Driver Experience Days | Bentley Miniature Railway

Drive a Locomotive – A Hands-On Railway Adventure

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to drive a miniature locomotive? Now’s your chance!

Take control of one of our 7¼" narrow gauge engines, learning to manage controls, speed, and safety as you run between our timetabled service trains. Don’t worry—your instructor will be right beside you to keep everything on track.

In the afternoon, invite your family or friends to ride along as you haul them around our scenic one-mile circuit.

Please complete the below form to place your booking now!

Experiences We Offer

We currently offer a range of unique Battery Electric Driver Experiences, tailored for both adults and juniors.

All experiences take place on Sundays only, and spaces are limited on a first come, first served basis.

Battery Electric Driving Experiences

Take the controls of one of our battery electric locomotives. With the guidance of our experienced drivers, you’ll get to haul a small group of your family or friends around the railway.

Prices:

Full Day (Adult): £100
Half Day (Junior): from £65

Junior Driver Experiences

Perfect for younger railway enthusiasts! Depending on age (minimum preferred age 16) and skill level, we tailor the experience to each participant.

Learn the controls with a calm, supportive instructor
Drive the locomotive around our full one-mile circuit
Parents/guardians ride along throughout
For older juniors, we also offer half-day junior electric experiences, giving a taste of the full course in a safe and guided way

Note: We are currently closed for bookings in 2025. Bookings for 2026 are now open.

Book Your Experience

Spaces are limited, and places fill quickly—so be sure to reserve your Sunday driver experience early!

📧 Contact us at driverexperience@bentleyrailway.co.uk for any enquiries.

Application Form

Contact Name:

Participant Name:

Participant Age
(if under 18):

Address:

This is the address to which your voucher will be sent

Email Address:

Telephone Number:

Experience Type:

Preferred Payment Method:

Comments:

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Terms and Conditions

During the driver experience, your friends and family will be able to make use of the public facilities at the railway.
Cancellation - Bentley Miniature Railway reserves the right to postpone a booking if there is heavy rain or for other operational or staffing reasons. This will be because of safety and the decision of our Duty Manager is final. If bad weather does not affect our safety systems the booking may go ahead if you wish. If you cancel your booking giving more than 48 hours' notice your payment will be refunded, or your booking can be postponed to a later date. If you cancel your booking giving less than 48hours' notice your payment will not be refunded, or your booking can be postponed to a later date.
Locomotives - Bentley Miniature Railway operates Battery Electric, Petrol, Diesel, and Steam locomotives. Please note that, although we will always try and meet an organiser’s wishes, our locomotives are privately owned by individual members and it is therefore not possible to guarantee to provide any particular locomotive.
Safety - A senior member of our staff is appointed as Duty Manager whenever the railway is operating and they are responsible for all aspects of the day’s operation. Please make yourselves known to the Duty Manager when you arrive at the railway, and any concerns should be discussed with them.
We take safety very seriously and ensure that our locomotives and rolling stock are properly maintained and certified (where necessary) and that all operating rules are followed.
Minimum preferred age: 16 years for adult experiences, 12 years from junior experiences..
Payment must be made in advance