Rails & Ales

Fri 12 – Sun 14 June 2026

  • Unlimited travel behind at least 8 historic steam and diesel engines

  • VISITING LOCOMOTIVES – Class 50 50050 “Fearless”, Class 52 D1015 “Western Champion” and Class 37, 37175.

  • Real Ale & Cider Bar at Weybourne Station and pop up Real Ale bar at Holt Station hosted by Wolf Brewery

  • Live Music at Weybourne Station

  • Breakfast On Board – Advance Booking Essential

  • Hands on signalling at Reedham Junction Signalbox

  • LMS Brake Van Rides (£5 Supplement)

  • M&GN Trade Stand selling 00-gauge model railway locomotives

  • Save money with discounted fares when you book in advance

Rails and Ales is an on track celebration of both steam and diesel power coupled with a showcase of Norfolk’s brewing traditions that will give visitors the opportunity to see and ride behind steam engines, diesel locomotives, diesel railcars and choose from local ales and ciders to enjoy!

Tickets include unlimited travel so join the trains at either Sheringham or Holt, hop off at Weybourne for a beer or two and then take a further trip on the rails to discover the range of bottled beers and ciders available on at the other stations and in the bar cars on selected trains.

This year we are introducing a wristband system for ticketing; if you have pre-booked tickets you will be able to collect your wristband from any of our Ticket Offices or checkpoints on station platforms. If you are looking to purchase tickets on the day please ensure you allow sufficient time before your intended departure to purchase these from one of our Ticket Offices.

Please note, the car park at Weybourne Station will be closed during this event – visitors arriving by car are kindly asked to park at Holt or Sheringham. Entry to Weybourne Station will be for ticket holders arriving on foot or by train only.

Ales and Music

Each station will showcase a range of Norfolk-produced tipples as we celebrate the County’s brewing expertise; Weybourne Station will host a real ale tent featuring a wide range of local ales and Norfolk ciders with space to sit and watch the trains come and go or (on Friday and Saturday) enjoy live music.

The bar at Weybourne will open from 10.30am until 8pm (Fri and Sat) and 10.30am until 5pm (Sun).

New for 2026, Wolf Brewery will also be hosting a pop up Real Ale bar at Holt Station!

Please find our ales and cider lists for each station here.

Please note that not every ales listed at the Weybourne Real Ales bar will be available at the same time, and that popular ales may not still be available on Sunday.

Hop off at Weybourne Station to enjoy brilliant live music throughout Friday and Saturday!

Performance Timings Friday Saturday
12.00 – 12.45 Silver Morgan Silver Morgan
13.05 – 13.50 Silver Morgan Silver Morgan
14.00 – 14.45 Hillbilly Goats Gruff Barny Holmes
15.05 – 15.50 Hillbilly Goats Gruff Barny Holmes
16.05 – 16.50 Hillbilly Goats Gruff Barny Holmes
17.15 – 18.00 Jukebox James Lissie Allsopp
18.10 – 18.55 Jukebox James Lissie Allsopp
19.15 – 20.00 Jukebox James Lissie Allsopp

On the Rails, Mixed Traction Gala Timetables

AAt least 8 locomotives and railcars, a mix of steam and diesel, make up this year’s line up for three-days of all day travel. There will be many opportunities to travel behind locomotives that rarely work passenger trains and aboard a number of one-off specials, including enjoying a ride aboard one of our LMS Brake Vans (£5 supplement payable on the day)!

More information on our resident engines can be found on our Rolling Stock pages.

Class 50 50050 (D400) “Fearless” is scheduled to be joining us for this year’s event.

The engine was introduced into service under British Rail in 1967 and spent over 26 years working mainline services. Since withdrawal in 1994 “Fearless” has had a number of private owners (now Locomotive Services Limited) and usually operates commercial rail tours, making this appearance particularly special!

Usually in residence at the Severn Valley Railway in Worcestershire, Class 52 D1015 “Western Champion” will join the line up for 2026!

‘Western Champion’ was built at Swindon Works and completed in January 1963, and famously worked the return journey of Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral train from Handborough Station near Oxford to Paddington, before being retired in 1976.

During its working life D1015 worked a staggering total of 1,296,000 miles and is now one of only 7 Class 52 diesel locomotives in preservation.

Class 37, 37175 is lined up to appear at this year’s event courtesy of Colas Rail. Colas are scheduled to send this engine subject to their mainline traffic requirements, with 37175 being our expected engine.

Start the day off right and hop aboard our Breakfast Train!

On Friday and Saturday the Breakfast Train will be hauled by visiting engine D1015 (Sheringham to Holt) and then by our second visitor 50050 for the return journey back to Sheringham.

The Breakfast Train will depart at 10:16 from Sheringham, arriving back to Sheringham at 11:31. Advanced booking for this is essential – tickets can be added at the checkout.

Please note that due to hot food service dogs are not permitted aboard our Breakfast Train. 

97 year-old “Newstead”, which returned to service last year, is scheduled to be one of the two steam locomotives in action.

“Newstead” will haul a variety of carriages throughout the weekend, including the line’s train of magnificently restored Victorian carriages.

Built in 1954, the engine initially worked commuter services on the Eastern Region’s London, Tilbury & Southend line.

The locomotive is now owned by The Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust and has worked on a number of heritage railways since 2010. The partnership between NNR and PRCLT will see 80080 based on the Poppy Line for an initial period of five years from May 2025.

Class 37 D6732, the first of the class to run in preservation and a popular member of our home fleet will be in action.

Class 31 D5631, owned by our supporting Charity, the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society, is scheduled to be hauling trains during this year’s event. The type saw extensive service throughout East Anglia.

Our two 08 shunting locomotives D3935 and D3940, which are usually used to move rolling stock in the yards at Weybourne and Sheringham, will complete the line-up as the make a rare excursion onto the running line hauling a passenger train.

Our heritage railcars will be in action in 2, 3 and 5 car formations each day – for exact formation timings please see the timetable.

Fares

This year we are introducing a wristband system for ticketing; if you have pre-booked tickets you will be able to collect your wristband from any of our Ticket Offices or checkpoints on station platforms.

If you are looking to purchase tickets on the day please ensure you allow sufficient time before your intended departure to purchase these from one of our Ticket Offices.

Advance tickets must be purchased on the day before travel.

Ticket Type Price
Adult Day Rover  £23.37
Child Day Rover (3–15 yrs)  £15.47
Family of 4 (Max 2 Adults)  £61.62
Family of 5 (Max 2 Adults)  £71.82
Dog  £ 3.50
Bicycle  £ 3.50
Adult Three Day Rover  £55.25
Child Three Day Rover  £34.00
Adult Two Day Rover  £42.50
Child Two Day Rover  £35.50

Subject to availability tickets can also be purchased from the ticket offices at Holt, Sheringham or Weybourne on the day of travel

Ticket Type Price
Adult Day Rover  £27.50
Child Day Rover (3–15 yrs)  £18.20
Family of 4 (Max 2 Adults)  £72.50
Family of 5 (Max 2 Adults)  £84.50
Dog  £ 3.50
Bicycle  £ 3.50
Adult Three Day Rover  £65.00
Child Three Day Rover  £40.00
Adult Two Day Rover  £50.00
Child Two Day Rover  £30.00