Rail Rover Week 2026

June is turning into a monumental month for summertime exploration. Hot on the heels of Dudmaston, Droitwich and Scarborough comes my annual assessment of the Heart of England railway network. Rail Rover Week 2026 is go! 

- Trinity College -

Day One: Tuesday 16th June 2026 and I still feel as though I've got that North Yorkshire sea breeze gusting through my hair as I join forces with Bookworm Bygrave for an Oxford outing, the 'City of Dreaming Spires' being ours for the taking once we've endured an exceedingly full CrossCountry Trains journey down from Birmingham. Bee-themed murals and honeyed stone help us acclimatise to the august academic architecture, picking our way through streets busy with students and bicycles. You can almost sense yourself absorbing centuries of education simply by being close to famous seats of learning such as Brasenose and Trinity Colleges.

- Ancient Egypt in the Ashmolean -

As ever, Emily's excitement is piqued by visiting bookshops in which case Blackwell's is one of the most prestigious booksellers in the entire country having been operating from their Broad Street site since 1879. Their flagship store occupies several units but with a pub in the middle (the White Horse); naturally I approve of such an arrangement although said inn is not on our hitlist. A craving for culture leads us to the Ashmolean Museum to see their curated collections of art and antiquities. There are five floors taking you from ancient civilisations to the modern day, far too much to see in the time we'd allocated but we make sure to include the Egyptian exhibitions with their engraved stone tablets and mummified relics. At one stage I become wildly enthusiastic about a massive pot so Miss B has been teasing me about it ever since.

- Oxford Trinity in the Rose & Crown -

We might have declined the White Horse but there are other Oxford alehouses on the agenda, most notably the Royal Blenheim as a Titanic Brewery exponent tucked away along St Ebbe's Street. The Raspberry Pale here proves much to my liking, boasting a slight rosy tinge but will get upstaged in the pinkishness stakes by the external appearance of the Rose & Crown on North Parade Avenue. Listed on CAMRA's Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors, this place has been operated by the same licensees for over 40 years and hosts weekly Sunday jazz nights; my pint of Oxford Trinity in a dimpled glass is a winner. In between times we also called in at the White Rabbit on Friars Entry, enjoying its playful nod to the Alice In Wonderland stories.

- Long Eaton Library -

Day Two: Wednesday 17th June has me in the mood for East Midlands exploration, picking an intermediary stop on the line between Nottingham and Derby. Long Eaton gets the nod, many years after I first set foot there on the original Rail Rover of 2006. I didn't really get anywhere near the actual town centre back then so this time around I'm determined to tackle Tamworth Road, discovering a glorious library frontage illuminated with Pax Lux lettering. The central mosaic tympanum in my picture above depicts the classical figure of Learning against a golden sunburst backdrop. Impressive stuff indeed! 

- Trent Lock -

Long Eaton High Street reminds me of some you may find in the Black Country, slightly scruffy despite separate sections being cordoned off for public realm works. I could just as easily be in Bilston or Darlaston given the types of discount shops on show, although one lovely find is Rowells Drinking Emporium, a converted drapers store with a keen eye for ephemera. 'Hex Marks The Spot' is a Wilde Child stout that tantalises my tastebuds with caramel sensations, perched next to a stained glass peacock. Happily refreshed, I revert back via Tamworth Road to join the towpath of the Erewash Canal. The navigation in full links to the Cromford Canal at Langley Mill But I'll merely cover the shortish stretch to Trent Lock where it meets the river.

- Sawley Village Sign -

Trent Lock is a waterways location of some significance it seems, with boaters having the pick of an elegant lockhouse tearooms or two pubs if they be in need of sustenance. I didn't think any pub could rival Rowells for sheer novelty today but the Steamboat comes very close - it's not every day you meet a red Dalek, read old Beano comics or encounter a carousel horse called Bella. A steady walk into the nearby village of Sawley has me approaching Long Eaton Station from the south, photographing a totem sign en route. I've left myself just enough time to pop into the Sawley Junction micropub (overlooking the roundabout just beyond the station car park) for my fix of railwayana and more excellent beer. Britain Beermat would be proud!

