Spa Valley Railway - Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Well that's our Summer Diesel Gala out the way!
Coming up however over the next few weeks is some more Deltic and Clayton action along with Lancashire & Yorkshire No. 52322.
This weekend will see Class 55 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' operating 5 return trips each day between Tunbridge Wells West and Eridge for you to enjoy.
... The first Deltic departure on Saturday and Sunday from Tunbridge Wells West is 09:45 and the first from Eridge is 10:20.
See More

Deltic action!

55019 at Eridge!

The visitors!

Visiting Class 55 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' and Class 17 D85688 ready for our Summer Diesel Gala which starts tomorrow!

Today is the start of our four day diesel extravaganza!
Kicking it off is our Class 33 Running Day using 33063 and 33201. The first train is at 09:30 from Tunbridge Wells West and then at regular intervals throughout the day over the line.
Don't forget advanced ticket sales for our Summer Diesel Gala tomorrow are still open and you can get 25% off!
... Class 17 D78568, Class 25 D7612 & Class 55 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' are all at the Spa Valley Railway along with our home fleet. Book your 25% off ticket here: http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/prod… /…/summer-diesel-gala
See More

It is the week of our annual Summer Diesel Gala... This year featuring a world famous 'Deltic', the sole surviving 'Clayton' and ever popular Class 25 D7612.
Tickets can still be purchased online with a 25% discount until late on Thursday night!
It knocks of £6.75 from the final bill so you pay £20.75 vice £27 (£2 booking fee added onto the £25 ticket) for a one day rover if booking online, you also save time and don't have to queue on the day to get your tickets!
... Main gala page where tickets can be purchased from: http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/prod… /…/summer-diesel-gala
Very limited seats also remain for the Friday 3rd Fish & Chip Supper. The Saturday 4th one is now sold out. http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/event.p hp…
See More

Due to a tree across the line outside Tunbridge Wells our 10:20 service is delayed.
Volunteers are working as quickly as possible to remove the fallen tree.

Due to the current forecast weather (which has reached 33°C in Tunbridge Wells today) and the fire risk to the surrounding countryside, in particular on our section of track which runs parallel to the National Rail network, we've had to take the difficult decision to suspend this weekends steam services.
This is something a number of other heritage railways have had to do recently and we sincerely apologise for any disappointment this will undoubtably cause.
We are monitori...ng the situation daily and will return steam to our trains as soon as possible.
Looking back, this is the SECR P-Class 323 'Bluebell' which visited us back in March from the Bluebell Railway when the ridiculously cold patch also paid us a visit. What a lovely little engine it was too!
See More

A journey with our RSH No.62 'Ugly'!

The Clayton has landed!

FURTHER NEWS:
The unique sole surviving Class 17 'Clayton' D8568 also arrived in town last night to star alongside the Deltic, D7612 and our home fleet at our Summer Diesel Gala!
Clayton Driver Experience - Monday 6th August
... Just TWO spaces remain to drive this very unique locomotive at 1245 & 1605. 6 miles with stock and 4 miles light engine over the whole length of the Spa Valley Railway.
Bookings can be made online here: http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/…/cla yton-driver-experien…
See More

BREAKING NEWS!
Class 55 55019 'Royal Highland Fusiler' arrives at the Spa Valley Railway for our Summer Diesel Gala 3rd to 5th August!
http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/prod… /…/summer-diesel-gala

Partnering up with Anno Distillers, based in Marden, Kent the Spa Valley Railway proudly presents the Gin Express train on Friday 31st August!
Arrive at Tunbridge Wells West for 18:30 for a welcome drink and Gin talk in our Victorian Engine Shed. Following the talk you will be lead to our 1960s heritage train to enjoy further Gin cocktails and also a freshly prepared Antipasto Classico Board followed by dessert for you to enjoy, courtesy of our caterers The Complete Lunch. ~~...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ What’s included in the ticket price? • Gin Talk in our Engine Shed. • Welcome drink – Double Elderflower & Fever Tree Tonic. • Cocktails on board the train – 25ml samples x 4 Juniper Spirit, Anno Kent Dry, Anno 60 Squared and Anno Sloe Gin with a bottle of Fever Tree Indian Tonic 200ml. • Antipasto Classico Board and Dessert. • Two return trips to Groombridge. • Access to Bar Car 'Kate' for purcahse of additional Gin Cocktails or other alcoholic beverages. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ Antipasto Classico Board: Sharing Platter of Italian Meats, Mozzarella & Fontina Cheeses Served with Olives, Sundried Tomatoes, Marinated Artichokes & Red Pimento Peppers Olive Oil & Balsamic Dip Ciabatta & Focaccia Bread Dessert: Homemade Gin Lemon Cheesecake ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ Gin Express Price: • Adult – £50 per person.
See More

