[TRIVIA] Land Trains of the UK

[Eskimo]

Recently took a ride on the Searles - Hunstanton - Old Hunstanton Land Train, something which I hadn’t seen for a while, and thought had become of thing of the past!

After a quick Google search it seems that Land Trains are still fairly popular around the UK, and it had me wondering if the forums here could manage a substantial list of the current Land Trains operating in the UK, especially post-Covid!

1. Hunstanton (Searles to Old Hunstanton)
2. Eastbourne (Holywell Retreat to Sovereign Harbour)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How about the Dotto train, which operates in Eastbourne between Holywell Retreat and Sovereign Harbour (daily until end October)?

 

[Eskimo]

How about the Dotto train, which operates in Eastbourne between Holywell Retreat and Sovereign Harbour (daily until end October)?

Yes! Exactly the same as the Hunstanton one - middle coach being open air!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Think there's something very similar operating on Jersey (= "Le Petit Train", running between St. Helier and St. Aubin, also until October), this assuming of course that you're happy to include the Channel Islands as being part of the U.K.

 

[D6130]

Ryde, Isle of Wight?

 

[Gloster]

Ryde, Isle of Wight?

Long gone.

 

[ajs]

Newquay, Cornwall

Torquay

 

[thejuggler]

Bridlington - between South Beach and the Leisure Centre.

NRM between the museum and York Minster.

None UK - Faro Portugal. Linking the main sights and old town.

 

[david1212]

From the website neither of the Bournemouth trains will run this year because of cliff slips.

Llandudno, Weymouth and Great Yarmouth look to be running, also Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham weekends and school holidays.

I can't find anything for Weston-super-(Night)Mare/Mud.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Are these those tractor and trailer based things?

There's still one at Clacton isn't there?

 

[James H]

Hengistbury Head has a land train

 

[spyinthesky]

Bridlington - between South Beach and the Leisure Centre.

NRM between the museum and York Minster.

None UK - Faro Portugal. Linking the main sights and old town.

Bridlington also Leisure Centre to Sewerby Park

 

[65477]

Although not on public roads and running on a dedicated trackway, Colchester Zoo has a popular one

 

[signed]

Non-UK those are very popular in France, you'll find them in every barely touristic cities. The most famous of course being the "Petit train de Montmartre" in Paris.

 

[zwk500]

Does the York NRM one still run?

Non-UK those are very popular in France, you'll find them in every barely touristic cities. The most famous of course being the "Petit train de Montmartre" in Paris.

Fond memories on a youth music tour helping shift instruments from the coach park to the cathedral in Bayeux and turning round to see a petit-train coming up behind us while wheeling some percussion down a rather narrow street.

 

[stadler]

Kew Gardens still has one of these land trains that operates a circular route around the site.

 

[dgl]

Weymouth still had one, now running between the seafront and Brewers Quay/Hope Square.
Most of them will be made by the Italian company Dotto Trains/Dotto s.r.l.

Dotto Trains Castelfranco Veneto - Progettazione e produzione di trenini turistici, di alta qualità Made in Italy.

Leader mondiale nella progettazione, produzione e vendita di trenini turistici su gomma e su binari di qualità, certificati e conformi a tutte le omologazioni internazionali. Trenini Turistici che durano nel tempo, per un'esprerienza di viaggio sicura.

www.dottotrains.com

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Does the York NRM one still run?

Yes, I believe so. Operates half-hourly between the National Rail Museum and York Minster (Duncombe Place) during the daytime.

 

[PeterC]

Although not on public roads and running on a dedicated trackway, Colchester Zoo has a popular one

That one replaced a miniature railway.

 

[Ken X]

Littlehampton has a small land train.

 

[gswindale]

Center parcs has one at Longleat. Not sure about their other sites. They need two or three extra trains though to improve capacity, as it is frequently full.

 

[generalnerd]

Although not on public roads and running on a dedicated trackway, Colchester Zoo has a popular one

Better transport than most uk cities

East park in hull has one, and we used to have two city centre routes but they’ve been retired

 

[GatwickDepress]

Swansea has the Bay Rider that runs from Blackpill to the Dairy car park at Oystermouth. On a nice summer's day, seems like it would be a really pleasant journey.

 

[gswindale]

Swansea has the Bay Rider that runs from Blackpill to the Dairy car park at Oystermouth. On a nice summer's day, seems like it would be a really pleasant journey.

Presumably along the tramway? Probably quicker than driving on a nice day!

 

[eastwestdivide]

The one in our local park has a "mixed-traffic" loco, which hauls a trailer for the gardening team when the land train isn't running!

 

[Russel]

Bridlington - between South Beach and the Leisure Centre.

NRM between the museum and York Minster.

None UK - Faro Portugal. Linking the main sights and old town.

Bridlington is a good call, If you park at the Park & Ride site you can use your bus ticket on it.

 

[generalnerd]

Bridlington - between South Beach and the Leisure Centre.

NRM between the museum and York Minster.

None UK - Faro Portugal. Linking the main sights and old town.

I’ve just remembered, there is another Bridlington service between the leisure centre and some cricket ground further up. It has a few stops and acts more like a tram than a land train.

It even has platforms built for it!!

 

[daodao]

Mablethorpe has both a

• Road Train, providing a circular land tour of the town (running in the summer season Tue/Wed/Thu/Sat/Sun); and
• Sand Train, running along North Beach (March to October, daily - at least during the peak season)

https://www.mablethorpesutton-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/mablethorpe-and-sutton-town-guide-2025-2026.pdf

 

[Zamracene749]

Non UK- Prague has them. In a city centre that is almost entirely cobblestoned. Take a cushion, you've been warned Pretty sure they have them in Krakow too.
No idea if they are still in use, but the Metrocentre used to run electric ones inside, long after the Metroland park had closed?

 

[Calthrop]

None UK - Faro Portugal. Linking the main sights and old town.

Non-UK those are very popular in France, you'll find them in every barely touristic cities. The most famous of course being the "Petit train de Montmartre" in Paris.

Fond memories on a youth music tour helping shift instruments from the coach park to the cathedral in Bayeux and turning round to see a petit-train coming up behind us while wheeling some percussion down a rather narrow street.

Non UK- Prague has them. In a city centre that is almost entirely cobblestoned. Take a cushion, you've been warned Pretty sure they have them in Krakow too.
No idea if they are still in use, but the Metrocentre used to run electric ones inside, long after the Metroland park had closed?

Further re "abroad" -- I gather from a thriller set partly in Toledo, Spain: that that city has a land train to take tourists round its chief sights. Per this book -- it would seem that a fair number of Toledans disapprove of said land train: reckoning it, vis-a-vis the environment of their handsome, gracious and very history-rich city, more than a little vulgar and "naff".