Talyllyn Railway, Tywyn Talyllyn Railway Company, Wharf Station, Tywyn, Gwynedd LL36 9EY 01654 710472 Talyllyn Railway Open: Varies, please check website Prices: From £4.50

In a nutshell. The daddy of them all. Talyllyn is the world’s first preserved railway, running for over seven miles from Cardigan Bay through the smooth, green mountains of southern Snowdonia. It’s easy to see why this little train inspired the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine.

Why go? A strong steam heritage. Friendly, enthusiastic staff. Classic rural landscapes and beguiling stopping-off places like the waterfalls at Dolgoch. Railway Museum at Tywyn.