We've Driver for a Fiver available on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th August as part of our Summer Diesel Gala at Groombridge Station. This will use Drewry 2591 'Southerham' or Class 10 D3489 'Colonel Tomline'.
Bookings can be made online now: http://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/prod… /…/driver-for-a-fiver

Steam is back on tomorrow (Sunday 15th July) with Lancashire & Yorkshire 52322 operating alongside Class 10 D3489 'Colonel Tomline'.

Went there today for day out with Thomas! Was fantastic, my family loved it, highly recommend coming here, I can’t fault it at all! Thank you for an amazing day

We've just arrived back from a lovely festive visit today... Really great seats, as a six we were able to book out an compartment. Standard seats were bought but 5* service was given! Loved the warm mince pies being handed out, the festively decorated carriages and the Christmas music being played on the train! The little shed when we got to the station was soooo cute. The amount of time you're given there is plenty of time to be able to get the main attraction done, which is seeing the big guy himself, Father Christmas!

The sleigh was gorgeous and we asked the family in the queue behind us to snap a shot of our group with Father C. The return journey back to Eridge was perfectly timed for our little girl who was a bit knackered by that point. In essence, perfect!

We've done the 'other' local big Santa express and preferred this one much more �

We booked the PJ masks event. We'd never been before but it was easy to find. Car parks very busy as a sainsburys and homebase are also there. Great value family 4 £25. Lovely train ride. Lovely BBQ food, drinks and everyone got to see characters. Would book again.

We Came to A Day out with Thomas, which was visiting Spa Valley Railway. I can't praise the people who gave their time to work at this event highly enough. Seriously. From the people working on the trains and stations, to the magic man, to the cub scouts and their game stalls, to the lovely generous ladies doing their face painting (all of which was free) It was superb. The attitude and friendliness of all involved was incredible. They really made the day very special for my 2 year old son, 5 year old daughter and all four of us adults. We loved it and will definitely be coming back. Very impressed.

Visited early Sat morning with 4 year old grandson. Parking easy. Friendly welcome, pulled by steam engine, drinks etc on route. Dorland Park in the afternoon. An excellent day out enjoyed by all.

Very well run, great to see steam on the line.

You can see the level of pride at Eridge station as you look at the station buildings compared to the mainline!

Took my grandchildren, aged 3 and 6, to the Thomas and friends Day. We found all the staff friendly and very approachable, the childrens entertainment was fun, BBQ fine, ice creams well priced and the trains and rides were fantastic. We didn't have time to see all the things at the base station. The children loved the little passports and certificates. We all had a fabulous time, can't recommend it more.

I was Bought 2 adult tickets through Groupon for a Christmas present and went yesterday 31.12 2017.

We turned up for our booked departure of 10.30 and was swiftly and efficiently served in the ticket office by a very nice gentleman giving plenty of good advice.

We found some seats and had a lovely round trip, with mince pies thrown in for good measure. My wife and I were so taken with it we are planning a trip down in the summer with some other family members and grandchildren to make a day of it, with the pub lunch at Eridge and stop offs to see what's about at the other stations. Keep up the good work and thank you to all the volunteers and back scene staff that keep this lovely railway running..Happy New year to all involved and good luck for 2018.

See you all soon

I love coming to Spa Valley Railway to see their trains. I enjoy seeing the diesels at the diesel galas. This year I've come down to see their visiting engine from Bluebell Railway and I've had a great time.

I booked an evening meal on the spa valley train for my partners birthday earlier this year. The only time we could go was 16/12. We found that we were hanging around for rather a long time before we boarded the train, but once on board was pleasantly surprised. The decoration of the carriage was very festive and a lovely atmosphere. Unfortunately we were sat at the end of the carriage where they bought all the food out so the door was constantly open. This made it very cold for us and had to wear our coats through the whole dinner service. Don’t get me wrong we had a pleasant evening and the food was very nice but would like to do it again for a lunch during the summer time.

