Apedale Valley Light Railway
BEST FOR
Ages 16+
ENTRY
from £10
WHERE
Newcastle-under-Lyme
What it’s like
Adults-only narrow gauge railway where over-16s can ride the footplate of a steam or diesel loco, not just watch from a carriage.
This one's for the adults. Apedale Valley Light Railway has an age rule of 16 and up, so it's not somewhere to bring the kids for a family train ride, it's for anyone who fancies getting properly close to a working steam or diesel locomotive.
The standard trip is a 15 minute round journey on the narrow gauge line, which sounds brief and is, but the real draw is the footplate ride. £10 gets you on a diesel footplate, £20 for steam, and neither needs booking ahead. If you want more than a ride, there are proper driver experiences: an Industrial Diesel Driver session for £100, or a full Morning or Afternoon Steam Footplate Experience for £175. Those do need booking in advance, which makes sense given how much hands-on time you're getting on the footplate rather than just a seat.
Worth knowing before you go: some of the coaches are open and unheated, so dress for the weather rather than hoping the train will shelter you from it. There's a height barrier of 6 feet 6 inches at the country park entrance, and you can't take a car beyond the Heritage Centre car park, so factor that into how you plan the visit. The site also runs special events through the year, Santa trains, a Halloween Spooky Special and steam galas, which are worth timing a visit around if you want more than the standard footplate ride.
If you're coming without a car, it's doable: Stoke-on-Trent railway station, then the 38 or 38A bus from Hanley, or about a 15 minute walk from Chesterton Village.
Need to know
- Booking
- Footplate rides don't need to be booked in advance
- How long to allow
- Around 15 minutes for the round trip train journey
- Getting there by bus or train
- Stoke-on-Trent railway station by train, then bus 38/38A from Hanley
- Over-16s only, this isn't a family railway trip
- Some coaches are open-sided and unheated, so wrap up
- Footplate rides are walk-up, no booking needed
- Driver experiences must be booked ahead and cost £100 to £175
- Height barrier of 6 feet 6 inches at the country park entrance
Plan your visit
Is this suitable for children?
No, there's a minimum age of 16, so it isn't set up as a family day out.
Do we need to book the footplate rides?
Footplate rides don't need booking, you can just turn up. The full driver experiences, like the £100 Industrial Diesel Driver or £175 steam experiences, do need booking ahead.
How long does the train ride last?
The round trip is around 15 minutes.
How much does it cost?
A diesel footplate ride is £10 and a steam footplate ride is £20. Driver experiences run from £100 up to £175 for a full steam session.
Can I drive there?
You can park at the Heritage Centre car park, but cars can't go beyond that into the site. There's also a 6 feet 6 inches height barrier at the country park entrance.
How do I get there without a car?
Take the train to Stoke-on-Trent, then bus 38 or 38A from Hanley. It's also about a 15 minute walk from Chesterton Village.
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