The Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association (MCRUA) is promoting a special train which is running from the Mid Cheshire Line on Saturday 22nd August. Retro Railtours is running “The Retro Cestrian Bard” to Stratford-upon-Avon.
All passengers will have a reserved seat. The train provides a rare opportunity of a direct train from local stations to the historic town, famed as the home of William Shakespeare. The station is centrally located in the town, convenient for many of the Shakespeare attractions as well as the River Avon. Boat trips are available on the river.
The website https://visitbytrain.info/warks/stratforduponavon.htm has a map and more details about the town.
The train starts from Stalybridge at around 07.00 and picks up at Reddish South (07.15 approx), Stockport (07.25 approx), Altrincham (07.40 approx), Knutsford (08.00 approx), Northwich (08.15 approx) and Chester (08.50 approx). The train is routed from Chester via Crewe, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Tyseley and Hatton West Junction to Stratford. We should have around three and a half hours in Stratford (from around 11.30 to around 15.00). The return journey is via Shirley, Birmingham Snow Hill, Stourbridge Junction, Worcester Foregate Street, Ledbury, Hereford (reverse), Shrewsbury and Crewe to Chester. The return route is particularly interesting and scenic. Arrival back in Chester will be at 19.20 approx, Northwich 20.00 approx, Knutsford 20.15 approx, Altrincham 20.30 approx, Stockport 20.50 approx, Reddish South 21.00 approx and Stalybridge 21.20 approx. The train will consist of five Mark 3 air-conditioned coaches with a class 37 diesel at each end. Seating is a mixture of airline-style seats and tables for four. A buffet serving hot and cold snacks will be available, along with the famous Retro Railtours ‘Real Ale Bar’, serving a variety of hand-pumped Real Ales, wines and hot snacks. Retro Railtours is one of the only mainline operators to serve real ales by hand-pump in Britain.
Fares are £120 adult standard class return, £99 return for accompanied child aged 5 to 15. First class fares are £240 adult return, £199 return for accompanied children aged 5 to 15. Tickets, seat reservations and the final timings will be sent out by email (or by post if you book by post) a few days before the train runs. Bookings can be made via the Retro Railtours website at https://www.retrorailtours.co.uk/rt26.php
If you are not currently a MCRUA member you can join MCRUA (£8 per year for adults) at https://www.mcrua.org.uk/membership/ and you can then get a 15% discount on the standard class fares (£18 off the adult fare, £14 off the child fare).
There is also a one hour bus trip around Stratford in a preserved Stratford Blue Leyland double decker bus passing many of the sights which will be departing shortly after the train arrives in Stratford. This costs £27. Only 50 places are available. The bus trip can be booked at https://retrorailtours.square.site/
We hope to see some of you on 22nd August!