- Prees Village Stores -

Day Three: having skipped a day on account of having evening Hub Marketing commitments, my story resumes on Friday 19th June over a slice of rural Shropshire. Prees is a request halt served by the Shrewsbury to Crewe local stopping service, so I ask the conductor for the train to set down there. At first glance I could be in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farmers fields with just the occasional tractor for company, but a mile-long stroll down hedgerow-lined lanes brings me into a small settlement to the north of Hawkstone Park. The Prees Village Stores (otherwise known as Jackie's) is a charming yet essential amenity, housing the local post office and supplying general grocery provisions to residents of the adjacent streets.

- A Wem Welcome -

Prees lies just off the A49 and is roughly equidistant between the towns of Whitchurch and Wem. I could go to either for my afternoon activities but pick the latter because I'd not been there for years, plus it has two Joule's pubs to keep me out of mischief if required. Wem's railway station is slightly more substantial than that at Prees - if not by much - but has now been shorn of its signalbox, replaced by remote working of the level crossing. I manage to obtain a few pictures of the Castle Hotel before the skies cloud over then mostly concentrate on its Joule's counterpart the White Lion which carries all of the attention to detail I'd expect from the Market Drayton-based brewery. A surprise discovery with an amusing name is the Warbling Tit down by St Peter & St Paul's Parish Church; it loosely follows the micropub model albeit with less of an emphasis on cask ales. A wall of Famous Wemmers keeps me entertained, recognising Greg Davies, Sybil Ruscoe and the essayist William Hazlitt.

- The Cross House Tavern -

Day Four: at the risk of rovering fatigue starting to set in, I summon up the energy to give good old Gloucestershire a whirl on Saturday 20th June. This time my chief accomplice will be none other than his Royal Highness himself, Nick being as keen as I to get a taste of Tewkesbury. The closest station is at Ashchurch but its infrequent direct links to Birmingham require us to change at Cheltenham first. This does seem to work well, especially with the 71 bus being punctual to take us the last couple of miles into Tewkesbury town centre. We've just begun to marvel at the main street's many timbered properties when the Cross House Tavern blows us away with a fantastic selection of real cider - cue Yarlington Mill for HRH and Severn Medium Perry for yours truly. The interior has a mind-boggling display of vintage breweriana from Toby jugs to cider flagons to walls plastered top to toe in decades-old beermats. Pub heaven!

- The Riverside Royal -

We're not just here for the pubs - there's also Tewkesbury Abbey demanding a full inspection.  Originally a Norman structure utilised for Benedictine worship prior to the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Abbey has been functioning as Tewkesbury's Parish Church ever since 1540, hence parts of the building would have been in situ when the Battle of Tewkesbury was fought during the Wars of the Roses. Highlights include a ceiling quire representing the House of York (victors in said 1471 skirmish) along with the Milton Organ and the Denny Windows, the latter being two amazing modern stained glass creations made to mark the 900th anniversary of when the monks first moved here from Dorset. Having had our history fix, we take a stroll beside the Mill Avon, crossing onto the floodplain meadows of the Severn Ham.

- All over at Ashchurch -

Tewkesbury is famously sited on the confluence of the Severn and the Avon, regularly hitting the headlines at times of rising waters. There's little danger of that today so we reach the Olde Black Bear safely; this terrific timbered townhouse claims to be Gloster's oldest inn, reputedly dating back to 1308. Uley's Black Bear Bitter is obtained from a very busy bar, although it's the jam-packed beer garden stretching down to the river which is really pulling the punters in. The Berkeley Arms entices our custom too for a wedge of Wadworth's hospitality, then we finish off at Ashchurch Station with me making the most of some belated sunshine for pictures of the zigzag footbridge ramps and numerous running-in boards. I've therefore travelled north, south, east and west in the finest of rovering traditions and can't wait to do something similar in 2027.

Rail Rover Week 2025

One of my longest running exploration sagas - albeit with a few gaps here and there - is that of Rail Rover Week, an annual treat I inaugurated in 2006 which has become a must-do most years ever since. The chance to uncover more hidden bits of the Heart of England railway network never fails to excite so I pack my trusty satchel for another round of adventures - let the train take the strain...

