Steam Trains in the Lake District & Cumbria
There are four railway attractions to visit to ride on steam trains in the Lake District and Cumbria, all providing fun family days out.
Discover the different railways below or scroll down for an overview of Lake District steam train attractions and a location map.
Visit the Steam Trains & Railways Attractions
The Steam Railways Overview
The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, known as La’al Ratty (meaning “ little railway”), runs from its own station in Ravenglass, across the estuary and through the hills, to Boot in the Eskdale Valley. There are 7 request stops along the 7 mile route and many opportunities for walking, picnics and stream paddling in this particularly beautiful part of the Lake District.
Following the river Leven, the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway runs for 3.5 miles between the small village of Haverthwaite and Lakeside Pier, at the southern end of Windermere lake. There is one stop at Newby Bridge and the trains connect to Windermere Lake Cruises at Lakeside Pier, where the Lakes Aquarium is also situated.
England’s highest narrow gauge railway, the South Tynedale Railway, passes through the scenic North Pennines AONB, running for 3.5 miles from Alston in Cumbria to Lintley in Northumberland. There are 4 stations on the route, Alston, Kirkhaugh, Lintley and Slaggyford and each way takes 35 minutes.
The Threlkeld Quarry & Mining Museum near Keswick offers possibly the most unusual steam trains in the Lake District, using engines from its industrial heritage. A ride on the railway in Threlkeld quarry is half a mile in length and has some steep gradients. There is a mining museum and mine experiences and the quarry is also the home of the Vintage Excavator Trust.
Menu:
