South Tynedale Railway, Heritage narrow-gauge railway in Eden, England
South Tynedale Railway is a narrow-gauge mountain railway running from Alston in Cumbria to Slaggyford in Northumberland through the North Pennines. The route features historic stations, authentic steam and diesel locomotives, and traditional Victorian-era signaling equipment.
The railway emerged from the remains of the original Alston-Haltwhistle line, which closed in 1976 and was later rebuilt in narrow gauge. After years of reconstruction work, it opened for service in 1983 and now keeps alive a transportation system that disappeared from the region long ago.
The railway preserves how people once traveled through these mountains and keeps that chapter of regional history alive. Visitors experience restored trains and traditional stations that show what rail travel looked like in earlier times.
Trains run mainly from Easter through October with routes through hilly terrain where other transport options are sparse. A cafe at Alston offers refreshments before or after your journey.
The railway uses an unusually narrow track width of just 2 feet, which sets it apart from most other rail lines in Britain. This design choice made it possible to reopen the historic route through the tight mountain landscape in a cost-effective way.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
