THE PENNINE PEAKS CHRISTMAS EXPLORER

We are pleased to present a truly memorable steam hauled circular tour through the magnificent Pennines and the spectacular Yorkshire Dales offering outstanding views and steep climbs to make the engine work hard.

Following the last passenger boarding station at Crewe our train joins the West Coast Main line and passes through Preston, then travelling north past imposing Lancaster Castle we cross the River Lune and at Bolton-le-Sands there are spectacular views across Morecambe Bay toward the Lakeland mountains. At Carnforth we pass the famous station used in the 1945 movie ‘Brief Encounter’ and take the secondary line into open countryside and through dramatic scenery on the edge of the forest of Bowland towards the beautiful Yorkshire Dales crossing rivers and moorland as we climb through Wennington and Gigglewick to Settle Junction with amazing views of the three peaks. At Hellifield we join the normally freight only line along the Ribble Valley with Pendle Hill, home to the Lancashire witches, towering over the route.

Passing historic Clitheroe we cross the 48-arch viaduct, and the engine works hard to climb the taxing Wilpshire Bank with the sounds echoing back from the surrounding hills. Travelling onward through Blackburn we take the line to Leyland and re-join the West Coast main line to our homeward stations.

The train is steam hauled from Crewe by BR Pacific class No 71000 ‘Duke of Gloucester’ (subject to availability)