We chose the lunchtime dining experience for our trip on the Churnet Valley Railway and had a really great day. The online booking process was straightforward and we were warmly greeted when we arrive... See more
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Excellent trip. Lots of volunteer staff around, good tanoy announcements, decent tearooms, clean carriages, and we liked the trolley service on the train. Very dog friendly. Lovely train ride, which t... See more
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A really enjoyable evening journey on the railway, with an excellent Mexican meal served.The train carriages are very well maintained, with comfortable and roomy table seating. Our meal was served by... See more
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Lovely few hours around the Staffordshire Moorlands countryside. Very good value, we did the Butty and Brew which is highly recommended. Although web site said sold out, the train wasn't overcrowded a... See more
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Company details
About Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Written by the company
Churnet Valley Railway: A Journey Through Time and Scenic Beauty
Hop on board Churnet Valley Railway, Staffordshire’s premier heritage railway, for an unforgettable journey through England's scenic countryside. Catering to a wide range of audiences, Churnet Valley Railway offers not just a trip, but an experience designed to delight all ages.
Entertainment for Everyone: Whether it’s a fun-filled day out with the kids, who will be thrilled by special children's events like The Mad Hatters Tea Train Party, an exotic and romantic lunch excursion for couples, or their tipsy Rail Ale Trail for you and your mates – there's something for everyone at Churnet Valley Railway. Seasonal events like their PolarExpress™ Christmas Train Ride or the Midsummer Murder Mystery evenings offer entertainment that stays fresh throughout the year.
Heritage Presentation: Operated primarily by a dedicated team of volunteers, Churnet Valley Railway takes immense pride in preserving and showcasing the golden age of British rail travel. The meticulously restored steam locomotives, along with vintage carriages, offer passengers an authentic glimpse into the past.
Partnerships Galore: Beyond providing a thrilling day out, Churnet Valley Railway collaborates with external partners to bring Staffordshire some of its most loved events. From bringing festival-goers to villages accessible only by rail to hosting engaging and interactive educational events for children, Churnet Valley continues to offer new and exciting options to the communities they serve. Hop on board and experience the unique blend of nostalgia, scenic beauty, and warm hospitality that only Churnet Valley Railway can offer.
Contact info
Station Road, ST13 7EE, Cheddleton, United Kingdom
- 01538360522
- enquiries@churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
- churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
4.8
Excellent
14K reviews
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We attended the Greek dining experience…
We attended the Greek dining experience on 21/8/26, arrival and welcome great, steam train and dining carriages lovely, food ok, service top class, but why o why wasn’t it mentioned
to us that we had to share a table with
2 complete strangers, we sat opposite a couple where the man must of coughed
200 times during the evening, often not
covering his mouth, needless to say we didn’t eat much, what should of been a romantic dinner for 2 turned into what seems like a visit to A&E, it doesn’t mention anywhere that we had to share
a table, please guys tell the people before they book, all in all what should have been a nice evening turned into a bit of a nightmare
21 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the welcome, steam train, dining carriages and the service from our team, but we are very sorry that the seating arrangement affected what should have been a special evening for you.
Our heritage dining carriages are laid out with a mixture of tables for two and tables for four, and where a table for four is allocated to a booking for two, it is possible that the table will be shared with another couple. This is a consequence of the layout of our heritage carriages, which have a limited number of tables for two.
We are sorry that this was not clear enough in your case.
We are also sorry that the behaviour of the other guest made you uncomfortable and affected your enjoyment of the meal. Unfortunately, this was outside of our control, but we completely understand why it made the evening particularly unpleasant for you.
Your comments regarding the booking information have been noted, and we will review how the shared-table arrangement is communicated so that customers can make an informed choice before booking.
Kind regards,
Debra
01538 360522
Went on the Greek Dining Train and had…
Went on the Greek Dining Train and had a fantastic time. Food was lovely, the staff were all attentive and welcoming. So lucky to still have these old carriages and steam engine to enjoy. Worth every penny for such a wonderful experience, highly recommend.