Had a day out Thomas on the 14th April and I absolutely loved it. I was with my little boy, husband and in laws and we all had such a fantastic day. We arrived at Tunbridge Wells West station not knowing what to expect but we were welcomed straight away. There was lots to do here including face painting, colouring, Thomas movies and lots of games to play.



Then we boarded the train to go to see Thomas. Upon reaching the platform we were again welcomed by rusty and dusty (entertainers) who were amazing!! There was also lots to do here including a balloon man, show by rusty and dusty, the fat controller and a bbq



Unfortunately Thomas was a bit poorly and was running late but we still had a ride in Thomas and got to take photos etc.



All in all a fantastic day and I definitely recommended to anyone thinking of going.

Done the Driving experience with 33201 on Saturday 31st March, Wonderful, Would love to do it again one day . Just got to tell the wife !!!!! PS Thanks to Mr Wesson making it very enjoyable.

As this is run by volunteers it was a great place for lunch. In an old railway carriage you order at the buffet and sit at one of the tables. The food is better than you get on any of the rail franchises!

We got bargain tickets for a return trip on the spa valley railway. Liked that we got our own comfy seats but it was freezing cold and there was no lighting. A kind staff member came around with mince pies which were yummy and the children could freely move around the carriage. The weather was miserable so we didn’t get off at any of the stations, I would definitely do that next time to make the experience more exciting.

I feel like I could have done with more information about the journey - nothing on the train and we couldn’t hear the one announcement that was made as the tannoy didnt work in our cabin.

All in all we were by disappointed but I feel like it is in need of a bit of tweaking to make the tide more enjoyable

We booked this for our son who loves PJ Masks. Initially was sold (and as per email confirmation) to see three PJ masks on Sunday 11th Feb, however, a couple of days before event, they emailed saying Gekko and Oweltte are on Sunday, but my son’s favourite Catboy was Saturday. We were very disappointed however we contacted the staff who were very helpful and exchanged our tickets for the Saturday with no fuss so that my son wasn’t heart broken... I can’t thank the staff enough :) the event was great and each child got the opportunity to give the characters a cuddle and have a photo taken! Lovely family day, will go back again for other events :)

Firstly, I must compliment the staff on the day, Santa was a delight and everyone else we encountered were very polite and courteous. Nice gift, mince pie and brownie was brought to our carriage, as was balloon modelling and reindeer hat.



Well thats the good stuff, the organisation let the day down. When we arrived for the first train of the day, there was no one to greet us or direct us along, however we followed the sign to the platform. The waiting room was small and cramped, made worse by everyone waiting for face painting. The ladies doing the painting were excellent, and amazingly quick.



Once the announcement was made to board, it was easy to find our compartment. The outward journey was great, with a visit from Santa.



Once we arrived at Tunbridge, we just followed the crowd, who started queuing at the main building, so in good British form we joined the queue, not quite sure where it would take us. It did lead to Santa's sleigh and a photo opportunity with the big man himself. Again he was lovely. The penny machines were on the route of the queue, and the little theatre was next to it. As most of these events lead you, we ended up in the shop. Once outside we thought to get a drink from the buffet car, but it was too slow on service and not wanting to miss train back we abandoned the idea.



Unfortunately, a member of our party injured themselves falling on the platform, and on boarding the train felt unwell. Thankfully there were nurses on our carriage who came to our rescue. Once staff were aware, they provided a drink and first aid box.



A nice touch was Santa coming through the train to say goodbye on the return jouney.



On disembarking, there was nothing to do other than go home.



Overall a nice couple of hours, but wonder if it could be so much more with a bit of imagination. We did feel a bit like cattle being driven through a route at Tunbridge. Also there was suppose to be a spot the snowman competition, but we never saw anything about it, and only realised once we arrived home and looked on website.



A big thank you to everyone involved for making a special day out for our little girl, and of course the lovely passengers who helped us both on the platform and on the train.

A railway that had been on my "to visit" list for a little while now. Yesterday me and a group of friends ventured up here and have to say we enjoyed ourselves very much!



Made a nice change from other heritage railways to see tank engines as the main source of motive power and though I'm not a big diesel nut the class 33 was also nice to have a ride behind.

