The Great Britain XVIII

Our Great Britain is back for 2026 – an unforgettable railway adventure through the heart of a remarkable nation.

Journey from England’s dramatic South West peninsula to the remote, rugged beauty of Scotland on a spectacular steam-hauled tour that celebrates the very best of British rail. This is a voyage of contrasts: rolling countryside and wild coastlines, iconic cities and hidden landscapes, sweeping viaducts, high summits and historic tunnels.

Feel the thrill of travelling behind steam along Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s legendary Great Western Railway, before exploring a tapestry of lesser-known routes rarely taken by today’s passenger services. Watch as the scenery shifts with every mile, from pastoral valleys to industrial heritage, from windswept moorland to Highland grandeur—all aboard the celebrated Great Britain XVIII.

Along the way, relax in a hand-picked collection of hotels chosen for comfort, character and convenience. With exceptional views, remarkable engineering, and the timeless romance of steam, this is a railway holiday crafted for those who long to experience Great Britain at its most dramatic, inspiring, and unforgettable.

• Experience the excitement of steam travel along Brunel’s iconic Great Western Railway.
• Discover hidden corners of Britain as you follow rare, infrequent and unusual railway routes.
• Enjoy ever-changing scenery, from coastal vistas to dramatic Highlands, aboard the Great Britain XVIII.
• Stay in a selection of carefully chosen hotels designed for comfort and relaxation throughout the journey.
  

Saturday 18 April 

Steam from London Paddington along the Dawlish Sea Wall to Penzance

Here's where the adventure begins! We leave London Paddington in the morning, making our way along the main line of Brunel's Great Western Railway, through to Slough and Reading. From there we take the scenic Berks & Hants line through Newbury and onwards via the Vale of Pewsey, with its White Horse on the hill, through to Westbury where there's another historic White Horse. From Westbury we take the Taunton line through Castle Cary, joining the Bristol to Plymouth route at Cogload Junction near Taunton for a challenging climb to Whiteball Summit. Entering Somerset then descending ever-falling gradients towards historic Exeter, there's a spectacular run along the tidal Exe Estuary through Starcross to Dawlish where we meet the Atlantic Ocean, sweeping along the famous sea wall at speed.

Several tunnels pierce the rugged coastline en route to Teignmouth before we head inland to follow the Teign Estuary to Newton Abbot, perched on the edge of Dartmoor. Serious hill climbing commences in earnest as we attack the severe climb up Dainton Bank to its summit at Dainton Tunnel, followed by a short downhill respite through to Totnes before climbing the notorious South Devon incline up to Rattery then onwards to Plymouth. Crossing the magnificent Tamar river at Saltash, on Brunel's famous Royal Albert Bridge linking Devon to Cornwall, is a highlight. Making our way across Cornwall via Truro and Hayle, we reach the end of the main line from Paddington at Penzance where we spend the night.

Sunday 19 April
Heading across the Welsh Marches and over the Cefn Viaduct to Chester

On day two the Great Britain returns from Cornwall to Plymouth, retracing yesterday's adventure back through Exeter to Taunton then onwards on the Bristol line. We travel through Bridgwater and over the flat, marshy Somerset Levels to the city of Bristol, famous for its docks and the home of Brunel's mighty steam ship, the Great Britain. From Bristol Temple Meads we head for the drama of the Severn Tunnel, over four miles long, before entering Wales. Leaving the South Wales main line at Newport, we tackle the steeply graded, very beautiful Welsh Marches route north, passing through Abergavenny in the shadow of the Black Mountains before heading for the cathedral city of Hereford on the river Wye.

Continuing northwards through Herefordshire, through the attractive towns of Leominster and Ludlow, there's a dramatic final climb to the summit at Church Stretton, which marks the start of the beautiful Long Mynd hills. We arrive at Shrewsbury mid-afternoon, a scenic place set like a jewel on the river Severn, loved for its many historic and listed buildings. Then, on the last leg of today's adventure, we take the borders line through Gobowen to Chester, passing over the impressive Cefn Viaduct spanning the river Dee, with glimpses of the Welsh hills as we follow the borders line into Wales towards Wrexham. We conclude the day with a spirited run across the Cheshire Plain to the ancient Roman city of Chester, where a comfortable city centre hotel awaits.

