The Railway Touring Company
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The Railway Touring Company · Rail day excursion
The Mazey Day Cornishman
One-day diesel train excursion from the Midlands to Penzance for Mazey Day festival
The Railway Touring Company's Mazey Day Cornishman is a one-day rail excursion from the West Midlands to Penzance in Cornwall, timed to arrive for Mazey Day, the centrepiece of Penzance's annual midsummer Golowan Festival. The 300-mile journey departs early from Dorridge with stops at Birmingham New Street, Bristol Temple Meads and Exeter, then follows the scenic Dawlish Sea Wall beside the English Channel through Devon, crosses Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge into Cornwall, and passes views of historic tin mining engine houses before arrival in Penzance. Passengers step directly into the street festivities of Mazey Day, with traditional parades, large wicker models crafted by the community, live music, dancing, and food and craft stalls filling the town. The train is diesel-hauled by two Class 37 locomotives, harking back to the steam era of British rail. Four service tiers are offered, from Standard reserved seating to Premier, which includes a full English breakfast and a four-course dinner freshly prepared on board and served at your seat. This trip suits repeat rail travellers attracted to heritage locomotives, food and wine enthusiasts seeking on-board dining, and first-time rail passengers looking for a self-contained day out.
Price history
Across 4 checks, this price has held at £115 every time.
Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 1 of 4 point is a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.
One reading is held out of the price above and this history: a supplement. We only price on the operator's package from-price, read from its own page.
What to know before you look closer
- Only one departure confirmed: June 2026. Confirm availability before planning.
- This is a single-day excursion; passengers must organise their own return transport from Penzance or arrange overnight accommodation if staying longer.
Day by day
- Day 1rail
Dorridge to Penzance via the Dawlish Sea Wall and Cornwall for Mazey Day
Diesel-hauled by two Class 37 locomotives, the train leaves Dorridge early morning, picks up at Birmingham New Street, Worcestershire Parkway, Cheltenham, Cam & Dursley, Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads, then runs via the Somerset Levels and Whiteball Summit to Exeter, along the Exe estuary and the Dawlish Sea Wall through Teignmouth, over Dainton Bank and the South Devon incline via Totnes to Plymouth, crosses the Tamar on the Royal Albert Bridge into Cornwall, calls at Par, Truro and St Erth, and passes St Michael's Mount at Marazion before arriving at Penzance around lunchtime for the Mazey Day festivities. The train returns to Dorridge by the outward route in the evening.
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 1The train runs along the Dawlish Sea Wall beside the English Channel, a famous coastal railway section through Devon
- Day 1Crossing Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge over the Tamar River marks entry into Cornwall
- Day 1Arrival in Penzance for Mazey Day festivities, including parades, wicker models and street entertainment of the Golowan Festival
Questions travellers ask
- How much does it cost?
- From £115 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $155 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
- Which trains are used?
- The Mazey Day Cornishman, a diesel-hauled train pulled by two Class 37 locomotives.
- Where can I board?
- Boarding points include Dorridge, Birmingham New Street, Worcester Parkway, Cheltenham Spa, Cam and Dursley, Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads.
- What happens in Penzance?
- Passengers arrive for Mazey Day, the centrepiece of Penzance's midsummer Golowan Festival, featuring parades, community-created wicker models, street entertainment, live music, dancing and food and craft stalls.
- Are there optional extras?
- A guaranteed table for two is available as an optional extra in Premier Dining or First Class service.
