Is all train travel included?

Yes. The Railway Touring Company price includes the entire journey from London Euston to Carlisle and back.

Which trains are used?

A Class 86 blue electric locomotive runs London Euston to Carnforth and Preston back to London Euston. A steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool hauls the train from Carnforth over Shap to Carlisle and back via the Settle & Carlisle Railway to Preston.

What dining options are available?

Standard includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four. First class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and muffin, and afternoon tea or coffee with a savoury and scone. Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four-course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

How much time is there in Carlisle?

Around two hours, enough to explore the city, its castle, and cathedral.

Can I board at stations other than London Euston?

Yes. Boarding points include Watford Junction, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Rugby, Nuneaton, Crewe, and Preston.

The Railway Touring Company · Steam rail day trip

The Cumbrian Mountain Express

Steam day trip London to Carlisle over Shap and Settle & Carlisle Railway

The Railway Touring Company's Cumbrian Mountain Express is a one-day circular train excursion from London Euston through the English Lake District and Northern Fells. The journey departs London hauled by a Class 86 electric locomotive, stopping at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Nuneaton, and Crewe before reaching Carnforth in Lancashire. There, a steam locomotive takes over for the climb via the Lune Gorge and the steep gradient at Shap, descending into Carlisle, where passengers have around two hours to explore the city and its castle and cathedral. The return follows the celebrated Settle & Carlisle Railway, crossing Ribblehead Viaduct and passing beneath three prominent Pennine peaks (Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough) before the electric locomotive resumes for the return to London. Three dining classes are offered, from a reserved seat at a standard fare to Premier Dining with breakfast and a four-course dinner prepared on board. This trip suits repeat rail travellers and photographers seeking views of historic British railways and moorland scenery.

What to know before you look closer

Only one departure is currently listed: May 2026.
The Premier Dining option (£335) requires a £50-per-person supplement to guarantee a table for two instead of four.

Day by day

Day 1rail
London Euston to Carlisle over Shap, return via the Settle & Carlisle Railway
Electric-hauled from London Euston via Watford Junction, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Nuneaton, Crewe and Preston to Carnforth, where a steam locomotive takes over for the climb via Shap to Carlisle. Around two hours in Carlisle, then return via the Settle & Carlisle Railway over Ais Gill and Ribblehead to Preston, where the Class 86 electric locomotive resumes for the run back to London Euston.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 1A steam locomotive climbs the 1 in 75 gradient at Shap, then descends to Carlisle through the Lune Gorge and past Penrith.
Day 1Return journey crosses Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle & Carlisle Railway.

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included?: Yes. The Railway Touring Company price includes the entire journey from London Euston to Carlisle and back.
Which trains are used?: A Class 86 blue electric locomotive runs London Euston to Carnforth and Preston back to London Euston. A steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool hauls the train from Carnforth over Shap to Carlisle and back via the Settle & Carlisle Railway to Preston.
What dining options are available?: Standard includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four. First class includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and muffin, and afternoon tea or coffee with a savoury and scone. Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four-course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.
How much time is there in Carlisle?: Around two hours, enough to explore the city, its castle, and cathedral.
Can I board at stations other than London Euston?: Yes. Boarding points include Watford Junction, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Rugby, Nuneaton, Crewe, and Preston.

Similar journeys

The Railway Touring Company