📍 Wallingford
Cholsey & Wallingford Railway
Preserved 2.5-mile heritage railway linking Cholsey to Wallingford, hauling steam and diesel trains on selected weekends and bank holidays through South Oxfordshire.
✦ We visited
We caught a steam working on our visit and the children were on the platform long before the train pulled in. The bouncy castle at Wallingford kept the younger one going between services and the volunteers were excellent at fielding questions about how the locomotive worked.
The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway is a preserved Great Western Railway branchline running two and a half miles from Cholsey, where it joins the national rail network, through the South Oxfordshire countryside to the historic market town of Wallingford. The line is run entirely by volunteers and operates on selected weekends and bank holidays throughout the year, with steam haulage where available.
The round trip takes around 45 minutes, but most families stay longer than that. At Wallingford station the railway has its own museum telling the story of the line and the people who built it. A bouncy castle for children under ten is available on most operating days, and cream teas have returned for the 2026 season, so there is plenty of reason to linger on the platform between trains.
The railway runs a programme of special events across the year, including murder mystery evenings and themed seasonal trains. If you have a strong preference for steam rather than diesel haulage, it is worth checking the website before you book, as the traction varies by date.
Pushchairs can be brought aboard and the atmosphere at both stations is relaxed and unhurried. Volunteers are generally happy to talk about the locomotives with curious visitors of any age.
Good for: trains, history, outdoors. Ages: 0–2, 3–4, 5–7, 8–11, 12+.
Good to know
When does the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway run?
The railway operates on selected weekends and bank holidays throughout the year. Check the website for the full timetable and special event dates before you travel, as not every weekend is an operating day.
Is the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway suitable for young children?
Yes, under-5s travel free and the platform at Wallingford has a bouncy castle available for children under ten on most operating days. Pushchairs can be brought on board.
Where does the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway depart from?
The railway runs between Wallingford Station at 5 Hithercroft Road (OX10 9GQ) and Cholsey, which is on the national rail network between Didcot and Reading. You can join from either end.
