steam railway

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We are very pleased to announce that the steam railway is now open, following new government guidelines.

New safety measures are in place to ensure that the steam railway operates as safely as it can. These include:

Alternate compartments not being used
PVC dividers have been installed between compartments
Social distancing markers and signage has been installed on the station platform
Hand sanitising stations on the station platform
Passengers are required to wear facemasks, except children under 6 and those with medical exemption. Free paper masks are available on the platform for those who do not have their own
Train seats, handrails and all other touch points are sanitised between rides
Hygiene measures are in place for ticket handling at the Visitor Entrance and steam railway

If you would like to ride the steam railway on your next visit, please book your tickets at the Visitor Entrance upon arrival. You must either hold a Friends of Exbury Membership or have paid for gardens admission to ride the steam railway.

Please be aware that due to our COVID-19 safety measures, our trains have a smaller capacity at the moment. On busier days, this can mean that trains are booking up very early in the day. We therefore advise visitors who would like to ride the steam train, to book an arrival timeslot to the gardens for 2pm or earlier.

Experience the sights and sounds of a working narrow-gauge steam railway at Exbury! Witness the turntable in action and marvel at the attention to detail on our repica train station before boarding the train.

exburycentral

Train timetable

Trains should run at the following times:

11am
11.45am
12.30pm
1.30pm
2.15pm
3pm

Train times are subject to change.

Key facts

Built in 2001	Inspiration of enthusiast Leopold de Rothschild
1 1/2 miles of track	Seats up to 90
Platform inspired by Aviemore Station in Scotland	12 1/4" gauge

Route

Departing from Exbury Central Station, the train meanders through the Summer Lane Garden (not accessible by foot) before skirting past the Rock Garden, travelling through the tunnel and then stopping off at Exbury North to refuel. The return journey includes a circle of Dragonfly Pond, where passengers can watch out for wildlife, before heading back to Exbury Central.

Route may change depending on weather or special events.

Engine shed

After their journey, passengers are encourages to explore the engine shed where graphics, videos and memorabilia line the walls, recalling steam's heyday and the construction of Exbury's railway.

Accessibility

Our steam railway has two carriages adapted to accomodate wheelchair users and their families. These are larger than normal carriages and have a ramp to assist in getting on and off the train.

Dependent on availability, working on a first come first served basis.

turnstile

Additional information:

Admission onto the steam train is only permitted by visitors who have purchased admission to the gardens and paid for a railway ticket, costing £5.50 per person.
In exceptional circumstances, such as hot or dry weather, Exbury Gardens may use a diesel engine instead of a steam locomotive to reduce any risk of fire.

While Exbury Gardens Ltd have taken all reasonable care to follow government COVID-19 safety guidelines, visitors enter at their own risk. Click here for a comprehensive list of the safety measures we've implemented.

‘A truly fantastic day out. My wife and I were bowled over by the amazing spring colours of rhododendrons and azaleas and there was literally colour everywhere. There are beautiful areas to walk through as well as places to sit. We took a picnic in the hope of being able to sit by one of the ponds and were not disappointed – the reflections were as spectacular as the real thing! The next thing we want to do is return in the autumn to see the colours change as it must be beautiful’

David Parker, Christchurch