The Netherlands - Friday 28th & Saturday 29th August 2026

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We are delighted to announce our second visit to the Netherlands, taking place on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th August 2026. As with our previous tour in the Netherlands, this two‑day experience will explore routes that rarely see locomotive‑hauled passenger trains and will feature an exciting mix of unusual and highly sought‑after traction.

We are pleased to be working once again with Railexperts, who will operate the train and provide several of the locomotives throughout the tour.

Friday’s afternoon charter will be hauled by a Class 189 electric locomotive, equipped with the necessary safety systems to traverse the Havenlijn to Maasvlakte.

At both Maasvlakte and Europoort, a second locomotive will be required to access non‑electrified routes. The specific diesel locomotive type is still to be confirmed, and we will share further details once available.

At Botlek, the train will again leave the electrified network. Here, Veer4Rail 363825—affectionately known as Tinky Winkythanks to its distinctive purple livery—will provide support.

Saturday’s main charter will be hauled by two classic electric locomotives (Class 1600 or 1800) from Railexperts, operating in top‑and‑tail formation. We have requested locomotives that did not work our train last year, and specifically asked for one to be a former RRF Class 1600 (either 4401 or 4402).

At Sloehaven, Railexperts currently have two V60 diesel locomotives on hand for commercial operations. Both are expected to support movements around the extensive port area.

On the return to Rotterdam, we plan to make a final stop at the Stoom Stichting Nederland (SSN) Headquarters, where passengers will have time to explore the locomotives on site. An SSN locomotive is expected to haul the train from the mainline into the SSN site.

Departing and returning to Rotterdam Centraal on both days, the tour features:

• Freight‑only infrastructure along the Havenlijn (Friday) and at Sloehaven (Saturday)
• Mainline sections that no longer see regular locomotive‑hauled passenger services, including the line to Vlissingen (Saturday)
• A visit to the SSN Headquarters (Saturday)

The train will primarily consist of classic compartment coaches provided by Stoom Stichting Nederland, along with a catering vehicle supplied by Railexperts, offering refreshments throughout the day.

Where operationally possible, we will include photostops at interesting or unusual locations, giving you the opportunity to capture the train and its surroundings.

Catering will be provided by Railexperts, with a provision similar to last year, including:

• Draft and special beers
• Hot and cold drinks
• Hot and cold food
• Snacks

Rotterdam Centraal (departure c.1500 hours) - Maasvlakte West Goederen - Rhenus Deep Sea Terminal (reverse) - Maasvlakte West Goederen - Europoort (reverse) - EBS (reverse) - Europoort - Botlek* - Waalhaven Zuid Goederen - Rotterdam Centraal (SD)

* The exact routing at Botlek is still under consideration. We will share an update once confirmed.

Rotterdam Centraal (departure c.0900 hours) - Dordrecht - Roosendaal - Goes - Vlissingen (reverse) - Goes (reverse) - Sloehaven Goederen - Atofina (reverse) - Sloehaven Goederen - Frankrijkweg (reverse) - Sloehaven Goederen (reverse) - Goes - Roosendaal - Breda - Tilburg - ’s‑Hertogenbosch - Geldermalsen - Utrecht Centraal - Gouda - Rotterdam Noord Goederen - Rotterdam SSN (reverse / site visit) - Rotterdam Noord Goederen (reverse) - Rotterdam Centraal (SD)

 Tickets will be priced at £209/€245 and available to book from Wednesday evening (15/07/26). 

Photos on this page provided by Henk Zwoferink and Justin van der Veer