Two Castle Class steam locomotives, working double-headed and entirely unassisted, hauling a single train over the South Devon banks and along the sea wall at Dawlish. This is The Mayflower, and it is the closest thing Vintage Trains runs to recreating the golden age of mainline steam in full force. Standard tickets from £190.80 per person. Child and family tickets available. What's included in every ticket: A diesel-hauled run from Birmingham to Bristol, where Clun Castle and Earl of Mount Edgcumbe attach to the front of the train and take over for the haul south A steam-hauled run from Bristol to Plymouth and back, unassisted by diesel, over some of the most demanding gradients on the network and along the Dawlish sea wall Comfortable seating with picture windows and a buffet car on board, with bacon rolls and afternoon tea available to pre-order Upgrade to First Class from £265.00 per person for a light breakfast and afternoon tea served at your seat in our authentic 1960s coaches, or to Pullman Dining from £445.20 per person for a full English breakfast and four-course evening dinner, served in one of our original Pullman Cars. The Mayflower takes its name from a short-lived British Railways Western Region express that ran at the end of the steam era, revived here for a working that enthusiasts rarely get to see: two Castle Class locomotives sharing the load on one of the toughest stretches of mainline railway in the country. Departing Birmingham Snow Hill, Stourbridge Junction, Droitwich Spa, Worcester Shrub Hill, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Parkway, and Bristol Temple Meads. Saturday 12 September. All prices include a 6% booking fee.

The best way to spend a Sunday in Stratford-upon-Avon starts by taking a steam train from Birmingham. The Shakespeare Express runs through the Warwickshire countryside at mainline speed, arriving into Stratford before midday with over four hours to explore the town before the return journey home. Standard tickets from £26.50 per person. Child and family tickets available. What's included in every ticket: A steam-hauled run through the Warwickshire countryside at mainline speed Over four hours in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace Comfortable seating with picture windows and a buffet car on board Upgrade to Pullman Dining from £132.50 per person for a full English breakfast on the way out and afternoon tea on the return, served to your seat in one of our original Pullman Cars. Shakespeare Express tickets are a genuinely different gift for birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions, too. Departing Birmingham Snow Hill, Birmingham Moor Street, and Tyseley. Sundays: 21 June, 26 July, and 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 August. All prices include a 6% booking fee.

The Shakespeare Express is Vintage Trains' flagship service: a steam-hauled journey between Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon, running every Sunday through the summer along one of England's most distinctive routes. Hauled by a restored steam locomotive at mainline speed through the Warwickshire countryside, it connects the West Midlands' biggest city with one of the world's most visited cultural destinations in a way that no other service does. Winner of the Silver Award for Experience of the Year at the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2026.

The Shakespeare Express is Vintage Trains' flagship service: a steam-hauled journey between Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon, running every Sunday through the summer along one of England's most distinctive routes. Hauled by a restored steam locomotive at mainline speed through the Warwickshire countryside, it connects the West Midlands' biggest city with one of the world's most visited cultural destinations in a way that no other service does. Winner of the Silver Award for Experience of the Year at the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2026.