The Railway Touring Company

Fantastic experience: I purchased a trip on the Whitby Flyer for my Son, he travelled on the 19th March and had a fabulous time, from start to finish everyone was helpful and polite, he described the trip as one of the best days ever!! High praise to you all

Fantastic experience: Went on a trip for the first time recently with this company. Great day had by all. Brilliant communication from them, the staff /volunteers on the train were very helpful and friendly. Would definitely recommend using them, we will be booking another.

Fantastic experience: Just returned from Austria. Great trip with RTC as ever. Catching up with some old friends and meeting some new ones.

Fantastic experience: After completing Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express on Saturday 22nd February 2025, we look forward to re booking another trip with The Railway Touring Company. From booking to helping with a Christmas surprise information for me I found the company to be very professional. The tour itself was such a great day. Was picked up from Milton Keynes on time and during the day we was fed a lovely breakfast and evening meal. The food was great and staff on train was very Helpful. Although our trip was expensive, we feel it was worth every penny to have such a enjoyable one off day out with them.

Positive experience: Bought as birthday present Trip well organised. Service aboard train was good. Unfortunately coach was Mark 2 with sealed windows. I was looking forward to see steam going past window and hearing the locomotive. Coach G very close to locomotive but there was no atmosphere you normally get from open windows of Mark1. You had no idea of how hard the engine was working and whistles. This is an integral part of the experience. It might as well have been a type 47 at both ends all trip. Very disappointed

Fantastic experience: Really great day out. Comfortable seats, very helpful stewards and a thoroughly enjoyable day. Would recommend this.

Fantastic experience: Caught the Cumbrian Mountain Express. We had great day out. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The views of the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales were amazing in the winter light.

Positive experience: I booked on the Cumbria train tour It was a pleasant say trip and throughly enjoyed my journey both there and back. It left on time, staff on board were extremely friendly and helpful, and ensured the train was free from rubbish. Regularly walking through the Isles for passengers to dispense it in the bag. Staff helped my mum get on and off the train as there are two steep steps I would recommend this trip to do something different. As Carlisle was very far we weren't able to explore it more. Which was a bit disappointing, but the trip made up for it on journey home nice scenery.

Fantastic experience: Went on the Cumbrian Coast Express on Saturday 5th October. It was an absolutely amazing experience. The new air conditioned rolling stock is exceptional. It is so comfortable and the temperature remained pleasant on the whole trip. As ever the catering staff were wonderful and fully met our needs. The Company Stewards were equally outstanding. Finally what a great choice of locomotives. The electric class 86 was amazing easily and effortlessly hauling us to Carlisle. The 'Black Five' also coped well along the coast. Truly an epic unforgettable day out

Positive experience: My husband and I travelled on The Mancunian on Saturday 28th September. The trip was a birthday gift for my husband and our first time travelling with RTC so we were looking forward to it. Overall the trip was very enjoyable. The carriages were clean, comfortable (we were in carriage D seats 13b and 13f). The food provided was fine and the staff Kenny and Camilla were excellent. The tannoy system was difficult to hear so we weren't too sure what was being said but the stewards told us what had been said when we asked. Unfortunately the return journey was somewhat marred by three women who were very drunk and who were old enough to know better! One of them became ill (I won't go into detail!) and this was most unpleasant. We felt sorry for Kenny and Camilla with this going on. We were given the option to move to other seats but decided not to as two of them had fallen asleep and things had quietened down. Despite this unfortunate incident it wouldn't stop us booking another trip with RTC.

Positive experience: We travelled on Saturday 21st September on the Coast to Coast from Liverpool to Scarborough. We enjoyed our trip and the quality of the food was very good, however, the train carriages were tatty and needed a total refurbishment especially the upholstery. We travelled Premier class carriage B seats 16F & 16B and expected a more comfortable experience, one of our seats was broken but as there was no other seats available we just put up with it. The servers Emma & Kelly (hope I have the names right) were superb went the extra mile and worked well as a team. This wasn't the same for the silver service waiting on team, they did not communicate well or work well as a team and we observed passengers who joined the train at other stations forgotten about for their food and even when they had pre-ordered their return meals they were no longer available even though we had seen their meals brought into the carriage but then returned to the kitchen. Barry the server sloshed the soup he was serving splashing other crockery on the table and the tablecloth and the train was steady at the time! Peter the volunteer steward was so informative and was a smashing chap. The tannoy was not working great in our carriage so unfortunately we could not hear the announcements which was worrying as we could not hear the health and safety briefing for travelling passengers. Overall it was not worth £295 per person! We would not travel again with this company.

