Our jaunt starts at Nottingham Station just before midday and our first afternoon is at a relaxed pace. We are going to treat you to lunch alongside the river before cruising the River Trent in Newark aboard the Edwardian River Cruiser M.V. Sonning. We then nip round to Newark Castle Station, take a train to Nottingham and modern tram to the hotel.

Off to Derbyshire’s Peak District today. We start with a train trip, via Derby, to Duffield where we switch onto the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway for a nine mile journey through the fields to Wirksworth. Time for a look around here and, hopefully, an ascent of the Ravenstor Branch before moving on to Matlock where we can have a nose around the town and find some lunch. Meeting up back at the station our steam this afternoon is courtesy of Peak Rail between Matlock and Rowsley South. We enjoy a full round trip and then return to Nottingham by train on the Matlock Branch Line with riverside views and passing a series of old mills.

This morning we are headed for Leicester and start off with a cosmic experience at the National Space Centre followed by Abbey Pump Station where there are beam engines, nostalgic memorabilia and a narrow-gauge railway. The rest of the day is devoted to the Great Central Railway Autumn Steam Gala – and what an experience it is! Armed with rover tickets and itinerary suggestions to maximize your time enjoy an extensive passenger timetable, goods trains, postal trains and original stations along the line. It’s like being transported back to the heyday of the railways!

Last but by no means least we head back to the hills for a fitting finale at The National Tramway Museum, Crich. Replica street scenes, “country” tram rides, a pub, restaurant, tea room and major museum presentations will absorb you until it is time to leave for Nottingham and homeward bound trains mid-afternoon.