Oxfordshire railway offers driver, shunter and signaller experience

Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway in south Oxfordshire is offering adults the chance to drive a locomotive, shunt some wagons and operate the levers in a signal box for a fee of £200.

On Saturday 23 September, those who have booked the experience will:

The engine roster includes 08825, Haversham, D2069, or IRIS. The Railway can not guarantee any specific locomotive will be available on the day, but it aims to operate with 08825 or Haversham.

All activities will take place under the supervision of the Railway's expert volunteers.

The Railway has previously offered a very similar experience to professional railway staff, and is making it available to the public for the first time. There are limited places available, which will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway has its headquarters and main station at Chinnor in South Oxfordshire. It runs along the foot of the Chilterns escarpment, and is nicknamed ‘The Icknield Line' for its connection to the Lower Icknield Way. The line was part of the former Great Western Railway branch line between Watlington and Princes Risborough which closed to passenger traffic in 1957, after which the section between Chinnor and Princes Risborough thereafter carried a freight-only cement service until 1989.

The hands-on Driver, Shunter and Signaller Taster Experience begins with a safety briefing with two other participants.

The experience will last about one-and-a-quarter hours, and will consist of each participant:

• joining the locomotive crew and driving from Chinnor platform down the Main
• coupling to a wagon, after uncoupling it from a barrier vehicle behind
• running with their consist back towards the platform and stopping beyond signal 14
• propelling back down into the Yard and coupling the hauled wagon to another barrier vehicle
• uncoupling the loco and running light engine back to the platform.

The £200 price includes a voucher for a ‘bacon butty' or sausage sandwich plus a hot drink. Participants will receive a Chinnor Railway Certificate, plus small goody bag of merchandise.

Participants may bring friends and family, but they will be allowed to observe only from the station platform.

Experiences are available to book online on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway website here