Name: Blaenavon's Heritage Railway
Rating: 5.0

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway / The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway, Pontypool, UK

1-90 Years

Paid

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Description

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway is a scenic heritage railway running through the Blaenavon World Heritage Site on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. It offers visitors the chance to travel back in time aboard steam and heritage diesel trains in a beautiful UNESCO-listed industrial landscape. The railway operates on weekends and bank holidays between April and September, selected Wednesdays in July and August, and hosts special events throughout the year.

Visitors can enjoy steam and heritage diesel train rides, upgrade to Saloon Travel in restored Great Western Railway coaches (1910 and 1948 builds), and hop on or off at four stations — Furnace Sidings, Blaenavon High Level, Big Pit Station and Garn Yr Erw (Whistle Inn). At Furnace Sidings you’ll find Eric’s Emporium gift shop, The Fireman’s Shovel tearoom, workshops and engine sheds, while nearby attractions include Big Pit Mining Museum, Blaenavon Ironworks and Garn Lakes. The railway also runs special events including character days with The Gruffalo, Bluey and Paddington Bear, plus Halloween Ghost Trains and Santa’s Magical Steam Train.

Standard ticket prices are £16.00 for Adults (16+), £8.00 for Children (3–15 yrs), and Infants under 3 travel FREE. A Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) costs £40.00, with 10% off all tickets when booked online.

With heritage trains, scenic countryside views and family-friendly themed events, Blaenavon's Heritage Railway offers a nostalgic and relaxing day out. Whether you’re exploring industrial history, enjoying a steam journey or attending a festive special event, there’s something for all ages. It is a perfect attraction for railway enthusiasts, families and anyone wanting to experience Welsh heritage in a unique way.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway: Blaenavon's Heritage Railway runs through the Blaenavon World Heritage site on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. We operate steam and heritage diesel services on weekends and bank holidays between April and September, together with selected Wednesdays during July and August. We also offer a range of special events throughout the year, including character events with The Gruffalo, Bluey, Paddington Bear and our popular Halloween Ghost Trains and Santa's Magical Steam Train.
Saloon Travel: Travel in style aboard one of our saloon coaches. Throughout the season customers will have the opportunity to travel aboard our two superbly restored engineers' saloon vehicles. Built by the Great Western Railway in 1910 and 1948 respectively, they add a new experience for our passengers, allowing stylish travel. On selected days upgrades to saloon coach travel will be available as a supplement from the ticket office at our Furnace Sidings station. These are valid for one round trip. (Not available to book in advance)

Facilities

Parking: Ample free car and coach parking is available at Furnace Sidings, our main station.
Food & Drinks: The refreshment room reopens in late March 2026 and will open on every running day throughout the season. Stop by for a refreshing hot and cold drink, tea, coffee, cake, snacks etc.
Eric's Emporium: The Emporium stock a wide range of toys and gifts at pocket money prices including Thomas The Tank Engine, Big Jigs, Soft Toys, Teamsters etc.
Toilets: Unfortunately there are no toilets on the train but facilities are available at both Furnace Sidings and Blaenavon High Level stations.

What to see

Our Stations

Furnace Sidings: This is our main station and the heart of our railway. Situated just off the B4248 between Blaenavon and Brynmawr. Furnace Sidings has an emporium selling toys, gifts and souvenirs, The Fireman's Shovel tearoom, our main ticket office, toilets and a large free car and coach park. It is the home of our main workshops and engine sheds. A short walk from the Garn Lakes and Big Pit Mining Museum.
Blaenavon High Level: Blaenavon High Level station is a short but challenging walk to the town of Blaenavon and the attractions of this World Heritage Town, including Blaenavon Ironworks, The Heritage Centre and Blaenavon Workmen's Hall. A bus stop that serves the Eastern Valley towns of Pontypool, Cwmbran and the city of Newport is located close by.
Big Pit Station: The station is a short walk from the Big Pit mining museum. This is a part of the National Museum of Wales and is separate from the railway. Visitors can enjoy an underground tour as well as above ground attractions. There is a shop, café and examples of mining equipment displayed.
Garn Yr Erw (Whistle Inn): The station is adjacent to the Whistle Inn Public House and Campsite. Food is served here and you can enjoy a drink in the very pleasant surroundings. The Inn has a special character of its own. Contact the Whistle Inn if you have any enquiries. The station is at the northern end of our railway and is close to the Garn Lakes where you can enjoy a pleasant walk around this reclaimed area. There are many challenging walks in the area and it is not unusual to see hang gliders launch from the nearby mountain top.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Standard Tickets

Adult (16+): Ticket Office £16.00 / 10% off online
Child (3–15 yrs): Ticket Office £8.00 / 10% off online
Infant (under 3 yrs): FREE
Family (2 adults + 2 children): Ticket Office £40.00 / 10% off online

Pricing URL: https://www.bhrailway.co.uk/calendar-of-events

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Visit the website for timing information.

Address: Blaenavon's Heritage Railway / The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway, Pontypool, UK

Post Code: NP4 9ND

Council: Torfaen

County: Gwent

By Car: Ample free car and coach parking is available at Furnace Sidings, our main station. We are just off the B4248 at Garn-yr-Erw between Brynmawr and Blaenavon. When travelling to the railway, please use postcode NP4 9AX
By Bus: Alight at either station to connect onto Stagecoach in South Wales’s X24 service from Newport to Blaenavon, which departs from Cwmbran Bus Station Stand E and Newport Market Square Bus Station Stand 16 respectively.
By Train: The nearest railway stations with easy connections to our railway are at Cwmbran and Newport.