Trains & Railways in South West

Three places, three quite different days. STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon is the indoor option, set in the original locomotive workshop, which is itself a listed building. Reviewers describe it as larger and more impressive than they expected, with volunteers who can tell the story behind specific engines, and the site's own verdict is that the storytelling about factory workers gives it depth beyond the locomotives. Under-fives get a play area and can walk under the big engines safely, with Little Locos activities running in school holidays. Parking is free.

The other two are working steam lines, outdoors, with cafes. Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway runs from Toddington near Cheltenham across four stations, and the unlimited day rover ticket lets you hop off at Winchcombe for the cafe, carry on to the Broadway terminus, and come back through the tunnel. Reviewers rate it well for children of all ages and note that dogs are welcome on trains and platforms with a ticketed fare. It gets very busy by mid-morning at weekends.

Dartmouth Steam Railway at Brixham is the one to pick if the ride itself is the point: reviewers single out the River Dart Valley scenery and the atmosphere, and the verdict is that toddlers and teens both respond well. The trade-off, reviewers say, is sparse activities for kids at the destination, so round-robin tickets combining train and river boat are the usual way to fill the day. The Christmas Train of Lights sells out well ahead.

In short: Swindon for a wet day or an engineering-minded child, Cheltenham for a full countryside day with stops, Brixham for scenery and a boat.