Best train tourist sites in UK?

[basementdweller]

Where ever you get the chance check out the local tourist office and ask them what is around in the area. Almost every small town has a tourist office. I think you will be amazed how many small preserved railways there are.

Take the opportunity to take the train into London, leave the car at home. If you are at Waterloo Station try and check out the Eurostar, these are the high speed connection to Paris.

I grew up SW of London, quite a culture shock moving to Ohio. I sure miss being able to ride the late night train home.
Have fun.

[devils]

I would support all the suggestions so far, the Welsh narrow gauge really offer some spectacular scenery and unusual locos (garratts on the Welsh Highland at the Caernarfon end there are two separate sections at present. The double fairlies on the festiniog are also something to see and you really get to see them work), Didcot and Pendon are well worth a visit being so close together. If you are going near the south coast I'd recommend the Swanage branch, You've got the ruined castle at Corfe and a typical seaside town at Swanage. Get the train from Norden about half a mile of Corfe Castle. Enjoy the holiday

[Gunneral]

Visit the National Railway Museum if you get the chance!

[CPPedler]

Hi BR60103, Unfortunately, due to current security problems in London it is not possible to stand on the end of platforms and photograph trains , this is regrettable but that is one of the prices we pay . CPPedler

[BR60103]

London stations: Paddington, Victoria and Waterloo have the best views of trains from the concourse. Victoria and Kings Cross have overbridges on streets beyond the platform ends where you can see the trains go.
London Transport Museum is in the old Covent Garden market -- the market is a bit more upscale than it used to be, and next to the Royal Opera house.

[CPPedler]

Hi Andymanboy,
As you are staying in the Oxford area,might I suggest that you visit Pendon Museum at Long Wittenham , about 3 miles north of Didcot . I work for Pendon (part time) as the Loco Superintendant. Far too much to explain here, other than to say that it is the Museum of Miniture Landscape and Transport and we are modelling the Great Western Railway in the 1920's and 30' set in the countryside of the period. Thatched cottages and other buildings modelled on actual ones taken from the Vale of White Horse , all built from scratch to a scale of 4mm to the foot. The museum is open from 2pm until 5pm at weekends. If you could let me know what date you would most likely visit , I could try and meet you there and give you a guided tour. I think you would find it interesting. Although my username is CPPedler my name is Colin Huckle.
Look forward to hearing from you in due coarse . CPPedler
P.S. Sorry I could not answer your e-mail, due to network problems!!

[Anonymous]

Hey thanks for all your suggestions, LOts to see! York and the railway museum along with the North Yorkshire steam railway are all on the itinerary already. We'll be in BAnbury for a week so that sight near Oxford ( DIdcot ) is a possibility. Thanks again,
Andy

[ukguy]

awww shoot, y'all are makin me home sick[:(]

Have fun where ever you go, theres plenty to see and do, you haven't said where in the UK you are going to yet, that'd help with specifics, we're small but very diverse y'know.

Have fun & be safe,
Karl.

[steveblackledge]

http://www.east-lancs-rly.co.uk/index2.php

this is the East Lancs Railway in Lancashire, you can travel up hill and down dale on here behind Steam and Diesel, it is a very scenic route in the middle of the UK near north Manchester

[simon1966]

http://www.wsr.org.uk/ and http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/

This is a great little RR to visit and ride on. My parents moved a couple of years ago down to Somerset to start a B and B and so I have had the opportunity to visit this RR when over from the US. It really is a very pleasant day out. Have a fish and chips lunch and a pint in Minehead or Watchet and you can not ask for a better day (if the weather is nice). Didcot is also a great day out. http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/ not far from Oxford. The UK is a great place for railfans!!

[Anonymous]

Bluebell Railway in Sussex is a must - 32 steam locomotives on site and as many as five in operation each weekend!

www.bluebell-railway.co.uk

[Anonymous]

The GREAT WESTERN SOC. at DIDCOT is well worth a visit, having a lot of historic loco's and coaches in one place. As for an actual steam/diesel train ride my money is on NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS railway or the WEST SOMERSET railway. When travelling between the two you could always call in at TODDINGTON!

If you buy a copy of STEAM RAILWAY mag. it lists all the preserved railways and gives contact phone numbers and web sites. Enjoy your trip!

[Noah Hofrichter]

And if you do go to the York National Railway Museum(which is very good by the way) I would suggest seeing the model museum that is basicaly inside the York Rail Station, but access to it is from the outside. It's quite good, it gives you a good look at what English model railroading is like(at least for an American like me).

Noah

[Rob Davies]

My fave...

the Severn Valley Railway

http://www.svr.co.uk/

More info can be gleaned by feeding 'Severn Valley Railway' into Google.

-Rob

[Anonymous]

There's a lot of narrow-gauge steam operations in North Wales - take a look at the Ffestiniog Railway, the Talyllyn Railway, the Welsh Highland Railway and also the Corris Railway. All around 2ft gauge and built to haul slate, they now run passenger services. The Ffestiniog has the famous double Farlie steam locos. The lines are pretty close together so you'd be able to ride more than one in a day if time is a problem.

Also worth a look is the Llangollen Railway - a rebuilt standard gauge line operating both steam and diesel locos. They have some interesting DMUs including a couple of which very few examples survive.

http://www.festrail.co.uk/ - Ffestiniog line, their links section is excellent as is the rest of the site
http://www.talyllyn.co.uk/ Talyllyn Railway

http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk/ The Llangollen line and http://www.llangollenrailcars.com/ their DMU group

Hope these are of help!

[PaulWhitt20]

Hi Andymanboy,
If you are going to Devon. Pecorama is worth a visit for model railways.

http://www.peco-uk.com/pecorama.htm

Hope you enjoy your stay.
Paul

[bsteel4065]

As CPPedlar says, it depends where you are staying and where you intend to go. Many Americans see that the UK is about the size of Delaware and think they can do it in a day. It ain't so! A must on your list should be the National Railway Musum at York. You can get to ride on a repica of the Rocket. York is a very old cathedral city so be prepeared for slow traffic if you go by car and the car parking leaves a lot to be desired. The museum is right next door to the train station so excellent for access by train. Also at the museum is 'Mallard' holder of the world speed record for steam and a large selection of royal trains. It's a good day out.
In London, there's the transport museum which is excellent and tells the strory of the Underground.
We have a fair number of tourist trains here too. I live in the South so if you want to ride a steam train in vintage cars then try the Watercress Line near Arlesford near Winchester.
And don't be put off by these idiots that plant bombs. We're British! We've lived through the Nazi blitz, V1 and V2 bombs and the IRA. We will not be brought down by a bunch of warped criminals! We need Americans to keep visiting. We're proud of our western culture and our history and we need to be defiant in the face of criminality hiding behind religion!
Enjoy your visit.
Barry

[CPPedler]

Hi Andymanboy,
Just a couple of questions, Where are you planning to stay whilst in U.K.???
Are you going to hire a car or rely on public transport???
I live here in England and I could recommend a number of places to go to see both the real thing and good quality models that work on a regular basis.
If you care to e-mail me at [e-mail] I can fill you in with the details.

[Anonymous]

I'm heading for England in August and plan to visit some historical railway tourist attractions. What have you visited and what would you recommend?