Railway Day Trips: 160 classic train journeys around Britain

PORTSMOUTH TO HAVENSTREET

Despite its short length, this trip includes a journey in a catamaran ferry across the Solent, a short ride in an old London Underground train and a trip along a steam railway. Wight Link catamarans for Ryde depart from Portsmouth Harbour close to the national rail network station of the same name. Journey time across the Solent is 22 minutes and on arrival at Ryde Pier Head passengers transfer to an Island Line train on the electrified line to Shanklin. The line was electrified on the third-rail principle and opened in March 1967, replacing former Southern Railway Class ‘02’ 0-4-4Ts and vintage rolling stock. The trains in use today were introduced in 1938 for use on the London Underground and are the oldest type in Britain to remain in regular service.

En route from Ryde Pier Head, trains call at Ryde Esplanade and Ryde St Johns Road – where Island Line trains have their depot – before arriving at Smallbrook Junction station. With no public access, this station was opened in 1991 to provide an interchange between the Island Line and the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Passengers transfer to the latter for a trip to the railway’s headquarters at Havenstreet. Steam trains call at Ashey and Havenstreet before continuing on to Wootton, and it is recommended that passengers stay on the train to Wootton before returning to Havenstreet to enjoy this delightful location.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Award-winning Victorian steam railway; railway museum; carriage and wagon workshop; children’s play area; woodland walk; Haven Falconry

FREQUENCY

Wight Link Catamaran: 2 per hour (Mon-Sat) 1 per hour (Sun) Island Line: 1 per hour Isle of Wight Steam Railway: 5-9 per day (Mar-Oct)

10 MILES 22 + 8 + 35 MINUTES

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 2

(Ryde Pier Head; Smallbrook Junction)

Restored Southern Railway Class ‘02’ 0-4-4T No. W24 ‘Calbourne’ heads a vintage train on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

BRIGHTON TO CHICHESTER

Marketed today as the West Coastway Line, the railway along the south coast of England between Brighton and Southampton has a complicated history, having been built by 5 different companies between 1840 and 1889. The Southern Railway electrified it using third rail in the 1930s. A regular interval service is currently operated by Southern.

Trains for Chichester depart from Brighton’s 19th-century Italianate-style overall-roofed terminus and immediately head to the west through Hove Tunnel to call at Hove station, originally named Cliftonville and conveniently located close to the Sussex County Cricket Club’s ground. Never far from the sea, the railway continues westward calling at Aldrington, Portslade (once the junction for the Devil’s Dyke branch), Fishergate, Southwick and Shoreham-on-Sea, which until 1966 was the junction for the Steyning Valley line to Horsham. Beyond Shoreham trains cross the River Adur on a viaduct before calling at a string of 7 coastal towns and resorts, of which Worthing is by far the largest. At Arundel Junction the Arun Valley Line heads off northwards to London while the Littlehampton branch diverges to the south. At Barnham the Bognor Regis branch heads off to the coast, and in a short time Chichester station is reached. This stylish late-1950s building is conveniently located close to the unspoilt historic city centre.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

12th-century cathedral with separate bell tower and Roman mosaic pavement; Roman street plan; medieval city walls; Butter Market designed by John Nash; imposing Corn Exchange; 15th-century Chichester Cross; modern street art; Festival Theatre (Chichester Festival June/July); Fishbourne Roman Palace (next station)

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

2 per hour

28¾ MILES 55 MINUTES (WEEKDAYS) 55 MINUTES (WEEKENDS)

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0

Founded in 1075, the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Chichester has fine architecture in both Norman and Gothic styles.

BRIGHTON TO HASTINGS

Marketed as the East Coastway Line, the railway from Brighton to Hastings is full of surprises. Trains leave Brighton’s overall-roofed terminus and soon branch off to the east to cross the 28-arch London Road Viaduct from where there are panoramic views of the sprawling city. Climbing continuously towards the South Downs and the summit of the line at Falmer Tunnel, trains first call at London Road, Moulscomb and Falmer stations before descending towards the historic town of Lewes.

