April 29 - May 14, 2026
Manx Electric Railway
Photo from Michael Glikin
Manx Electric Railway Photo from Michael Glikin
Manx Electric Railway
Photo from Michael Glikin
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The ERA is proud to announce its next international tour, Northern England, Scotland and Isle of Man. We will visit major cities in England, Scotland and Isle of Man, plus a day excursion to Wales. Many tram, light rail and museum operations will be covered in our extensive 16-day program. The tour will include travel on high speed and regional trains, luxury coach travel to tram museums and between cities/hotels (including all baggage handling), plus rail and tram day passes for visiting the many historic and modern tram, metro, and electric railway operations throughout the trip. There will also be some general sightseeing options available during the course of the tour.
During 16 days of travel, we will cover many major and provincial British cities. Four star hotels will exclusively be our homes during the tour. All breakfasts will be provided as well as two group lunches and six group dinners. Transit passes and rail/ferry tickets will be provided. Baggage handling will be included as we will travel by motorcoach between our four British hotels and to and from the Isle of Man via ferry with coach transfer to hotels.
The tour will begin in Edinburgh on Wednesday, April 29 as we settle into our hotel, the Novotel Edinburgh Park with our traditional welcome dinner in the evening. The next day we will begin our Edinburgh visit with a free day for sightseeing and/or tram riding followed by a special Scottish Whisky tasting and dinner. We will stay three nights in Edinburgh, two nights in Sunderland, four nights in Manchester, three nights in Douglas, Isle of Man, and will end our tour with three nights in Liverpool.
Wednesday, May 13, the last full day of the tour, will feature coach travel to the Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno, Wales, and returning to the Liverpool museum on the River Mersey waterfront. Thursday, May 14 will be our departure day from Liverpool to regional or London airports; or beginning one or more extra days in Liverpool.
Regional and local passes in all cities will be provided to enhance your independent riding to experiences.
Arrive in Edinburgh with first day on your own. Welcome dinner at hotel.
Edinburgh; morning visit to tram depot requested, remainder of day free for sightseeing and tram riding; group whisky tasting at the Johnnie Walker Museum and dinner at Ghilli Du.
Day trip via ScotRail to Glasgow; first the Riverside Transport Museum, Subway depot visit and charter train requested, then visit to Summerlee Museum with tramway operation and/or local sightseeing; dinner in Glasgow or on own with frequent ScotRail train service for return.
At 9:00 A.M. check out and load baggage on chartered motor coach, then visit to Beamish open air museum including their tram depot and special trams. Traditional fish and chips lunch available. Afternoon transfer to the Holiday Inn Sunderland with dinner on own.
Free day to explore Tyneside by light Metro and Ferry with day ticket. Lunch and dinner on own.
At 8:00 AM check out and load baggage on our chartered motor coach to Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum for a depot visit and historic trolleybus charter, then transport to the Sheffield Supertram at Rotherham, Parkgate with travel to the northern terminus Middlewood. The coach will then travel to our next hotel; Mercure Piccadilly, Manchester. Dinner on own.
At 7:55 A.M. board chartered motor coach to Crich Tramway Village with workshop and depot visits plus travel on three different trams. A buffet lunch will be served at the Red Lion Inn. After lunch travel to the Halfway station on the Sheffield Supertram covering the remainder of the system to Malin Bridge. Our coach will return the group to Manchester with dinner on own.
At 8:43 A.M. travel via East Midlands Railway to visit Nottingham’s modern tramway. A depot visit has been requested. There is hourly train service for return to Manchester; participants can have dinner on own in Nottingham or Manchester.
Free day in Manchester for sightseeing and Metrolink system tram riding. A charter tram has been requested. An early evening visit to the Heaton Park Tramway, operating on part of the first generation system which has survived. A group dinner will be held in the park with transfer back to the hotel in a vintage bus.
At 8:30 AM check out and load baggage on our chartered motor coach to Blackpool, where our visit will start at Starr Gate depot. A private tour has been requested on 1901-built Bolton 66. There will be free time to ride the system and for lunch or a snack; our coach will depart at 4:30 PM for Liverpool and a 7:15 PM sailing to Douglas, Isle of Man. Dinner at your own expense will be available on the ship. Upon arrival in Douglas we will be transferred to the Regency Hotel on the promenade.
There will be a 9:00 AM start at nearby Derby Castle for a charter tour to Ramsey on Manx Electric Railway 1 of 1893 with an 1893-94 trailer. There will be a bus connection (vintage bus requested) to the Jurby Transport Museum, with a lunch at own expense at the Jurby Guard House Café. A bus transfer return to Ramsey follows with a 2:15 PM departure on MER 1 to Laxey, followed by a visit to the Laxey Mine Railway. At 4:10 PM MER 1 will take the group to Douglas with photo stops. After a break at the hotel we will be transferred to the Isle of Man Steam Railway at 6:15 PM; with a 7:00 PM departure of the Steam Railway dinner train. The group will be transferred back to the hotel at approximately 10:00 PM.
