Steam Leaflets for 2018

ITINERARY

DAY 1 Thursday 19 July We meet at Stoke station and after registering at the original North Stafford Railway Hotel we board our vintage coach to Hanley in the heart of the Potteries to get up close to Spitfire RW388 which was presented to the city in honour of the planes creator, Reginald J Mitchell, who was born locally. The museum is also home to the world’s finest collection of ceramics for which the Potteries is world renowned. We then have a tour and tasting at the Titanic Brewery one of the Potteries finest before returning to the NSR hotel and our evening meal. (D) DAY 2 Friday 20 July We travel by vintage coach out into the delightful Staffordshire Moorlands for a visit to the Rudyard Lake Railway, which is now home to the track and stock of the former Isle of Mull Railway. Rudyard Kipling was named after this famous local beauty spot and the line runs along the lakeside. Our afternoon features a private steam charter at the Apedale Railway, which is an excellent project conserving a substantial collection of British Narrow Gauge industrial locomotives and artefacts, including those owned by the Moseley Trust after which we return to our hotel for our evening meal. (B,D) DAY 3 Saturday 21 July We travel by vintage coach back out to the beautiful Staffordshire Moorlands for a day on the standard gauge Churnet Valley Railway, steaming through Staffordshire’s ‘Little Switzerland’ as it was marketed by the original North Staffordshire Railway. There are excellent real ale pubs at each station, such as the Boat Inn at Cheddleton, The Railway at Froghall, and in our biased opinion the most scenically located railway pub in Britain – the Black Lion at Consall Forge - a truly relaxing day in glorious scenery. A lunchtime excursion sees our vintage coach take us to one of the North’s most revered pubs – the amazing Yew Tree at Cauldon Lowe. (B,D) DAY 4 Sunday 22 July Our wonderful weekend concludes with a full day of riding and photography at the famous Foxfield Steam Railway annual gala. This former colliery line is 3.5 miles long with fine countryside views (the setting for the BBC’s “Cranford” when the railway came to the town in this Victorian drama). The gala, normally 5 or 6 locos in steam featuring passenger trains and

the unique sight of a rake of wagons being powered by original industrial steam locomotives up a 1 in 30 gradient, plus lifting demonstrations with a steam crane and lots more. Foxfield id also home to the unique North Staffordshire Railway rake of coaches owned by the Knotty Trust. We will also experience the early evening culmination of the Foxfield event - a fantastic rake of waggons being powered up the infamous Foxfield bank with both train loco and banker with regulators fully open. Our private vintage coach then transfers us back to our hotel for our farewell dinner. (B,D) DAY 5 Monday 23 July After breakfast we take our homeward journeys from Stoke. (B)

(B) = Breakfast included, (D) = Dinner included

FARES Fare Region

First Standard RC £595 £495 -£10 £630 £520 -£10 £640 £530 -£10 £665 £545 -£10 £610 £505 -£10 £550 £480 -£5 £475 £440 -£5 £515 £485 -£10 £590 £530 -£10 £500 £445 -£5 £665 £505 -£10 £505 £465 -£5 £620 £510 -£10

London: Euston Greater London South of England

East Anglia South West

Heart of England

Midlands Yorkshire North East North West South Wales North Wales

Scotland

Tour Base Fare

£415

Single Room Supplement

£75

HOTEL North Stafford Hotel, Stoke-on-Trent Whilst retaining its period architectural glory, the North Stafford Hotel now offers more budget accommodation in a warm and welcoming atmosphere; this beautifully designed Victorian railway hotel is directly opposite the station, situated in the heart of “The Potteries” city of Stoke-on-Trent. Relax in the Clayhanger bar and Winton Suite lounge; free WIFI is available throughout the public areas of the hotel. The en-suite rooms are fully equipped to give a comfortable and homely feel with facilities including trouser press, TV, hairdryer, telephone and tea/coffee making. Fare inclusive of: 4 nights’ dinner, bed & breakfast accommodation, Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class) All excursions & admissions as detailed Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

Bygone times at the Yew Tree Inn, Cauldon Lowe

Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason. Your acceptance of this is a condition of your booking.

To book visit: www.railtrail.co.uk or telephone: 01538 382323 Standard Railtrail Tours Ltd. booking conditions apply to this tour, as detailed in our Escorted Holidays by Train brochure; copies available upon request.