- A Royal Throne at Ledbury -

I've opted for the 3-in-7 day Flexi Rover ticket this year and it is immediately put to good use with a Herefordshire incursion to the delightful market town of Ledbury. His Majesty Nick is joining me for this Monday leg and therefore meets me in anticipation of catching the 09:50 Hereford train from Birmingham; he's especially impressed to find that Ledbury Station has a wooden throne awaiting him on the platform when we alight. A gentle woodland walk is in the offing as we get our bearings via a pretty apple orchard and the edges of Dog Hill Wood, a semi-ancient patch of woodland with deciduous trees, wild flowers and lots of gnarled roots.

- St Michael & All Angels -

Our chosen woodland track emerges onto Church Street which puts is in prime position for a snoop around St Michael & All Angels, Ledbury's lovely parish church. Its layout is particularly notable for having a completely detached bell tower, so we start by exploring the main chapel (complete with organ recital practice underway, adding an uplifting gravity to proceedings) and then check out the exhibition space in the tower itself. It turns out that bellringing has had its scandalous moments, and the church at one time had a lady hermit - Katherine de Audley - for an anchoress. Being on our best behaviour, we decamp along the narrow cobbled street for a bite to eat in the Prince of Wales; our respective Ploughman's lunches present generous portions with salad, pickles and warm rolls whilst Nick launches into 7.3% Weston's cider!

- The Talbot -

Elsewhere in Ledbury, we make sure to admire the stilted Market House erected atop sixteen pillars; the building was apparently completed in 1668. Another fine landmark is the Barrett Browning Institute with its brown and cream clock tower - it is named after Elizabeth Barrett Browning, one of several noted writers who ensure Ledbury is known for its poetry links. In terms of frequenting other pubs, the standouts are the Feathers Hotel and the Talbot, classic timber-framed coaching inns both of them. The Feathers very much still offers accommodation as well as three local Ledbury Brewery ales, whereas the Talbot is owned by the Wadworth Brewery whose Swordfish ale carries a hint of rum infusion. A final half in the Brewery Inn (a Marston's establishment with plenty of charm in its own right) precedes a heritage walk along the former Ledbury to Gloucester Railway trackbed. A very interesting day all round!

- Heart of Wales Line at Knighton -

Day two falls on Tuesday 17th June and had been earmarked for musings at stations between Shrewsbury and Crewe. The prospect of investigating Wem or Nantwich gets jettisoned once I realise the Heart of Wales train is ready to form a 10:02 Salopian departure; I rarely get much chance to cover this highly-regarded route, which runs as single track for much of its length and takes four hours end-to-end from Shrewsbury to Swansea. I'd only been as far as Craven Arms previously so I pick Knighton as a means of changing that, meaning I just about tickle over the border from Shropshire into Powys. Knighton Station is unstaffed but speaks of faded history, with roses growing up boarded-over window ledges and cobwebs hanging from the rafters. The barrel planters are nicely maintained and the signs emphasise Welsh language.

- Knighton Clock -

Never having been to Knighton before, I'm eager to cram as much as I can into the hour and a half I'm here (Heart of Wales services are irregular so I need to be careful not to get stranded). Broad Street and High Street form a marked junction below the local clock tower, presented to the town in 1872 by the late benefactor Thomas Moore Esquire. A sloping row of independent shops leads uphill, several of the stores carrying the surname Price, while pub options might include the Red Lion, George & Dragon or the Kinsley had their opening hours allowed. The Horse & Jockey does trade from 11am though so I can wander in there for some Robinson's Flagon cider, sitting beside a massive fireplace where you're almost swallowed by the hearth.

- Kings Arms, Church Stretton -

The 12:18 return train appears encouragingly promptly and I'm able to spend a gorgeous afternoon in Church Stretton, a small town hidden amongst the South Shropshire hills close to the Long Mynd expanse of heathland plateau. It's too warm for me to risk any energetic hikes so I concentrate on St Laurence's Church which boasts a selection of thoughtful graveyard quotations, some Shakespearean, some botanical. Naturally I'm inclined to give the local pubs a whirl, most notably the Kings Arms as owned by Joules; they've applied their usual template of dark wood, enamel adverts and traditional painted lettering so this suits me very well, as does the accompanying pint of Lakota Arizona-styled Pale Ale. Old Coppers Malt House then occupies an elegant top of Sandford Avenue townhouse for a follow-up splash of cold cider.