21 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for your kind words regarding your trip with us! We’re so happy to hear that you had a great experience with our service. Our team strives to provide exceptional service, and knowing that we’ve met your expectations truly means a lot to us. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again in the future. If there's anything else we can do for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We look forward to seeing you again!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Churnet Valley Greek Night
Smooth checking in on arrival, great organisation, friendly staff. Service was quick. Food was delicious. Maybe a bit of Greek music playing on arrival would of added a bit to the atmosphere. We all loved the experience and for train buffs a perfect evening.....😍
21 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for your kind words regarding your trip with us! We’re so happy to hear that you had a great experience with our service. Our team strives to provide exceptional service, and knowing that we’ve met your expectations truly means a lot to us. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again in the future. If there's anything else we can do for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Outstanding Mrs s tunniciffe
Very friendly Volunteers.\n Food was great. Good value.\n Everybody was lovely. Thank you so much again. Really enjoyed it.
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We look forward to seeing you again!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
What a wonderful date night!
What a wonderful date night! From the moment we arrived to the moment we were seen off the train, the customer service was exceptional.
Being so close to a steam train was an epic experience. The sights, sounds and smells were incredible - the gentle music in the background, the chugging and rhythm of the engine, the hiss of the steam, the unmistakable smell of the coal and smoke, and of course the wonderfully dramatic chooo-ooo! of the horn. It was such a wonderfully immersive, nostalgic experience.
It felt intimate and romantic, and at one point we decided we must have been born in the wrong era! As we steadily travelled along the tracks, it genuinely felt like life had slowed down for a while - something we don’t get enough of nowadays.
The meal was absolutely delicious. My only criticism was that the black bean cakes were enormous - half the size would have been plenty!
The only thing that slightly let the experience down was the gift shop. We really wanted to buy something to remember the evening by, but the selection and presentation felt a little dated and uninspiring. I think there’s a real opportunity to make it much more appealing with unique railway and locally made items.
Overall, though, it was a fantastic and genuinely memorable evening. We absolutely loved it! When can we go again?
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Wow, thank you for the fantastic review about your trip with us! We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that you were impressed with our efficient and high-quality service. Our team works hard to ensure every customer has an exceptional experience, and it’s wonderful to know we’ve succeeded in doing so for you. Your feedback motivates us to continue delivering the best experience possible.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Really well organised
Really well organised, lovely pie and mash, lovely scenes. Would recommend for a birthday treat.
21 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We look forward to seeing you again!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
A really enjoyable evening journey on…
A really enjoyable evening journey on the railway, with an excellent Mexican meal served.The train carriages are very well maintained, with comfortable and roomy table seating. Our meal was served by a delightful group of young people, who went out of their way to make it a special event for us.Food was hot, tasty and good portion sizes.
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for taking the time & trouble to give us such a lovely review.
We’re so pleased that you enjoyed your trip with us.
All of the team at the Churnet Valley Railway work really hard to ensure that all of our visitors have a wonderful & memorable time.
Please visit us again soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We look forward to seeing you again!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
We thought the experience was a joy
We thought the experience was a joy. A step back in time indeed. Staff were helpful and committed. The only small disappointment was the fact that our train couldn't make the incline close to the turn around...
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please join us again for the full route through the Staffordshire Moorlands!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
The volunteers were very friendly
The volunteers were very friendly, the food in the trio was delicious and the full train experience was delightful.
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for taking the time & trouble to give us such a lovely review.
We’re so pleased that you enjoyed your trip with us.
All of the team at the Churnet Valley Railway work really hard to ensure that all of our visitors have a wonderful & memorable time.
Please visit us again soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Absolutely brillant morning apart from…
Absolutely brillant morning apart from not being able to go last 4 Miles as the engine was struggling to get up the hill, staff are amazing very pleasant and the food was good to
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a positive review about your trip with us! We’re delighted to hear that our service surpassed your expectations. Providing high-quality service is at the heart of everything we do, and your feedback reassures us that we’re on the right track.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Lovely little cafe at Froghall station…
Lovely little cafe at Froghall station and staff friendly and got chan e to stand on the footplate and chat to the driver
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for taking the time & trouble to give us such a lovely review.
