Wednesday 19 August
We’ll meet at Heathrow and fly out to Boston, Massachusetts. We’ll take you to our hotel in Manchester (no, not Lancashire) – about an hour’s drive for the night. Given the jet-lag (five hours time difference), you are free to stay at the hotel or go out for dinner and maybe have your first clam chowder, or just sleep!
Thursday 20 August
We’ll drive through to Meredith for a ride on the Winnipesaukee Railroad, which has an interesting collection of ancient American diesels for its train which runs alongside Meredith Bay with some lovely views. Another hour brings us to Clarks Trading Post where there is much to do. You can take a train ride behind a Climax steam locomotive on the White Mountain Central Railroad, see some bears, or ride a Segway. At the end of the day, a half hour’s drive brings us to the spectacular Mount Washington Hotel for the night. This is where the Bretton Woods agreement was signed in 1944, setting the framework for all international financial management and exchange.
Friday 21 August
Steam runs only once a day on the 1865-built Mount Washington Cog Railway, on the 0815 departure, so that’s the one we’ll take up to the summit (and back). We’ll then take an afternoon drive through to Wiscasset, near the coast, where we will stay for the night.
Saturday 22 August
We’ll take the short drive to Sheepscot for a real treat as the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway have agreed to open up especially for us. They have spent the last 25 years meticulously re-creating a few miles of the 2ft gauge railway which was closed in 1933. Almost all the work has been done by volunteers and is to the highest standard. You will ride in an original 1894 coach hauled by a Forney steam loco dating from 1904 and will be able to ride in the cab if you wish. They also have a working rail-mounted Model T Ford, and that will also be available for rides. The original SRRL Forney is here under restoration and should be nearly complete by the time of our visit. After lunch, we continue by road (3 hrs) to Farmington, where we will visit the site of the famed Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes terminus.
Sunday 23 August
We start with a drive up to Philips, Maine. This is the base for the short piece of revitalised 2ft gauge SR&RL Railway based on a brand-new roundhouse in the middle of a wood! The people that run this are an hospitable bunch, and will show us round their workshops, explain how they are restoring their rolling stock, before taking us for the short ride through the woods, along the river and up to Sanders station. In the afternoon, we will visit the Philips Historical Societies museum, before driving on to Bangor (2½ hrs)
Monday 24 August
Our morning visit is to the Cole Transport Museum in Bangor which covers road and farm vehicles, but does include a very nice caboose. After lunch, we’ll take a short run to the Belfast and Moosehead Railway where we hope to have a good go on their ‘rail bicycles’!
Tuesday 25 August
Our first stop is The Owls Head Transportation Museum which specialises in aircraft and road vehicles. We will then take the hour’s drive down to Boothbay Railway Village, which has an interesting short circular railway with many well-preserved Maine 2ft features. There will also be the option of a workshop visit, an excellent car museum and some interesting historic buildings with something of interest for everyone.
Wednesday 26 August
Seeing as we are the seaside, we will arrange a boat trip to see the whales which are common on this coast. This area is famous for its lobsters, so our lunch will be at the legendary “Lobster Shack” at Harraseeket River where you will certainly not go hungry! In the afternoon, we will call at Freeport, which houses the world-famous L L Bean mega-store (and plenty of other shops), worthy of some exploration.
Thursday 27 August
Portland is home to an excellent narrow Gauge Railroad Museum, home to an extensive collection of 2ft gauge rolling stock including one of the Sandy River Railroad’s Parlor cars and a rail bus. There’s also a short ride along the waterfront on the old standard gauge roadbed once owned by the Grand Trunk Railroad. We then take the short journey to Kennebunkport, which is everything you hope for from a New England seaside resort, for the night.
Friday 28 August
We cross back into Massachusetts, and we will visit the Lowell National Historical Park which houses many attractions including an Industrial Museum, a cotton mill, tram ride, canal trips and much more. There is much to see, so we have allocated a full day to it!
Saturday 29 August
We will drive back to Boston, where the day will be free - discover the best of this historic city, including The Freedom Trail, Beacon Hill, The Waterfront, plus the site of the infamous Boston Tea party, take the trolley to Cambridge to walk around Harvard, or take a boat to go whale watching.
Sunday 30 August
You have a choice today – either take a direct flight back to the UK, or take the train down to New York. We can arrange for you to have as many days as you wish in the city, and fly home from there. There’s so much to do in New York! Go up the Empire State Building, visit the Statue of Liberty, ride the Staten Island ferry, visit the excellent Ellis Island Museum (Ellis Island is where most immigrants from Europe first arrived), walk across The Brooklyn Bridge, ride the NY subway to Coney Island (think Southend!), take a Circle Line ship right round Manhattan, or take the Long Island railroad for a fabulous trip beside the River Hudson. Or, of course, indulge in world class shopping at lower prices than here, in the UK.
Prices:
Fully inclusive price from London £3,995 based on two people sharing
Ground only price (Boston to Boston) £3,395
Extensions to New York from £ 195
Single supplement £1,450
Please note that all carriers, train times and flight times are subject to change at any time.