Negative experience: We’ve me and my dad have been on a few of these steam days out but when things go wrong as they do, I had to request an ambulance for my dad who’s disabled as couldn’t breath, there was no windows in carrages, the air con stopped working, the staff were incompetent, we had to stop as another man had passed out so ambulance could attend, the water from the bar was warm as apperently the fridges had packed up aswaell but still charging for them, I wasn’t impressed and complained as it was a nightmare 2 hour trip home with many of the passengers including me being sick passing out, it’s disgraceful they offered me £20 off next trip, I spent more then that on warm water last time

Fantastic experience: We recently travelled with RTC on the Summer Highlander (2) tour. It was a comprehensive tour of the Scottish Highlands visiting many interesting places and led by a very able Tour Manager. The travel arrangements, hotel accommodation and cuisine were excellent.

Fantastic experience: An excellent trip on Stratford Flyer Black 5 to Stratford upon Avon. Premier class made a special occasion very special with excellent food and attention from staff.

Fantastic experience: We had an amazing trip on the Royal Duchy yesterday . The service and food were excellent. Great staff fab trip . Thankyou

Positive experience: Had an enjoyable day out but extremely disappointed with the carriage we travelled in. Upholstery and general cleanliness of the carriage windows and doors etc was disappointing for what we paid. Travelling in premium dining, I was expecting so much more. Breakfast was very nice but the return main meal was very poor in comparison to other companies I have booked with before.

Fantastic experience: just travelled the Cotswold Venturer (24th August) in 1st class, great day out. Caterers were splendid, very friendly and helpful. All praise to the loco staff who saved the day when our train was diverted due to a broken rail, how did they make up all the lost time

Fantastic experience: Had a fabulous trip on Clan Line on 24 August 2024 with RTC to Worcester on the Cotswold Adventurer tour. So grateful for the professionalism and friendliness of all staff involved, but especially for the expertise of the driver who saved the trip from being abandoned due to a broken rail. Everything ran very smoothly from booking tickets to when we arrived back at London Victoria at the end of the day. Well done to everyone involved in organising this trip - it was superb!

Fantastic experience: We found the weekend interesting, amazing and as busy as we wished to make it. Rail journeys good in both directions, comfortable, and sociable. We'll fed and watered in each direction! Hotel well-placed for the whole city, a comfortable room and straight out of the hotel into Festival. Staff pleasant and helpful. Room very comfortable. Only fault with hotel was their restricted menu choices for the party, at Dinner. Non- meat eaters were treated to inadequate cheap meals that didn't compare with meat option, with no vegetables until after we complained and 3rd evening meal was considerably better. Breakfasts - good choice and servery replenished regularly. Edinburgh Tattoo was very memorable and for all the right reasons. A great Birthday treat for me, but sadly, the day went unrecognised by RTC, despite mentioning it when booking.

Fantastic experience: What a good trip this was, good fun traveling to Par, good service in adverse conditions. Although no buffet car was available, the staff reacted and made the trip another success. Yet another situation was sent at Taunton with a cracked rail reported at Nailsea. The crew stepped up again, supplying water and updating the situation regularly, about 1hour stop at Taunton, but success and we were off to Templemeads with a stop at Yatton (set down) well done everyone and thankyou for the care and fun on this regular trip.

Fantastic experience: I had a wonderful day out on the Dorset Coast trip. The locomotive and carriages were in super condition, the food was plentiful and tasty and the staff went to great lengths to make the day a success

Negative experience: Booked a day trip in July in Premier Dining but it was cancelled at last minute due to forecast high temperature. Rebooked two weeks later and second trip was cancelled for same reason. Trip cost very expensive and temperatures on both days not excessive. No discount or special offers given--just return of price paid--still waiting for that. Previous trips were super and understand that old engines will break down sometimes but high temperatures!!. I do wonder if the rreason was insufficient bookings to make trip viable.

Fantastic experience: We had a superb day on the Paddington to Minehead trip on Saturday. Joined the train at Newbury and had just standard seats. The crew were superb, the train ran to schedule and the seats very comfortable (unlike GWR!). The buffet served sandwiches, snacks and drinks and the bacon rolls were very welcome. I can thoroughly recommend.

Fantastic experience: I am writing about the holiday entitled Rail and Fjords of Norway from 6th to 17th July 2024. The tour manager was Tim Hall who was efficient, friendly and overall did a very good job and made sure that everyone knew where to be and when, in time for the various departures and visits. As the title suggests we had plenty of mainline rail journeys together with visits to heritage railways which were most enjoyable. Added to this we had three fjord cruises and a reasonable amount of time for general sightseeing, so all three components made for a varied itinerary. We stayed in good hotels at the various locations we visited and where food was provided at breakfast and/or dinner it was of a good standard and variety. The itinerary was generally descriptive of what we did, but Tim did make a few alterations on some timings which were beneficial. If there is one criticism of the itinerary, it relates to the journey between Dombas and Andalsnes which is called the Rauma railway and has been described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe. There was no mention of just what a picturesque journey this is and I think you need to correct this omission to make future travellers realise what they are going to see. All in all I had a very good holiday and would recommend this trip to others thinking of visiting Norway.