We’re so pleased that you enjoyed your trip with us.
All of the team at the Churnet Valley Railway work really hard to ensure that all of our visitors have a wonderful & memorable time.
Please visit us again soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Great experience
Had a great time on the fish & chips train.
Collected fish and chips from the van before getting on train. Fish and chips were amazing!!
The train ride was great too and beautiful scenery, there was a lovely lady on the tea trolley who was very friendly and informative.
The only thing was we weren’t told we weren’t going on the circular route, so we assumed it had finished when we got back to froghall and started to get off, luckily someone else on the train said it was going back up and down again due to not being able to go on the circular route, I feel like this should have been mentioned when we collected the tickets, as a lot of people got off the train, and only had an hour journey instead of 2 which was what was paid for.
But we will be back soon as really enjoyed it.
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback. We are absolutely delighted to hear that you had a great time on our Fish and Chip train, that the food from the van was amazing, and that you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the excellent service from our friendly tea trolley host. However, we are very sorry for the confusion regarding the journey's path and that you were not explicitly informed about the route adjustment when collecting your tickets. While operational constraints or safety regulations can occasionally require us to run an out-and-back journey instead of our traditional circular route, we completely agree that this should have been clearly communicated by our station staff and onboard crew. We are glad you were able to stay on board for the full duration, but we have addressed this feedback directly with our teams to ensure all passengers are properly informed of route changes in the future. Thank you once again for your valuable insights and your reassuring note that you will be returning. We look forward to welcoming you back on board.
Kind regards
kaaren
01538 360522
Train ride
Apart from the shortened journey it was a pleasant ride and a happy atmosphere
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your support, please travel with us again.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
family treat
great day worth the 1and half hour drive arrived park up no problem fantastic day all staff second to none
smell ov steam you never forget it we was dinner coach Diana for breakfast was top class value for money that is for shore had a great day so thank you all who puts the service together
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for your kind words regarding your trip with us! We’re so happy to hear that you had a great experience with our service. Our team strives to provide exceptional service, and knowing that we’ve met your expectations truly means a lot to us. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again in the future. If there's anything else we can do for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
A great evening out
A fantastic well organised evening out, great views, great staff, great food from the buffet, superb well appointed carriages.
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a positive review about your trip with us! We’re delighted to hear that our service surpassed your expectations. Providing high-quality service is at the heart of everything we do, and your feedback reassures us that we’re on the right track. We truly appreciate your trust. Should you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact us anytime.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Thank you - Great Experience
The staff can’t do enough for you. They work very hard to give everyone a lovely experience. My 8 year old grand daughter can’t wait to come again. It’s wonderful to be able to be able to experience travelling by steam.
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your delightful feedback. We are absolutely thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful day with us, and it is a true pleasure to know that your 8-year-old granddaughter is already eager to return. Our staff and volunteers work incredibly hard to create memorable moments for our guests, and your kind words regarding their dedication will be joyfully shared with the entire team. Preserving the magic of steam travel for younger generations is at the very heart of what we do, and we look forward to welcoming you and your granddaughter back on board for another journey.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Paid for a trip through the…
Paid for a trip through the countryside.. got a ride under the bridge and back. Awful
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry that you were disappointed with the length of your journey.
Unfortunately, on the day of your visit we had to operate a shortened route due to the prevailing fire risk conditions. This was a necessary safety precaution, and we appreciate that this was disappointing for those who had been looking forward to travelling through the full length of the Churnet Valley.
We’re sorry that the shortened journey affected your experience and hope you’ll consider visiting us again when we are able to operate the full route.
Kind regards,
Debbie
01538 360522
From the initial reception at the…
From the initial reception at the Station, meal on the train, service from the waitress, comfort on the train, all the platform staff, everything was first class.
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for your kind words regarding your trip with us! We’re so happy to hear that you had a great experience with our service. Our team strives to provide exceptional service, and knowing that we’ve met your expectations truly means a lot to us. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again in the future. If there's anything else we can do for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
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