Full steam ahead to a fully steamed railway attraction in Cornwall. Yup, the Launceston Steam Railway in, unsurprisingly, Launceston is a must-stop for all choo choo enthusiasts and those people who just like to tour the county by classic train. This narrow gauge railway offers steam engine rides though some of the most beautiful countryside surrounding the historical market town.
All of the trains that pull out of the Launceston Steam Railway’s station are hauled by Victorian steam locomotives that have been restored to their former glory. Enjoy a return journey to the station in the hamlet of Newmills which is in a pretty area for a walk or picnic. Then wait for the next train to take you back to the Launceston station, where there is a cute café serving hot and cold refreshments, a museum with all sorts of transport and engineering exhibits and machines, and a gift shop where the tickets are actually sold.
This little station in Launceston was built only as far back as the 1980s but it nevertheless boasts a Victorian country station atmosphere. And the journey itself is about two-and-a-half miles from the station to Newmills along the tracks in the Kensey Valley which were once regularly used by the old North Cornwall Railway. You can choose an open or closed carriage and, of course, the prime position is right at the front. If you’re lucky, you’ll be pulled by an old steam locomotive called Lilian or Dorothea.
Do check ahead to see if Launceston Steam Railway is open out of season as it starts running trains from Easter over the busy summer period. The car park, which sits on the site of the original Launceston Station, is free, which is a big bonus. Then prepare for a journey like no other through the pretty Cornish countryside on a restored Victorian steam train. They don’t make them like this any more.