Negative experience: I purchased the tickets for the Flying Scotsman Day trip back in October 2023. Unfortunately, a week before the planned trip, the Flying Scotsman was involved in a collision with another train, prompting The National Railway Company to withdraw the Flying Scotsman from service for necessary checks and repairs. Throughout the week commencing October 2, there was considerable uncertainty regarding whether the train would run on the scheduled date of October 7. Given the train collision incident and the subsequent distress caused to my daughter, who suffers from PTSD, it became clear that undertaking the journey would be untenable. Considering these circumstances, I took the responsible step of cancelling the train journey and promptly notified The National Railway Company of this. The necessity for this cancellation was explicitly communicated, detailing the medical issue affecting my daughter. Furthermore, I was mindful of the hotel reservation in Edinburgh we had made and paid for and for we which would have incurred financial loss unless 48 hours' notice was provided. Regrettably, The National Railway Company has refused to refund the cost of the tickets, citing the terms and conditions that state they do not offer refunds. I have persistently challenged this decision through various email correspondences, even suggesting alternatives such as a confirmed rescheduled journey in 2024 (which they are still unable to confirm when it will be available in 2024) or for a full refund. However, their responses have been unsatisfactory, asserting uncertainty about the availability of the Flying Scotsman in 2024 and offering only a discretionary credit for future bookings for an identical service that may not run. Having had a very poor customer experience last year, I would urge anyone considering booking a journey with the Railway Touring Company to check their terms and conditions before you book Here are the critical points to note about The Railway Touring Company's terms before you book:- 1. They reserve the right to substitute the booked locomotive without offering refunds, potentially dashing your hopes of fully enjoying the experience you have paid for. 2. They may use a diesel engine instead of a steam one, again without issuing refunds. 3. Illness does not qualify for a refund, regardless of circumstance. In short, unless they cancel they will not refund you under any circumstances My advice to prospective travellers: 1.Scrutinise the terms and conditions meticulously before committing to a booking. 2. If the uncertainty and no-refund policy are unsettling, consider visiting the National Railway Museum in York instead—a fantastic alternative for train enthusiasts and its FREE! Don't let the allure of steam trains blind you to the risks. Make an informed decision before booking with The Railway Touring Company.

Fantastic experience: We had an absolutely brilliant day out from London to Weymouth. It was great to finally travel on a steam train travelling at main line speeds. The food (breakfast on the way out and dinner on the way back) was superb. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. Our only very small issue was that it was a bit too hot in the carriages and it wasn't a particularly hot day outside. We will definitely be looking to do another trip in the future.

Fantastic experience: Excellent freindly staff, wonderful journey and excellent timing.

Fantastic experience: Amazing day out from Northampton to Carlisle. The staff were all lovely, food was excellent despite a few incidents, through no fault of the Railway Touring Company it actually gave us a longer time on the train which suited us fine, we were in no hurry. Thank you to Steph and the lady who accompanied us throughout the entire journey (sorry my lovely didn't catch your badge name) Such great service can't wait to do it again.

Fantastic experience: Lovely place the Lake District, thank you for taking us there. We had a great time !

Negative experience: Premier Dining Experience does not stand up to reality. Based on the Railway Touring Company website which promised Premier Class in travel a plush vintage carriages whilst indulging in fine dining, silver served at your seat, we booked The Edinburgh Flyer for Saturday, 23rd March 2024. On the morning of travel, we boarded Coach C and found table for two, seat numbers 19B and 19F, looking forward to a Premier Class breakfast as the train left York for its return journey to Edinburgh. It was not what we bargained for. Coach C was situated behind the Kitchen Coach and if front of dining car Coach D. There was a sliding door, behind our seats, between Coach C and the Kitchen Coach. This door had it door closing latch removed, not broken but removed. All other internal doors were stuck open position. Once the train started moving we suffered a terrible cold draught from the gangway between Coach C and the Kitchen Car. The Steward located to our Coach was asked to ensure the catering staff to close the door behind them. The catering staff were asked to close the door behind them. The door was left open by the catering staff. The door would open and close with the movement of the train. There was heating in the Coach. My wife and I endured a continuous cold draft for both the six hour outward journey and the five and a half hour return journey. The return journey was more intolerable as the temperature within the carriage dropped from13 degrees (outward journey) to 6 degrees centigrade on the return. There is no way can you described the Coach C as a plush vintage carriage, when passengers sit in temperatures as low as 6 degrees, with no heat and a cold draft flowing passed. Likewise, silver service is more than just serving food, it is about sophistication and ambience, requiring a high level of skill and attention to detail, which in my view includes closing doors behind you, to ensure the desired atmosphere. At £350 each the Railway Touring Company failed dismally in providing a plush vintage carriages whilst indulging in fine dining, silver served at your seat. There were positive experiences, but we are left with a negative which outweighs the positive.

