Moseley Railway Trust
Volunteer-run 2 ft gauge heritage railway at Apedale Country Park, with steam and diesel locomotives from a collection of industrial narrow gauge equipment.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Moseley Railway Trust began as a school railway society. In 1970 a horse pulled a home-built tram at Moseley Hall Grammar School near Cheadle, and during the 1980s the group developed into a more adult-orientated heritage organisation. Today it is a volunteer-run registered charity whose aim is to preserve, conserve and explain equipment from industrial narrow gauge railways, the small lines that served mines, quarries, estates and factories. They grew quickly during the First World War and most were closed from the 1960s, when conveyor belts and dumper trucks took over.
The trust moved its railway to Apedale, near Newcastle-under-Lyme, in 2008 and began carrying passengers there in 2010. The Apedale Valley Light Railway is a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge line a few hundred metres long beside Apedale Country Park, and a return trip takes about 15 minutes. Trains are hauled by steam or diesel locomotives from the trust's collection, and the station building was moved from Silverdale on the former North Staffordshire Railway. The coaches include a replica of a north Wales slate quarry coach and a modern coach that once ran on the Ffestiniog Railway.
A small museum area and a shop are at the station. The trust is also planning a Narrow Gauge Railway Centre next to the station building, with three tracks inside, to tell the story of industrial narrow gauge railways. That building is not yet open, and the trust hopes to become an accredited museum. The railway is run entirely by volunteers and holds special events during the year.
Highlights
- Steam and diesel locomotives from a collection of industrial narrow gauge equipment
- 15-minute return trip on a 2 ft gauge line beside Apedale Country Park
- Station building moved from Silverdale on the North Staffordshire Railway
- Loco shed tours can be arranged on steam days
- Narrow Gauge Railway Centre planned next to the station
Permanent exhibition
- Industrial narrow gauge locomotives and coaches – Steam and diesel locomotives and rolling stock from the trust's collection of industrial narrow gauge equipment, shown in use on the railway and in a small museum area at the station.
- Founded
- 1968
- Operated by
- Moseley Railway Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £5 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £1free up to age 2 · Children aged 3 to 15 travel all day for £1 with a fare-paying adult ("Kids for a Quid"). Children under 3 travel free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers accompanying registered disabled passengers travel free in 2026, funded by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council. |
| Single ticket from the main station, adult | £3 |
| Single ticket from the main station, child | £1 |
The adult price is the Day Rover for unlimited travel on the day. Fares may differ on special event weekends. Tickets are bought on the day at the station shop, except for the December Santa Specials, which are booked in advance. Dogs on a lead travel free, at the owner's risk.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The platform is level with a tactile edge, and a shallow ramp leads onto it from the car park. The small museum and its toilets can be reached step-free from the platform. Boarding the train involves a step; a ramp is available and the train can carry two wheelchair users at a time, but powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters cannot be carried. Accessible toilets are in the museum whenever trains run, and there is another at the nearby Apedale Heritage Centre, which may close before the last trains. The path to the Apedale Road station is not hard surfaced and may be difficult for wheelchair users. There is no hearing loop. Steam trains can be loud and sudden, and staff will make arrangements on request.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Children aged 3 to 15 travel all day for £1 with a fare-paying adult, and under-3s travel free. Seasonal family events include Halloween Spooky Specials and Santa Specials.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Chesterton Library, London Road · 15-min walk
There is no direct bus from Stoke-on-Trent station. Take a frequent bus to Hanley, then First Bus route 38 or 38A from Hanley bus station towards Chesterton. From Kidsgrove station, bus 39 runs to Chesterton. Get off at Broadmeadow Court or Chesterton Library on London Road, then walk about 15 minutes along Loomer Road to the country park.
By car
Free parking
All car parks are free. Park in the marked car parks by the Apedale Heritage Centre; the railway is just beyond it and cars cannot drive to it. A height barrier at the country park entrance is set at 6 ft 6 in. Visitors with limited mobility can park in an area with level access to the railway.
The satnav postcode ST5 7LB belongs to a care home on Loomer Road, so continue along Loomer Road to the end and bear right into the country park. From the M6 take junction 16 (from the north) or junction 15 (from the south), then the A500 and A34 towards Newcastle-under-Lyme and the B5369 to Chesterton.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The station shop sells tickets and souvenirs. A café is at the neighbouring Apedale Heritage Centre, not on the railway itself.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | On steam days visitors can arrange a tour of the main loco shed. Some coaches are open and unheated. The railway can also arrange charter trains. |
