Whether you're after scenic views, are a keen rail buff or just looking for fun days out, these UK steam train routes won't disappoint.
South West England’s oldest steam railway, the South Devon Railway, turns 150 in 2022, which makes it the perfect time to take a closer look at the UK’s most spectacular steam train journeys. Trust us – your daily commute will look rather boring after a ride on one of these….
The South Devon Railway, Devon
There’s no better way to admire Devon’s best bits as onboard this glorious route. The railway’s vintage trains travel between Buckfastleigh and Totnes Riverside, weaving through Devon’s hills and past farms, historic stations (such as Staverton, which has remained unchanged for over a hundred years) and ancient mills, including ones which once produced Devon’s legendary cider.
It’s a great journey to break down into separate chunks, due to the sheer number of attractions which line the route. These include the riverside Dartington Hall and Totnes Rare Breeds Farm. Keep an eye out for the section known as the Royal Mile – this is where trains would pause overnight when members of the royal family visited Dartmouth Naval College.
The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, Kent
Kent’s Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway’s trains rumble along a 13-mile (21km) stretch of track which connects the port town of Hythe to Dungeness, famous for its National Nature Reserve. You’ll pass lighthouses, medieval churches and historic stations, although our favourite spot is New Romney Station, which has a rock garden, miniature lighthouse and model railway.
The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway’s founder, Captain J. E. P. Howey, was so enamoured with his railway that he built a house metres from the station, and later had his ashes scattered on the platform.
The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Originally known as the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway Company railway, this particular route, which meanders from Chinnor to Princes Risborough, dates back to 1872. It was declared non-operational in 1989, although a restoration project started in the mid-1990s.
Today, the railway’s stations are popular filming locations – one recently doubled as the backdrop for a Bollywood film, and the railway has appeared in episodes of Midsomer Murders and Silent Witness. The actual journey is a seven-mile (11km) meander through beech forests, chalk crosses scored into the hillside and ancient landscapes once explored by William the Conqueror. Keep an eye out for wildlife, especially near Thame Junction, where you’ll often see deer bouncing across the track.
The Jacobite Steam Train, Ben Nevis, Scotland
During this steamy Scottish adventure you’ll chug from Fort William To Mallaig and back – an 84-mile (135km) round trip which starts near Ben Nevis (Britain’s highest mountain) pauses at Britain’s most westerly mainland station and skirts Britain’s deepest freshwater loch. The most scenic spots include the Glenfinnan viaduct, which had a starring role in the Harry Potter movies, and the picturesque village of Arisaig, the setting for the annual Arisaig Highland Games.
READ MORE: Scotland's most scenic train journeys
The Ffestiniog Highland Railway, Gwynedd, Wales
Say hello to the world’s oldest narrow gauge railway – a 200-year-old route which twists from Porthmadog harbour to the slate-quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, via the UNESCO-listed Slate landscape of North Wales. It’s incredibly popular with photographers, who come to snap the trackside forests and waterfalls. However, the most sought-after shot is one showing the rear carriages – taken from the carriages at the front – as they twist around the route’s sweeping curves.
There are several steam trains to choose from, although we recommend bagging a seat on the First Class Pullman carriage, with its polished oak tables, armchair-like seats and Champagne hampers.
The Severn Valley Railway, West Midlands
The original Severn Valley Railway, which opened in 1862, had 15 stations and was used to transport coal from collieries to power stations. Trains ground to a halt in 1963 – two years before a group of railway enthusiasts clubbed together and purchased the railway for £25,000. There are seven steam trains, ranging from the rugged GWR 2857, a heavy goods engine which appeared in Netflix's Enola Holmes, to the BR Riddles 4MT, which dates back to 1955 and once hauled coal to the UK’s ports.
The Bluebell Railway, Sussex
The Bluebell Railway, which connects Sheffield Park with East Grinstead, was one of the first preserved heritage railway lines, and saving it was well worth the effort – hop on one of the steam locomotives which ply this route and you’ll soak up views of the Sussex countryside from vintage carriages, pausing in stations staffed by conductors in period dress.
Celebrating a special occasion? Hop on the Golden Arrow train with its beautiful dining car and Pullman carriages, modelled on the ones which once carried first class passengers to the transatlantic liners at Southampton. The railway’s had its fair share of movie roles too, appearing in Downton Abbey and Churchill’s Secret. Oh, and the Muppets Most Wanted movie, but we’ll gloss over that.
Cambrian Heritage Railways, Shropshire
Cambrian Heritage Railways operates a number of steam train rides, but the one which runs from Oswestry to Weston Wharf is our favourite – not only because there’s a fantastic pub at the arrival station (the ridiculously cosy Stonehouse Brewery with its log burners and delicious apple-pressed ciders), but because of the scenery, which morphs from ancient industrial landscapes to the rolling hills of Shropshire.
Make sure you squeeze in a visit to Oswestry’s Cambrian Railways Museum, where exhibits include the plaque which adorned the Royal Train when it carried King Edward VII to Aberystwyth in 1896. Got a need for speed? Sign up for one of the train driver sessions – and yes, you’ll get to pull the whistle.
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Hampshire
Often referred to as a ten-mile (16km) museum, this historic steam train journey stops at some of the Isle of Wight’s prettiest stations, including Havenstreet, which has been given a 1940s makeover, and Ashey, a rural station popular with photographers.
The lovingly restored carriages are the highlight – the oldest one dates back to 1864 and you don’t have to be a trainspotter to appreciate the Edwardian-era features, such as the gleaming brass handles and so-called droplight windows. Suddenly the tube looks rather plain.
The best bit? Wannabe train drivers can sign up for a footplate experience – they’ll ride upfront with the driver, soaking up the soundtrack of hissing steam and thumping cylinders.
READ MORE: Journey back in time on The Sunset Steam Express
Lead image: Nick Fox/Shutterstock