Railway Day Trips: 160 classic train journeys around Britain

For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed taking railway day trips. As a young child I went nearly everywhere by train and the smells, sounds and sights are still vivid in my mind. The musty, stale-smoke smell of carriage compartments coupled with the rhythmic clickety-clack of the wheels on the rail joints, the whistling of the steam locomotive as we rushed through sleepy country stations and the stifling roar as we burrowed through dank and dripping tunnels will be with me forever. As I grew older, my interest in railways led me into the wonderful world of trainspotting and consequently my forays took me to some pretty amazing places all around Britain – my knowledge of the geography of our country has stood me in good stead ever since.

However, as we can’t turn the clock back, it is heartening to know, despite the best efforts of certain politicians and dear old Dr Beeching, that railway travel is not a thing of the past. In recent years our railways have enjoyed a renaissance that would have seemed like a pipe dream back in the 1960s – closed railways and stations are being reopened and a vast amount of taxpayers’ money is being invested in a transport system that was nearly killed off by the powerful road transport lobby 50 years ago. Passenger numbers are at their highest since the 1920s and, suddenly, Britain’s love affair with the car and lorry seems to be on the wane – increasing road congestion and huge hikes in fuel prices have put paid to that. As the Father of Railways, George Stephenson, prophesied in 1825:

I think you will live to see the day, though I may not live so long, when railways will come to supersede almost all other methods of conveyance in this country … what I have said will come to pass as sure as we live.

Despite a few hiccups along the way, it looks as if he may have been right.

A steam train on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway between Goathland and Pickering.

This book is not just aimed at die-hard railway enthusiasts – there are already enough books on the subject to sink the Titanic – but at a much wider audience who are now discovering the joy of leaving the car at home, sitting back, relaxing and watching Britain’s ever-changing landscape unfold instead of hurtling to oblivion, stressed out along our multi-lane highways. While, in my mind anyway, a railway journey is in itself a voyage of discovery, the destination at the end is often the icing on the cake. For such a small country, Britain probably has more to offer the traveller or visitor, whether from home or abroad, than any other place on Earth – admittedly the weather can sometimes be inclement but that one factor surely gives the British so much of their resilient character.

The list of fascinating destinations that can be reached on a day trip by train in Britain is practically endless. In this book I have put together 160 of these trips, chosen with one eye on the journey itself and the other on the cities, towns or villages that are visited. From major historical sites, architectural gems, museums, gardens, historic pubs, boat trips and country walks to film and TV locations, seaside resorts, rides on heritage railways, festivals and markets there is something for everyone. A few of the trips also involve using a bus, ferry, catamaran or Shanks’s Pony to complete the journey, but it is well worth the effort. It doesn’t take a major leap in imagination to string some of these day trips together to make a long weekend break or even a week’s railway holiday – the permutations are simply endless.

The spacious modern passenger departure concourse at King’s Cross station was opened in 2012.

Now to more practical matters. Do your homework and always plan your journey in advance, and if you are of a certain age take advantage of the Senior Railcard (over 60s) or, if in Scotland, ScotRail’s Club 55, both of which offer amazing savings on rail fares. While many of the routes featured in this book are served by a frequent service of trains, some, in more rural or remote areas, see only a few trains each day. Trips along scenic routes such as the Esk Valley to Whitby in North Yorkshire, the Heart of Wales Line in Central Wales and in the more remote parts of Scotland need to be planned well so that the last train home is not missed. Although there are several online timetables with a ticket and seat booking service such as National Rail and the Train Line, these are computer generated and can often produce some mind-boggling results culminating in much lengthier journeys from A to B via X, Y and Z. A printed version of the National Rail Timetable is only available by mail order from Middleton Press. Alternatively the National Rail Timetable is available online, free of charge and in easy to download sections. Sadly, on-train catering is not what it used to be. Apart from a handful of long-distance train journeys where silver service is still offered, passengers now have to put up with a budget airline-style trolley which is trundled up and down the train offering not very much for rather a lot of money – my advice is simple, take your own picnic with you.

In conclusion, when you are next planning on a day out, please remember to leave your car at home or at the station car park, catch a train and go out there to discover this wonderful country of ours.

Julian Holland

This second edition has been fully updated with revised journey details and the inclusion of ten brand-new Railway Day Trips for your discovery and enjoyment.

Each route featured in the book is illustrated by a location map:

The following information is also given:

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTSideas of things to see and do at the journey’s end

FREQUENCY OF TRAINSindicates how often services run – but please check with the operator before travel

DISTANCE

JOURNEY TIMEone-way; includes time for connections, unless journey legs are shown separately, e.g. 5+10 mins

NUMBER OF CHANGESnoting interchange stations, where applicable

Vintage luggage cases at the restored Sheringham station on the North Norfolk Railway.

