Where should I visit for a day out?

[bangor-toad]

I'm after some suggestions for a day out please...

Rather unusually I'm going to have a free Saturday without the family and no particular jobs to do. I think I really ought to do something interesting with my day!

So, can you suggest a railway related thing to do this Saturday (5th Nov)?
As it's Bonfire night are there any special events anywhere? I'm easy going and would think about visiting a preserved line, going to a museum or looking around a model railway exhibition.
I'm driving so I can get about easily.

Here are the only constraints:
I'll be staying in Leicester and will be taking a leisurely breakfast so I'll start at about 10am.
I need to be in Heysham by 7:30pm.
I don't really want to go in the wrong direction and would look for places between Leicester and Heysham.
I'd like to do something new - so I'm not interested in any of these places as I've been there before:
GCR (both bits)
Midland Railway at Butterly
EVR
Crich trams
Peak Rail
NRM at York
East Lancs Railway


For the preserved railway options I've considered the KWVR or perhaps the Battlefield Line.
There seems to be a model exhibition in Barnsley - it looks handy to get to from the motorway but I know nothing more about it.
For a museum option there's the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, again I know little about it.

So, any ideas or comments on how I can spend my day off enjoyably?
Cheers,
Mr Toad

 

[Iskra]

I'm after some suggestions for a day out please...

Rather unusually I'm going to have a free Saturday without the family and no particular jobs to do. I think I really ought to do something interesting with my day!

So, can you suggest a railway related thing to do this Saturday (5th Nov)?
As it's Bonfire night are there any special events anywhere? I'm easy going and would think about visiting a preserved line, going to a museum or looking around a model railway exhibition.
I'm driving so I can get about easily.

Here are the only constraints:
I'll be staying in Leicester and will be taking a leisurely breakfast so I'll start at about 10am.
I need to be in Heysham by 7:30pm.
I don't really want to go in the wrong direction and would look for places between Leicester and Heysham.
I'd like to do something new - so I'm not interested in any of these places as I've been there before:
GCR (both bits)
Midland Railway at Butterly
EVR
Crich trams
Peak Rail
NRM at York
East Lancs Railway


For the preserved railway options I've considered the KWVR or perhaps the Battlefield Line.
There seems to be a model exhibition in Barnsley - it looks handy to get to from the motorway but I know nothing more about it.
For a museum option there's the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, again I know little about it.

So, any ideas or comments on how I can spend my day off enjoyably?
Cheers,
Mr Toad

KWVR seems logical- having good rail and road connections to Morecambe/Heysham.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

The KWVR is a nice day out, should be able to get there for the 1315 off Keighley or 1400 off Oxenhope. Couple of rides then up the A65 and across to Lancaster/Heysham.

The Museum of Science and Industry is always good, a few locomotives and the world's oldest train station. A little bit away from city centre so traffic isn't too bad.

 

[Iskra]

The KWVR is a nice day out, should be able to get there for the 1315 off Keighley or 1400 off Oxenhope. Couple of rides then up the A65 and across to Lancaster/Heysham.

The Museum of Science and Industry is always good, a few locomotives and the world's oldest train station. A little bit away from city centre so traffic isn't too bad.

Yes and there's the museum at Oxenhope, shed at Haworth and the vintage Carriage Museum at Ingrow if you have any spare time. Haworth has a decent chippy on the high street for lunch too, there's also a Subway and a couple of cafe's.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

There's the Heaton Park tramway in Manchester.
Wirral Tramway in Birkenhead.
South Ribble Railway in Preston.
The National Space Centre in Leicester.
Markeaton Park Miniature Railway in Derby.
A railway also exists near Leek somewhere.
Bolton and Emsey Railway near Skipton isn't far from the route.

The Science and Industry museum in Manchester already mentioned is memorable.

 

[30907]

The KWVR is a nice day out, should be able to get there for the 1315 off Keighley or 1400 off Oxenhope. Couple of rides then up the A65 and across to Lancaster/Heysham.

Parking (and traffic) is difficult in Keighley, I'd go for Oxenhope.
Interesting drive across from Chain Bar (aka M62 J26), awkward sharp left turn entering Denholme. Then across the moor to Colne (if its still light, no point otherwise). And the new Morecambe Link Road from the M6 is open.

 

[Southwest]

Parking (and traffic) is difficult in Keighley, I'd go for Oxenhope.

Amen to that, as I found out to my cost earlier on this year. It wasn't helped by members of the Yorkshire Police SWAT team parked like idiots in the official car park.