Lovely stations, well kept with a nice atmosphere! I will be telling my friends and recommending a visit. I'd myself like to come back for a gala to see more of your lovely engines in action!



I do however have one little nit pick...I did think the staff at Groombridge were a little flat, but I think that may have been out of boredom as it was quiet.



Looking forward to my next visit, keep up the good work!

We booked a Sunday Santa Special for 5 of us. The experience was ok as the train was nicely decorated and the santa who visited the children was very good. However we paid for the premium seats (£22 each) which was meant to include a snack box. We were asked as the time of booking if any persons had any food allergeries. We had two adults which were coeliacs and this was noted on the form.

However we were provided with nothing other then the standard box which was pastry, cake and crisps (not GF). Not sure why they ask if they are not going to cater for you!?! Also a tea and coffee is extra.



We were sadly greeted at the santa sleigh at Tunbridge Wells by an elf that just wanted to voalise how bored and tired she was! I understand that she may have been a volunteer but it was hardly festive to whinge at paying guests!



The gentleman that was helping children with the penny machines was an absolute delight. Very polite and engaging and taking time to explain how to use machines. He was a true gentleman and a credit.



The ladies that completed the face paintings were lovely. But it could have been better sign posted as we only heard about it on the journey back and therefore a face paiting was only really on show for a few minutes before our car journey home.



Sadly didn't stay long on the platforms as were let down by parents being able to smoke on the platforms and right outside the carriages on both Eridge Station and Tunbridge Wells.



Overall I would struggle to recommend.

Sadly the experience very expensive and not worth over £100 for 5.

Absoulutly discusted!!! Took my son to visit thomas the tank last year payed for the fat controllers tea party... well my son fell over and cut all his facr and mouth there was not 1 first aider there and no1 offered any kind of help! We got on train back so we could take our son to hospital 1 lady helped on train back but we had already sorted and settled our son! He didnt even get offered his fat controller tea party even thou we payed for it and didnt get offered any kind of refund! Absolutly appalled!

Went there today for day out with Thomas! Was fantastic, my family loved it, highly recommend coming here, I can’t fault it at all! Thank you for an amazing day

We've just arrived back from a lovely festive visit today... Really great seats, as a six we were able to book out an compartment. Standard seats were bought but 5* service was given! Loved the warm mince pies being handed out, the festively decorated carriages and the Christmas music being played on the train! The little shed when we got to the station was soooo cute. The amount of time you're given there is plenty of time to be able to get the main attraction done, which is seeing the big guy himself, Father Christmas!

The sleigh was gorgeous and we asked the family in the queue behind us to snap a shot of our group with Father C. The return journey back to Eridge was perfectly timed for our little girl who was a bit knackered by that point. In essence, perfect!

We've done the 'other' local big Santa express and preferred this one much more �

We booked the PJ masks event. We'd never been before but it was easy to find. Car parks very busy as a sainsburys and homebase are also there. Great value family 4 £25. Lovely train ride. Lovely BBQ food, drinks and everyone got to see characters. Would book again.

We Came to A Day out with Thomas, which was visiting Spa Valley Railway. I can't praise the people who gave their time to work at this event highly enough. Seriously. From the people working on the trains and stations, to the magic man, to the cub scouts and their game stalls, to the lovely generous ladies doing their face painting (all of which was free) It was superb. The attitude and friendliness of all involved was incredible. They really made the day very special for my 2 year old son, 5 year old daughter and all four of us adults. We loved it and will definitely be coming back. Very impressed.

Visited early Sat morning with 4 year old grandson. Parking easy. Friendly welcome, pulled by steam engine, drinks etc on route. Dorland Park in the afternoon. An excellent day out enjoyed by all.

Very well run, great to see steam on the line.

You can see the level of pride at Eridge station as you look at the station buildings compared to the mainline!

Took my grandchildren, aged 3 and 6, to the Thomas and friends Day. We found all the staff friendly and very approachable, the childrens entertainment was fun, BBQ fine, ice creams well priced and the trains and rides were fantastic. We didn't have time to see all the things at the base station. The children loved the little passports and certificates. We all had a fabulous time, can't recommend it more.

I was Bought 2 adult tickets through Groupon for a Christmas present and went yesterday 31.12 2017.