Free morning after our late night. We will meet at Groudle Glen for a ride on the narrow gauge railway uphill to the sea. Connections from Derby Castle at 11:40 AM or Laxey (for those riding earlier) at 11:55 AM. Lunch at own expense will be available at the Sea Lions Rocks Tea Rooms. The group will leave Groudle at 2:20 PM for Laxey and a 2:45 PM round trip on the Snaefell Mountain Railway. A visit to the SMR depot on Laxey is included with an option to visit the Laxey wheel. The group can return to Douglas with 30 minutes travel time on trams at 4:55 PM, 5:25 PM, or 5:55 PM; and the group will meet for an arranged dinner at the hotel restaurant “L’Experience” at 7:15 PM
At 9:00 AM check out and load baggage on our chartered motor coach. There will be a 9:15 A.M. visit to the horse tram stables, followed by rides on two different horse cars. At 11:00 A.M. there will be a guided visit to the MER depot, followed by a 12:30 PM transfer to Bank Circus and the steam sheds and a 1:45 PM transfer to our ferry to Liverpool, with lunch/snacks available on the ship. The group will arrive at Liverpool 5:45 PM with a transfer to the Hope Street Hotel. Dinner on own.
At 9:08 AM travel via West Midlands Railway to Wolverhampton and transfer to the Midland Metro tram. Travel to Wednesbury, Great Western Street for a requested depot visit. Then on to the Black Country living museum at Dudley which features trams on display, a canal boat ride and operating trolleybuses. There will be free time for lunch and to explore the rest of the tram system. Return with a travel time of 1h 50m will be available from Birmingham New Street every 30 minutes from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM then hourly. Dinner will be on own in Birmingham or Liverpool.
At 8:00 A.M. board chartered motor coach for Llandudno, Wales to visit the cable-operated Great Orme Tramway. The group will travel up the hill on a special car before the start of regular service. There will be a visit to the depot and winding house on the return journey from the summit. Time for lunch on own in Llandudno. At 1:30 PM the coach will follow the route of the former Llandudno and Colwyn Bay tramway, stop at Hooton to view horse cars and a tram under restoration and then to visit the Liverpool Museum along the River Mersey Waterfront. A farewell dinner has been scheduled at the Hope Street Hotel.
Check out of hotel for return home or for further travel; or stay in hotel for extra nights.
Each participant with United States, Canadian or EU citizenship must obtain a British Electronic Travel Authorization in advance. Those from other countries please check for requirements. You can easily make an online application at https://www.gov.uk/eta. At present the cost is 16 British Pounds and can be paid by credit card during the application process, which is generally quick.
Air transportation is by your individual arrangement and expense. First arrival is in Edinburgh on April 29. The Novotel, Edinburgh Park, 15 Lochside Avenue, Edinburgh. It is a 21 minute ride via tram from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh Park Station or an 18 minute ride via Scotrail form Edinburgh Waverley station. The tramway also serves Haymarket Station. Travel to the hotel is at your own expense and if mobility is an issue or you are carrying heavy baggage we suggest using taxi service. Local transit passes and rail tickets will be distributed as needed for most travel from April 29 onward. Departure will be from Liverpool on May 14 with rail connections available to Manchester, London and other major airports. Air arrangements, especially if you are using frequent flyer miles, are best made as soon as possible.
The tour costs $5,900 per person double occupancy (+$2,865 single supplement) and includes:
Extra nights are available up to three days before the tour in Edinburgh and three days after the tour in Liverpool. If you choose to arrive before the trip, from April 26-27 onward you may stay at the Novotel Edinburgh Park for an additional $135 per person per day, double occupancy, or $270 single occupancy. If you stay after the trip on May 14-15 to May 16-17, you may stay at the Hope Street Hotel in Liverpool for an additional $90 per person per day, double occupancy, or $180 single occupancy. Note this on the order form below when sending in your reservation.
To reserve your Northern England, Scotland and Isle of Man tour, please order online (below) or complete the PDF order form and send to:
Electric Railroaders Association
Box 3323
Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10163
It is compulsory to purchase trip cancellation insurance and supplemental medical coverage (which covers pre-existing conditions). This is a smart way to safeguard against life’s surprises.
Insurance coverage must generally be purchased within 21 days of your initial payment.
Please note that we do not accept responsibility for any losses or expenses which you or any member of your party may incur as a result of failure to secure adequate coverage.
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards. We also accept American Express credit cards but prefer an alternative if you have a choice. You may also pay by check or money order payable to: Electric Railroaders Association.
For questions, call 917-714-7087, or email to [email protected] [email protected]