Packaging Options
All orders are sent in plain packaging so as not to ruin the surprise.
Premium Gift Pack
Our Premium Gift Pack includes a stylish gift box, which holds your personalised gift voucher and your activity voucher guide booklet. The premium choice.
£3.50 (+ £3.95 shipping charge)
Standard Gift Pack
Our Standard Gift Pack comes with a smart envelope that includes your personalised gift voucher and your activity voucher guide booklet.
Included in the £3.95 shipping charge
E Voucher
Our E Voucher is an instant voucher delivered by email, with your personalised email message and a downloadable .pdf of your personalised gift voucher.
FREE
What's Included
- All-day steam train driving experience at Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
- Using a steam loco and brake van you will have the opportunity to drive and fire the loco
- Travel between Wirksworth in the Derbyshire Peak District and Duffield just north of Derby
- Continental breakfast and hot drinks upon arrival
- Safety brief and introduction to your crew for the day
- Opportunity to blow the guard's whistle from the brake van
- Shed and yard guided tours
- Two course hot lunch provided for the participant and one guest
- You will form part of a small group for this experience
- Allow approximately 6 hours on site for this experience
Bronze Day
- Drive the loco for 8 miles and fire the loco for 8 miles
Silver Day
- Drive for 16 miles and fire for 16 miles, with coaches
What Can I Expect
Join the crew for the day and drive a steam train at Ecclesbourne Valley Railway! We have vouchers for these shared Bronze and Silver experiences at this Derbyshire heritage railway. If you want to go exclusive, take a look at our Gold experience .
Spending the day at this wonderful heritage railway is a great way to work as a team and feel like a fully fledged member of the passionate volunteer staff that keeps these steam trains running like clockwork.
After breakfast and a brew (a must for hardworking steam train crews), you’ll get the lowdown on how your day will unfold - and there’s lots to see and do!
For those on the Bronze experience, you will work as a duo to drive and fire a steam locomotive with a brake van attached. As one drives, the other fires, for eight-miles each along a return trip. And don't forget to take the time to hop onboard the guard’s van and blow the whistle!
The Silver package takes your driving day at Ecclesbourne to the next level, as the steam loco will have a rake of coaches attached. You will be part of a team of six on the day, rotating in duos around the driving, firing and guard tasks, clocking up 16 miles in each role.
All participants on all steam train drives will enjoy a two-course hot lunch, as well as a shed and yard tour at Wirksworth. This is where you’ll get to see the incredible amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes to restore and maintain these wonderful steam locos and coaches.
With all that to fit in, it’s going to be a busy and very memorable day the day you got to fire and drive a steam train at the lovely Ecclesbourne Valley Railway!
When Is It Available
- Weekdays throughout the year
- Experiences generally start at 09:30 finishing around 16:00
- Dates are subject to availiability
- Due to popularity it is recommended you book well in advance to avoid disappointment
Location
- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Wirksworth, Matlock
Suitable For
- Minimum age 18
- Participants must be agile enough to climb up into the locomotive
Spectators
- One spectator may join you for lunch (included)
- Additional guests can purchase lunch on the day if required
