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Things to do in Alston
South Tynedale Railway
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Closed until 8 Dec 2023
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South Tynedale Railway

See all things to do
See all things to do
South Tynedale Railway
4.5
#1 of 9 things to do in Alston
Scenic Railroads
Temporarily closedClosed until Dec 8, 2023
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About
Come for a ride on the North of England’s double gold award winning narrow gauge railway winding from Alston into the South Tyne Valley in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Our trains are hauled by steam, diesel or battery electric locos and all have a fascinating history. Both of our restored stations at Alston and Slaggyford house a café or buffet car and accesible toilets. Most areas of the site are accessible, are super dog friendly and there are large car parks at Alston and Slaggyford.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
11 within 3 miles
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279
0.3 mi££ - £££ • Bar • British • Pub
South Tynedale Railway
57
474 ft£ • Quick Bites • Cafe • British
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The Nook Farm Shop & Cafe
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Attractions
8 within 6 miles
Hub Heritage & Transport Museum
95
177 ftHistory Museums
St Augustine of Canterbury Church
4
0.2 miChurches & Cathedrals
Alston Tourist Information Centre
3
0.3 miVisitor Centres
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49
1.9 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
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Historic Sites
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Historic Sites • Cemeteries
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
314 reviews
Excellent
190
Very good
97
Average
16
Poor
6
Terrible
5
Jim D
177 contributions
Great Cafe
Jul 2023 • Friends
Stopped for a coffee, mid-morning whilst travelling in the area, It was not at a time that the trains were running.

The café was really good, with superb service. Thank you
Written 31 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Derek P
Lanark, UK391 contributions
A step back in locomotive time with Thomas the tank engine!
Jul 2023 • Solo
I confess I didn't actually go on the train trip but only because I hadn't enough time for it. However I did see the train arriving at the station and it looked like a fun trip. Everyone who got off the train was smiling or beaming.
Written 13 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
steve B
Durham, UK3 contributions
A smashing morning, great views a real stress buster
Jul 2023 • Family
Super day out. Very friendly and helpful staff/ volunteers. Nice cafe at the start and end of the line. Beautiful views as the train trundled down the south Tyne valley.
Written 30 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
575Jenny
Swindon, UK24 contributions
A little known railway gem at Alston
Jun 2023 • Friends
A super preserved railway that can be enjoyed by all. Very friendly, the scenery is beautiful and if you want to stretch your legs you can walk along a defined path which runs alongside the line. Refreshments are available at both ends of the line. A super day out, thank you.
Written 25 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zoe G
15 contributions
Great day
May 2023 • Couples
A lovely trip out Alston - Slaggyford. Staff are friendly and helpful making the experience a joy. The journey was good and the views from the train were amazing. Definitely worth the visit and will hopefully be back again when in the area.
Written 16 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike M
21 contributions
Crossing Gate Café appalling customer service
Apr 2023 • Couples
Worst customer service ever we had previously checked with the mana
manager they could provide suitable refreshments and food for my Vegan partner. On the 2 occasions we accessed the cafe the same person I'm too busy to provide for you.
Written 13 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Becky F
1 contribution
Train-iffic!
Dec 2022 • Family
Magical family Santa train thoroughly enjoyed by three generations. Thoughtful, enthusiastic and engaging staff have further fuelled train enthusiasm.
Written 18 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sightseer06091602529
6 contributions
Wonderful day.
Aug 2022 • Family
Fabulous day. All the staff ( mostly volunteers I belief) go out of their way to be helpful and friendly. My 11 year old grandson and I had a wonderful day. Thankyou.
Written 29 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jet62572369971
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. So pleased you had a wonderful day and yes, all of the Railway staff you will have met are volunteers who work really hard to keep the Railway going. They're brilliant!!
Written 5 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nigel E
1 contribution
Cafe only
Jul 2022 • Friends
A group of 4 adults visited the station cafe. My first thought was the food is quite expensive, but, when our food arrived it was all fresh and freshly prepared which negated my thoughts about the price. The overwhelming experience was of owners/staff who took what they were doing very seriously.
Written 28 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
An_Old_Burian
Norwich, UK1,379 contributions
Enjoyable trip with great views
Jun 2022
We did a return trip from Alston to Slaggyford which proved to be very pleasant. We enjoyed a dronk at the Slaggyford Buffet Car..........but did feeel that there was a lost opportunity to sell us an coffee & snacks on the train.......or even an afternoon tea
Written 23 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jet62572369971
Apologies that we didn't respond immediately to your review, thank you for taking the time to write it and great to read you had a pleasant day. Thanks also for the helpful comment about the refreshments on the train. We are very happy for people to purchase refreshments at either of our two cafes and enjoy them on the train. Cream teas are available from the Crossing Cafe but do need to be pre-booked. We hope you'll come and see us again!
Written 5 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about South Tynedale Railway