Celebrating its 20th year, The Steam Dreams Rail Co, has launched three new Holidays by Steam. Two offer evocative journeys across Britain, the third a Christmas market excursion to Bavaria and all combine the immersive enjoyment of spectacular scenery with the added romance and adventure of travelling by steam.

The company also has a special commemorative trip to Plymouth and on to Cornwall in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the most famous date in the Founding Fathers history, when the Mayflower set sail, on 16th September 1620 bound for the New World.

Travelling in vintage passenger carriages and hauled by famous, historic steam engines, there are a range of ticket and accommodation options from seating in Non Dining to luxurious Pullman Style Dining. 

The Moors & Mountains Explorer – 9 days, 7th – 15th May, from £1,995pp

On this nine-day scenic exploration, nature lovers will steam through some of the most unspoilt, remote countryside of England and Wales, visiting West Country Moors, Cambrian Mountains, Snowdonia, The Lakeland Fells plus the Moors and Dales of Northern England. With accommodation in selected hotels there's plenty of time to enjoy the many attractions in each area plus several optional excursions; in Snowdonia these include further evocative steam journeys on lines such as Ffestiniog Railway and the Welsh Highland Railway from Portmadog to Caernarfon, visits to beautiful Bodnant Gardens, Puffin Island or some of the splendid castles of the region.

Departure: Thursday 7th May - Friday 15th May 2020, departing / returning London Victoria.

Prices: First Class Non-Dining £1,995pp and Pullman Style Dining £3,795pp.

Inclusions: Eight nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast. Train travel on days 1, 3, 4, 7 & 9, luggage courier service throughout plus coach transfers between train and hotels with on-board support staff. 

Flying Scotsman to Edinburgh - 4 days, 2nd – 5th July, from £349pp

A breath-taking long weekend travelling with the world-famous Flying Scotsman, re-tracing the historic east coast route from King's Cross. Hauled by vintage diesel to York, passengers then join Flying Scotsman for an express ride - up to 75mph - along the very line for which it was originally designed, enjoying spectacular views of the Yorkshire Moors through Northumberland to Alnwick and Berwick before steaming into Waverley Station in the heart of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh offers additional excursions over the world famous Forth Bridge behind Flying Scotsman - with outstanding views of up to 20 miles - or trips to the Royal Yacht Britannia, Stirling Castle or Culross Palace.

Departure: Thursday, 2nd July – Sunday 5th July, departing London King's Cross / returning London Euston.

Prices: First Class Non Dining £349, Premier Dining £699 and Pullman Style Dining £899. Hotel accommodation not included, can be booked as part of the package.

Inclusions: Train travel on days 1, 2 & 4, luggage courier service throughout plus coach transfers between train and hotels with on-board support staff. 

Mayflower 400 to Plymouth & Cornwall – 4 days, 14th  - 17th September, from £325

Celebrate the root of Britain's special relationship with America in grand style on a unique commemorative trip by steam train to Cornwall and on to Plymouth for the official Mayflower 400 celebrations which culminate in Plymouth on 16th September.

Depart London Paddington in a vintage carriage hauled by BI Mayflower steam engine – named after the original Pilgrim Fathers' ship - for a beautifully scenic journey all the way west including a two-hour break to explore Exeter. The route traverses the picturesque Dawlish sea wall, before crossing the edge of Dartmoor to Plymouth, then across Brunel's famous Saltash Bridge, through Truro with great views of St Michael's Mount before arriving at Penzance.

Departure: Monday, 14th – Thursday, 17th September, London Paddington and Reading / Penzance via Dawlish and Plymouth

Prices: First Class Non Dining £325, Premier Dining £649, Pullman Style Dining £849. Hotel accommodation not included, can be booked as part of the package.

Inclusions: Train travel days 1,2 & 4, luggage courier service throughout plus coach transfers between train and hotels with on-board support staff. 

Bavarian Christmas Express – 4 days, 30th November - 3rd December, from £995

A festive winter wonderland tour of Bavaria, staying three nights in Nuremberg and one night in Cologne. Both cities' have spectacular, world renowned Christmas markets. Passengers can also enjoy an included steam hauled journey to the medieval Cathedral City of Regensburg on the River Danube, as well as an optional high speed journey over the border to charming, historic Salzburg.

Passengers can choose to travel by train throughout – or travel independently to Germany to board the 23058 Class 23 Steam locomotive and vintage carriages at Frankfurt Main Station.

Departure: Monday 30th November to Thursday, 3rd December with two optional extra days, Sunday 29th November and Friday, 4th December travelling by high speed train London St Pancras – Frankfurt and Cologne - London St Pancras

Prices: First Class Non-Dining £995, Premier Dining £1,295, Pullman Style Dining £1,995. Hotel accommodation not included, can be booked as part of the package.

Inclusions: Train travel on days 1, 2 & 4, luggage courier service throughout plus coach transfers between train and hotels with on-board support staff. 

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For further information contact WixHill PR:

Tim Fordham-Moss / Pippa Evans

tim@wixhill.co.uk / pippa@wixhill.co.uk

+44 (0) 771 491788 / + 44 (0) 7545 522292

Editor's Notes:

61306 Mayflower

Built for the London & North Eastern Railway in 1948, 61306 Mayflower is one of two surviving B1 Class locomotives. Designed as mixed traffic locomotives capable of hauling express passenger trains as well as freight traffic, the B1s are powerful, go anywhere engines and worked across most of the UK rail network from East Anglia to Scotland.

Mayflower was built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow but was delivered post-nationalisation and acquired the number 61306 by British Railways. She was first allocated to Hull Botanic Gardens Depot followed by a spell at Hull Dairycotes Depot before being finally transferred to Low Moor Depot, Bradford. She was the last B1 in service, her final trip was hauling the 'Yorkshire Pullman' from Leeds in September 1967.

Mayflower was immediately purchased for preservation and was initially based at Steamtown in Carnforth. She was fully restored for mainline operation and worked a number of railtours in the 1970's. Acquired by Steam Dreams owner David Buck in 2014, she returned to the mainline in 2015 before being withdrawn for an extensive overhaul. Resplendent in the early British Railways apple green livery as she was originally given when delivered in 1948 she returned to full mainline operation in early 2019.

Mayflower has two cylinders, 6 driving wheels, a firebox grate area of 30 square feet and can operate at 75mph.

Carbon Offset

The Steam Dreams Rail Co. is the first rail charter to be carbon neutral. Every year the company makes a donation to carbon reduction projects, to offset the carbon emissions that steam engines produce.

This year, Steam Dreams Rail Co. is sponsoring a solar project based in India, supporting India in the transition to a low carbon economy through renewable energy generation and ask all their passengers to contribute a small £1 voluntary supplement towards this cause. www.eco-act.com.

About The Steam Dreams Rail Co.

• The first trip left London for Salisbury in 1999 and was an immediate success
• Almost two decades later, the company is proud to be offering day trips to more than 35 different destinations and picking up passengers at over 100 stations across the UK every year
• As well as day trips, Steam Dreams offers a number of multi-day tours around the British Isles and Continental Europe. In autumn 2021, the company will be including a tour of New Zealand in their programme.
• The company has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence every year since 2015, and was short-listed for Best Rail Holiday Provider in the inaugural Silver Travel Awards