Driver Experience Courses

Our Driver Experience courses are designed to give you the thrill of being at the controls of a powerful narrow gauge steam locomotive, doing the job for which it was designed. You will be hauling one of our standard train sets along a challenging route that abounds with sharp curves, steep gradients and level crossings.

No. 85 at Llanfair Caereinion  Photo:  Keith Bide

Our courses are restricted to one person to maximise driving time, under the guidance of one of our regular drivers.

Your course starts with a short health and safety briefing before taking the controls of one of our passenger steam locomotives. Once familiarised with the controls you will take a standard rake of carriages over the entire railway from Llanfair Caereinion to Welshpool and back.

On the outward journey, you will drive from Llanfair Caereinion to Sylfaen, with the instructor taking over for the descent into Welshpool. After running round, you have the challenge of the 1 in 29 Golfa Bank ahead of you. The return journey is a total distance of 16 miles, and will take about two and a quarter hours.

The cost of the course is £295.00. Drinks are included, and a certificate will be awarded at the end of your journey.

General Information

The cost of each course includes refreshments. A limited number of friends are welcome to ride on the train at no extra cost, but please do let us know in advance.

We shall send you an information pack after full payment has been received. This will include notes about the working of steam locomotives generally, the locomotive that you will be driving in particular and the layout of the railway over which you will be driving.

Health and Safety

Acceptance of your booking will be subject to the satisfactorily completion of a basic Medical Form. You will need to provide your own protective clothing, including boots, preferably with steel toecaps. For safety reasons, outer clothing should be 100% cotton.

Our courses are fully booked for this year.  Please do let us know if you wish to receive advance notice of the 2009 programme.

Please telephone 01938 810441 to discuss your requirements or email:  info@wllr.org.uk

We look forward to welcoming you to the Welshpool and Llanfair Driver Experience