Steam loco footplate experiences

These experiences must be booked in advance.

When you were a child, did you dream of driving a train, or riding on the footplate? Here’s your chance to turn your childhood ambition into reality – with these great experience packages at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon.

Full steam ahead! 2-hour steam train driving experience

For just £150, you can enjoy a two-hour session on a working steam train. Treat yourself – or purchase it as an ideal gift.

Learn about the site operations and crossing signalling, then – under the guidance of our experienced team – fire and drive a steam locomotive with passenger coach for approximately one kilometre along our track.

You can invite up to four guests to travel on the train. And at the end of your two-hour session, you'll be issued with a commemorative certificate.

Available on selected dates only. For insurance purposes, you must be aged between 21 and 70.

Footplate ride

• Enjoy a return journey from Collection to Goods
• Participants must be aged 18 or over
• £10 per person
• Available on all passenger steaming days, except our gala events

30-minute driver experience session

• A one-to-one taster of firing and driving a locomotive
• Participants must be aged over 21 and under 70
• £50 per person
• Available on selected dates only

To book, call 01388 777999 or email shildon@nrm.org.uk