Monday 20 April

Over the Settle & Carlisle Line through Hope, Aire & the Eden Valley
Leaving Chester on Monday morning, a varied route reveals a fascinating blend of urban and rural scenery, culminating with a steam-hauled run over the world famous Settle & Carlisle line. The Delemere Forest line takes us from Chester to the market town of Northwich, the heart of the salt mining industry. Briefly glimpsing the Metrolink tram system, we head through Altrincham and south Manchester towards Chinley, which marks the start of the Peak District. Passing through the spectacular, rugged Hope Valley line we traverse the heart of the Peak District, complete with numerous dark tunnels and testing gradients. Leaving the Peaks behind in favour of Sheffield, world famous for its steel industry, we divert from the main line to York and Doncaster to head for Barnsley, where a rare steam hauled track takes us via Horbury Junction to Wakefield Kirkgate.

A wonderfully circuitous route through Yorkshire avoids Leeds, joining the Aire Valley and ultimately travelling through Bronte country at Keighley then onwards to Hellifield, where the striking scenery really starts to make an impact. At Settle Junction we join the sensational Settle to Carlisle line, seventy two miles of breathtaking rugged landscapes across the Pennines, studded with tunnels and viaducts. Our steam locomotive works hard against the steep gradient as we approach the thrilling Ribblehead Viaduct, an iconic sight. After crossing the roof of England at Ais Gill, 1169 feet above sea level, we descend through Appleby, running along the Eden Valley to reach our overnight destination, Carlisle.

Tuesday 21 April

Journey North into the Scottish Highlands

From Carlisle we head north to cross the Scottish border at Gretna Junction. From here we have requested to travel the route of the former Glasgow and South Western Railway's line via Dumfries and Galloway. A journey full of contrasts, you'll love the wide valleys, dense forests and wild landscapes beyond Dumfries. This remote route ultimately takes us to Kilmarnock, where we board the infrequent steam-hauled route via Dunlop to Glasgow Central. Should our journey over this route not be possible due to pathing and timing constraints, we will traverse the steeply graded Caledonian route, with its frequent loop availability, via Beattock Summit to reach Carstairs and the Glasgow area.

Following a break in Glasgow, we continue our journey northwards via the eastern Glasgow suburbs, hugging the north bank of the Clyde through Dumbarton to Craigendoran Junction, were we take the West Highland line to Fort William. This is a truly spectacular journey, past glittering lochs, vast mountains, silvery waterfalls and endless moorland. Our steam locomotive works hard, facing many severe gradients, and the Horseshoe Curve makes a spectacular sight as we travel past flowing burns and lush glens. The enormous, desolate wilderness of Rannoch Moor leads to Corrour Summit, the highest main line station in Britain at 1350 feet above sea level. Last but far from least, the awe inspiring Nevis Range heralds our arrival at pretty Fort William for a two night stay.

Wednesday 22 April – (Optional excursion day)

Steam Along the Jacobite Route from Fort William to Mallaig

This optional excursion involves a return steam hauled train trip on the Jacobite route from Fort William to Mallaig along the West Highland Extension railway, through some of the most breathtaking scenery in Britain. Ben Nevis looms behind Fort William as we leave the town, crossing the Caledonian Canal at Banavie on a swing bridge. The line runs close to the shoreline of Loch Eil for several miles before reaching the Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous by the Harry Potter films. The mountains close in dramatically as we pass through Lochailort and then skirt lovely Loch Eilt. As we prepare for the arduous climb up Beasdale Bank, with its narrow, smoky tunnels, we get occasional glimpses of the ocean.

Arisaig offers tantalising views across the Atlantic to the tiny Isle of Eigg. We cross Keppoch marshes and travel past the white sands of Morar, an enchanting and idyllic run to the end of the line at Mallaig, offering panoramic views across the town's attractive working harbour towards the Isle of Skye, with the iconic Cuillin Mountains in the background. You'll have spare time to explore Mallaig, maybe sample a local restaurant or just take in the scenery. 

