The Railway Touring Company
The Dorset Coast Express
Steam day trip from London to Weymouth via Bournemouth and Dorset coast
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The Railway Touring Company · Steam day trip
The Wensum and Thames Explorer - 5 September 2026
One-day steam excursion from Norwich to Reading via the Midlands
The Railway Touring Company's Wensum and Thames Explorer is a one-day steam excursion departing Norwich early morning on 5 September 2026, hauled by No. 34028 Eddystone across Norfolk and the Midlands to set-down stops at Warwick, Oxford and Reading. The train crosses Norfolk from Norwich through Thetford and March to Peterborough, then continues westward via Stamford, Oakham and Melton Mowbray to Leicester, Nuneaton and the West Midlands, passing Tyseley on the former Great Western main line before reaching Warwick (home to the castle beside the River Avon), Oxford (the City of Dreaming Spires) and Reading (with riverside restaurants and its museum). Passengers may board at multiple stations including Peterborough, Leicester, Nuneaton and Warwick. The return journey to Norwich is diesel hauled, calling at the morning stations and arriving late evening. Three dining tiers are available: Standard reserved seating, First Class with morning and afternoon refreshments, and Premier Dining with a full English breakfast and four-course dinner freshly prepared on board.
What to know before you look closer
- Only one departure listed: 5 September 2026. Confirm availability and any additional dates with The Railway Touring Company.
- Passengers may board at any of the gateways (Thetford, March, Peterborough, Leicester, Nuneaton, Warwick, Oxford); confirm your boarding point when booking.
Day by day
- Day 1
The Wensum and Thames Explorer
Steam hauled from Norwich via Thetford, March, Peterborough, Leicester and Nuneaton to the West Midlands, with set-down stops at Warwick, Oxford and Reading, before a diesel-hauled return to Norwich.
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 1Steam locomotive No. 34028 Eddystone pulls the train westward from Norwich through Norfolk to Peterborough, Leicester, Nuneaton, and the West Midlands
- Day 1Set-down stops at Warwick for the castle beside the River Avon, Oxford the City of Dreaming Spires, and Reading with its riverside restaurants and museum
Questions travellers ask
- Is train travel included?
- Yes. The Railway Touring Company operates the entire excursion on a steam-hauled train from Norwich, with set-down stops at Warwick, Oxford and Reading, and a diesel-hauled return.
- Which train operates this excursion?
- No. 34028 Eddystone, a steam locomotive, hauls the train from Norwich westward through the Midlands. The return to Norwich is diesel hauled.
- What dining is included?
- Standard seats start at GBP 135 with a reserved seat at a table for four. First Class (from GBP 239) includes morning tea or coffee with a breakfast roll and sweet treat, and afternoon tea with a savoury and scone. Premier Dining (from GBP 345) includes a full English breakfast and four-course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.
- Can I board at stations other than Norwich?
- Yes. The train calls at Thetford, March, Peterborough, Leicester, Nuneaton, Warwick, and Oxford; you may board at any of these gateways and alight at Warwick, Oxford or Reading.
- What time does the excursion depart and return?
- The train departs Norwich early in the morning and returns late evening.
