Vintage Trains 2026

A teaser - we will be operating two LNER Pacific's in 2026 Q1. The first will soon be all over social media; there are 15 short journey trains plus three UNASSISTED Shakespeare Expresses. The second is the 'newbie' over Shap, returning via S&C, UNASSISTED, in March. Bookings open tomorrow

 

Flying Scotsman tours announced, and a run over Shap and S&C with 60163 in March.

https://www.facebook.com/share/17gYXK4LN4/

We are delighted to welcome the legendary to Tyseley next year and to offer two very special travel experiences for you to choose from.

On Valentine’s Day, will haul three Valentine’s Shakespeare Expresses from Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon and return, a two hour express train experience, with the option of either breakfast, afternoon tea or a three course evening dinner in our authentic luxury Pullman cars or seating in our Standard Class carriages with large picture windows by every seat.

️During Half Term, Wednesday 18th to Friday 20th, will haul five one hour train ride experiences daily, together with a unique opportunity for you and your family to take unforgettable selfies by the locomotive at Moor Street station before or after your journey.

️Tickets are strictly limited and are available on a ‘first come first served basis’ only by booking on our website vintagetrains.co.uk. Bookings open on vintagetrains.co.uk at 1pm 19th December 2025.

https://vintagetrains.co.uk/vintage...97h_KufyHWhjMcH6Mg_aem_a9pghsdqDhYBU4LwhYGmJA

This Spring we return to Carlisle, a 2000 year old city with plenty of history to discover. While the city is famous for Hadrian’s Wall, there is much more besides including the Cathedral, Castle and several museums and galleries all for you to explore.

The journey will see the train make a thunderous ascent of Shap to Carlisle, before returning via the stunning and world-famous Settle & Carlisle line. Both on the outward run via Shap and the return over the Settle & Carlisle, the train will be unassisted by diesel locomotive.

We are delighted to announce that this train will be steam hauled throughout, by special guest locomotive 60163 ‘Tornado’, courtesy of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. For enthusiasts we will once again be offering the Tourist Enthusiast ticket, allowing you to sit in the first passenger carriage behind the locomotive in at least one direction.

 

Re the Tornado trip, is your interpretation of that unassisted steam all the way or unassisted Carnforth--Carlisle--Hellifield? I've read it a few times and incline to the latter.

 

Yes that's my interpretation too

 

The VT website confirms that Tornado will be at the front of the train the entire time, with a diesel on the rear from Birmingham to Carnforth, and from Hellifield to Birmingham.

This is a step up from the similar tour last year with Bahamas, where steam came on at Carnforth and off at Hellifield. The fare seems very reasonable (£132.50 Standard Class, inc booking fee), with a modest supplement for Enthusiast Class.


BTW, is anyone else finding the NatPres website extremely slow to respond today?


Nick M.

 

Yes, been trying to get on for over an hour!

 

Been like it for a few weeks, on and off. Some days are better than others.

 

Should be a seriously good day out. Don't forget 60163's tender has 6200 gallons of water on board so has a vastly longer range than Bahamas. We did the 105 miles to Grantham from the Cross more than once with a speed of 73 at Stoke Summit. Ir's a shame the diesel can't run across to Blackburn and attach there so we could enjoy an unassisted climb of Wilpshire Bank. Still, 60163 has done superb climbs of Wilpshire Bank with 13 in the past so fingers crossed the diesel driver reads his paper or something between Hellifield and Wilpshire Summit.

 

Agree, have been waiting for this trip to appear - booking made.
Thanks Vintage Trains, something to look forward to in 2026!

 

I see there is also a CME running on this date so presume the VT times on the website will change?

 

Two years ago, VT had a slot ahead of the CME, dep Birmingham 0656, Warrington 0853, Carlisle 1205, although that's not what happened on the day. This time they will need less time at Carnforth because they are just dropping the diesel off. But as against that even Tornado will need a water stop somewhere. On the return, I guess they will probably need to drop back to the 1515 slot from Carlisle over the S and C.

It looks as though the Preston/Blackburn pick up and set down has had to be dropped this year.

 

I’ve been trying to ring the booking office since before Christmas but with no reply to my messages. I can’t book on line as I have a discount from the not-Newcastle trip. Is there any news when the office will be reopening please?

 

All sorted yesterday with 3 pax booked into the enthusiast coach.

 

I see the Mayflower tour for this year is already on the Vintage Trains website and is due to run on the 12th of September. It is adverstied as running 'unassited by a diesel locomotive' and more importantly is due to be hauled by both Clun Castle and Earl Of Mount Edgecombe.

https://vintagetrains.co.uk/the-mayflower/

As of now the following seats are available:

Pullman Table for 2 | 2 People - 15
Pullman Adult - 68
Private Compartments - 4
First Class Tables for 2 | 2 People - 7
First Class Adult - 28
Standard Adult - 268
Standard Child - 268
Standard Family | Table of 4 - 67

It will be interesting to see how well these sell and if there is more demand for First Class as it seems to be popular based on previous years.

 

I wish they'd allow individual travellers to book one seat at a table for two, like RTC and others do. An additional supplement of £50 or so would seem reasonable. I mentioned this to them on all the VT tours I did last year, and again in the feedback form they email out in the days after a tour.

 

Surely for VT is a significant loss of revenue or are you suggesting that you paying the full price for two people plus £50 for the table for two for yourself?

 

I mean I buy a First Class ticket for £265 then I pay a supplement on top (say £50) for a seat at a table for two. So total paid is £315. That's what most other promoters allow you to. Then, quite often, another individual traveller will come along and do the same thing. So for that table for two VT will have been paid £630 instead of the usual price of £593. So it's a bit of extra money in the kitty for them. The supplement could be more than £50 if they wanted - it's £60 with LSL for example.

 

Surely it depends on the demand they get for tables for 2, and whether they can satisfy that?