Thursday 23 April

Steam Across the West Highland Line to Perth & Aberdeen

A breathtaking southbound return run on the West Highland line awaits us today, with endless stunning views to stimulate the imagination, past lochs and mountains, running along the shores of romantic Loch Lomond. Following the north bank of the Clyde, famous for its world-class ship building industry, we eventually run through the north Glasgow suburbs to Croy. Then we turn north to go through historic Stirling, with its lofty castle, followed by Perth, the 'Fair City', nicknamed with Sir Walter Scott's 1828 novel, The Fair Maid of Perth, in mind. From Perth, we will follow the north bank of the Tay through the fertile Carse of Gowrie towards Dundee. Dundee is a coastal city on the Firth of Tay estuary and its regenerated waterfront has 2 nautical museums: RRS Discovery, Captain Scott’s Antarctic expedition ship, and the19th-century warship HM Frigate Unicorn.

We will head through Carnoustie with fine coastal views of the North Sea and pass through Arbroath, famed for its 'Arbroath Smokies', a type of smoked Haddock. We continue across Angus towards Montrose, where we cross the South Esk river on the impressive railway viaduct that carries the railway over the waters of Montrose Basin.

We head inland and wind our way across Aberdeenshire to the attractive harbour town of Stonehaven, noted for its pebble beach. The coast line is followed closely as we are afforded more splendid views across the North Sea on the approach to Aberdeen, our destination for the evening.

This large city is known as the Granite City, due to its locally quarried grey granite being extensively used in building construction. Aberdeen is also a busy port city, where the Dee and Don rivers meet the North Sea. With an offshore petroleum industry, it has seen considerable investment in recent years.

Friday 24 April

From The Granite City to Geordie Shores: Steam via Dundee & the Tay Bridge

We enjoy a very pleasant coastal run from Aberdeen to Dundee today, with views of the North Sea all the way, passing through Stonehaven and Montrose before hitting the huge Tay estuary. Here, we will take the impressive Tay Railway Bridge across the estuary towards Fife. The first bridge collapsed in 1879 during a violent storm,but was rebuilt in 1887 to a much more robust design. It is quite a few years since a steam hauled train crossed the Tay estuary!

Then we cut across Fife through Cupar inland towards Ladybank, following the Fife coastline with its splendid views to cross the spectacular Forth Bridge, after which we head for Scotland's gracious grey stone capital, Edinburgh. Turning southwards, we run along the East Coast Main Line, studded with lovely views of the North Sea, before crossing the border into England at Berwick on Tweed, over the Royal Border Bridge. The route offers marvellous glimpses of Lindisfarne and Bambugh castles on the horizon. After Morpeth there's Newcastle, where we will stay for the night in this vibrant and cosmopolitan north east city on the Tyne. 

Saturday 25 April

From the North East to the Capital: A Midland Main Line Journey

This morning we will head south through Durham with its brooding Norman cathedral, Darlington full of railway history, and on to York. From here we will take an unusual route to London for our final adventure, leaving York for an energetic run along the ECML to Doncaster then changing lines for Sheffield, avoided by taking the Barrow Hill line past the preserved Barrow Hill roundhouse, through to Chesterfield with its curious crooked-spired church. The Great Britain rumbles ever-southwards through the Erewash Valley to Trent Junction, then onwards to Loughborough, passing through the peaceful rural reaches of the East Midlands, diverting via Melton Mowbray and Corby to join the Midland main line at Kettering. We leave the main St Pancras line at Bedford, taking the Marston Vale line through to Bletchley where we join the West Coast Main Line. The final leg of the Great Britain's journey involves an exhilarating fast run up the West Coast Main Line to London Euston, your final destination.

Tour Summary

Premier Class £4895

Fort William Optional Day* £325

Single supplement £695

First Class £3995

Fort William Optional Day* £275

Single supplement £495

*The Fort William excursion is optional priced per person. Premier Dining Class includes morning coffee served with a Danish pastry and a three course dinner. First Class includes morning coffee served with a Danish pastry and a light two course dinner.