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List the top five

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Reading General, Jun 25, 2014.

  1. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

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    For fun and from the point of view of the visitor, please list your opinion of the top five railway visitor attractions.
    To emphasise, from the point of view of Joe Public....so take into account facilities, scenery, stock, things to do and see etc.
    Top five good days out for the average punter in other words.
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2014
  2. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    Ten feels a bit of a challenge however top 5 (in no particular order) and viewed as a Parent

    Severn Valley Railway
    Shakespeare Express
    Paignton & Dartmouth
    Bluebell Railway
    Launceston Steam Railway
     
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  3. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

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    OK I'll edit to 5 .
     
  4. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    It's quite hard to write this without any bias and I don't often travel as a passenger on many lines, the exception being the Severn Valley Railway.

    I'd have to go for:

    Ffestiniog Railway
    Welsh Highland Railway
    Talyllyn Railway
    Severn Valley Railway
    Strathspey Railway

    I think there's something for the everyday punter in all of them but they are the lines I know well through volunteering or membership!
     
  5. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

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    I ought to state mine I suppose. Tough call

    Didcot
    NRM
    Severn Valley
    Talyllyn
    North Yorks Moors (never been there but it attracts me more than anywhere else...next year!)
     
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  6. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    NYMR
    Bluebell
    Festiniog/WHR
    Didcot
    Severn Valley
     
  7. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Don't have kids so can't judge as a parent and being a bit of a committed enthusiast I'm not exactly seeing it as Joe Public.
    Going only on my partner's opinion of the railways we've visited together here are the results :
    1. NYMR
    2. WSR
    3. Bluebell
    4. Festiniog
    5. KWVR.
     
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  8. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

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    A good question.....for the average punter and for "things to do" I would include this to mean things to do nearby (ie within a mile or so) eg KWVR and the Bronte museam etc. Rather than the railway trying to attract by themselves they include other very nearby attractions so its a day out in that area.
    Quite a few of our railways dont tick this box. Look at any railway and see what nearby attractions would intice Joe Public to come to railway and visit local attractions.
    For example and no disrespect to the Strathspey (I love the railway, volunteered there when was in Inverness) I would not include it in a top 5 for Joe Public (even though its in my top 5 fav rlwys) due to its geographical location. Apart from the wonderful walks and osprey sanctuary there is not alot else for a family to do without a long ish drive.
     
  9. Robin

    Robin Well-Known Member Friend

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    My favourites by area. * are my top 5.

    South: Isle of Wight *
    South West: South Devon *
    South East: Bluebell *
    Wales: Ffestiniog/WHR
    Midlands: Severn Valley *
    East Anglia: North Norfolk
    North West: Lakeside & Haverthwaite
    North East: North York Moors *
    Scotland: The Jacobite
    Industrial: Tanfield
    Museum: NRM York
    Railway centre: Didcot
     
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  10. ykin01

    ykin01 Member

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    My top five would be....

    North Yorkshire Moors Railway
    Ffestiniog/Welsh Highland Railway
    Bluebell Railway
    North Norfolk Railway
    Swanage Railway
     
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  11. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Mine would be:

    Bluebell
    NYMR
    IoWSR
    Talyllyn
    Didcot

    Honourable mentions:

    SVR, North Norfolk, RHDR, Steam (Swindon). Also the Gartell Light Railway is great with toddler-aged children while having enough operational interest to keep the enthusiast in me happy!

    Caveat: I have by no means visited every line in the country. I've restricted my selection to be from places I have visited within the last five or so years.

    Tom
     
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  12. GeoffS75

    GeoffS75 Member

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    Not an easy one this but after some head-scratching (and to make things easier otherwise I would be here all day ignoring narrow gauge):

    SVR
    Bluebell
    NYMR
    Didcot
    SDR

    Would like to have squeezed the GWSR in but I don't think quite at the same level as the five given, likewise the IoWSR. Interesting that all five of my chosen (and most of the choices of others) are among the longer established places - maybe the others are still playing catch up.
     
  13. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

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    so far the big three are Bluebell NYMR and SVR all streets ahead, and really going to be tough top fit all three in on my next excursion around Britain!
     
  14. martin butler

    martin butler Part of the furniture

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    family friendly I would say
    1 Isle of Wight because there are always other attractions nearby to cater for family members that dont enjoy riding in a train, but saying that, you cant beat the charm of the island from your seat window, and very good facilities.
    2 Bluebell again you have the gardens at Sheffield park, and the town of East Grinstead at either end, very good facilities at sheffield park, if a little pricey
    3 Paighton and dartmouth, whilst not an authentic railway, its getting better, but you cant beat the experience of goodrington sands ,then the beside the river Dart into Kingswear in addition you have the river cruses to Totnes
    as for the rest, theres no real stand out for me, some are very good, some not so good for me its about making best of what you have and marketing it , ok not everyone has the idilic countryside of the Isle of Wight, or the red sandstone of the dart estury but i dont want to see stations that look out of place either, modern plastic lighting does not look right on an 1920's country station
     
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  15. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    hurrah, someone mentioned the gwsr! what would you say the SDR has over the gwsr? I visited it a while ago, a nice nice place but nothing spectacular, although I didn't actually ride the trains, so maybe better scenery?
     
  16. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    Yes, better scenery certainly. Also the chances of avoiding riding in a Mk.1 are greater!

    Actually I think we should be forbidden from mentioning anywhere we have an involvement with.

    P.H.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 25, 2014
  17. GeoffS75

    GeoffS75 Member

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    Alex,

    Like you the GWSR is my local and I would love it to be in the top five. Give it a couple of years when Broadway is reached, 35006 and 44027 are let loose and 7903 is back and it'll take some beating.

    However, to answer your question, the advantage the SDR has is that despite losing the couple of miles to Ashburton and having to fit modern facilities in it is still the quintessential GWR branch line (arguably the IoWSR does this for the Southern but I haven't been a passenger there) and as close to what it was as modern convenience allows. The GWSR is longer, has bigger engines and better potential for expansion but unless you win the Euromillions a double track main line like it used to be it ain't going to be again. I would also query whether the mentioned possible expansion beyond Broadway would be a step to far for what is still a predominantly volunteer organisation (the SDR's seven miles must be more sustainable and manageable long term?) but that is one for another thread.

    Geoff
     
  18. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

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    Given the criteria laid down by the OP, I'm curious to know why is Didcot listed by so many people?

    It is fine as a museum of all things GWR, but facilities, scenery, things to see and do? Falls a bit short compared with a number of other places out there surely?
     
  19. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

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    Think so? it's a great place for families to visit. Just note the number of family picnics going on and that sort of thing. Kids can get up close and personal with locos in a way that they can't in many places.
     
  20. threelinkdave

    threelinkdave Well-Known Member

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    Probably a bit biased

    1 SVR
    2 BLUEBELL
    3 NYMR
    4 FR/WHR
    5 KESR
     

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