Leighton Buzzard Railway

My 3 year old loves trains and so was very excited about going to Leighton Buzzard Railway. It’s seeped in history. It was opened in 1919 to transport sand before carrying passengers in 1968. It’s one of the last survivors of the hundreds of 2 foot gauge light railways built in Britain for industrial use. Now it’s a tourist attraction. You can go on a 70-minute round trip from Page’s Park to Stonehenge Works and the current track is just under 3 miles long. You can buy tickets in advance or on the day. Trains run on selected days and times and it does vary month to month so do check their website before going on a whim. We decided to go on a Sunday at 10.40am and bought tickets on the day as we didn’t want to chance booking in advance and the weather being awful.

Leighton Buzzard Railway
Leighton Buzzard Railway

We all went (husband, 3 year old, 1 year old and me) together with a friend and her two children who are a similar age to mine. The train has a number of carriages. On the way there we sat in an open one on wooden seats and on the way back inside on soft seats. The 3 year olds loved looking out of the windows and as the train makes its way through Bedfordshire they loved spotting people and different sights. You’re given a map when you buy your tickets if you want to follow the route. When we arrived at the station we all got out and had a look around the different trains – the boys loved climbing up and pretending to drive. There is a small cabin where you can buy refreshments. I think it was about 20 minutes before we boarded the train again. I say ‘think’ because I was chatting and distracted. The journey back was fun. My baby boy fell asleep. When we got back we went to the park just a short walk from the station – not a modern one but a good size and plenty to enjoy – see pics in gallery.

So is it worth going? Well there’s no doubt that the 3 year old boys had a great time as they really enjoy going on trains. And it’s a good length journey on a steam train – far longer than the one at Buckinghamshire Railway Station. But it’s not the cheapest trip. At the time we visited in September 2016, it cost £10 an adult and £6 a child and under 2s were free – so we paid a total of £26. If you compare the cost to other days out we’ve been on recently, it feels like a lot of money and it is only for a couple of hours. Once it was finished my son did ask what was next. That said, it’s a unique experience and we had fun. My friend grew up in the area and remembers going on the train, so it was really nostalgic for her and it took her back to her childhood. We didn’t look around the Page’s Park station much as we arrived only a few minutes before we needed to get the train so if we went back we would have a bit more of an explore. There are some nice gardens nearby too. For us it was a treat but we’d be inclined to visit more frequently if it was a bit cheaper. Postcode is LU7 4TN about 20-25 mins from ok. For the latest prices and times check on the Leighton Buzzard Railway website.

 

 

Leighton Buzzard Railway

Leighton Buzzard Railway

A selection of images from our visit to Leighton Buzzard Railway in September 2016

I'm Laura, mum of two boys - aged six and four. I started this website at the end of Sept 2015 whilst on maternity leave. I now work four days a week and do this blog late at night once the little boys are sleeping. It's won several awards over the last four years and I continue to run it for free and mostly focus on free, cheap, and good value days out. Do drop me an email laura@miltonkeyneskids.com if you want to contact me. Don't forget to follow all of our latest adventures on facebook, instagram and twitter and have a look at all of the videos of the places we visit on the Milton Keynes Kids YouTube Channel - subscribe to it for notifications every time I add a new place. And remember... you may been reading this post months after we visited, do check with the destination you're visiting for up to date opening times and prices. If you find this blog useful then please do comment on my posts and leave me a Facebook review - it makes doing this all the more worthwhile.

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