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For 2024 The Railway Touring Company has introduced new UK holidays exploring Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Southern England’s heritage railways, as well as offering ever popular rail-themed tours of Scotland, Snowdonia, the Lakes and Ireland.
The British Travel Awards 2023 title of ‘Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays’, for the third year running, is testimony to The Railway Touring Company’s 26 years in the business.
The British Isles
‘The Great Britain’, The Railway Touring Company’s flagship nine-day tour featuring a number of locomotives runs for its sixteenth year in April.
By contrast ‘The Derbyshire Delight’ is new for 2024, taking in the Peak Railway, the Churnet Valley and the Ecclesbourne Valley Railways. Also, a new itinerary ‘York and Railways of Yorkshire’ includes the NRM, of course, plus steam on the Settle & Carlisle Line, the NYMR and the Wensleydale Railway.
‘The Southern Seasider’ visits The Lavendar Line, The Bluebell Railway, The Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, The Watercress Line and The Swanage Railway and offers nautical interest with Portsmouth’s historic dockyard, the Mary Rose Museum and HMS Victory.
Perennials ‘The Cock O-the North’, ‘The Summer Highlander’, ‘The Emerald Explorer’ and ‘The Isle of Man Adventure’ and others, once again promise interesting heritage rail experiences.
Austria to Sri Lanka
Austria’s iconic ‘little trains’ and narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn, Canada by rail, Colorado’s Silverton Railroad, the Genova Cassella railway, Norway’s Flåm Railway, Poland’s Gdansk Narrow Gauge Railway, Switzerland’s Jungfrau and Sir Lanka’s Viceroy Special are just some of the highlights of The Railway Touring Company’s diverse range of rail-themed holidays in Europe and beyond, with many journeys by private charter.
Mainline steam days
Mainline steam day trips featuring Carnforth pool locos, 45596 Bahamas and others, provide more bite-sized opportunities for heritage rail adventures.
Steam over the Settle & Carlisle, the North Wales Coast available from London this year, the End of Southern Steam and the Atlantic Coast Express are just a few of over 70 trains scheduled for 2024.
