The setting at Froghall station is beautiful. The locomotive and rolling stock magnificent.The staff very friendly,helpful and engaging.We had booked for the cream tea experience.Trip scheduled 1.30-... See more
Company replied
While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
Review summary
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
What people talk about most
Reviews shaping this summary
It was first experience of Churnet Valley Railway, but hopefully it won’t be my last. Due to the extreme weather conditions they were running to an Emergency Timetable and couldn’t go across the moor... See more
Company replied
Excellent, the staff and volunteers work so hard, the train was lovely, with a beautifully set table, the table service excellent and the food exceeded my expectations. I’ll be honest I was half expec... See more
Company replied
Yet another fantastic trip on the Churnet Valley Railway. Took my granddaughter on the breakfast train for her 17th birthday, went on the new part of the line to Leek it’s a little bit shorter than th... See more
Company replied
Company details
About Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Written by the company
Churnet Valley Railway: A Journey Through Time and Scenic Beauty
Hop on board Churnet Valley Railway, Staffordshire’s premier heritage railway, for an unforgettable journey through England's scenic countryside. Catering to a wide range of audiences, Churnet Valley Railway offers not just a trip, but an experience designed to delight all ages.
Entertainment for Everyone: Whether it’s a fun-filled day out with the kids, who will be thrilled by special children's events like The Mad Hatters Tea Train Party, an exotic and romantic lunch excursion for couples, or their tipsy Rail Ale Trail for you and your mates – there's something for everyone at Churnet Valley Railway. Seasonal events like their PolarExpress™ Christmas Train Ride or the Midsummer Murder Mystery evenings offer entertainment that stays fresh throughout the year.
Heritage Presentation: Operated primarily by a dedicated team of volunteers, Churnet Valley Railway takes immense pride in preserving and showcasing the golden age of British rail travel. The meticulously restored steam locomotives, along with vintage carriages, offer passengers an authentic glimpse into the past.
Partnerships Galore: Beyond providing a thrilling day out, Churnet Valley Railway collaborates with external partners to bring Staffordshire some of its most loved events. From bringing festival-goers to villages accessible only by rail to hosting engaging and interactive educational events for children, Churnet Valley continues to offer new and exciting options to the communities they serve. Hop on board and experience the unique blend of nostalgia, scenic beauty, and warm hospitality that only Churnet Valley Railway can offer.
Contact info
Station Road, ST13 7EE, Cheddleton, United Kingdom
- 01538360522
- enquiries@churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
- churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
4.8
Excellent
14K reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
Replied to 97% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 48 hours
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Lovely meal on the Bombay Express
Lovely meal on the Bombay Express. Great service. Staff from greeting us on arrival to serving on the train, saying thank you and goodbye were wonderful. Great experience.
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
We had a lovely meal on the bombay…
We had a lovely meal on the bombay express. Staff were lovely. It was something different. We would go again .
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
The Bombay Express was a delight
The Bombay Express was a delight. Good food and a journey along the river/canal and farmland with a sunset to end the day.
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
Excellent trip
Excellent trip. Lots of volunteer staff around, good tanoy announcements, decent tearooms, clean carriages, and we liked the trolley service on the train. Very dog friendly. Lovely train ride, which travelled a lot further than expected. We didn’t have one of the information sheets with route plan on our table in the carriage, which looked very useful. Great day out.
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
Enjoyable evening trip
A very enjoyable evening, with good food, comfortable seats and friendly staff both at the station and on the train.
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
Staff very helpful and informative
Staff very helpful and informative. Journey extremely interesting. SPUD was excellent value and delicious. Our Aussie friends were extremely happy with the experience.
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
Friendly staff excellent pie 🥧 train…
Friendly staff excellent pie 🥧 train ride was perfect
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
Excellent afternoon
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
Lovely few hours around the Staffordshire Moorlands. Very friendly staff and good value. We did the Butty and Brew and highly recommend.
