Heritage Open Days 2026 at TVLR – HTP Joins a Week of Railway Heritage at Nantmawr

Heritage Open Days 2026: HTP at the Tanat Valley Light Railway

This September, Heritage Traction Preservation will be joining the Tanat Valley Light Railway at Nantmawr for Heritage Open Days 2026, with the HTP team on site from Monday 14 to Sunday 20 September. Throughout the week, visitors will have the opportunity to see our preserved Class 143 Pacers, 143601 and 143616, up close while our volunteers continue with preservation and restoration work. Subject to the activities taking place each day, we also hope to open one of our Pacers for visitors to step aboard, explore the interior and discover a dedicated exhibition and demonstration area featuring Pacer components, railway artefacts, and information about the history, operation and preservation of these distinctive trains. Alongside HTP’s activities, there will be plenty to discover across the wider Nant Mawr site as part of TVLR’s Heritage Open Days programme.

Heritage Open Days 2026 at TVLR – HTP Joins a Week of Railway Heritage at Nantmawr

Monday 14 – Sunday 20 September 2026

Heritage Traction Preservation is delighted to confirm that HTP will be on site at the Tanat Valley Light Railway & Nantmawr Visitor Centre from Monday 14 to Sunday 20 September 2026, joining TVLR for the final seven days of this year's Heritage Open Days festival. Heritage Open Days at Nantmawr will actually begin on Friday 11 September, with the site open every day through to Sunday 20 September, from 10:00 until 16:00. There is no requirement to pre-book, and entry to the Heritage Open Days event is free. TVLR already has an extensive programme of attractions planned for the festival, and from Monday 14 September, HTP will be adding our own programme centred around our preserved Class 143 Pacers, 143601 and 143616. Whether you're interested in Pacers, railway engineering, industrial heritage, unusual railway vehicles, or simply looking for somewhere different to visit, there should be plenty to discover at Nantmawr.

What's Happening at TVLR?

The Tanat Valley Light Railway will have attractions and activities taking place throughout the Heritage Open Days festival.

Class 309 Museum Coach

TVLR's Class 309 Museum Coach will be open every day from 10:00–16:00. The Class 309 vehicles were rescued from the former Electric Railway Museum at Coventry and visitors will be able to explore displays covering the history of electric railway power alongside exhibits telling the story of the Tanat Valley Light Railway.

The Clacton Café

The Clacton Café coach will be open during the two Heritage Open Days weekends: Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 September and Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 September Tea and biscuits will also be available on the other days of the festival.

The Richard Morris Collection

Visitors will be able to explore the fascinating Richard Morris Collection at Nantmawr. Among the unusual exhibits is a BMW Isetta Bubble Car mounted on narrow-gauge railway wheels – certainly not something you're likely to encounter at your average railway!

The Monorail

One of Nantmawr's most unusual attractions will also be operating. The diesel monorail is planned to operate every day of the Heritage Open Days festival, giving visitors the opportunity to experience another very different form of railway transport. Visitors will also be able to see the railway's newly refurbished steam monorail locomotive. This remarkable survivor is described by TVLR as the only true steam monorail engine in the world and will be on static display during the event.

New Attractions for 2026

Heritage Open Days will also provide an opportunity to discover some of TVLR's newest attractions. These include new Rail Trolley Trust vehicles and the newly refurbished steam monorail engine. TVLR volunteers are also working towards getting the site's fairground ride operational so that it can potentially be demonstrated running. Please note that public rides on the fairground attraction will not be available this year.

Special Displays & Guided Tours

TVLR plans to have special displays available throughout each day of the festival. Railway volunteers will also be on hand to provide guided tours of the Nantmawr site, explain the work which has taken place and talk about the railway's plans for the future.

Explore Nantmawr

There is much more to Nantmawr than rolling stock. Visitors can explore the site's woodland walks and nature trails, make use of the picnic areas and visit the spiral viewpoint. The site also contains what are reputed to be the highest lime kilns in the UK by physical height. Around 20 acres of land are gradually being developed into the Nantmawr Visitor Centre. The railway itself is particularly historically significant. TVLR's surviving section of railway is the last remaining part of the former Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway – the 'Old Potts'.

And From Monday 14 September – HTP Joins In!

From Monday 14 until Sunday 20 September, Heritage Traction Preservation will be on site with our two preserved Class 143 Pacer units: 143601 – The Pioneer & 143616 We'll be spending seven days at Nantmawr, with our volunteers undertaking preservation, restoration and maintenance activities while also hoping to provide visitors with a closer look at the Pacer story.

