Hello ("drive a steam engine experience" advice needed)
 

Hello to you all. :)
I am about to take a "drive a steam engine experience" and wondered if anyone has any views as to the best venue for a first occasion?
Many thanks

Hi and welcome to Railwayforum, we hope you enjoy the site.
I have slightly altered your thread title so that it may attract those with advice for you.
cheers,
Andy

Welcome to the Forum Phil.

As you live in Derby I would would recomend Foxfield Railway near Stoke for a first session. If you get the "bug" the best is without doubt The Wolzstyn Experience in Poland: Five days of mainline steam for the cost of a couple of days on a Heritage Railway in this country including getting there, food and accomodation!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Hello and welcome to the forum, enjoy and all the best.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the info re Foxfield. I will check it out.

Thanks for your help

Thanks I am looking forward to using this forum.

Good Morning, nice to have you "in the crew", a brilliant site......enjoy.

48111

Hello Silver Fox Phil and welcome to the Railway Forum. Hope you enjoy the "Drive steam engine experience". It is well worth it.

Steam engine driver experience - advice
 

Hi to you all, Following my request for a venue to take a steam engine drivers experience, I have had one recomendation for the Foxfield railway. Has anyone ever driven on the Great Central Railway or any other heritage railways?
Many thanks for any help!
Phil

Hello, welcome to the forum. Chasewater railway do driver experiences, which are the lower cost, good value end of the market. Don't know of anyone not enjoying them.
Richard

Hello
 

Hi Siver Fox Phil and welcome to the forum, regarding the FXP I think you have to do your research and decide what you want, I have never done an "organised" one but I have spoken to a lot of people who have and they have made their choice for a number of reasons eg, cost, travelling distance, favourite heritage railway, or the oppurtunity of maybe driving their favourite locomotive.
I have never heard anybody complain about any of these courses so wherever you go enjoy it Phil.
Its a good idea to drop hints you would like one of these courses as a birthday/christmas present!!!!

Cheers John

I did mine 10 years ago at the GCR,the railway is only a mile away.A Brillant day right from the word go.Started with introductions a tour of the Museum and the engine sheds an explanation of the signalling systems etc.Lunch on board a train(not a dining car), next came footplate trips and then Driving.I shared the footplate with another chap so had about 6 footplate rides, a great experience.there was also free entrance for my family,my eldest daughter even managed to blag a footplate ride while the engine was running around the train at Leicester North.All in all a fantastic day the railway staff couldn't have been more obliging,just one more thing enjoy the day where ever you do it, it'll stay with for the rest of your life.
Derek

:)Thanks for the info, after doing a lot of research I think I will go with the GCR and let you all know of my experience. Watch this space.

Thanks, I have decided to run with the GCR and look forward to a great day out. I will let you all know of my experience. Look out for my comments later on.

Thanks for your help.

Good job I'm semi-retired!!

Steam engine driving
 

I had a great day two years ago doing the Severn Valley Railway driving course.
I found the driving easier than the firing , which is hot and hard work!
Because of the heat I would recommend you take some decent protective gloves and wear some stout shoes (I have some work type shoes with hard toe caps, these are ideal). It's not essential, but a hat could be useful too.
Hope you enjoy your course.

Enjoy your drive its a fantastic feeling being in charge of a loco firing can be hard,but why not volunter on the railway you do the the driving on its a great thing to do and keeps a railway running.

Well gents I have taken my steam engine driver experience yesterday at the GCR. You all said it would be a day to remember and you were dead right! A brilliant day and all the staff were so welcoming. A special thanks to Phil the driver and a very hard day for Dave the fireman, (it was a very hot day). The bonus was the engine turned out to be none other than GW "Pitchford Hall" on a visit to GCR. I had only just seen it a couple of weeks earlier at Tyseley, never drempt I would drive it. 16 miles round trip shared with Del and 16 miles - every inch taken in! The power, the sound and the motion of the loco all contributed to a fantastic day. Thanks to my wife for the best birthday ever, and thanks to all the personnel at the GCR for "making my day" especially John and Peter.
All the volunteers dedicated to our enjoyment on all heritage railways, a warm thank you.