Photo of Apedale Valley Light Railway in West Midlands1 / 3
Trains & Railways

Apedale Valley Light Railway

๐Ÿ“ Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands

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โ˜…4.6(353 Google reviews)๐Ÿ‘ถAll ages

Volunteer-run narrow gauge heritage railway in Apedale Community Country Park, offering 15-minute steam and diesel rides, weekend drift mine tours, footplate experiences, and woodland walks. Dog friendly with on-site cafe and free parking.

โœ“ Heritage railwayโœ“ Volunteer runโœ“ Mine toursโœ“ Dog friendlyโœ“ Woodland walksโœ“ Great value

๐Ÿ† Funzaroo Verdict

Families who enjoy heritage railways, industrial history, and outdoor walking will find this a genuinely rewarding visit. The 15-minute ride is the starting point rather than the whole experience - mine tours, the industrial locomotive collection, woodland trails, and the cafe extend the visit to two hours or more.

โ„น๏ธ What to Know Before You Go

๐Ÿ’กAllow at least two hours to take in the railway, locomotive collection, mine tour, and walks
โฐMine tours run on weekends only and have age restrictions - check before visiting
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธWear appropriate footwear for the mine tour - safety equipment is provided on site
๐Ÿš—Woodland trails and paths around the site are good quality and accessible for pushchairs

๐Ÿ’ฌ What Families Are Saying

View all reviews โ†’
4.6
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353 Google reviews

5โ˜…
251
4โ˜…
79
3โ˜…
18
2โ˜…
3
1โ˜…
2

G Reviews from Google

A

Anne

8 months ago

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โ€œWe visited the heritage centre and the mine. It is a great day out. There is a nice cafe which is quite cheap and has plenty of choices for food and drinks. The museum in the heritage centre is free. Barrie showed us around and he is very knowledgeable on local history and has specialist knowledge of Roman times. The museum has some fascinating exhibits including fossils, mining memorabilia and examples from local industry such a brick making. We were very lucky to have a tour of the mine from Tom. He showed us around for well over an hour and has extensive knowledge and a lot of interesting facts and stories to share. He had family who worked as miners so it's nice to see that he is keeping his local and family history alive. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear if you plan to visit the mine. They provide safety hats and lights but it is a bit cold and sometimes a little slippy underfoot.โ€

R

Ruth Faulkner

10 months ago

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โ€œThis is a little gem. Only a small railway but lovely staff and great value for money. The events are always brilliant and the area around it is so beautiful for walks with good paths, woodland trails and wonderful views. Dog friendly with a small welcoming cafe with toilets in the visitors centre. Dogs not allowed inside but there is seating outside.โ€

R

Richard Simpson

a year ago

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โ€œI took my infant son to Apedale Valley Light Railway for the first time and he absolutely loves it! I think we will definitely be returning and possibly tomorrow! Whilst the ride itself is very, very short, it's the whole experience of being around a Steam Train that is so wonderful. We wandered around for a couple of hours quite happily, after the return journey to Apedale Road Station, and my boy was happy to watch the train coming and going from the Play Area. We also visited the cafรฉ for a bite to eat and the prices in there are very reasonable. Additionally, there is a mine and a museum of mining on the same site. We will be taking the Tour of the mine when my son is old enough to be allowed in. All in all, a delightful experience! One slight criticism from me. I understand, volunteers, that there are a lot of idiots around and that you give your time freely. However, please stop being so fussy with your Visitors. It might put them off from returning to your lovely centre! ๐Ÿ™โ€

๐Ÿ“Š Commonly mentioned in Google reviews

Based on Google review tags

Steam train

18 reviews

Train ride

17 reviews

Narrow gauge railway

15 reviews

Mine tour

12 reviews

Classic cars

8 reviews

Overview

The Apedale Valley Light Railway is operated by the Moseley Railway Trust and features historic steam and diesel locomotives on a 15-minute round trip through the country park. Weekend mine tours led by knowledgeable volunteers explore the adjacent drift mine, with safety equipment provided. Special events include Motor Rail Mania and seasonal themed days. The site has a cafe, station shop, good path network for walks, and is fully accessible for pushchairs.

๐Ÿ• Opening Hours

MondayClosed
TuesdayClosed
WednesdayClosed
ThursdayClosed
FridayClosed
Saturday11:30-16:00
Sunday11:30-16:00

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