail system in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Today, it operates four vintage steam locomotives and a diesel engine. Services run from April to October.
Where are you going
The Dartmouth Steam Railway makes regular trips across the headlands from Paignton on the English Riviera and then along the eastern embankment of the Dart Estuary to Kingswear. From there it’s just a short passenger ferry ride across the river to Dartmouth. Operators of the quaint little steam train also run combined boat and train tours to Totnes, at the head of the Dart estuary.
Reflexes
Regular passenger excursions are combined with riverboat services to the historic naval town of Dartmouth and Agatha Christie’s summer home, Greenway, on the River Dart in Galimpton. A new steam train station, Greenway Halt, allows passengers to arrive at Christie’s home in the 1950s in appropriately vintage style.
Special out-of-season trips to Santa and Christmas outings are also scheduled. Round Robin Trips combines train, boat and bus transportation to make the most of popular summer visitor destinations along and near this line.
The Swanage Railway
Swanage Railway service began in 1885 and was abandoned by British Rail in 1972. Now owned by a charitable trust, it has been restored and is run by volunteers. It calls for more ‘intensive’ heritage diesel and steam train service than any other heritage rail system in Britain.
Frequently scheduled services on the line, particularly from April to October, but in fact, year-round, mean that the heritage line offers a convenient transportation option for the local population.
Where are you going
The line runs approximately six miles through the center of the Dorset area known as the Isle of Purbeck. It has regular scheduled services from Norden Park & Ride Station, below picturesque Corfe Castle to the Dorset Beach Resort of Swanage.
Reflexes
A full schedule of special events includes Steam Galas and Vintage Transport Rallies, Family Fun events, and Santa’s winter specials. In 2009, a steam locomotive on this line was the first to bring a steam train to London since 1966.
Steam train enthusiasts can give it a try by subscribing to one of several Driver Experience days. Diesel Experience days are also available by special arrangement. They also organize a series of special events that are very popular.
At the end of June 2018, their Friday Night Bistro dinner dates were booked through the end of August, only September and October dates were left, and even reservations for Christmas lunches, Saturdays and Sundays in December, were about to open. .
More steam railways
Steam and heritage railways are becoming increasingly popular across the UK. Here are a few more in the west of England that are worth visiting:
- Dartmoor Railway: with a nostalgic old tea room at Okehampton station.
- East Somerset Railroad – Food, Driving and Stirrup Experiences with Afternoon Teas, Cream Teas, and Sunday Lunch Tours. And it is dog friendly.
- Helston Railway Preservation Company Ltd – Britain’s southernmost railway as excursions every Sunday, Thursday and public holiday between March and November.
- Lappa Valley Railway – A railway theme park built around a collection of miniature railways that you can ride on. 15 inch gauge, 10 1/4 inch gauge, and even a 7 1/4 inch gauge rail to grab a riser.
- Launceston Steam Railway – Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, ride through the Cornish countryside on a narrow gauge train pulled by a Victorian locomotive.
- Lynton and Barnstaple Railroad: Daily excursions in steam locomotives.
- Plym Valley Railway – Operated by a group of enthusiasts and volunteers who aim to one day reconnect Plymouth and Tavistock by rail. In the meantime, you can enjoy a 3/4 mile race on heritage tracks to its heritage center with a collection of vintage locomotives and trains.
- Somerset and Dorset Railway – A volunteer-run short heritage railway in the Mendips of North Somerset. There is a gift shop, a bookstore, a small museum, a buffet coach, and several other modest attractions for vintage enthusiasts.
- South Devon Railway – Another way to see the Dart Valley between Buckfastleigh and Totnes.
- West Somerset Railway – A country branch of the old Great West Railway.
