Railtrail Annual Brochure 2021

G rand T ours by R ail – S ix W onders of

There are said to be ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’ and on this great railway holiday we visit six! Our Railtrail grand tour begins at the very heart of the industrial revolution at a hotel within the Ironbridge World Heritage site, then explores the masterpieces of Victorian engineering with boat trips and steam trains galore.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 1 For those booking rail travel with us, we arrive in Telford for the transfer to our hotel for two nights, the Best Western Valley Hotel, a Georgian listed building with a riverside setting within the Ironbridge UNESCO World Heritage site . After an orientation walk with a local guide we enjoy our first dinner together. (D) DAY 2 Continuing our tour of Ironbridge, we visit Blists Hill, a recreated Victorian town and time capsule of a bygone age. We follow this with a steam excursion journey on the Severn Valley Railway . Preservation of this historic full-size standard gauge line began in 1965 and we take the scenic 16 mile rail route closely following the River Severn from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster. (B,D) DAY 3 Departing Telford by train, we arrive in Chester where our hotel is the lovely Queen Hotel, convenient for the railway station. We take an afternoon stroll along the ★ ★ Dinner every evening ★ ★ Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class) ★ ★ Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager ★ ★ Begin our tour at a hotel within the Ironbridge Gorge UNESCO World Heritage site ★ ★ Visit Blists Hill Victorian Village and tour Ironbridge ★ ★ Steam on the Severn Valley Railway ★ ★ Get to know Chester on a River Dee cruise ★ ★ Anderton Boat Lift, marvel of Victorian engineering ★ ★ Masterpiece of the canals, breathtaking Pontcysyllte Aqueduct ★ ★ Llangollen Steam Railway nostalgia ★ ★ Cruise along the Manchester Ship Canal, viewing Barton Swing Aqueduct ★ ★ Steam excursion on the East Lancashire Railway ★ ★ Visit Burnley Weavers’ Triangle and walk part of Burnley Embankment ★ ★ Boat trip into Standedge Tunnel, the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel in Britain ★ ★ Steam on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway ★ ★ Visit Saltaire, another UNESCO World Heritage site ★ ★ Walk the canal lock staircase at Bingley Five Rise Locks Also included in your Tour Fare:

Fares From £1275

Ironbridge Gorge

© Shutterstock

ancient City Walls to the Dee for a river cruise and charming views of the town from the water, returning through Chester’s attractive city centre. (B,D) DAY 4 We coach across the border to the Llangollen Canal for a breathtaking aerial cruise across the first of our ‘Six Wonders’, the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct . Crossing 126ft above the River Dee, it is the highest and longest aqueduct in Britain and a World Heritage site. We continue by road to Llangollen with time to look around the delightful town before a thrilling return steam train ride along the beautiful Dee Valley to Corwen . (B,D) DAY 5 The second of our ‘Six Wonders’ is the Anderton Boat Lift where after taking refreshments we trace the history of canal carrying and engineering, taking the boat trip to descend the lift and cruising the River Weaver . We than make our way to Bury for a steam journey on the East Lancashire Railway , alongside the River Irwell. (B,D)

DAY 6 This morning we join one of the scheduled Mersey Ferries Manchester Ship Canal cruises , the mighty waterway that brought ocean-going freighters from around the world into the heart of the city. The route passes lofty railway flyover bridges, locks and swing bridges on a breathtaking scale, as well as the third of our ‘Six Wonders’, the Barton Swing Aqueduct . After this, we make our way to the Best Western Oaks Hotel in Burnley for one night. (B,D)

Barton Swing Aquaduct

© Shutterstock © Shutterstock

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Llangollen

© Visit Wales

Book now – online at www.railtrail.co.uk or telephone: 01538 382323

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