Day Out With Thomas
Meet Thomas & Friends™ at The Watercress Line
All Aboard for a Rockin’ Good Time!
Day Out With Thomas™: Let’s Rock, Let’s Roll Tour is hitting the tracks and bringing the beat to The Watercress Line.
Hop on board a train ride with Thomas, a REAL steam engine, watch the exciting live shows with Sodor Station Sweepers Rusty & Dusty (that’ll have the whole family dancing), join in the Thomas & Friends™ character hunt, have fun with the garden games and keep the beat going at the Music Corner packed with music-inspired fun, plus so much more! Book tickets for your train ride adventure today to enjoy a whole day out, with all the family.
New for 2026!
Two NEW Rusty & Dusty outdoor entertainment shows with Sir Topham Hatt, Percy, Diesel and Toad.
Activities run from 9.30am to 4.30pm
Trains will run from 9.50am to 4.45pm
All activities and rides are included in your ticket price. There’s plenty to keep the family entertained for the whole day.
All tickets allow you entry to the whole day, regardless of the time of your Thomas The Tank Engine ride. We would advise turning up before 1.30pm to fit in all the activities.
What's On
• Take a train ride behind Thomas (pre-book a time when purchasing tickets)
• Your ticket gives you access to the railway for the whole day, so come early and enjoy the entertainment and activities on offer at Ropley
• Meet and greet with Sir Topham Hatt, Rusty & Dusty
• Unlimited travel on our big trains from Ropley to Alton
• Experience unlimited rides on the delightful miniature railway – you might even get to see Thomas running past you!
• Have fun on children’s fairground rides
What's On
• Play Pod play zones with Thomas & Friends activities at Ropley & Alton
• Thomas & Friends giveaways for every child
• Photos with Percy, Diesel, Terence & Trevor
• Thomas & Friends story time sessions
• Thomas themed selfie spots available to use
• Hot & cold snacks available from Ropley’s T-Junction; enjoy them in the south facing picnic area overlooking the beautiful South Downs
• Additional stalls selling tempting food & drinks!
Timetable
Click here for the timetable for the Ropley – Alton train, or click on the image below.
Thomas Train Times
To take a ride aboard Thomas, you will need to book a time in advance when purchasing your tickets.
Thomas runs approx every half hour at:
09:50 | 10:20 | 10:50 | 11:20 | 11:50 | 12:20 | 12:50 |
13:20 | 13:50 | 14:20 | 14:50 | 15:20 | 15:50
Thomas Train Times
To take a ride aboard Thomas, you will need to book a time in advance when purchasing your tickets.
Thomas runs approx every 15 minutes, at 5, 20, 35 and 50 minutes past each hour.
Show Times
Entertainment sessions last approx 20 mins and run every hour at:
10.20am, 11.20am, 12.20pm, 1.20pm, 2,20pm & 3.20pm.
Miniature Railway rides run from 10:00 – 16:00, subject to weather conditions.
Take a sneaky peak of what to expect on your visit by clicking on the video below
Tickets
Children
Under 2 Years
Advanced: FREE
On the day: FREE
Children
Age 2-16
Advanced: £21
On the day: £25
Adults
Age 17+
Advanced: £26
On the day: £30
Family
2 Adults & 1 Child
Advanced: £66
On the day: £73
Family
1 Adult & up to 3 Children
Advanced: £66
On the day: £73
Family
2 Adults & up to 3 Children
Advanced: £87
On the day: £96
Dogs
On a Lead
FREE
(No ticket required)
Please Note:
When booking your tickets you will be asked to select a time for your ride behind Thomas the Tank Engine.
Your ticket allows you access for the whole day (9.30am to 4.30pm) but you must be ready to board your steam train ride at Ropley station at your booked time slot (written on your eticket).
All tickets for Day Out With Thomas will be handled by Quay Tickets. Prices listed above exclude booking fees. All transactions are subject to a non-refundable 75p transaction charge and non-refundable 10% booking fee (8% on family discount).
Advance Tickets can be purchased until 12pm the day before your visit (e.g. by 12pm Friday for a Saturday visit); after that, tickets are only available on the door.
FAQ
If you have more questions about the Day Out With Thomas programme, please visit HERE.
Parking
The event will be centred at Ropley station.
Ropley: There will be FREE car parking in the field. Sat nav: Station Hill, Ropley, SO24 0BL. Disabled drop-off at Ropley station available before parking in the field.
There is a free buggy park available to use at Ropley (at owners risk).
Alton: Pay & display car park, operated by South Western Railway.
We do NOT recommend parking at Alresford as you will not be able to get onto any trains from here. There is also NO parking at Medstead & Four Marks, however you will be able to board here.
Accommodation
Try the beautiful Watercress Lodges, a self catered holiday retreat set in relaxing farmland surroundings overlooking our Ropley station (where Thomas is based) and the South Downs. Choose from Lodges, Glamping Safari Tents, Tipi Tents or pitch your own.
The company does not guarantee that the trains will arrive or depart at the times stated and reserves the right to cancel, alter or suspend any train without notice, or to substitute a different train should this be necessary for whatever reason.
Day Out With Thomas at the Watercress Line is a family-friendly, fun attraction in Hampshire. If you are looking for things to do in your area or a place to go with kids all your round, we have plenty of kids events throughout the year, from weekend events to special events such as Wizard Week and Steam Illuminations. Find out what’s coming up at the Watercress Line here.
The company does not guarantee that the trains will arrive or depart at the times stated and reserves the right to cancel, alter or suspend any train without notice, or to substitute a different train should this be necessary for whatever reason.
