The West Highland Britannia

Friday 23rd April

Overnight in Edinburgh

Make your own way to Edinburgh and check into the Jurys Inn Hotel for overnight accommodation.

Saturday 24th April

The Spectacular West Highland Line

After breakfast we board our train at the atmospheric Edinburgh Waverley station where 70013 Oliver Cromwell will be waiting at the head of our train. At around 10:30 we steam out of Waverley Station and head east to Portobello Junction where we join the Edinburgh suburban line. We traverse this line to Craiglockhart Junction, where we join the main line to Carstairs. At Midcalder Junction we join the line to Glasgow Central and travel via Breich and Shotts, this will probably be the first steam train over this route since the mid 1960’s. At Mossend we take the line to Springburn and from here we continue around the Glasgow suburban route to Dumbarton.
Running close to the famous River Clyde at Craigendoran, we turn right to join the West Highland line itself. After a brief stop at Arrochar Station we witness the tranquil beauty of Loch Lomond. After leaving Crianlarich, the Oban line branches off and we find ourselves on the wild and desolate Rannoch Moor, Loch Treig comes into view, and we travel through The Monessie Gorge. The highest mountain in Scotland, Ben Nevis, looms above us at 4418 ft, soon we approach Fort William. On arrival transfer to your hotel for Dinner and overnight accommodation.

Sunday 25th April

Fort William to Edinburgh by steam

At 09:00 after a hearty Scottish breakfast we leave Fort William steam hauled by Britannia Pacific 70013 Oliver Cromwell through the spectacular scenery of the Monessie Gorge, we pass Tulloch then tackle the steepest part of the climb up to Corrour summit. This is the second highest summit on British Railways, so you could say it's all downhill from here!
We return over Rannoch Moor and pass through Tyndrum. After we take on Water at Crianlairch we coast down to Arrochar and Tarbet. Then it is a stiff climb to Glen Douglas, we return southwards through Helensburgh and along the Clyde estury, through Dumbartin and Springburn.
At Cowlairs we join the main line to Edinburgh and hope for a fast run back to the Scottish capital. We expect to be routed via Falkirk, Grahamstoun and Edinburgh ssuburban line. We aim to arrive back into Edinburgh Waverley Station with our Britannia Pacific by 16:30.

If you do not require hotel accommodation in Edinburgh please state this at the time of booking, where a reduction of £40 per person from the class price and £20 from the single suppliment if required will be applied.

Note:
The train will now commence at Oxenholme with diesel haulage and will also collect and set down passengers at Carlisle. There will be no extra charge and the accommodation discount for Edinburgh will apply.

Single supplement £60

Table for two supplement £40 per person

Single supplement £60

Table for two supplement £40 per person

Single supplement £45