- Train at Chester -

Having swerved Cheshire due to my Tuesday change of plans, I make sure the county gets its time in the spotlight after all come Thursday 19th June. The Roman city of Chester (otherwise known as Caer in Welsh or Deva to the historians among you) beckons for a Rovering revisit, building on my explorations back in 2022. It's never a hardship changing trains at Crewe, such is the station's strategic railway importance, and a clutch of platform pictures get my photos off and running nicely. The shuttle train direct to Chester departs Platform 9 at 10:21 and takes a little over twenty minutes before I reach a city renowned for Rows, walls and its racecourse.

- Chester Canal Basin -

My first priority is to get to grips with the Shropshire Union Canal so from City Road I plot my way down Northgate Locks towards Taylor's Boatyard, part of a historic canal basin. It's such a treat to see the moored narrowboats gleaming in the sunshine, Bridge 126 carrying a plaque dedicated to the waterways campaigner Tom Rolt who was born in Chester in 1910. A short spur branches off to the River Dee via the remains of what used to be an inland port, now a luxury shopping complex. My first pub of the day is the converted industrial premises Telford's Warehouse who do a great line in real ales. Despite the sweltering temperatures, I simply can't resist the prospect of Wantsum's Heart of Darkness Stout, sitting amidst adverts for Black Cat cigarettes and Colmans Starch - this is the life!

- Chester Cathedral -

My Chester sightseeing quest then incorporates some of the City Walls though to Northgate, the Storyhouse arts complex (an innovative facility comprised of library, theatre, cinema and a creative hub) and of course the magnificence of Chester Cathedral, founded as a Benedictine abbey in 1092. History is also seeping through some of my pub picks, especially the Pied Bull (which has its own on-site microbrewery producing beers such as 'Bullseye') and the Boot Inn (a Samuel Smith's time capsule found within the two-storey gallery structures known as The Rows). A repeat call at the Albion is essential, such is the impression its wartime disposition made on my three years ago, and I catch my homeward train as a very happy chap. Cheers!

Rail Rover Week 2024

Yes it's back! After a couple of false starts when the dates didn't quite work, my annual interrogation of the Heart of England railway network reclaims its rightful place on the WME exploration calendar. Three intense days of adventure await, covering far flung destinations in Derbyshire, Worcestershire and Cheshire...

- Gregory Tunnel (Cromford Canal) -

I've gone with the three-in-seven day Flexi Rover option this year, which at £109 is good value provided you get the mileage in. To that end, a trip along the Derwent Valley line sounds ideal so I meet Nick at Birmingham and we travel north to Derby (even allowing ourselves a cheeky morning tipple in the Brunswick, always one of HRH's favourites where a quick slurp of Black Sabbath really hits the spot). Our first full destination is Whatstandwell, a small village on the A6 which acts as our gateway to the Cromford Canal. Brightening skies encourage us along the towpath for discoveries such as Gregory Tunnel - roughly 73 metres long - and Wigwell Aqueduct, carrying the canal over the aforementioned railway line. 

- Cromford Mills -

Further treats await in the form of Aqueduct Cottage (guarding the short Nightingale Arm), Leawood Pump House (which originally started operating in 1849), and High Peak Junction where the canal historically would interchange goods with the railway towards Whaley Bridge. There's a lot of industrial heritage in this area, chiefly on account of Sir Richard Arkwright's endeavours in setting up Cromford Mills as the world's first water-powered cotton factory. We peruse their visitor centre before heading into Cromford Village itself for a refreshing stop at the Boat Inn; the pub is totally inundated with coachtrip diners but there's just enough space for us to partake of Draught Bass (or Olde Peculier should you be of that persuasion) while pondering posters detailing execution arrangements for the notorious felon Dick Turpin. 

- An Iceberg Encounter in Matlock -

Hitching a ride on the Little Sixes bus route as run by Trent Barton, we proceed into Matlock which is the Derwent Valley line's northern terminus. The town functions as an administrative base for Derbyshire County Council while the neighbouring settlement of Matlock Bath is a respected spa resort. A happy afternoon is spent accounting for three Dale Road hostelries all within a very short distance of each other, starting with bod as another outlet in the growing list of Titanic Brewery cafe bars. Having each survived our combined collision with an Iceberg, we make the acquaintance of a Remarkable Hare (supping Thornbridge's Importance of Being Pale Ale surrounded by pumpclips) and Twenty Ten, where Nick's regal leanings ensure the King George Bitter is readily selected. All three establishments are highly recommended.

