A Visit to: Nene Valley Railway | A Brilliant Family Day Out for Train Lovers this Summer
- 24 hours ago
- 4 min read
Do you know a little someone who’d LOVE to ride a train for just £1?
If you’ve got a train lover in the family, you’re going to want to keep this one on your summer bucket list.
Nene Valley Railway’s 'Kids for a Quid' days are running throughout August, giving children the chance to ride the heritage railway for just £1, with plenty of extra family-friendly entertainment and railway attractions to enjoy while you’re there.
We headed over to Nene Valley Railway for a day of trains, exploring and plenty of family fun, and ended up spending more than five hours there.
And if you’re wondering whether there’s enough to keep little train enthusiasts entertained for that long… absolutely.
One of the biggest reasons Nene Valley Railway is always a winner for families? It’s home to the official Thomas the Tank Engine!
If you have a little one who is obsessed with Thomas, you can imagine the excitement!
But Thomas is just one part of what makes Nene Valley Railway such a brilliant destination for train lovers.
There’s the heritage railway itself, miniature railway, model railway and garden railway, plus plenty of other things to discover around the site.
It really is somewhere you can spend the whole day exploring rather than simply turning up, riding a train and heading home.
Throughout August, Nene Valley Railway is running its 'Kids for a Quid' days, making it a particularly affordable option for families during the school holidays.
Children can travel for just £1, and there is also a programme of additional family entertainment.
Every day is different with wildlife displays, balloon modelling, magic, Punch & Judy, bubbles, gams and more.
Obviously, the trains are still very much the main event.
We started our day at Wansford, where we climbed aboard a historic diesel shunting locomotive affectionately known as The Teddy Bear.
We travelled from Wansford to Yarwell and back, before continuing towards Railway World in Peterborough.
There’s something about travelling on a heritage railway that feels completely different from your usual train journey.
And for little train enthusiasts, getting to see the locomotives up close is a huge part of the fun.
There’s a miniature railway, a model railway and a garden railway, so even once you’ve finished your main train journey, there are still plenty of railway-related things to discover.
And if your little one is anything like ours, you’ll probably want to allow plenty of time for all of it!
The model and miniature railways are particularly lovely for younger visitors, giving them another chance to get up close to the world of railways.
It’s the sort of place where you can wander around and keep discovering something else around the corner.
Don’t forget the charity shop and book shop!
One of the things we love most about Nene Valley Railway is that it's a family day out for all the family; there's always something new to learn and see.
We spent more than five hours exploring, riding the railway and discovering everything on offer.
You can take your time, explore the stations, watch the trains, browse the shops and simply enjoy being somewhere a little bit different.
If you have a train-obsessed toddler… add this to your list!
Being able to ride a proper heritage train, see the official Thomas the Tank Engine, explore miniature and model railways and enjoy additional family entertainment makes this a really easy recommendation for the summer holidays.
And with 'Kids for a Quid', it’s also a great option if you’re looking for something that won't cost a fortune.
Whether you’re looking for things to do with kids near Rutland, family days out near Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, a fun day out just off the A1, heritage railways near Rutland, or train-themed days out during the school holidays, Nene Valley Railway is definitely one to have on your radar.
We had such a lovely day and, honestly, the fact we were there for more than five hours says it all.
Everything you need to know:
📍 Where: Nene Valley Railway, Wansford, near Peterborough, PE8 6LR.
🚂 What to expect: Heritage train rides, steam and diesel locomotives, miniature railway, model railway, garden railway and railway attractions.
🎟️ Kids for a Quid: Children can ride for £1 on participating Kids for a Quid days throughout August. Check the individual event details before travelling.
👧 Family entertainment: Wildlife displays, balloon modelling, magic, Punch & Judy and more are included as part of the Kids for a Quid programme on relevant dates.
🚂 Thomas fans: Nene Valley Railway is home to the official Thomas the Tank Engine.
📚 Don't miss: The railway's charity shop and book shop.
⏰ How long to allow: This really depends on the train timetable, which service you’re travelling on and where you’re travelling to, but you could spend anywhere from around 1.5 to 6 hours at Nene Valley Railway.
👨👩👧👦 Best for: Families, toddlers, young children and anyone who loves trains and heritage railways.
⭐ Top Tip: Check the Nene Valley Railway calendar before travelling, as services, locomotives, entertainment and event details can vary between dates and if booking in advance is required.
Charlie
Please note: This is marked as an AD because the experience it was kindly gifted in exchange for content creation and my honest review, feedback and testimonial. As always, all opinions are entirely my own.
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