Bure Valley Railway
The Bure Valley Railway is a popular heritage railway which runs steam and diesel trains between the pretty market towns of Aylsham and Wroxham, in England’s Norfolk Broads. Guests can join the trains on a one-way (nine mile, 45-minute trip) or take a round-trip for 18 miles. You can hop on and off anywhere along the line. Run by husband and wife team Andrew and Susan, the Bure Valley Railway is a popular day trip for locals and tourists alike.
The train journey can also be combined with a local mini cruise on the Broads. There are also plenty of special journeys throughout the year including an ‘Easter Eggspress’ that’s great for kids and an ‘Everything Goes’ day, when all the locomotives and are run on the track.
Prices from: £9
Departing from: Wroxham Station
Journey length: 9 miles
Bure Valley Railway route
The 18-mile round-trip follows the River Bure, passing through pretty Bure Valley with its meadowland and pastures. You can stop along the way in the historic Broadland villages of Brampton, Buxton and Coltishall, where you can get off the train and explore the countryside by foot or on a bike. To get back on the train, all you need to do is wave the driver down for the train to stop. A foot and cycle path runs alongside the railway line so it’s an easy way of seeing this picturesque part of Norfolk by different modes of transport. Cyclists can take their own bikes on board for £3.50. Alternatively, you can hire bikes from TheCanoeMan in Wroxham.
Bure Valley Railway trains
The Bure Valley Railway runs both steam and diesel locomotives. These include the ‘Wroxham Broad’, originally built in 1964 and later remodelled in 1992, and ‘Blicking Hall’, which is named after the Jacobean mansion just outside Aylsham, that is owned by the National Trust.
Why we love it
The flexibility to get on and off the trains is great. This means you can really get to explore this very special part of Norfolk.