Fantastic experience: Myself & my sister went to York from stevenage on The White Rose on Saturday 24th February 2024. Brilliant day from start to finish. The stewards greeted us when we boarded the beautiful train, they were very friendly & helpful & did a great job to help our journey run smoothly. Had a great day out. Look forward to travelling with you again & will reccomend. 10/10 thank you x

Fantastic experience: We were on the 'Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express' on Saturday 17th February. We joined the train at Preston. When we were met by a steward on the platform, who was very friendly and welcoming. We had ample time to find our seat on the train. The staff were very friendly and welcoming and the waiting on staff were excellent. The whole trip was excellent. Particularly loved the Black 5 locomotive. A fantastic experience. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: Absolutely fantastic in every respect especially the staff. This is how to run a railway.

Fantastic experience: Enjoyed every minute of our trip, good food, lovely scenery, worth every penny

Fantastic experience: Great day and great experience

Fantastic experience: Steam and Christmas Markets in Germany 30/11 - 08/12/2023 After many years of day trips with RTC, 3 Great Britain trips (myself) and a Scottish Highlander Holiday we embarked on the Steam and Christmas Markets in Germany tour recently. The mix of Picturesque Rail travel, Steam Railways visits, great Christmas Markets and free time to explore worked very well for us both. Relaxing views from the trains were a lot better than what you miss flying, albeit it takes a bit longer. Taking manageable cases also helps when changing trains en route and Taxis helped for our journey to/from the Bonn Hotel. The Maritim Hotel a short tram (short walk/frequent service) ride south of Bonn is a big quality Hotel with spacious rooms and a large Breakfast choice. The three Heritage Railways (2 short, one long up to levels of Snow) had bags of Character and were very welcoming with hot drinks, Gluwein and Cakes. Run pasts, shunting, ‘fake’ arrivals and shed visits were all arranged for Photographers. We also found the Christmas Markets so very atmospheric, loved by locals and visitors alike. The cruises on the Rhine and Main were very enjoyable with seasonal snacks, drinks and Music. In our second location the Railway themed Altora Hotel we understood was new to RTC, smaller but meant our group had its room for Dining. To reach it we had a Luxury spacious coach operated by an established tour operator. (Brochures in the seat backs) We didn’t expect this Hotel to be the same as the previous one being smaller and further East but generally we had no real complaints. In fact my wife who doesn’t like meat dishes found all she was offered was very tasty. The railway in the dining room is an attraction itself and you can see Steam pass just across the road, on movements from the station and sheds which are about 15 minutes’ walk away. It’s also a similar walk in the opposite direction to the town centre with a good and less crowded Christmas Market than larger cities. It has a large variety of smaller shops and mini trains to take you up to the Castle which has wonderful views. The rides up to the Brocken summit revealed a Winter Wonderland behind impressive powerful Locomotives, memorable on both days The Journey home was changed due to a German train drivers strike but RTC pulled out all the stops and Leaving Wernigerode at 7.00am our Luxury coach got us all the way to Liege in Belgium (around 7.5 hours incl stops) instead of Hannover station around 2 hours. From there we got a train to Brussels Midi with plenty of time before our booked Eurostar to London. Our Tour Manager Ian Stanley was very helpful plus knowledgeable throughout aided for a few days with important planning from Andrew Thompson too

Positive experience: Well organised trip with very good stewards. Lovely day out.

Fantastic experience: Our son and grandson had a wonderful time on the Christmas Sussex Belle

Fantastic experience: We were well looked after by the staff. They had gf food for me and decaf drinks. The only thing I missed out on were the gf mince pies.

Fantastic experience: Brilliant day on the xmas Cheshireman I was on coach B all the staff where very nice the breakfast and evening meal was fab big thankyou to all of u .

Fantastic experience: Very impressive locomotive and carriages.

Fantastic experience: Excellent trip from York to Carlisle being hauled by the magnificent Flying Scotsman in its centenary year 2023. The food in premier dining was very good and the staff from The Gravy Train company serving the food and drinks were very friendly and efficient. It was a fabulous day out and a dream come true to travel by a world famous train. Thank you.

