November blues got you down?

If you are suffering from seasonal affective disorder, or just want something to look forward to in the new year, well a grand day out, featuring a historic train, has been announced to set off from Macclesfield.

The Stratford Flyer (pictured below), is a historic train set to pass through and stop at Macclesfield early next year.

On Saturday March 8 2025, The Railway Touring Company will drive the vintage locomotive through Treacletown, stopping at 9am, to pick up passengers for its final destination. The train will stop at Statford-upon-Avon, the Warwickshire home of William Shakespeare, where passengers can have three hours in town, before return to Macclesfield for 8pm precisely.

"Join us on this special day out, steam hauled from Manchester to Stratford upon Avon, by a steam locomotive from the Carnforth pool," said organisers.

"Our train will have the travel via Stockport, Macclesfield Stoke and Stafford as we make our way towards the internationally popular destination of Stratford upon Avon, visited from far and wide by many to see its Shakespeare attractions.

"Our special train starts at the cosmopolitan northern city of Manchester, from Piccadilly station, and we will be steam hauled through the suburbs to Stockport, where we will pause briefly to pick up passengers. We now head through Macclesfield and Stoke before we continue southwards towards Stafford.

"At Stafford we will leave the Trent Valley line and take the Birmingham route via Wolverhampton. We will run through the industrial heartlands of the Midlands and make our way towards Birmingham New Street, our second major city of the day.

"We will thread our way through the suburbs of Birmingham and make our way steadily to join the former Great Western Railway's route from Birmingham to Stratford upon Avon. The Warwickshire countryside will provide a pleasant outlook from your carriage window as we approach our destination for today at Stratford upon Avon.

"There will be ample time in the town to take in all the famous sights, including the birthplace of William Shakespeare and his New Palace home, possibly the most famous writer in the English language. Explore the other sites, including the Memorial Theatre, the Bancroft Gardens and the river Avon and Stratford Canal. The town offers many interesting shops and is well provided for with pubs and restaurants. All in all, a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon.

"During our stay in Stratford, our steam locomotive will be turned and serviced for the journey back to Manchester.

"We will retrace our earlier route back through Birmingham, Stafford and Crewe before arriving back in Manchester at Victoria station in the evening, ending what promises to be an interesting and varied day out to Shakespeare country."

It costs a pretty penny to attend, but even if you cannot afford to go on the train, the cheaper activity of transporting this vintage train will be a memorable experience on its own.

Macclesfield: Should you wish to get a ticket to ride, click on THIS LINK.