severn valley railway

[bea]

dd (2yrs) loves trains at the moment and we're thinking of going for a daytrip out to the severn valley railway...anyone been on it? was it fun? or could i just pop her on the local train into the city centre and it'll be the same???

thanks

Don't know anything about severn valley railway, but if she's anything like my ds a trip on any old train plus time spent on a railway bridge watching trains go underneath is a slice of heaven. When ds was 2 we took him on a Thomas day out which went a bit over his head. Now he's nearly 4 he got a lot more out of a trip on the North Yorks Moors Railway. I'd stick with ordinary trains for the moment as on long steam train rides they can get a bit bored at 2.

DS2 was passionate about trains from an early age and any old train was always good enough for him - steam trains being old-fashioned and exciting to us means nothing to them! - so I should think unless you're dead keen on the Severn Valley trip yourself, the local train will do fine for now.

(MIL always takes DS2 on a long day out in the summer holidays, and until he got keener on Man United last summer (aged 9) his best thing was to go to Glasgow on the train from Preston, taking photos of passing trains out of the window, and then spend hours on Glasgow station taking photos of stationary trains, with a quick side-trip to McDonalds. Happy, happy, happy! )

have been and it was great.better to ride on a train but you may find Birmingham international a lot cheaper!

SVR is lovely (+ OK cafe at kidderminster where's there's also a museum with a couple of hands-on things). You can go just as far as Bewdley and look at the river (short walk though) if you want rather than going all the way to Bridgnorth (although that's a gorgeous town). It's a full-sized train so other than when you arrive and look at the engine, a 2 year old probably wouldn't realise it was any different from a regular train.

If you want a smaller, more 'fun' steam train, I can recommend the one at Weston Park on the A5 between Cannock and Telford.

Have you tried just taking him to the local train station? dd (21 months) went for the first time the other day and was fascinated!

The SVR is probably the best steam railway operating these days. I have lived in Kidderminster, Bewdley and Bridgnorth so I know it well. How near do you live, bea? It's probably not worth a long journey with a 2 year old but if you are near-ish then it's great fun to watch the trains. Very little children can find the trains a bit scarey though. I would recommend Bridgnorth as a starting point, MUCH nicer than Kiddy and you could have a ride on the cliff railway too. Arley and Highley are lovely little stations, used a lot as TV and film locations. Nice pub with beer garden at Arley. Sorry, rambling now.

XAusted - we only live in brum... so it's not that much of a trek... i think we will appoint it as one of our day trips for the summer hols... as it sounds like a nice jaunt out anyway!...

thanks for all the advice... even though you're all prob right and a trip to birmingham intl would prob suffice.... although that could be another trip out... dd loves aeroplanes as well!!!!

Never been on it myself but my nephew (with his mum) used to go on it all the time to go from their house to his nan's and back - he thought it was fantastic, especially the day they had Thomas the tank!

Xhausted - where are you? all my dh's friends and family live in bridgnorth/highly!