Spa Valley Railway » Bulletins » Real Ale & Cider Festival – 17th to 20th October – Beer & Cider List now available!

Real Ale & Cider Festival – 17th to 20th October – Beer & Cider List now available!

Spa Valley Railway » Bulletins » Real Ale & Cider Festival – 17th to 20th October – Beer & Cider List now available!

PLEASE NOTE:
The next two weeks prior to our festive season are busy with special events and the normal standard travel tickets aren't always available. Please see below for further details. Standard travel tickets are not valid during the Beer & Cider Festival from 17th to 20th October.

EVENTS COMING UP:

BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL:

Friday 18th, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October – Train services:
Train tickets for Friday 18th, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October are on sale now – CLICK HERE!

You MUST purchase a ticket to travel on the trains. Entry to Tunbridge Wells West, Groombridge and Eridge stations is FREE and you can purchase a 'Starter Pack' which consists of a glass, beer card and event guide at all of our stations. 

Discounts are available for members of the Tunbridge Wells & Eridge Railway Preservation Society and CAMRA on train fares but these can only be purchased on the day upon production of a valid membership card for either organisation. No other discounts, Virgin Experience Days, Groupon or any/other voucher arrangements or reciprocol travel arrangements with other heritage railways are valid during this event. 
 
EVENT OPENING TIMES:
  • Thursday 17th October
    • 18:00 to 22:00 (Tunbridge Wells West only, NO trains are operating)
  • Friday 18th October
    • Trains from 09:00 until 22:30
    • Tunbridge Wells West bar 11:00 until 22:30
    • Groombridge bar 11:00 until 20:30
    • Eridge bar 11:00 until 21:30 
  • Saturday 19th October
    • Trains from 09:00 until 22:30
    • Tunbridge Wells West bar 11:00 until 22:30
    • Groombridge bar 11:00 until 20:30
    • Eridge bar 11:00 until 21:30
  • Sunday 20th October
    • Trains from 09:00 until 17:30
    • Tunbridge Wells West bar 11:00 until 18:00
    • Groombridge bar 11:00 until 16:00
    • Eridge bar 11:00 until 16:00

Heritage Train Rides
Tickets for our standard steam and heritage diesel train rides can be booked online here. All Day Travel tickets for train rides are valid on all trains on that day, you can start and end your visit at any of our stations. You can either purchase tickets in advance or on the day. We also have our range of on train dining experiences taking place every operating day, details can be found here.

We are open every weekend until the end of October 2024!

Tunbridge Wells West Gift & Model Shop – Open on Wednesday's and Thursday's 10:00 to 16:00 and on operating days!
We stock a selection of Spa Valley Railway branded and other merchandise including badges, glassware, stationary, books, jigsaws, magnets, keyrings, notebooks, coasters, DVDs (limited supply) and more! There is also a range of children's items including Big Jigs wooden railway, Thomas & Friends, soft toys and automobils.

Fresh tea or coffee is available to purchase in our shop from our coffee machine too, with a range of drinks including Americano, Latte, Cappacino, Mocha, Hot Chocolate, or Twinnings Tea, we also supply dairy or oat milk for you to enjoy you drink with. The shop also has a range of snacks and soft drinks available to purchase too.

We also now stock an ever growing range of Model Railway products in N, OO, O and OO9 scales from the following manufacturers:

  • Hornby
  • Bachmann
  • Graham Farish
  • PECO
  • Gaugemaster
  • Oxford diecast
  • Woodland Scenics
  • Rapido Trains UK
  • Dapol
  • Lionheart Trains
  • Heljan
  • Ratio / Wills Kits

On most Railway Operating days we aim to open our shop from 10:00 to 17:00.  If you are visiting specifically for the shop we recommend calling 01892 300141 on the day to ensure we are open.

Click here for more details

Green Timetable
Our Green timetable operates regularly throughout the year. Click here for our Calendar.

  Steam   Diesel Steam   Diesel   Steam
Tunbridge Wells West 10:15 11:30 12:55 14:10 15:35
High Rocks Halt * 10:22 11:37 13:02 14:17 15:42
Groombridge 10:31 11:46 13:11 14:26 15:51
Eridge 10:40 11:55 13:20 14:35 16:00
  Diesel Steam Diesel Steam Diesel
Eridge 10:50 12:05 13:30 14:45 16:10
Groombridge 11:01 12:16 13:41 14:56 16:21
High Rocks Halt * 11:08 12:23 13:48 15:03 16:28
Tunbridge Wells West 11:15 12:30 13:55 15:10 16:35

Purple Timetable
Our Purple timetable operates throughout the year and uses our historic Class 207 DEMU 1317 which was used on the line back in the days of British Rail. Click here for our Calendar.

  1317  1317 1317   1317 
Tunbridge Wells West 10:45 12:00 13:45 15:00
Groombridge 11:01 12:16 14:01 15:16
Eridge 11:10 12:25 14:10 15:25
  1317 1317 1317 1317
Eridge 11:20 12:35 14:20 15:35
Groombridge 11:31 12:46 14:31 15:46
Tunbridge Wells West 11:45 13:00 14:45 16:00

*HIGH ROCKS HALT
Trains do not stop at High Rocks unless we have been informed they are open to the public. Please check before you visit to ensure you can alight at the station.

You can check here for High Rocks Opening Dates in the coming weeks

You can turn up and travel as many times as you like on all operating days, including travelling in the spare carriages on our evening dining services if you wish, however unless you book a dining experience food is not included. All of our stations are open but please check with High Rocks Inn directly if they are open, on some days we might not stop there when they are closed for private functions.