A busy railway crossroads, Lewes station platforms are set in a ‘V’ shape, with trains serving the Newhaven and Seaford branch, Brighton, the Plumpton line to Three Bridges and London, and Eastbourne. Plans to reopen the line to Uckfield are looking hopeful in the long term. Eastwards from Lewes, the East Coastway Line serves stations at Glynde, Berwick and Polegate (once the junction for the Cuckoo Line to Hailsham and Eridge) before ending at Eastbourne’s terminus station, built in 1886 with an attractive lantern roof. Trains for Hastings reverse direction here and head back the way they came before branching off eastwards at Willingdon Junction. From here, the railway heads towards the coast across the Pevensey Levels, passing Pevensey Castle, through Normans Bay and Cooden Beach stations en route to Bexhill, where the Grade II station with its lantern roof has recently been restored. It is but a short distance from here to Bopeep Junction, where the line from Tunbridge Wells joins from the north, and through the long Bopeep Tunnel to St Leonards Warrior Square station. Built in 1851, the station is squeezed between Bopeep and Hastings Tunnel through which trains then pass to arrive at Hastings’ ultra-modern station. The seafront and many other attractions are but a short walk from here.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

beach; harbour; sea-fishing trips; 1930s double-decker promenade; old town; Hastings Castle; West Hill Cliff Railway; East Hill Cliff Railway; St Clements Caves; Fishermen’s Museum

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

2 per hour (Mon-Sat)

1 per hour (Sun)

34¼ MILES 63-81 MINUTES

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0

Completed in 1872, Eastbourne’s elegant Victorian amusement pier is 1,000 ft long and features a restored camera obscura.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS TO HASTINGS

This scenic train journey across the High Weald to the historic seaside resort of Hastings is a great day out for all the family. While the destination has much to offer, the railway journey is equally interesting, calling at historic towns and villages as it winds through forested valleys and burrows under the hard red sandstone hills via no less than seven tunnels. Trains leave Tunbridge Wells station in a southerly direction and immediately start the climb through Grove Tunnel and Strawberry Hill Tunnel before emerging into the lush High Wealden landscape. The railway follows the contours to reach the small town of Wadhurst and the summit of the line.

Leaving Wadhurst through the long Wadhurst Tunnel, the railway then weaves its way down into the valley of the River Rother, calling at Stonegate and Etchingham, before arriving at the picturesque village of Robertsbridge. From here, in the not too distant future, it will be possible to travel by steam train eastwards along the Rother Valley to Bodiam and Tenterden. From Robertsbridge, the railway climbs up through Mountfield Tunnel to reach the second summit of the line at Battle – this small town is so named after the Battle of Hastings, which took place here in 1066. From Battle, the railway meanders down through wooded hills to Crowhurst before joining the East Coastway Line at Bopeep Junction. Our journey’s end is nigh but not before plunging through the long Bopeep Tunnel, calling at St Leonards Warrrior Square station and emerging from Hastings Tunnel into the ultra-modern Hastings station.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

beach; harbour; sea fishing trips; 1930s double-decker promenade; old town; Hastings Castle; West Hill Cliff Railway; East Hill Cliff Railway; St Clements Caves; Fishermen’s Museum

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

2 per hour

28¼ MILES 38-51 MINUTES

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0

Fishing boats high and dry on the beach at Hastings. In the background is the Victorian cliff railway.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS TO HEVER

This delightfully short train journey can only be currently undertaken on Saturdays from April to October but the destination of Hever Castle is well worth the effort. The first part of our journey is along the Spa Valley Railway from Tunbridge Wells West station to Eridge – this section was closed by BR in 1985 and was completely reopened in 2011 as a heritage railway. Passenger services are either steam hauled or provided by a diesel multiple unit, with trains calling at High Rocks Halt and Groombridge before heading south to parallel the national rail network line from Hurst Green to Uckfield, as far as Eridge.

Passengers for Hever board a northbound train at Eridge for the 15-minute journey along the mainly single-track line to Hever, calling en route at Ashurst and Cowden then passing through Mark Beech Tunnel to arrive at their destination. The attractive village of Hever and its castle are about a 20-minute walk from the station via the signposted Eden Valley Walk.

Hever Castle has a fascinating history. It was built in the 13th century and from 1462 to 1539 was the seat of the Boleyn family. King Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, spent her childhood there but following her execution in the tower of London in 1536 and the death of her father in 1539 the castle became the property of the king. He then bestowed it to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, as a settlement following the annulment of their marriage. After passing through several other owners the castle was bought in 1903 by American millionaire, William Waldorf Astor, who restored it to its former glory.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

15th-century Hever Castle (home of Ann Boleyn) with its mazes, lakes and gardens

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge 5 per day (Sat-Sun, Mar-Oct) Eridge to Hever 1 per hour (Sat)