ENGLISH RIVIERA EXPRESS STEAM RAIL TOUR - SUNDAY 26th JULY 2020

Recreate one of the great steam hauled holiday trains of the golden age of railway travel for a journey around the beautiful Devon coast with time available to discover the many charms of the pretty ‘English Riviera’ resorts of Paignton or Dartmouth. The train departs from Bristol Temple Meads station hauled by one of the countries famous steam locomotives Royal Scot for the journey across the lush Somerset levels, then through the remote Blackdown hills and down the Exe Valley to Exeter, before heading along the estuary with its pretty fishing boats and stunning views across to Exmouth and the Jurassic coast. Continuing past Powderham Castle and along the famous sea wall line we race through tunnels and cuttings of red rock and beside beaches and coves with the sea keeping company with the train.

At Paignton the train will join the steeply graded heritage line and travel through the woodland estate once owned by Agatha Christie, then alongside the beautiful River Dart with views of HMS Britannia – not a ship but the college that has trained generations of naval officers. We soon arrive into the riverside terminus at Kingswear, where it is a short crossing on the ferry (price included) to the historic and romantic port of Dartmouth. Here there are antique shops, galleries and cafes to explore which we hope will be open and very welcome for the custom then why not take a leisurely cruise on the River Dart or explore Dartmouth Castle before perhaps indulging in a delicious Devon cream tea. There should be around four hours at leisure before we return in the late afternoon.

Timings from Bristol

No 46100 'Royal Scot'
The train is steam hauled throughout by one of our immaculately restored locomotives; LMS Royal Scot Class, No.46100 ‘Royal Scot’ is booked for this tour. 


History / Preservation Notes
The original 6100 was the first of its class, built in 1927 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow. It was named Royal Scot after the Royal Scots.  In 1933, 6152 The King's Dragoon Guardsman and 6100 swapped identities permanently. 6152 had been built at Derby Works in 1930. The new Royal Scot was sent to the Century of Progress Exposition of 1933 and toured Canada and the United States with a train of typical LMS carriages.  46100 was bought by Billy Butlin of Butlins holiday camps after withdrawal and after cosmetic restoration into LMS crimson lake at Crewe Works, although this was the original livery received, the locomotive did not carry it after being rebuilt (only one rebuilt Royal Scot ever carried LMS crimson lake livery and that was 6170 British Legion). It was then towed from Crewe Works to Nottingham by Black 5 No. 45038 and then from Nottingham to Boston by B1 No. 61177 on 12 June 1963.  Royal Scot arrived at Butlins on 18 July 1963 piped in by pipers from the 1st Battalion, The Royal Scots. This made 6100 one of two preserved rebuilt Royal Scots, the other being 6115 Scots Guardsman. It was set on a plinth at Skegness and was to remain there till the 1970s. On 16 March 1971 6100 departed from Skegness for the Bressingham Steam Museum and was returned to steam in 1972. It ran until 1978 when it once more became a static exhibit, it was eventually sold from Butlins to Bressingham in May 1989.