We’ll meet at Heathrow and fly out to Boston, Massachusetts. We’ll take you to our hotel in Manchester (no, not Lancashire) – about an hour’s drive for the night. Given the jet-lag (five hours time difference), you are free to stay at the hotel or go out for dinner and maybe have your first clam chowder, or just sleep!
Thursday 20 August
We’ll drive through to Meredith for a ride on the Winnipesaukee Railroad, which has an interesting collection of ancient American diesels for its train which runs alongside Meredith Bay with some lovely views. Another hour brings us to Clarks Trading Post where there is much to do. You can take a train ride behind a Climax steam locomotive on the White Mountain Central Railroad, see some bears, or ride a Segway. At the end of the day, a half hour’s drive brings us to the spectacular Mount Washington Hotel for the night. This is where the Bretton Woods agreement was signed in 1944, setting the framework for all international financial management and exchange.
Friday 21 August
Steam runs only once a day on the 1865-built Mount Washington Cog Railway, on the 0815 departure, so that’s the one we’ll take up to the summit (and back). We’ll then take an afternoon drive through to Wiscasset, near the coast, where we will stay for the night.
Saturday 22 August
We’ll take the short drive to Sheepscot for a real treat as the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway have agreed to open up especially for us. They have spent the last 25 years meticulously re-creating a few miles of the 2ft gauge railway which was closed in 1933. Almost all the work has been done by volunteers and is to the highest standard. You will ride in an original 1894 coach hauled by a Forney steam loco dating from 1904 and will be able to ride in the cab if you wish. They also have a working rail-mounted Model T Ford, and that will also be available for rides. The original SRRL Forney is here under restoration and should be nearly complete by the time of our visit. After lunch, we continue by road (3 hrs) to Farmington, where we will visit the site of the famed Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes terminus.
Sunday 23 August
We start with a drive up to Philips, Maine. This is the base for the short piece of revitalised 2ft gauge SR&RL Railway based on a brand-new roundhouse in the middle of a wood! The people that run this are an hospitable bunch, and will show us round their workshops, explain how they are restoring their rolling stock, before taking us for the short ride through the woods, along the river and up to Sanders station. In the afternoon, we will visit the Philips Historical Societies museum, before driving on to Bangor (2½ hrs)
Monday 24 August
Our morning visit is to the Cole Transport Museum in Bangor which covers road and farm vehicles, but does include a very nice caboose. After lunch, we’ll take a short run to the Belfast and Moosehead Railway where we hope to have a good go on their ‘rail bicycles’!
Tuesday 25 August
Our first stop is The Owls Head Transportation Museum which specialises in aircraft and road vehicles. We will then take the hour’s drive down to Boothbay Railway Village, which has an interesting short circular railway with many well-preserved Maine 2ft features. There will also be the option of a workshop visit, an excellent car museum and some interesting historic buildings with something of interest for everyone.
Wednesday 26 August
Seeing as we are the seaside, we will arrange a boat trip to see the whales which are common on this coast. This area is famous for its lobsters, so our lunch will be at the legendary “Lobster Shack” at Harraseeket River where you will certainly not go hungry! In the afternoon, we will call at Freeport, which houses the world-famous L L Bean mega-store (and plenty of other shops), worthy of some exploration.
Thursday 27 August
Portland is home to an excellent narrow Gauge Railroad Museum, home to an extensive collection of 2ft gauge rolling stock including one of the Sandy River Railroad’s Parlor cars and a rail bus. There’s also a short ride along the waterfront on the old standard gauge roadbed once owned by the Grand Trunk Railroad. We then take the short journey to Kennebunkport, which is everything you hope for from a New England seaside resort, for the night.
Friday 28 August
We cross back into Massachusetts, and we will visit the Lowell National Historical Park which houses many attractions including an Industrial Museum, a cotton mill, tram ride, canal trips and much more. There is much to see, so we have allocated a full day to it!
Saturday 29 August
We will drive back to Boston, where the day will be free - discover the best of this historic city, including The Freedom Trail, Beacon Hill, The Waterfront, plus the site of the infamous Boston Tea party, take the trolley to Cambridge to walk around Harvard, or take a boat to go whale watching.
Sunday 30 August
You have a choice today – either take a direct flight back to the UK, or take the train down to New York. We can arrange for you to have as many days as you wish in the city, and fly home from there. There’s so much to do in New York! Go up the Empire State Building, visit the Statue of Liberty, ride the Staten Island ferry, visit the excellent Ellis Island Museum (Ellis Island is where most immigrants from Europe first arrived), walk across The Brooklyn Bridge, ride the NY subway to Coney Island (think Southend!), take a Circle Line ship right round Manhattan, or take the Long Island railroad for a fabulous trip beside the River Hudson. Or, of course, indulge in world class shopping at lower prices than here, in the UK.
Prices:
Fully inclusive price from London £3,995 based on two people sharing
Ground only price (Boston to Boston) £3,395
Extensions to New York from £ 195
Single supplement £1,450
Please note that all carriers, train times and flight times are subject to change at any time.