The Stratford Flyer

The Stratford Flyer will give passengers from East Anglia a wonderful opportunity to travel from Norfolk to the internationally recognised destination of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. The train will be steam hauled from Norwich to Stratford on the outward journey and as far as Leicester on the return.

Our journey commences at Norwich early in the morning as we make our way westwards, steam hauled, picking up at Thetford, March and Peterborough. We then head across the country via Stamford and through Oakham, the county town of Rutland, located in the Vale of Catmose. After Melton Mowbray, we head for Leicester and Nuneaton, where we cross the West Coast main line and take the link line to Coleshill. Heading towards Birmingham, we pass the extensive construction works of HS2 for several miles before we reach Landor Street Junction, where we avoid Birmingham by following the steeply graded Camp Hill line to Bordesley Junction.

Joining the Great Western’s main line out of Birmingham Snow Hill, we pass through Tyseley where the Birmingham Railway Museum is located. Leaving the main line to Paddington at Tyseley, we join the scenic North Warwick line, sometimes referred to as the Shakespeare line, and head through Henley in Arden towards Stratford upon Avon. The North Warwick line has a very Great Western feel about its well preserved stations and infrastructure. Descending the 1 in 75 Wilmcote bank, we now reach the present terminus of the line at Stratford-upon-Avon.

Time will be available here for you to make the short walk to the town centre with its many attractions, including the Shakespeare Birthplace museum, the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, the river Avon with its boat trips and many other historic buildings. There is also a wide range of restaurants and pubs, along with many interesting and varied market town shops.

Our return journey will retrace our outward route back to Norwich. Our steam locomotive will haul us as far as Leicester on the return, with a diesel locomotive hauling us back to Norwich to end our full day out on the Stratford Flyer.

On Board Catering