Fantastic experience: I travel on and have been for a number of years quite a few trips with different companies each year mostly in standard class but about once a year I do dining so the reason for my review is that 2 of my all time favourite trips have been this year with RTC the 1st in std class on the Atlantic Coast in May was brilliant and then the Christmas White Rose in Premier Dining on the 18th November which was by far the best Christmas dining we've had.The 1st time with RTC as in the past been we've been with other operators for our Christmas treat, but will not be the last

Fantastic experience: Great steam train day trips. Premier dinning available.

Fantastic experience: Booked a trip with my daughter on the Flying Scotsman from Edinburgh to Inverness. It was to be diesel hauled to Inverness and the Flying Scotsman back. Unfortunately due to the weather conditions Network Rail closed the highland line. The Railway Touring Company contacted us the night before to advise that the route would need to be changed and could only now go as far as Aberdeen. The company did an amazing job to get the Flying Scotsman brought overnight from Inverness to Edinburgh which meant our trip was able to go ahead and the whole journey was with the Flying Scotsman. Although the weather conditions were atrocious the trip, service and staff were amazing and I will definitely book a future trip with this company. Well done and thank you to all for pulling out all the stops last minute.

Fantastic experience: This is one lovely day out you will remember for a very long time 5 star service

Fantastic experience: My wife and I went on the Paddington to Minehead experience traveling 1st class. We had a great time and couldnt fault the friendly staff that supplied us with Breakfast and the largest Muffins we have seen for a while. We were kept informed on route by the stewards of any problems, which there were none. The journey itself was a very smooth run and to be honest it was hard to belive we were being hauled by a wonderful steam locomotive. That was our first trip and it certainly will not be our last. Thanks for everything and everyone who worked a long day.

Fantastic experience: Booked the Flying Scotsman Waverley tour from York for 10 Sep. What an experience, fabulous day. Staff were fantastic throughout and food in premier dining was excellent. Stunning scenery especially over the Ribblehead Viaduct. Achieved my lifetime ambition of being up close and personal with such a fabulous and world famous locomotive which I only witnessed as a child from a bridge over the railway at Doncaster. Amazing time. Thank you.

Fantastic experience: What a fantastic day. We went on the Cumbrian Mountain Express given as a gift. From start to finish the attention to detail was 1st class. The staff were polite friendly and very efficient. We were given a guide book to follow the route and the interesting places to look out for. From Carnfoth to Carlisle we were pulled by steam and back to Preston to pick up the desiel engine again. The two hours in Carlise allowed us to explore the market and the Cathedral. The food we had on board was lovely. The whole trip exceeded our expectations.

Positive experience: We went on a day trip by ferry and coach from John o' Groats to Orkney in 2013 with a different company and saw Skara Brae, the Italian Chapel and other attractions but not Maeshowe. We booked a tour in 2023 with the Railway Touring Company which included a 4 night stay in Orkney and a visit to Maeshowe, which was what we really wanted to see. We were advised on the first day of the tour that this had been cancelled due to capacity issues. It was clear that the guide was well aware beforehand that this would happen. It will only get worse next year as even more cruise ships are visiting Orkney but the RTC are still including a visit to Maeshowe, which is highly unlikely to materialise, as part of their Orkney trip in 2024. I'm giving them 3 stars as the rest of the trip was good but I doubt if I will be travelling with them again as I cannot rely on their advertising.

Fantastic experience: An excellent trip down to Weymouth, again cementing the Company's reputation. Good information, everything pretty much on time, lovely to remember the old seats, smell the engine smoke and generally enjoy the nostalgia. And a huge thumbs up to the friendly staff and the volunteers all of whom contributed greatly to a very enjoyable day out. Will go again.

Fantastic experience: On Sunday 30th July, we went on the Royal Duchy trip from Reading to Par, we got bused to Fowey, perfect day out, all staff were brilliant looked after us from when we joined until when we departed, the food was really tasty, seating very comfortable, good drinks choice , made great memories for the week of our 25th wedding anniversary, great team on board, highly recommend

Fantastic experience: An absolutely brilliant day celebrating my dad's 80th birthday. Everything was perfect - thank you

Negative experience: Good railtours, unfortunately, they have no interest in running locomotives relevant to the region. They always put a London Scottish locomotive on a train to the south-west, and vice versa.

Negative experience: A wasted journey to Carlisle on Saturday 15th July. I was to go and meet relations in Carlisle but couldn't due to the huge delays to the train. Why was the diesel not left on the back of the train to assist it up Grayrigg and Shap? A stupid decision. I was sat near the buffet and had to put up with the clatter of crockery being washed and dried right opposite me, for a couple of hours at least, this was very annoying. Not impressed at all Barrie

Fantastic experience: Fantastic enjoyed every moment of the tran ride . Food was delicious every bit of it. Breakfast n dinner was delicious to. Staff worked wonders. Stewards very helpful n kept us informed all the way. Thank for a wonderful day out.