We turned up for our booked departure of 10.30 and was swiftly and efficiently served in the ticket office by a very nice gentleman giving plenty of good advice.

We found some seats and had a lovely round trip, with mince pies thrown in for good measure. My wife and I were so taken with it we are planning a trip down in the summer with some other family members and grandchildren to make a day of it, with the pub lunch at Eridge and stop offs to see what's about at the other stations. Keep up the good work and thank you to all the volunteers and back scene staff that keep this lovely railway running..Happy New year to all involved and good luck for 2018.

See you all soon

I love coming to Spa Valley Railway to see their trains. I enjoy seeing the diesels at the diesel galas. This year I've come down to see their visiting engine from Bluebell Railway and I've had a great time.

I booked an evening meal on the spa valley train for my partners birthday earlier this year. The only time we could go was 16/12. We found that we were hanging around for rather a long time before we boarded the train, but once on board was pleasantly surprised. The decoration of the carriage was very festive and a lovely atmosphere. Unfortunately we were sat at the end of the carriage where they bought all the food out so the door was constantly open. This made it very cold for us and had to wear our coats through the whole dinner service. Don’t get me wrong we had a pleasant evening and the food was very nice but would like to do it again for a lunch during the summer time.

Had a day out Thomas on the 14th April and I absolutely loved it. I was with my little boy, husband and in laws and we all had such a fantastic day. We arrived at Tunbridge Wells West station not knowing what to expect but we were welcomed straight away. There was lots to do here including face painting, colouring, Thomas movies and lots of games to play.



Then we boarded the train to go to see Thomas. Upon reaching the platform we were again welcomed by rusty and dusty (entertainers) who were amazing!! There was also lots to do here including a balloon man, show by rusty and dusty, the fat controller and a bbq



Unfortunately Thomas was a bit poorly and was running late but we still had a ride in Thomas and got to take photos etc.



All in all a fantastic day and I definitely recommended to anyone thinking of going.

Done the Driving experience with 33201 on Saturday 31st March, Wonderful, Would love to do it again one day . Just got to tell the wife !!!!! PS Thanks to Mr Wesson making it very enjoyable.

As this is run by volunteers it was a great place for lunch. In an old railway carriage you order at the buffet and sit at one of the tables. The food is better than you get on any of the rail franchises!

We got bargain tickets for a return trip on the spa valley railway. Liked that we got our own comfy seats but it was freezing cold and there was no lighting. A kind staff member came around with mince pies which were yummy and the children could freely move around the carriage. The weather was miserable so we didn’t get off at any of the stations, I would definitely do that next time to make the experience more exciting.

I feel like I could have done with more information about the journey - nothing on the train and we couldn’t hear the one announcement that was made as the tannoy didnt work in our cabin.

All in all we were by disappointed but I feel like it is in need of a bit of tweaking to make the tide more enjoyable

We booked this for our son who loves PJ Masks. Initially was sold (and as per email confirmation) to see three PJ masks on Sunday 11th Feb, however, a couple of days before event, they emailed saying Gekko and Oweltte are on Sunday, but my son’s favourite Catboy was Saturday. We were very disappointed however we contacted the staff who were very helpful and exchanged our tickets for the Saturday with no fuss so that my son wasn’t heart broken... I can’t thank the staff enough :) the event was great and each child got the opportunity to give the characters a cuddle and have a photo taken! Lovely family day, will go back again for other events :)

Firstly, I must compliment the staff on the day, Santa was a delight and everyone else we encountered were very polite and courteous. Nice gift, mince pie and brownie was brought to our carriage, as was balloon modelling and reindeer hat.



Well thats the good stuff, the organisation let the day down. When we arrived for the first train of the day, there was no one to greet us or direct us along, however we followed the sign to the platform. The waiting room was small and cramped, made worse by everyone waiting for face painting. The ladies doing the painting were excellent, and amazingly quick.



Once the announcement was made to board, it was easy to find our compartment. The outward journey was great, with a visit from Santa.



Once we arrived at Tunbridge, we just followed the crowd, who started queuing at the main building, so in good British form we joined the queue, not quite sure where it would take us. It did lead to Santa's sleigh and a photo opportunity with the big man himself. Again he was lovely. The penny machines were on the route of the queue, and the little theatre was next to it. As most of these events lead you, we ended up in the shop. Once outside we thought to get a drink from the buffet car, but it was too slow on service and not wanting to miss train back we abandoned the idea.



