OVERSEAS TOURS

Tours must be booked on an Overseas Tour Form - Click here for a copy
Click here to see Tour Conditions.

TOUR 08/10 IGE German Railways 175 Express - Friday 17th to Monday 26 September 2010

IGE have just released more details of their major all German railtour. Fly to Salzburg/München and then to Augsburg for a reception at the Bahnpark.Click here for Itinerary and costs

Bookings closed and train virtually full. 36 LCGB 6 WRS. Any further bookings will be wait listed in case someone cancels (Brian Garvin)

Luxembourg Express – Sept 25th - 29th

Tour postponed until 2011 A Mike Hedderly tour from Paris to Luxembourg (A.Palmer)

TOUR 10/10 Slovenia and Croatia Saturday 9th to Saturday 16th October 2010

Jointly with Industrial Railway Society to visit most preserved locomotives in Croatia and a selection in Slovenia including the Railway Museum in Ljubljana and the local Power Station with an active fireless locomotive. Fly to and from Ljubljana. The tour to Albania will follow on. (Rod Farr)

TOUR 11/10 Albania Sunday 17th to Saturday 23rd October 2010

Tour runs with 24 participants, and bookings are now closed. Any further interested parties will be wait-listed. Click for itinerary (Colin R. Miell)

BULGARIA (New Dates) - Tuesday 26th October to Wednesday 3rd November 2010

POSSIBLE ADDITION OF 05.01 4-6-2 Pacific!

An important constituent of the trip is the 4-8-2 No 03.12 -a unique Bulgarian loco whose overhaul is now well advanced. We are now pretty confident that this will be available by October. We had originally planned one day with this loco but following several requests we have asked for it to be used on a second day (from Veliko Tarnavo to Gorna Orjahovitsa on 31 Oct)-when we will also do two photographic sessions at classic locations.

Now a further loco is being overhauled (in Sofia). This is also very rare -a 4-6-2 No 05.01 (Krupp 1941). This was one of only five built and, like the 03, is not a copy of any DR (DB) loco. We plan to add an extra day (3rd November) to our currently advertised program when we are certain that this machine is available. We would have a full day trip out of Sofia. This means return to the UK would be one day later.

The rest of the program using 01.23 and 16.01, plus "Russian" diesel 07 and ex-British electric class 87, remain as before. In addition there will be a rare chance to travel the WHOLE of the narrow gauge line from Septemvri to Dobronitshe behind steam.

We need confirmations of bookings now so we can confirm our arrangements with BDZ as soon as the 03 is completed. (A.Palmer)

Click here for full details

These locos should also be part of the Bulgaria tour

TOUR 09/10 New Zealand October

We already hold 12 bookings with 9 also taking the Australia extension

After sending various emails to Australia and not getting replies there was no answer to a fax either. So telephoning Steamrail brought back bad news. The tour to Echuca will not be running and the Melbourne Cup getaway tour to Wycheproof and Sea Lake is all diesel.

The preferred option now is to leave the UK about Wednesday 29/9 or Thursday 30/9 and fly to Cairns via Sydney. Use hire cars to tour Queensland preservation sites, coal lines and the narrow gauge sugar cane lines.

Then fly Brisbane to Christchurch to pick up the MLST steam tour leaving it later on at Hamilton from where we make our own way to Auckland and fly to Sydney.

About 7-10 days then in NSW for preservation sites including Thirlmere and Dorrigo and a look at the Hunter valley coal trains – at least one day there. Those people that have sent in preliminary advice of their intention to participate will be receiving fuller details soon.

COSTS – high! The flights alone will be something in the order of £1500 then add the railtour, car hire, B&B when we are on our own etc. Then there is the poor exchange rate to think of – no don’t if you went in 2000! (B Garvin)