Fantastic experience: Brilliant trip out of London's Kings Cross up to York hauled by a lovely steam locomotive

Fantastic experience: I'm sat in a London hotel having just spent 4 days on Flying Scotsman travelling to York, Edinburgh & Aberdeen. I retired 4 years ago. I thought about The Orient Express but am so glad I did this instead. People waiving at us all the way & coming to meet us at every level crossing/station. Pre/during trip info/logistics good. On board Premier dining service/food, world class. Thoroughly recommended ☕️

Fantastic experience: Absolutely amazing.. kings cross to great Yarmouth on the flying Scotsman.. they are old school.. simply amazing service and staff. Once in a lifetime. I will remember it for the rest of my life.. best ever

Negative experience: Very disappointed on the service on the flying Scotsman on 17th June for father's gift. We were so excited all was going well. We were told that we could alight a Winchfield for photos. The train left 7 minutes early and left without us and my disabled father was left on board, then I had to make my way to Portsmouth of my own accord after already paying out £165. I complained and asked for a refund of my £24 ticket from Basingstoke to Portsmouth to be told no. I think it's terrible. On the way back we could hear other passengers saying wait on the platform, the train went to take off but then holted. The staff did not come and see if we where okay when we reboarded they were fully aware that we missed it as we spoke to a steward passaging on train so they could have let us on. On the return journey it was so hot there where no cold drinks to buy on board there was no ice. It was really poor and not worth the money. It was the novelty of being on the flying Scotsman. I wish we had gone to the Bluebell Railway much better service . I won't be using the railway touring company again.

Fantastic experience: We travelled on The Cheshireman June 10th and we enjoyed the day! Lovely service in Premier Class, the food was excellent Friendly staff even though they had to work in very hot conditions! Would certainly recommend and just a joy to see The Flying Scotsman, such a beast of engineering

Fantastic experience: Very good would do it again

Fantastic experience: Dave and I went on the Cumbrian Mountain Express on the 3rd June. I was a little worried, as I have Coeliac unable to have Gluten. Anyway, all I can say is the staff were really attentive and I need not have worried. We had an absolutely fantastic day and loved every minute, including the fine dining. We would definitely recommend.

Fantastic experience: Me and my partner travelled on premier dining on the Cheshireman behind the flying Scotsman on June 10th. Despite being riddled with delays due to external factors. Everything ran as smoothly as it can. Stewards were incredibly helpful and the Gravy Train Catering provided the food onboard and we could not fault it. My only caveat would be the heat which again is an external factor. Overall incredible experience and would be something we’d be interested in doing again. Worth every penny.

Fantastic experience: Travelled yesterday on the incredible Flying Scotsman and the whole day was fantastic. The food, the service and of course The Flying Scotsman herself. The team allowed people to get into the cab which was an incredible experience and I can only but recommend this company. Thank you for helping to fulfill a lifelong boyhood dream

Fantastic experience: We rode the Flying Scotsman from London Paddington to Cardiff Central and back, Premier Class, the breakfast was lovley and very filling, and the dinner on the way back was also delicious, the staff were all very polite and really did make you feel special, I was even able to get into the cabin of the Scotsman at Cardiff to propose to my now Fiancé, we will never forget such a wonderful trip, the views were gorgeous and the everything about the trip was amazing!!!

Fantastic experience: 27th May - South Devon Explorer What a fantastic day, hauled down to Plymouth by Bahamas. We went first class - the staff and bacon sandwiches were amazing. Special thanks to Stef, Lesley and Gizzia for making our day so wonderful. We had with us our blind friend and his Guide Dog - nothing was too much trouble for them. Thank you for a great day.

Fantastic experience: The Shetlander. I was one of three people on the tour bus who'd been to Shetland previously. It was a great tour with very good evening meals. On the return journey, the ferry travelled a bumpy road caused by big rollers. The tour manager re-arranged part of the itinerary to suit direction of travel and available time.

Fantastic experience: I had the privilege of travelling on The Railway Touring Company's Stratford Flyer, pulled by 46115 Scots Guardsman on 11/03/23 with my girlfriend and it was amazing. We travelled First Class, mighty expensive but an unforgettable experience. From the very start, seeing 'A Private Charter' on the departures board at Manchester Victoria certainly added to that excitement to the journey. Everyone on board was great, our main drinks steward was Jamie and he was lovely. Our bacon baps on the morning service were out of this world, the pastries afterwards were equally as delicious. We were never left waiting to ask for a drink, myself and my girlfriend were both very well looked after on board. We had a generous amount of time in Stratford-upon-Avon, enough to have a nice meal and see some sights. Upon being seated for our return journey we were greeted to our table with sandwiches and a scone with butter & jams. These were great and since they were cold we could have them at any point we wanted on the return trip. We had a slight alteration to our itinerary in that we would be stopping at a different station than planned for a long water stop, this was well communicated by staff on board and we were kept in the loop with them answering any questions we had. Whilst at our long water stop we were lucky enough to be allowed to step onto the footplate too! Before long we were back in Manchester with immovable smiles on our face. Many thanks to The Railway Touring Company and all staff involved, we had an amazing time, it certainly beats a Northern service. Tickets across all classes of travel are expensive but you're paying to keep a steam train on the main line, paying the staff that make these days out possible and paying those behind the scenes making sure everything runs on time! I fully recommend booking a steam train trip with The Railway Touring Company and I hope to be able to do just that again soon.

