Rail Riders return: time to get on board!

A club for young rail enthusiasts was operated by British Rail from from 1981 to 1991.

Originally known as the Great Rail Club, it changed its name to the more marketable and catchy Rail Riders.

This club gave children aged 5-15 special membership benefits, such as discounted travel and a regular quarterly magazine.

The club was promoted by the late Keith Chegwin, with the organisation’s slogans including ‘the happiest club in the land’ and ‘travel, action, fun’.

At its peak the club had 125,000 members.

In October 2019 it was announced Rail Riders would return after a hiatus of 30 years, and would relaunch on February 29, 2020. The man behind the new venture is Simon Buxton, a former member and owner of Bufferbeam Ltd, who has worked tirelessly over the past six months to awaken a 1980s’ giant.

The new club will not be just for children, but for rail enthusiasts of all ages.

Members will receive discounts at selected heritage railways and other participating railway-themed businesses, such as model shops.

A quarterly magazine will still be produced, and a membership welcome pack will also be supplied.

A ‘passport’ in the guide book will also be introduced, allowing members to collect stamps from the visiting attractions and enter a yearly competition.

The companies on these pages are all offering Rail Riders members discounts, and look forward to welcoming you, but these are not the only associations working with Simon – the list is growing daily.

A visit to the

East Anglian Railway Museum qualifies for a 25% discount on entry to the museum on non-event days, with a 10% discount on event days (excluding ‘Thomas’ and the Beer Festival).

Don’t miss out on the fun. Re-create childhood memories, make new ones and why not take the whole family!

If any business or railway want to join please contact info@ railriders.club