Peter Harrison

The Industrial Midlands

A Journey into Britain’s Past

Tour Overview

Journey through Britain’s pioneering past and explore the heart of Britain’s Industrial Revolution on a tailored rail holiday, designed for those who wish to discover the Midlands’ rich heritage at their own pace on public transport.

From Birmingham’s world-class museums to the historic Ironbridge Gorge, this immersive journey takes you through the region that shaped modern industry. Travel by mainline train and heritage steam railways, ride on vintage transport, and step back in time at award-winning museums that bring the past to life. Whether you’re an enthusiast of steam, engineering, or social history, this tour offers a fascinating insight into the innovations that changed the world.
Begin in Birmingham, where you can explore the vast collections at the ThinkTank Science Museum and the Wonderful World of Trains and Planes, followed by an unforgettable steam journey on the Severn Valley Railway. Travel along scenic countryside to Bridgnorth, where the famous funicular railway offers stunning views. Discover the Black Country Living Museum, a spectacular open-air museum showcasing the region’s industrial heritage, complete with vintage trams, buses, and underground mines. A guided canal boat tour of the Dudley limestone caverns provides a unique perspective on the region’s working past.
Continue to Telford, the gateway to the UNESCO-listed Ironbridge Gorge and home to the iconic Iron Bridge, Broseley Pipeworks, and the Museum of the Gorge. A visit to the Hereford Waterworks Museum reveals an impressive collection of working steam-powered pumping engines, while a ride on the Telford Steam Railway offers a nostalgic trip back in time. Explore the Tar Tunnel, where natural bitumen has been seeping since the 18th century, and delve into the engineering marvels of Enginuity and the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, where Abraham Darby’s innovations transformed iron production forever.
This independent rail holiday is perfect for those seeking a flexible, well-paced journey through Britain’s industrial past, combining mainline and heritage railway travel with curated visits to historical sites, museums, and scenic railways. Whether you're passionate about steam railways, canals, or the legacy of British industry, this journey through the Industrial Midlands offers a truly unforgettable experience.

Travel Tips

Birmingham is a great base for exploring with its extensive public transport links. Leave the car at home and explore by train.
Visit one of Birmingham’s many museums including the Museum & Art Gallery which houses 40 galleries displaying art, applied art, social history, archaeology and ethnography, or Birmingham’s award-winning Science Museum with steam engines, trains, cars and planes from yesteryear.
Take a mainline train to the market town of Kidderminster to ride the Severn Valley Heritage Railway (SVR). The SVR station is situated right next to Kidderminster’s mainline station. Journey by steam through 16 miles of beautiful countryside and include a visit to the SVR Engine House housing some very special locos and King George VI’s royal carriage.
Travel by mainline train from Birmingham to Tipton to visit the Dudley Canal Trust. Take a guided tour of the Dudley Canal featuring the limestone mines and caverns and gain an insight into the conditions of the miners during the 18th Century. Advance booking is advised.
Visit the Black Country Living Museum in nearby Dudley, where you can learn how a small region made a big impact on the industry of the world. Explore one of the finest and largest open-air museums in the UK. Take a ride on a vintage tram or bus, descend into the underground drift mine, or step inside a full-scale working replica of the world’s first successful steam engine, built by Thomas Newcomen in 1712.
The Telford Steam Railway may only be a mile in length but the steep gradient means the locomotives have to work hard! You can break your journey throughout the day to visit the railway’s other attractions – a 2ft narrow gauge tramway (due to re-open in 2025), extensive model railway, small artefacts museum, miniature railway, gift shop and tearoom/café.
Take a mainline train service from Telford to Hereford and visit the Hereford Waterworks Museum, home of the widest range of working pump engines on one site in Britain and also home to Britain’s oldest working triple-expansion steam engine.