Unfortunately, a member of our party injured themselves falling on the platform, and on boarding the train felt unwell. Thankfully there were nurses on our carriage who came to our rescue. Once staff were aware, they provided a drink and first aid box.



A nice touch was Santa coming through the train to say goodbye on the return jouney.



On disembarking, there was nothing to do other than go home.



Overall a nice couple of hours, but wonder if it could be so much more with a bit of imagination. We did feel a bit like cattle being driven through a route at Tunbridge. Also there was suppose to be a spot the snowman competition, but we never saw anything about it, and only realised once we arrived home and looked on website.



A big thank you to everyone involved for making a special day out for our little girl, and of course the lovely passengers who helped us both on the platform and on the train.

A railway that had been on my "to visit" list for a little while now. Yesterday me and a group of friends ventured up here and have to say we enjoyed ourselves very much!



Made a nice change from other heritage railways to see tank engines as the main source of motive power and though I'm not a big diesel nut the class 33 was also nice to have a ride behind.

Lovely stations, well kept with a nice atmosphere! I will be telling my friends and recommending a visit. I'd myself like to come back for a gala to see more of your lovely engines in action!



I do however have one little nit pick...I did think the staff at Groombridge were a little flat, but I think that may have been out of boredom as it was quiet.



Looking forward to my next visit, keep up the good work!

We booked a Sunday Santa Special for 5 of us. The experience was ok as the train was nicely decorated and the santa who visited the children was very good. However we paid for the premium seats (£22 each) which was meant to include a snack box. We were asked as the time of booking if any persons had any food allergeries. We had two adults which were coeliacs and this was noted on the form.

However we were provided with nothing other then the standard box which was pastry, cake and crisps (not GF). Not sure why they ask if they are not going to cater for you!?! Also a tea and coffee is extra.



We were sadly greeted at the santa sleigh at Tunbridge Wells by an elf that just wanted to voalise how bored and tired she was! I understand that she may have been a volunteer but it was hardly festive to whinge at paying guests!



The gentleman that was helping children with the penny machines was an absolute delight. Very polite and engaging and taking time to explain how to use machines. He was a true gentleman and a credit.



The ladies that completed the face paintings were lovely. But it could have been better sign posted as we only heard about it on the journey back and therefore a face paiting was only really on show for a few minutes before our car journey home.



Sadly didn't stay long on the platforms as were let down by parents being able to smoke on the platforms and right outside the carriages on both Eridge Station and Tunbridge Wells.



Overall I would struggle to recommend.

Sadly the experience very expensive and not worth over £100 for 5.

Absoulutly discusted!!! Took my son to visit thomas the tank last year payed for the fat controllers tea party... well my son fell over and cut all his facr and mouth there was not 1 first aider there and no1 offered any kind of help! We got on train back so we could take our son to hospital 1 lady helped on train back but we had already sorted and settled our son! He didnt even get offered his fat controller tea party even thou we payed for it and didnt get offered any kind of refund! Absolutly appalled!

Went there today for day out with Thomas! Was fantastic, my family loved it, highly recommend coming here, I can’t fault it at all! Thank you for an amazing day

We've just arrived back from a lovely festive visit today... Really great seats, as a six we were able to book out an compartment. Standard seats were bought but 5* service was given! Loved the warm mince pies being handed out, the festively decorated carriages and the Christmas music being played on the train! The little shed when we got to the station was soooo cute. The amount of time you're given there is plenty of time to be able to get the main attraction done, which is seeing the big guy himself, Father Christmas!

The sleigh was gorgeous and we asked the family in the queue behind us to snap a shot of our group with Father C. The return journey back to Eridge was perfectly timed for our little girl who was a bit knackered by that point. In essence, perfect!

We've done the 'other' local big Santa express and preferred this one much more �

We booked the PJ masks event. We'd never been before but it was easy to find. Car parks very busy as a sainsburys and homebase are also there. Great value family 4 £25. Lovely train ride. Lovely BBQ food, drinks and everyone got to see characters. Would book again.

