Take to your paddleboard in Sussex & enjoy the best of both worlds with coastal & river paddleboarding available from the one
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Ride upfront on a footplate experience in Staffordshire & see what the track looks like from the working end of the train! This fabulous package gives you the chance to climb up onto a fully-restored steam-powered locomotive & ride on the footplate with the driver. Observe just what it involves to get a historic steam train all stoked up on the move & trundling along the Staffordshire track with the plumes of steam swirling around you. You really are quite literally in the hot seat on these experiences as you stand on the footplate & watch the overall-clad train crew shovelling coal into the furnace expertly working the levers & opening valves to power up & move these wonderfully solid machines. Expect heat noise & lots of steam too as the loco chugs into life & heads off on its journey along this superb rural heritage train line. The Churnet Valley line gives you 22 miles of valley views as you rumble through the likes of Consall station which is right next to the canal & the river. Then there's Froghall stop with its delightful tearooms on the platform. And you will be amazed at just how different everything looks from the very front of the train as you look out from your very privileged spot on the footplate
- quite an exhilarating experience! As you won't actually be taking the controls on this footplate experience you'll have more time to enjoy the viewpoint of the open locomotive & you'll be able to watch observe & understand what all the jobs involve. The crew is sure to explain how everything works & show you how it's done
- without you having to get your hands dirty! Don't forget to being your camera along to capture the moment you had the chance to stand on the footplate of a steam train on the Churnet Valley Railway!