Lovely few hours around the Staffordshire Moorlands countryside. Very good value, we did the Butty and Brew which is highly recommended. Although web site said sold out, the train wasn't overcrowded and we had a compartment to ourselves. Very friendly staff and would like to try their other experiences
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
Excellent service and great atmosphere
Excellent service and great atmosphere.
Staff were excellent
22 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review, please travel again with us soon.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360533
Really enjoyed the journey
Really enjoyed the journey , the food was great and the staff were all very nice and helpful .
21 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We're glad that you enjoyed your Pie & Mash with us!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 350522
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We look forward to seeing you again!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
It was our first time visiting quite disappointed
It was our first time visiting. We booked the fish and chip train. The staff are lovely and the carriages are comfortable and clean. However we were disappointed. We paid £38.50 each for a very small fish and chips and the train journey. There were people on the train who had paid only for the train trip. They had paid less than £20. There is no way that the chips were worth the extra amount. Seats are not allocated so it is like a free for all when the train arrives. There were some people who had chips that could not find a seat. Surely those who had not booked food should be seated last. The train is not currently doing the full journey due to fire caution. Whilst we understood this it really should have been advertised when booked. The views on the section that we did travel are ok but not as impressive as other train companies that we have been on. As it is doing a limited journey you are given the opportunity to do the journey twice. Many of us left the train after the first journey. If I came again I would book one of the more organised dining experiences. This was not worth the money I’m afraid.
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback following your first visit to our railway. We are pleased to hear that you found our carriages comfortable and clean, and that our team provided a lovely service. However, we are very sorry that the overall experience fell short of your expectations and did not feel worth the £38.50 ticket price. We appreciate your fair criticisms regarding our operation. Your comments regarding the fish and chip portion sizes have been passed directly to the vendor for immediate review. Furthermore, we take your feedback regarding our unallocated seating system very seriously; hearing that dining guests struggled to find seats while non-dining passengers were already boarded is unacceptable, and we are reviewing how we structure our boarding priorities to ensure our dining guests are accommodated properly. Regarding the shortened route, we apologize that the fire caution restrictions were not clearly highlighted during your booking process. While seasonal safety regulations regarding steam engine embers can unfortunately force emergency route limits, we completely agree that this should be transparently communicated to passengers beforehand.
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538360522
Really enjoyed it a shame it didn't go…
Really enjoyed it a shame it didn't go all the way,
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We look forward to seeing you again for the full route!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Greek evening was excellent
Greek evening was excellent. Good food, lovely company, brilliant staff. A memorable way to spend a birthday .
Look forward to next special event. Thank you. Value for money.
21 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for your kind words regarding your trip with us! We’re so happy to hear that you had a great experience with our service. Our team strives to provide exceptional service, and knowing that we’ve met your expectations truly means a lot to us. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again in the future. If there's anything else we can do for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Fascinating railway
Fascinating railway , different from regular heritage railway, loved it!
19 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely review!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We look forward to seeing you again!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Pie n mash
Staff very friendly and the food was great. Fabulous value for money - great evening out.
21 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you for your lovely, supportive review. We look forward to seeing you again!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for your kind words regarding your trip with us! We’re so happy to hear that you had a great experience with our service. Our team strives to provide exceptional service, and knowing that we’ve met your expectations truly means a lot to us. We appreciate your support!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
Exceptional Staff and food!
All the staff were amazing! We received a very warm welcome and lots of smiles 😁. We were informed what to do and everything went very smoothly. The pie and mash was very hot and tasted great. The train journey was also really enjoyable.
21 August 2026
Reply from Churnet Valley Railway (1992) PLC
Thank you so much for your kind words regarding your trip with us! We’re so happy to hear that you had a great experience with our service. Our team strives to provide exceptional service, and knowing that we’ve met your expectations truly means a lot to us. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again in the future. If there's anything else we can do for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Kind regards
Kaaren
01538 360522
The Trustpilot Experience
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.