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The Railway Touring Company · Steam day trip
The West Somerset Steam Express - 19 September 2026
One-day steam excursion from London to Minehead via two heritage locomotives
The Railway Touring Company's West Somerset Steam Express is a one-day excursion on 19 September 2026 that showcases heritage steam-hauled rail travel across two distinct lines. The journey departs London Paddington in the morning, calling at Slough, Reading and Newbury before climbing beside the Kennet & Avon Canal to Savernake Summit. En route, passengers pass the Wiltshire White Horse near Westbury and continue through Taunton to Bishops Lydeard, where the main line steam locomotive hands over to a West Somerset Railway locomotive for the final leg through the Quantock Hills to Minehead. The train terminates at the Bristol Channel seaside resort, where passengers have approximately two hours to explore before returning to London. The trip suits history lovers and repeat rail travellers fascinated by preserved steam locomotives and heritage rail operations, as well as photographers drawn to both steam haulage and distinctive countryside scenery. Three fare tiers accommodate different preferences, from Standard seating to Premier Dining with a full English breakfast and four-course dinner prepared on board.
What to know before you look closer
- Only one departure date is published: 19 September 2026.
- The return journey time is not specified in the operator's description; confirm the arrival back at London Paddington before booking.
Day by day
- Day 1rail
The West Somerset Steam Express
Steam hauled from London Paddington via Slough, Reading and Newbury to Bishops Lydeard, where a West Somerset Railway locomotive takes over for the run through the Quantock Hills to Minehead, with about two hours to explore before the return journey.
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 1Two steam locomotives haul the train in one day: a main line engine from London Paddington to Bishops Lydeard, then a West Somerset Railway locomotive through the Quantock Hills to Minehead.
- Day 1The outward journey climbs beside the Kennet & Avon Canal to Savernake Summit and passes a Wiltshire White Horse near Westbury.
Questions travellers ask
- Is train travel included?
- Yes. The Railway Touring Company includes all rail travel on both the main line and the West Somerset Railway. Prices start at 120 GBP for Standard class.
- What do the different class tiers include?
- Standard: a reserved seat usually at a table for four. First Class: morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and sweet treat, plus afternoon tea or coffee and a scone. Premier Dining: a full English breakfast and four-course dinner freshly prepared and silver-served on board.
- Where does the trip start and end?
- The train departs London Paddington and terminates at Minehead on the Somerset coast. The outward journey calls at Slough, Reading and Newbury.
- How much time is there to explore Minehead?
- Approximately two hours before the return journey.
- When does this trip run?
- This departure is scheduled for 19 September 2026 only.