We Came to A Day out with Thomas, which was visiting Spa Valley Railway. I can't praise the people who gave their time to work at this event highly enough. Seriously. From the people working on the trains and stations, to the magic man, to the cub scouts and their game stalls, to the lovely generous ladies doing their face painting (all of which was free) It was superb. The attitude and friendliness of all involved was incredible. They really made the day very special for my 2 year old son, 5 year old daughter and all four of us adults. We loved it and will definitely be coming back. Very impressed.

Visited early Sat morning with 4 year old grandson. Parking easy. Friendly welcome, pulled by steam engine, drinks etc on route. Dorland Park in the afternoon. An excellent day out enjoyed by all.

Very well run, great to see steam on the line.

You can see the level of pride at Eridge station as you look at the station buildings compared to the mainline!

Took my grandchildren, aged 3 and 6, to the Thomas and friends Day. We found all the staff friendly and very approachable, the childrens entertainment was fun, BBQ fine, ice creams well priced and the trains and rides were fantastic. We didn't have time to see all the things at the base station. The children loved the little passports and certificates. We all had a fabulous time, can't recommend it more.

I was Bought 2 adult tickets through Groupon for a Christmas present and went yesterday 31.12 2017.

We turned up for our booked departure of 10.30 and was swiftly and efficiently served in the ticket office by a very nice gentleman giving plenty of good advice.

We found some seats and had a lovely round trip, with mince pies thrown in for good measure. My wife and I were so taken with it we are planning a trip down in the summer with some other family members and grandchildren to make a day of it, with the pub lunch at Eridge and stop offs to see what's about at the other stations. Keep up the good work and thank you to all the volunteers and back scene staff that keep this lovely railway running..Happy New year to all involved and good luck for 2018.

See you all soon

I love coming to Spa Valley Railway to see their trains. I enjoy seeing the diesels at the diesel galas. This year I've come down to see their visiting engine from Bluebell Railway and I've had a great time.

I booked an evening meal on the spa valley train for my partners birthday earlier this year. The only time we could go was 16/12. We found that we were hanging around for rather a long time before we boarded the train, but once on board was pleasantly surprised. The decoration of the carriage was very festive and a lovely atmosphere. Unfortunately we were sat at the end of the carriage where they bought all the food out so the door was constantly open. This made it very cold for us and had to wear our coats through the whole dinner service. Don’t get me wrong we had a pleasant evening and the food was very nice but would like to do it again for a lunch during the summer time.

Had a day out Thomas on the 14th April and I absolutely loved it. I was with my little boy, husband and in laws and we all had such a fantastic day. We arrived at Tunbridge Wells West station not knowing what to expect but we were welcomed straight away. There was lots to do here including face painting, colouring, Thomas movies and lots of games to play.



Then we boarded the train to go to see Thomas. Upon reaching the platform we were again welcomed by rusty and dusty (entertainers) who were amazing!! There was also lots to do here including a balloon man, show by rusty and dusty, the fat controller and a bbq



Unfortunately Thomas was a bit poorly and was running late but we still had a ride in Thomas and got to take photos etc.



All in all a fantastic day and I definitely recommended to anyone thinking of going.

Done the Driving experience with 33201 on Saturday 31st March, Wonderful, Would love to do it again one day . Just got to tell the wife !!!!! PS Thanks to Mr Wesson making it very enjoyable.

As this is run by volunteers it was a great place for lunch. In an old railway carriage you order at the buffet and sit at one of the tables. The food is better than you get on any of the rail franchises!

We got bargain tickets for a return trip on the spa valley railway. Liked that we got our own comfy seats but it was freezing cold and there was no lighting. A kind staff member came around with mince pies which were yummy and the children could freely move around the carriage. The weather was miserable so we didn’t get off at any of the stations, I would definitely do that next time to make the experience more exciting.

I feel like I could have done with more information about the journey - nothing on the train and we couldn’t hear the one announcement that was made as the tannoy didnt work in our cabin.