Fantastic experience: Had a great day out on the Stratford Flyer 11/03/23. Great customer service and very friendly staff in the carriage.

Fantastic experience: A wonderful day. Everything ran to plan. Staff were fantastic, very well organised for serving our food, which was also excellent. They were also helpful and friendly, couldn't fault them.

Fantastic experience: Cumbrian winter mountain Express. We went standard class but it was a lovely day, the staff were superb and the scenery was incredible. Really glad we went.

Fantastic experience: Very good

Fantastic experience: Condensation on the windows, erratic heating confirmed we were travelling in veteran carriages, but the staff, service and food more than compensated. From the moment we boarded we were met with decorated carriages, buck's fizz and warm welcome. Breakfast was served on hot plates with hot food,which doesn't always happen in a restaurant these days.Our return from Edinburgh, complete with a full turkey dinner, and especially delicious Christmas pudding was just as appetising. Well done the the Gravey Train caterers. We particularly enjoyed the HST impression from the footplate crew of the 95 year old Scots Guardsman. We'll done all round, we'll be back and would recommend the trip thoroughly .

Fantastic experience: A fantastic trip to York in first class for our ten year wedding anniversary! We were superbly taken care of by friendly, attentive staff who made us feel extra special! A wonderful experience made even more spectacular by a beautiful engine, Duchess of Sutherland. Can't wait to go on another journey with them in the future!

Fantastic experience: Always use them silver service fabulous delicious food always hot, fine wines… friendly helpful staff… always go the extra mile ..full marks

Fantastic experience: Travelled on the York Yuletide Express yesterday and can only say it was absolutely brilliant. We were fortunately able to experience Premier Dining and we it was superb. Everyone so friendly and helpful. Thank you all for making our day so memorable

Fantastic experience: Excellent on board customer service, train is lovely and beautiful inside. Excellent food stewardess and stewards excellent.

Fantastic experience: Brilliant news letter service via email and very informative website.

Positive experience: Our trip was cancelled to unforseen circumstances. Since we are tourist, and won't be able to take the train ride on the reschedule date, they refund our money within 3 days. It would have been a delightful experience if we were be able to join the train ride. Hope there is next time for us. Good job railway touring company

Positive experience: Seems like a nice company, I've never actually been on one of their trips as they don't run that many trips from Norfolk considering that's were there based.

Positive experience: Recent Norwegian Holiday was well organised with an excellent guide. Not a lot of steam but what there was was interesting. Fjord trips excellent. More free time in Oslo would have been good. Only downside was a number of early starts and long journeys between venues. Why we started in Oslo, went to Bergen then back to Oslo before going north again I’ve no idea.

Fantastic experience: Easy to find the information is was looking for. Tours are fully explained.

Positive experience: Great website

Fantastic experience: Quick and easy to book and staff helpful.

Fantastic experience: Professional and friendly. All trips are on schedule. Thinking to book for Sept/Oct

Fantastic experience: Swiss Bernese Oberland Wednesday 8th June to Wednesday 15th June 2022 Review. This kind of tour was the first time that my partner and I had ever undertaken and we must admit that it was with some degree of trepidation that we booked this trip. We are very much solo holidaymakers. However, we had absolutely no cause for concern. This trip was absolutely magnificent and great value for money. Due to Covid this trip was delayed by 2 years, but throughout this period RTC kept us updated and provided us with timely information. The promotional material provided accurately reflected the experience we enjoyed, with no ‘hidden surprises’ of additional costs. The group was magnificently led by Ian Stanley, the RTC appointed Tour Manager. His knowledge, humour, empathy and organisational qualities were first class; an absolute gem of a guy. He was a major factor in ensuring that we got the best out of the varied and interesting itinerary. The Sunstar Hotel in Wengen was a superb base for the tour, the rooms well-appointed and clean, the views magnificent and staff very helpful. We found the breakfast offerings extremely varied and of good quality. The evening meals were fine for us. Those with larger appetites might have felt otherwise. To conclude, this holiday exceeded all our expectations; was a magnificent introduction to Swiss railways, mountains, lakes and city (Bern). It has left us wanting more and I am sure that we will book a similar trip through RTC in future.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic

Fantastic experience: Just wanted to thank everyone involved for making the GBIV train experience such a success. All the arrangements worked very well and we hope to be able to repeat the holiday in the future!

