About British Rail Tours
An independent directory of the trains that make Britain worth crossing by rail: main line steam, heritage diesel, luxury dining trains and the scenic timetabled lines.
What we list
Charter trains are excursions run by specialist operators such as West Coast Railways, Steam Dreams, Vintage Trains, Saphos and LSL, or promoted by companies like the Railway Touring Company and Pathfinder Tours, which hire in locomotives and coaches. They run over Network Rail lines alongside ordinary services but need their own ticket. We group them as steam, diesel and luxury.
Scenic lines are normal national rail services on routes chosen for the view: the Settle–Carlisle, the West Highland Line, the Cambrian Coast, the Dawlish sea wall and so on. Any valid ticket works, and rover or ranger tickets often make them cheaper.
Accuracy
Seasons, prices and locomotives are indicative and change from year to year. Steam locomotives are substituted by diesel more often than operators would like. Always check the operator’s page for the current timetable and terms before travelling. If you spot an error, email us.
How we are funded
We are not a booking agent and hold no tickets. Outbound links go to the operator or a rail retailer. Some of those links may be affiliate links, meaning we might earn a small commission if you book after clicking through. It never changes the price you pay and it never influences which trains we list or how we describe them.
Photographs
Photographs are used under Creative Commons licences and are credited on each page and on the photo credits page.