All in all we were by disappointed but I feel like it is in need of a bit of tweaking to make the tide more enjoyable

We booked this for our son who loves PJ Masks. Initially was sold (and as per email confirmation) to see three PJ masks on Sunday 11th Feb, however, a couple of days before event, they emailed saying Gekko and Oweltte are on Sunday, but my son’s favourite Catboy was Saturday. We were very disappointed however we contacted the staff who were very helpful and exchanged our tickets for the Saturday with no fuss so that my son wasn’t heart broken... I can’t thank the staff enough :) the event was great and each child got the opportunity to give the characters a cuddle and have a photo taken! Lovely family day, will go back again for other events :)

Firstly, I must compliment the staff on the day, Santa was a delight and everyone else we encountered were very polite and courteous. Nice gift, mince pie and brownie was brought to our carriage, as was balloon modelling and reindeer hat.



Well thats the good stuff, the organisation let the day down. When we arrived for the first train of the day, there was no one to greet us or direct us along, however we followed the sign to the platform. The waiting room was small and cramped, made worse by everyone waiting for face painting. The ladies doing the painting were excellent, and amazingly quick.



Once the announcement was made to board, it was easy to find our compartment. The outward journey was great, with a visit from Santa.



Once we arrived at Tunbridge, we just followed the crowd, who started queuing at the main building, so in good British form we joined the queue, not quite sure where it would take us. It did lead to Santa's sleigh and a photo opportunity with the big man himself. Again he was lovely. The penny machines were on the route of the queue, and the little theatre was next to it. As most of these events lead you, we ended up in the shop. Once outside we thought to get a drink from the buffet car, but it was too slow on service and not wanting to miss train back we abandoned the idea.



Unfortunately, a member of our party injured themselves falling on the platform, and on boarding the train felt unwell. Thankfully there were nurses on our carriage who came to our rescue. Once staff were aware, they provided a drink and first aid box.



A nice touch was Santa coming through the train to say goodbye on the return jouney.



On disembarking, there was nothing to do other than go home.



Overall a nice couple of hours, but wonder if it could be so much more with a bit of imagination. We did feel a bit like cattle being driven through a route at Tunbridge. Also there was suppose to be a spot the snowman competition, but we never saw anything about it, and only realised once we arrived home and looked on website.



A big thank you to everyone involved for making a special day out for our little girl, and of course the lovely passengers who helped us both on the platform and on the train.

A railway that had been on my "to visit" list for a little while now. Yesterday me and a group of friends ventured up here and have to say we enjoyed ourselves very much!



Made a nice change from other heritage railways to see tank engines as the main source of motive power and though I'm not a big diesel nut the class 33 was also nice to have a ride behind.

Lovely stations, well kept with a nice atmosphere! I will be telling my friends and recommending a visit. I'd myself like to come back for a gala to see more of your lovely engines in action!



I do however have one little nit pick...I did think the staff at Groombridge were a little flat, but I think that may have been out of boredom as it was quiet.



Looking forward to my next visit, keep up the good work!

We booked a Sunday Santa Special for 5 of us. The experience was ok as the train was nicely decorated and the santa who visited the children was very good. However we paid for the premium seats (£22 each) which was meant to include a snack box. We were asked as the time of booking if any persons had any food allergeries. We had two adults which were coeliacs and this was noted on the form.

However we were provided with nothing other then the standard box which was pastry, cake and crisps (not GF). Not sure why they ask if they are not going to cater for you!?! Also a tea and coffee is extra.



We were sadly greeted at the santa sleigh at Tunbridge Wells by an elf that just wanted to voalise how bored and tired she was! I understand that she may have been a volunteer but it was hardly festive to whinge at paying guests!



The gentleman that was helping children with the penny machines was an absolute delight. Very polite and engaging and taking time to explain how to use machines. He was a true gentleman and a credit.



The ladies that completed the face paintings were lovely. But it could have been better sign posted as we only heard about it on the journey back and therefore a face paiting was only really on show for a few minutes before our car journey home.



Sadly didn't stay long on the platforms as were let down by parents being able to smoke on the platforms and right outside the carriages on both Eridge Station and Tunbridge Wells.



Overall I would struggle to recommend.

Sadly the experience very expensive and not worth over £100 for 5.

Absoulutly discusted!!! Took my son to visit thomas the tank last year payed for the fat controllers tea party... well my son fell over and cut all his facr and mouth there was not 1 first aider there and no1 offered any kind of help! We got on train back so we could take our son to hospital 1 lady helped on train back but we had already sorted and settled our son! He didnt even get offered his fat controller tea party even thou we payed for it and didnt get offered any kind of refund! Absolutly appalled!