Fantastic experience: Excellent.

Negative experience: We booked the Chester trip for my birthday and were very disappointed. With less than 24 hours to go the steam locomotive was unavailable due to the operating team having covid. Lots of people didn't see this email until after they finished work. I know this can't be predicted, but we have all been living with the pandemic for two years so I would expect a company with 200 passengers to have backup arrangements in place. They offered money off a future trip, and kept referring to their terms and conditions. I have no intention of going on another trip. Eventually they made a partial refund but only after a very unpleasant conversation with someone who kept telling me she was finishing work in 15 minutes so couldn't talk about it.. Despite not having a steam engine we still had to make two one hour water filling stops on the way up and one on the way back, just sitting going nowhere. The sidings at Rugby are not scenic! Please don't be under any illusion that you will see the North Wales coast, even though it travels on the North Wales mainline, this trip goes no further than Chester. The steward however was very helpful and friendly.

Fantastic experience: Great day again with RTC. So luck with the weather! Edinburgh great to visit at anytime, 2 hours in the NMS, so worth a visit. Looking forward to the next steam special ,west coast run, soon i hope!

Negative experience: Winter Cumbrian Express Feb 2022 This was our second steam train adventure. The first time we travelled Standard Class to Lincoln which we loved, so for this trip, we were excited about going first class to Cumbria. But it was not worth the extra money. The food was bland with a very limited selection, cups were stained and our dirty breakfast plates and cutlery were not taken away and left on our table until the last hour of our outbound journey (which was over 5 hours) If you are unfortunate enough as we were to sit right by the carriage doors, be prepared for staff to walk in and out without closing the door behind them. Myself and my fellow passengers had to keep getting up and shutting it as it was very cold. This became very tiresome, especially as the return journey took 8 hours! The price of First Class still doesn't guarantee you'll get a table for 2. You still have to pay and additional £30 EACH (reminds me of Ryan Air) otherwise you will have to sit on a table of 4 with other passengers, which to me, defeats the object of traveling First Class. The steam trains are beautiful and the staff are friendly. This review is not to show my disappointed with the trains or staff, more to acknowledge the extra money is DEFINITELY not worth it. I would advise to travel standard class and bring your own food and drink.

Fantastic experience: Thursday 2nd October 2021 The Worcester Christmas fayre steam hauled by 6233 The Duchess of Sutherland. We had a lovely trip to Worcester. We had a bit of a walk from shrub Hill station to the Christmas fayre. The streets were all signposted well and we found our way to the cathedral and the Christmas tree fayre that was on. We had a lovely glass of mulled wine and a mince pie on our way to Worcester and a lovely cup of hot soup on the way home. The Railway Touring company staff were all very friendly and helpful if you had any Questions about the trip on the station's and the train.

Fantastic experience: Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express Saturday 29th January 2022 Great day out on a train pulled by two impressive steam engines. Very efficiently hosted by the friendly team on the platform and on the train. Well done.

Fantastic experience: brilliant day trip to Edinburgh, even though the heating and the lighting in our carriage failed, it didn't spoil the fun, the food and service was excellent, highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic company whith a great selection of tours

Fantastic experience: Booked an amazing trip with this company

Fantastic experience: This was our first trip with this company, it will not be the last. Despite a minor admin misunderstanding over tickets, we boarded the train without dificulty as there was a company representative at our station. From begining to end the Premier Dining experience was great. The food served hot onto hot plates, the service was excellent. The food was very good and we have dined on other well known railway services and this was right up there with them. As for the journey, it had originally been billed as Steam hauled by Tornado, in the event we had the pleasure of the Duchess of Sutherland and she provided a wonderfully smooth ride, and made up lost minutes to arrive in Worcester spot on time. A nice stroll round the market and back for dinner. A pre christmas trip to Worcester, i supose we should have known it would have been a Christmas dinner. A wholesome meal was had. Very well cooked and very tasty. It is not a cheap day out by any means but very well worth it for anyone with even the slightest interest in railways . Thank you RTC we will be back in spring.

Fantastic experience: I did the Worcester Christmas Fayre trip on the 2nd Dec, our steam train was the fab Duchess of Sutherland. Originally when i booked was the Tornado, however the DOS did not disappoint. The RTC kept me up to date leading up to the trip, were very organised and friendly. Highly recommend this great company. Will definitely do another trip with them for sure. Thank you everyone for a fantastic day