Footplate Experiences

Live that dream and try one of our steam or heritage diesel driving experiences.

Steam Locomotive Footplate Experience

Live that dream with our Steam Locomotive Footplate Experience course. Try your hand at both driving and firing one of our medium-sized steam locomotives for a 10-mile return journey with one-to-one tuition from our experienced crews.

  • Try your hand with the shovel firing the locomotive and master the driving controls during the trip
  • One participant per slot, with one-to-one tuition from our experienced team of drivers and firemen
  • Welcome hot drink and safety brief in The Apollo at Wirksworth
  • The experience lasts approximately 2 hours
  • Yard tour for participant and guests
  • Certificate of completion at the end of the experience

A brake van wagon is attached to the locomotive for this experience. Guests are welcome to ride in the brake van or wait at the station in the Apollo cafe area.

£499.00 per person 

Diesel Driving

Drive a Diesel Experience

Range of dates throughout the year

Spend the whole day learning to our heritage diesel trains along the valley. You will take the controls of one of our heritage railcars under the guidance of one of our skilled instructors and take it in turns to drive to Duffield and back. Take in the local atmosphere with a freshly prepared lunch in the Station Cafe and enjoy a tour of Wirksworth site and our facilities. For the other half of the day, you will feel the power of one of our main line diesel locomotives.

Bronze
  • Full day experience 09:30 - 16:00
  • Take the controls, taking it in turns as part of a small group with one of our experienced instructors
  • Includes lunch for the participant and one guest
  • Guests can travel on the heritage railcar and accompany on the yard tour
  • Certificate at the end of the day

£295.00

Book online...

Important Information

  • All participants must be aged 18 or above
  • Participants should be reasonably fit and able to board a train from the ground rather than a platform
  • All experiences start at Wirksworth (DE4 4FB)
Scroll to top