Step Aboard Our Pacers

Subject to operational requirements and safe access arrangements, we hope to open at least one of our Pacers for public access during the week. This could give visitors the opportunity to step aboard a preserved Class 143, explore the passenger accommodation and see features of these distinctive trains up close. Our volunteers will be around to talk about the Pacers, their history, how they operated and the work involved in preserving them. Access arrangements may change during the day if engineering work or railway operations are taking place.

A Pacer Exhibition – Inside a Pacer!

If arrangements allow, we hope to create a dedicated HTP exhibition and demonstration area aboard one of our Class 143 units. Rather than displaying everything in a tent away from the vehicles, we want visitors to learn about the Pacer while standing inside one. We hope to display genuine Pacer components, spare parts and engineering equipment, with HTP volunteers explaining what the different components do and where they would normally be found. Where suitable, equipment still installed aboard the unit may also be incorporated into demonstrations and explanations. Alongside the engineering exhibits, we're hoping to display a selection of historical railway artefacts, photographs, documents and memorabilia, helping to tell the story of the railway and the Pacer era.

Preservation in Action

Our Pacers aren't coming out just to look pretty! HTP volunteers will be actively working on 143601 and 143616 throughout our week at Nantmawr. Visitors may therefore see maintenance, cleaning, restoration, inspections, engineering work or fault investigations taking place. Some work areas will naturally need to remain restricted, but where it is safe and appropriate to do so, our volunteers will be happy to explain what we're doing.

We want visitors to see that preservation isn't simply about displaying an old train. It's about the work required to keep it alive.

Shunting & Railway Operations

There may also be railway movements taking place during the week. TVLR may undertake shunting movements around the Nantmawr site, potentially giving visitors the opportunity to see heritage railway operations taking place. Whenever railway movements are underway, visitors must remain within designated public areas and follow the instructions of TVLR and HTP personnel.

Could You See a Pacer Being Driven?

We're also exploring the possibility of a Pacer driving and operational demonstration. Subject to TVLR agreement, vehicle availability and condition, operational requirements, and suitably competent personnel being available, this could provide visitors with the opportunity to see one of our Class 143s being prepared and operated within the railway environment. If this can be confirmed, we'll announce further details closer to the event.

Visit the HTP Stand

We're also hoping to have a dedicated HTP stand available throughout our week at Nantmawr. Visitors will be able to meet members of Heritage Traction Preservation, learn more about 143601 and 143616, discover our future plans, and find out how to support or volunteer with HTP. We also hope to have HTP merchandise and other items available to purchase, with proceeds helping to support our ongoing preservation work. Come over and say hello!

Plan Your Visit

Heritage Open Days at the Tanat Valley Light Railway Friday 11 – Sunday 20 September 2026 HTP attending: Monday 14 – Sunday 20 September 2026 Opening Times: 10:00–16:00 daily Location: Tanat Valley Light Railway & Nant Mawr Visitor Centre Nant Mawr Oswestry Shropshire SY10 9HW Pre-booking: Not required Parking: Free parking is available on site. The site has disability access roads allowing vehicle access around much of the site. Visitors requiring vehicle access should speak to a member of TVLR staff on arrival.

Contact TVLR

For general enquiries about the Tanat Valley Light Railway, Nantmawr site, accessibility or the wider Heritage Open Days event: Tanat Valley Light Railway & Nant Mawr Visitor Centre Telephone: 01691 780042 Email: [hello@tanatvalleyrailway.co.uk](mailto:hello@tanatvalleyrailway.co.uk) Heritage Open Days on-the-day contact: Mark Hignett

Contact HTP For questions specifically regarding HTP's attendance, 143601, 143616, our proposed Pacer exhibition, HTP stand or our activities during the week: Pip Jones Founder & Chair Trustee Heritage Traction Preservation Please contact Pip through the usual Heritage Traction Preservation contact channels. Please remember that HTP vehicle access, displays, shunting and operational demonstrations remain subject to final arrangements, safe working requirements, vehicle condition and railway operations. We'll be publishing more information as September approaches.

Two Organisations.

One Heritage Site. Plenty to Discover. Come and explore the Tanat Valley Light Railway. Ride the diesel monorail. Visit the museum. Discover the Richard Morris Collection. Explore the Old Potts. See the lime kilns. Then step aboard our Pacers, discover their engineering, meet our volunteers and see modern railway history being preserved.

HTP will see you at Nantmawr from Monday 14 September!