The Chiltern Explorer

Join us on this unusual tour from Manchester to Oxford and Reading, featuring the newly reopened section of The East-West line from Bletchley to Bicester. The added attraction is for the journey to be steam hauled by a restored main line approved steam locomotive that will see a steam train return to this section of line for the first time since 1967.

Combine a picturesque route with steam haulage by an historic main line restored locomotive, along with the opportunity to travel over a newly reopened railway, all from the comfort of your privately operated nostalgic charter train.

Leaving Manchester around 0700 we make our way towards Crewe, picking up further passengers at Stockport and Wilmslow en route. After the Crewe pick up, we will head at speed along the West Coast Main Line to Nuneaton, where we pause to pick up passengers. We pick up again at Rugby and Milton Keynes before we leave the WCML at Bletchley and cross the main line on the newly reconstructed Bletchley Flyover, a major engineering feat that utilises a box section flyover. We now join the newly reopened East-West Rail line section to Bicester Village. 

We now follow the 'Varsity Line', originally opened as a through route to serve the University cities of Oxford and Cambridge, but was closed in 1967 to passenger services. The section from Oxford to Bicester reopened in 2016 and a new station was built at Bicester Village. The aim is to reopen the entire route from Oxford to Cambridge in stages as the East West Rail project. The section from Bedford to Bletchley will also see a major upgrade, with Cambridge the ultimate goal for completion some years ahead. Continuing westwards from Bletchley steam hauled, we will pass through the newly constructed station at Winslow before reaching Bicester Village. We continue along the Varsity route towards Oxford Parkway, whereafter we join the main line from Banbury and head southwards for Oxford. We will call at Oxford to set down passengers wishing to spend the day in the historic and cultural City of Dreaming Spires. 

Our steam hauled train continues towards Didcot where we then follow the Thames Valley through to Reading. Here you can visit the Reading Museum which houses the world famous full size Bayeux Tapestry, the Musuem of English Rural Life or Reading Abbey and park. 

Our return journey, diesel hauled, will retrace our outward steps back to Bletchley over the Varsity Line and northwards to Manchester, setting down at our earlier calling points.

On Board Catering