Diesel Driving Experience

Learn to drive one of our Heritage Diesel Locomotives, hauling a freight train!

Imagine it: you’re sat in the drivers seat of a Diesel Locomotive. Through the windscreen you’ve got the ultimate view and your hand is on the throttle lever that can delivery hundreds, if not thousands, of horsepower instantly on your command. Behind you there is a freight train needing to get to it’s destination and you will be the one to get it there.

If you’d like to turn that dream into reality, you should join us for our Heritage Diesel Driving Experience! You do not need to have any particular skills to participate as full guidance is provided by a fully trained and qualified driver, and you are free to do as much (or as little) and you wish. Participants must be over 18 years of age, fit and able.

Your experience begins with guided tours of our workshop, engine yard and museum, followed by a safety briefing, before jumping onto the brake van for a ride behind the diesel locomotive to Lydney Junction Station. At Lydney Junction you’ll be introduced to the locomotive crew and fully briefed on the controls you’ll be using. Once the green flag is given by the guard, it’ll be time begin your drive of the full length of the line to Parkend and back, with just yourself, our driver and our secondman in the cab.

Our line is uphill all the way from Lydney Junction to Parkend so you’ll be ‘giving it the beans’ as you climb up through the valley. You’ll hear the locomotive working hard on your command. Through the cab window you’ll be looking ahead to make sure all the signals are green whilst adhering to speed limits, passing through stations and over level crossings – you might even spot the occasional buzzard, deer or wild boar too!

On arrival at Parkend the locomotive needs to ‘run round’ the train so it is at the front for the return trip. This is slow speed shunting so fine control will be needed. Once you’re ready to set off again, you’ll be heading downhill back to Lydney Junction and this is where you will learn the art of braking. The full weight of the train is hundreds of tonnes so keeping it safely under control is imperative and your driver will guide you on this important task.

Having arrived back safely at Lydney Junction you’ll hop back into the brake van for the return trip to Norchard, where you can choose to assist the guard if you would like a full experience of running the train. At the end of the experience you’ll receive a certificate as a memento of the time you were in charge of the train – and of course, to bring out for bragging rights over your mates!

At present our diesel driver experiences are on either our resident Class 09 #09106 or Class 73 #E6003. You can see more about both of them here. The traction allocated is random and depends on operational requirements, and at this present time we’re unable to confirm which locomotive will be used until a few days before any experience.

Availability is limited and dates with open slots can be seen by clicking the ‘book now’ button.

You are welcome to bring friends and family along, and they may travel on board the brake van for the trip to Lydney Junction, whilst you are driving the locomotive, and for the return trip to Norchard. 4 guests are included free of charge, and additional guests can be accommodated for the standard ticket price of £18 for adults and £9 for children (12-17). We’re afraid that under 12s and dogs cannot travel on this experience.