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Special Trains 2008
You can download a booking form for some of our services but you will need Adobe Acrobat to read the .pdf file. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat you can download it free of charge by following the link.
Summer Holidays
We run trains on everyday throughout the school summer holidays from July 24th to September 7th.
Days Out with Thomas
Come and visit the centre on the days when Thomas the Tank is there with all his friends including Sir Topham Hat. Thomas will be at the Centre on the following dates:-
March 1st and 2nd
March 8th and 9th
May 24th to June 1st
August 2nd to 10th
October 11th to October 12th
December 27th to December 31st
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Days Out with Thomas - Special Tea Trains
There will be a special tea train hauled by Thomas on
March 8th
May 28th and 31st
August 6th and 9th
October 11th
December 27th, 29th and 31st. (see below under Festive Thomas Trains for details)
These trains must be booked in advance.
Footplate Experience Days
Passenger Trains with Steam Engines
April 4th, 12th, 18th, 25th
May 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd
June 6th, 13th, 27th
July 4th, 11th, 14th,
September 12th, 27th
October 3rd, 10th, 17th
Passenger Train with Diesel Locomotive
June 20th
For more details and a booking form follow the link below
Special Railway Experience Day
Booked Participants can not only experience a steam locomotive footplate but also the controls of a heritage diesel locomotive, a steam roller, and a very special behind the scenes tour. Booking is essential. Contact us for more details. This special days will be run on
September 20th
For more details and a booking form follow the link below
Diesel Galas
We run diesel galas which feature many resident and visiting diesel locomotives in an intensive timetable with a variety of locomotives pulling the trains. Diesel galas are planned for:-
April 19th and 20th
June 21st and 22nd - Class 40 Diesel Group Event
September 6th and 7th
A revised timetable incorporating more trains than the normal 'C' timetable at a 35 minute timing will run on each of these special Diesel weekends.
Goods Trains
We have a large variety of goods stock at the Centre and we use it occasionally on our normal running days to demonstrate the use of such stock as it used to be.
Real Ale Trains
We are again operating Real Ale Trains which will leave Butterley at 7.30 p.m. for two leisurely journeys of the line including a stop at Swanwick to view the progress at the junction. The cost is £8.00 which will include a free pint for those booking in advance. There will be a range of free nibbles as well as more substantial food for purchase. Wines and soft drinks will also be available. Ales will be £2.00 a pint. It will not be possible to reserve seats but, because numbers are limited, it is advisible to book your ticket.
May 10th, July 12th and September 6th
Vintage Trains
We have some vintage rolling stock which dates back well into the 19th century. We run this stock to demonstrate how it used to be to sit in some of the earliest railway carriages:-
May 3rd to 5th.The visiting locomotive will be Sir Berkeley, a Manning Wardle built in 1890 owned by the Vintage Carriages Trust and currently at the Middleton Railway.
August 15th to 17th
Works Open Day
A special gala weekend re-creating the Works Open Days that were popular in the 50s.
August 23rd to 25th
DMU Gala
A DMU Gala for all those who miss the local trains of the 70s.
March 29th and 30th
Anything Goes Weekend
Come and see the special events lined up for this weekend.
July 19th and 20th
Road Transport Rally
Swanwick site will be the scene of a gathering of all forms of road transport on Sunday 13th July. Make sure that you do not miss this exciting event.
Visit of Paddington Bear
Paddington is celebrating his fiftieth year and will be appearing at the Midland Railway Butterley for this special weekend which will include all of the Trust’s normal activities as well as additional children’s entertainment.
Paddington is now famous for both marmalade and marmite sandwiches! So over this weekend we will be staging a Sandwich celebration, with a full range of usual and not so usual sandwiches on offer.
August 30th and 31st
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Link to Official Paddington Web Site |
Fireworks Evening
We have a special fireworks evening on Saturday 1st November. Trains will run during the day per the 'B' timetable. A shuttle train runs from Butterley to Swanwick where you can get a grandstand view of our magnificent firework display. A return service will be available after the end of the display. The GVLR narrow gauge will run trains at Swanwick.
Halloween Train
A Special Ghost Train with a special Halloween meal will run in the evening.
October 31st
Santa Specials
During the Christmas period we run Santa Specials for all the family. Santa's grotto is on the train and the children will meet Santa during the train ride. There is a quality gift for every child. Every adult will receive a mince pie and a miniature bottle of spirits. There is a pets' corner and the Pinxton puppets put on a show. Booking is strongly advised. The Santa Specials will run on the following dates:-
November 22nd and 23rd
November 29th and 30th
December 4th
December 6th and 7th
December 11th
December 13th and 14th
December 18th
December 20th to 24th
Festive Thomas Trains
After Christmas we run our Festive Thomas Trains from 27th December to 31st December. Each adult will receive a bottle of beer or wine and each child will receive a free present.
The usual Festive Trains (without Thomas) will run from 1st to 4th January 2009.
Winter Warmer Trains
Winter Warmer trains are run at weekends during January and February.
Other Special Weekends
During the summer we have other themed days and weekends. Examples are:-
1940s Event June 7th and 8th
Fathers' Day on June 15th
Disabled Weekend - Free for registered disabled, half price for helper on June 28th and 29th. (Supported by Ripley Rotary).
Narrow Gauge and Garden Railway Weekend and Model Event - July 12th and 13th.
Indie Weekend on 26th and 27th July
A 1940s Indian Summer over the weekend of 4th and 5th October
Wizards Spooktacular week from October 25th to 31st.
Lunch on the Train
Our Mid-day Midlander Sunday Lunch Services will run on January 27th, March 16th, April 13th and 27th, May 18th, June 15th (Fathers' Day), July 13th, 27th, August 31st, September 28th, October 19th and November 9th. Lunch will also be available on the Santa Special Trains on November 23rd and 30th and December 7th and 14th.
For more details and a booking form follow the link below
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