Drive a diesel train along the wonderful Churnet Valley Railway line! British Railways started building cleaner & more economical diesel-powered trains in the 1950s. Lightweight & adaptable the diesel rail cars you can drive on these experiences were all built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company not far from this heritage line's base in Staffordshire.A true labour of love the wagons & trains you will climb aboard at the Cheddleton base have been restored by the army of volunteers between 1992 & 2004. We think the hard-working team has every right to be incredibly proud of what has been achieved with the train gone from being on the diesel scrap heap to be driven by you & looking decidedly more photogenic now too liveried up in a gorgeous dark green colour or classic BR blue. To be more precise about your day out you will most likely be driving a class 33 train. This class of diesel was in production between 1960 & 1962 with 98 locos being built in total. At the time they were quite innovative being factory fitted with dual braking systems namely vacuum & air. They were also capable of working in push-pull mode where the trains run on a non-electrified section of railway line. All this fascinating info & more will be explained to you when you take on the 12 mile trip on a one to one basis with your expert driver. And there is such a lot of history behind these locos! ' Sophie' retired in 1992 from the mainlines & she was sold by tender in 1993. After having her bogies replaced & an overhaul she went back into service in 1997. A complete restoration was carried out in 2009 (covering everything from re-wiring & bodywork to new batteries & repainting) before being back in traffic in 2012.' Captain Charles' is another class 33 who retired from service in 1996 after a long career. After being sold & run privately to pull charter & specialist services he made his first appearance after restoration in 2010 & found his way to the Churnet Valley later that year. These are just two of the diesel trains that are in the fleet here in Staffordshire with lots more stored awaiting overhaul or repairs including class 47s ' Brightside' ' Tamworth Castle' & No 6 Roger H Bennett to name but a few loco shed residents. You will be heading out for your jaunt on the Churnet Valley Line that stretches 12 miles along the countryside they call ' Little Switzerland' in this part of Staffordshire. Every drive a diesel train experience is offered on an exclusive basis so it will just be you & the experienced driver upfront in the cab ensuring lots of hands on time actually driving the diesel multiple unit & learning what it was like to be a diesel train driver in the 1960s & 70s. & don't forget your friends & family will be able to wave from the platform! ...

Enjoy a diesel train experience that'll see you riding up front with the driver on one of Britain's finest light railways through the historic countryside of Kent. You will be a very privileged passenger on a Diesel Mechanical Multiple Unit with the rare chance to see everything on the railway from the driver's perspective. Learning all about the heritage of this lovely little light railway as you go you'll leave the main station at Tenterden & head through Northiam to the present terminus at Bodiam (right next to the stunning castle!). What we love about this diesel train experience is that whilst being driven along the 21 mile long round trip you will spend the entire time alongside the driver of this vintage diesel train in the cab. We think this is one very special ride. Of course the DMMUs that take part in these experiences are nothing like the diesel trains you see driving the length & breadth of Britain today. We're talking the first wave of diesel power introduced when the Kent & East Sussex Railway was taken over by British Railways in 1948 & traction by internal combustion was becoming more common. In the post-war era early railcars & diesel locos where in active use on this very line including a twice-daily 'hop picker's' freight service. Today the heritage railway uses diesels for shunting engineers' trains off peak passenger train services & emergency assistance too. The line is steeped in history & this experience gives you time to ask the driver all the questions you want whether it's about how the diesel trains are used here or the technical aspects of restoration. Maybe you want to know how signal boxes work or you're curious as to what freight was carried on this line. All your queries will be deftly answered by the knowledgeable staff here in Kent. To cover the return journey you should allow just shy of two hours giving you plenty of time to get to know & understand how a DMMU works. Being a classic diesel train you'll have a great 'driver's eye view' from the panoramic window of the cab & you'll get a real insight into diesel train driving operations & techniques. This is a truly memorable day out that doesn't end at the train terminus as you have all day to take in the Colonel Stephens Museum & general goings on at the Kent & East Sussex Railway after your diesel train experience. ...

Drive a 50s or 60s diesel train for two return journeys on the GCR ...

Earth moving & dozing fun in a former quarry with a digger! ...

Up to 50% off meals with your Dine membership for a year ...

At least once in our lives the 'who would play me in a movie about my life' conversation pops up. This experience day is your chance to turn musings into movies! With the help of some of the best script writers in the business your first job is to devise the plot & work out the way in which your story will be told. It doesn't have to be 100% accurate add some glamour if need be! Once the script is ready it's time to decide who gets the honour of playing you in this screen play. Rest assured all the big names in the business will be vying for this role. I mean we know you don't like to blow your own trumpet but it goes without saying that the lead role will receive an instant academy award nomination. So who will it be? Leo? Meryl Streep? Danny Dyer? The choice is entirely yours to make. Put it this way there's no one who won't be picking up the phone for the role you have on offer. With the cast & screen-play in place you're ready to start shooting your movie. The filming loca... ...

Introducing the Blitzworld Vigilante dirt buggies in Cheshire! These machines are in a completely different league

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Get down & dirty on this Dirt Buggy Challenge in Sussex! It's all about a Grand Prix-style pursuit challenge in the dirt buggies

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Race around the track on a fast & agile dirt buggy! This is a dirt buggy session (basically a high speed off road go-kart) on a purpose-built dirt track on the edge of Sherwood Forest in north Nottinghamshire so get ready for some fast & furious dirty fun with these powerful buggies! These 400cc Honda powered Gemini dirt buggies are brilliant to drive. They're lightweight & close to the ground & they have a completely open cockpit. That means you are at the mercy of the elements too as you whip around this dirt track. Before you race you will be kitted out in all the gear you need to be safe & cosy whilst you drive & of course each buggy has a full roll cage & full safety harness too. After a short safety briefing by the marshals you will be let out onto the practice circuit to get used to how these dirt buggies drive. Once you've got the hang of your dirt buggy in Nottingham it's time to hit the main track. Expect humps & bumps galore tricky hairpin bends to negotiate as well as water splashes & (hopefully) loads of mud & dust to play in. To add an extra thrill factor to your buggy drive just your team will be out on the track at once so you've always got an adversary to chase whilst you throw the buggy in & out of those corners. The venue is only a 20 minute drive from Nottingham & there is a snack bar on site selling drinks & hot food such as rolls burgers & pizzas. Why not get a group of you together & take each other on in your dirt buggy in the Nottinghamshire countryside? ...

Make a muddy splash with these dirt buggies in Reading! This lakeside centre is home to a whole host of activities including the

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