- Belper, briefly -

Eager to extract every last drop out of the Derwent Valley area, we can't resist a Belper Bonus especially given that Nick had never visited the town before. Quite how much of an impression it can make in little under an hour is debatable, but the short and sweet nature of our sojourn will be fondly remembered for finding Arkwright's Real Ale Bar on Campbell Street. Anywhere serving North Riding's Chocolate and Fudge Porter (a.k.a. liquid cake) will instantly earn our affections forevermore, what a delicious beer that is! The Railway meanwhile managed not to get completely overshadowed, offering Lincoln Green hospitality that is handy for the station.

- Evesham Station -

If Monday was dedicated to Derbyshire, and Tuesday had me bidding a sad but very fond final farewell to Mr B Senior at his funeral, I'll now focus on Worcestershire Wednesday for which my eyes are fixated solely upon Evesham. Set on the banks of the River Avon, this delightful town is served by the Cotswold Line between Worcester, Oxford and London Paddington; the GWR carriages seem a step up in passenger comfort compared to what I usually experience in the West Midlands. Evesham Station first opened in 1840 and still retains much original architecture as well as having a community garden on the Oxford-bound platform. 

- Evesham Abbey Bell Tower -

No visit to Evesham is complete without having a look around the Abbey Gardens, which I'm pleased to see have been the subject of much restoration work in recent years. The Abbey itself was founded in the early 8th century and was of a Benedictine association prior to the dissolution during Tudor times. The fabulous Bell Tower was thankfully spared destruction and continues to dominate the Abbey precincts along with All Saints Church and the adjacent St Lawrence's - now there's a fetching trio of handsome places of worship if ever there was one!

- The Red Lion -

Along with my general Evesham sightseeing, I naturally make time to include a pub or two. The standout contenders include the Trumpet, a Hook Norton tied house situated slightly back off Merstow Green - it has to be Old Hooky here and the home-cooked meals look tempting too. My other must in terms of ale sampling is the Red Lion on the Market Place, all rustic low beams, dried hops and an agreeable sense of mellowness. North Cotswolds' Moreton Mild never fails to tickle my fancy and is perfectly served in a dimpled pint glass - heaven!

- Faith, Charity and Hope -

All of which brings us unerringly to Thursday 20th June for the third and sadly concluding leg of this year's rovering. Nick rejoins me to chip away at Cheshire, whereby mighty Macclesfield gets grappled with for the second year running; clearly it made such an excellent impact last year that it proves irresistible! Clambering up part of the 108 Steps - easier said than done but good for one's fitness - I'm keen to introduce Nick to St Michael's and All Angels Church. Not only do we receive a warm handshake from the vicar, we are then offered a fascinating guided tour covering the Savage Chapel, the Breeches Bible (so called because Adam and Eve decided to clothe themselves in the Garden of Eden) and the tomb of Sir John Savage and Katherine Stanley, the couple depicted holding hands which was unusual for the time.

- Bridge 40 (Macclesfield Canal) -

My investigations of the Macclesfield Canal proved a 2023 Rail Rover highlight (even with an overprotective goose to contend with) so we partially repeat the trick this time around, joining the towpath at Buxton Road for the short stretch to Windmill Street. Although only a taster by comparison, this does allow Nick to admire the Old Hovis Mill and marina complex, as well as getting bearings for potential future visits to the Wharf Inn on Brook Street. Alas that doesn't open until half past four but there's plenty of other pub prospects to go at...

- Shameless in RedWillow -

Talking of which, another check on the Castle is nigh on essential - I'm a sucker for a heritage interior so this ticks all of my boxes, especially when there's an Ossett Queen Rat Stout in the offing too. Elsewhere, we enjoy the no-nonsense approach of the Waters Green Tavern (our chosen lunch stop in preference to your standard Wetherspoons stuff), while the Queens is in pre-match footballing mode, serving up bargain Holts Bitter at £3 a pint, you can't beat that. Not that we leave out the modern craft contenders entirely, hence RedWillow on Park Green has us either Wreckless or Shameless, naming no names! Cheers!