South Devon Railway has announced two new experiences for visitors this year. The Freight Train Experience will take passengers on a return trip through the beautiful Devonshire countryside on wagons usually only used for railway maintenance.

The wagon boasts an open veranda offering scenic views of the landscape and railway. One leg of the journey will be at the rear of the train, with the return trip directly behind the locomotive.

The Freight Train Experience will be hauled either by a Great Western Railway steam locomotive or a British Railways diesel locomotive. The ticket also includes unlimited travel on South Devon Railway’s other passenger services during the day, giving the opportunity to explore other local surroundings.

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Due to occasional rough movements, this experience is not recommended for young children or people with poor health. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Also new this year is a Ploughman’s Lunch Dining Experience. The 'finest homemade treats and local produce' will be served in the vintage setting of the 1950s restaurant car. A freshly made dessert will finish off the culinary journey.

The experience takes around two hours and offers the chance to indulge in some delicious Devon delicacies whilst enjoying the landscape from which much of the food has been sourced. The train departs Buckfastleigh at 12.10pm. Tickets on board the South Devon Limited Restaurant Car are £48 per person, which includes unlimited travel on the other South Devon Railway services on the day of your visit.

Ploughman’s Lunch takes place on selected Sundays during April, July and August, It is a new offer this year which provides an alternative to the popular Afternoon Tea and Sunday Lunch experiences, as previously featured on TV programme Steam Train Britain. There will be a new-look menu for 2024.

For information of all dining experiences and to book tickets, go here.

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