WEST COUNTRY

Passengers travelling by train on the St Ives branch line are treated to fine views of Carbis Bay.

PENZANCE TO ST IVES

This is a great trip to explore one of Cornwall’s (and Britain’s) premier seaside resorts and avoid traffic queues in the busy summer months. Penzance’s overall roofed station, 305 miles from Paddington, is the end of the line in the West Country. It was first reached by Brunel’s West Cornwall Railway in 1852 but was not linked to the rest of Britain’s rail network until 1859, with the opening of the Cornwall Railway between Truro and Plymouth. The short railway journey from Penzance to St Erth gives fine views of Mount’s Bay and St Michael’s Mount before turning inland at Marazion to cross this narrow point of the Cornish Peninsula. Passengers for St Ives must change trains at St Erth.

From St Erth, the 4¼-mile single-track branch line to St Ives hugs the west bank of the Hayle Estuary, passing through Lelant Saltings station where a park-and-ride scheme operates. Lelant station follows shortly after, where passengers are treated to stunning vistas across St Ives Bay to Hayle Sands. Opened in 1877, this branch line once carried thousands of holidaymakers from far-flung corners of Britain and even had its own through coach from Paddington on the GWR’s ‘Cornish Riviera Express’. Although listed for closure in the ‘Beeching Report’ of 1963, this scenic railway was reprieved and in recent years has seen buoyant growth in passenger numbers.

Following the coastline above Carbis Bay, the railway skirts Porthminster Beach before ending at the minimal, modern station of St Ives. From here it is but a short walk to the beaches, harbour, quaint streets and world-famous art galleries including the Leach Pottery, Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

14th-century Sloop Inn; harbour; beaches; shark fishing; Leach Pottery; Tate St Ives; Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden; St Ives Museum; St Ives September Festival; South West Coast Path

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

1-2 per hour

10 MILES

40 MINUTES

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 1

(St Erth)

Sandwiched between a golf course and sand dunes, a train for St Ives heads away from Lelant station.

TRURO TO FALMOUTH

Marketed today as the Maritime Line, this single-track branch was opened as a broad-gauge line by the Cornwall Railway in 1863. Engineered by Brunel, it was originally built to serve the international shippers that operated out of Falmouth but by the time the railway arrived the business had gone elsewhere. The branch was converted to standard gauge by the GWR in 1892. Our journey starts at Truro station which is well-served by trains on the Cornish main line between Plymouth and Penzance, with Falmouth trains plunging through Higher Town Tunnel before branching off at Penwithers Junction and heading off in a southwesterly direction. En route it passes through Sparnick Tunnel before crossing Restronguet Creek on the imposing 11-arch Carnon Viaduct. This is one of eight viaducts on the line, all originally built of timber on stone piers but later replaced by new stone structures. Carnon was rebuilt in 1933 and stands at nearly 100 ft high.

Perranwell station is soon reached before the railway dives into Perran Tunnel and crosses the 5-arch Perran Viaduct followed by the 9-arch Ponsanooth Viaduct – at 139 ft high this is the tallest on the line – then 6-arch Pascoe Viaduct and 5-arch Penryn Viaduct. From here there are panoramic views across the historic town of Penryn, which is set at the head of the Penryn Estuary and was once a thriving port with trade in fish, copper and tin. A recently installed passing loop at Penryn station has allowed a more frequent service of trains on the branch which in turn has led to a massive increase in passenger numbers.

Leaving Penryn, the railway crosses the imposing 14-arch Collegewood Viaduct before pausing at the renovated Penmere station. Next stop is Falmouth Town station, which is convenient for visitors to the National Maritime Museum. Our journey ends at Falmouth Docks station, set on a hillside overlooking the docks, Pendennis Castle and Gyllyngvase Beach.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

harbour; 3 beaches; Pendennis Castle; National Maritime Museum Cornwall; Falmouth Art Gallery; South West Coast Path; passenger ferry to St Mawes (for walks on Roseland Peninsula)

FREQUENCY OF TRAINS

2 per hour (Mon-Sat)

1 per hour (Sun)

11¾ MILES

24 MINUTES

NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0

A sunny day on Swanpool Beach, close to the Swanpool Lake Nature Reserve in Falmouth.

ST AUSTELL TO NEWQUAY

The first 4½ miles of this railway trip to the surfing capital of Britain follow the Cornish main line from the town of St Austell to the china clay harbour town of Par. Soon after leaving St Austell the railway heads towards Carlyon Bay, where there are views across St Austell Bay to Gribbin Head. Passengers change trains at Par station before resuming their journey on what is now marketed as the ‘Atlantic Coast Line’ to Newquay.