The Buckinghamshire Railway Centre is a working Steam Museum, with one of the largest collections of locomotives, vehicles and railway memorabilia in the UK. Situated on 25 acres within the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside, the Centre re-creates a country station in the heyday of steam travel, offering steam train rides on Sundays, Bank Holidays and Wednesdays in School Holidays.
With two running lines, on steaming days there are demonstration freight trains or a second passenger train – or people can learn to drive a steam train – the perfect gift for people with unrealised dreams of being a Steam Train Driver!
As well as the 1890s station, there is an impressive Visitor Centre – the former Oxford Rewley Road Station - with Refreshment Rooms, Gift Shop, and permanent Historic Railway Exhibits. These include a London & North Western Royal Dining Coach from 1901, set up for Royal dining, and a refurbished GWR coach used by Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower for secret war strategy planning meetings.
A large open Museum houses historic exhibits and a modern, glass-cased area with smaller relics in labelled displays. A goods train stands at a platform, with open-door wagons displaying all kinds of goods that were transported for both commercial and domestic use. One wagon contains the contents of a house – the only way families could move their furniture in pre-removal lorry days. Other tracks within the museum hold priceless vehicles, under cover to avoid further deterioration whilst awaiting restoration.
Opening most Sunday afternoons, two Travelling Post Office Vehicles tell the story of moving (and later sorting) mail by rail - one Coach with photographs, text and short films, with a display on the local 1963 Great Train Robbery. The Sorting Coach is set up to show how it operated – visitors can even “have a go” at sorting mail!
On-going projects can be seen in two Restoration Sheds, and there are interesting exhibits with Visuals showing how the Railway Age transformed the British way of life.
On Steaming Days the Vale of Aylesbury Model Engineering Society runs the 1 km. Miniature Railway with crossings, stations, picnic areas – even a tunnel! (Small charge for rides).
Bank Holidays see historic transport events, such as the Veteran Transport Gala, Bus Rally, Historic Commercial Vehicle Rally, Rover Cars and Veteran & Vintage Vehicles and the Traction Engine Rally, now held within the Centre. There are regular Thomas and Friends visits, and each weekend in December the Santa’s Magical Steamings. .
The BRC offers Steam Train rides on Sundays, Bank Holidays, and Wednesdays in school holidays and Static Viewing on weekdays (telephone the Centre for details of facilities available before travelling mid-week). The Centre is open 10.30 to 5.30 pm on Steaming Days, 10.30 am to 4.30 pm other days, with last admissions one hour before closing. Admission charges vary according to facilities available.
With free, adjacent parking, Excellent Access, clean and safe picnic areas and indoor attractions, the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre makes a great day out for the whole family in any weather.
Quainton Road, Quainton., Aylesbury, Bucks HP22 4BY
01296 655720
