It is 50 years since steam locomotives regularly climbed through the spiral tunnels of the Big Hill or rattled over the massive Stoney Creek bridge on the journey across the Rockies, but for our tours the glorious days of Canadian Pacific passenger trains have been created once again.

We will be hauled by the pride of the CP fleet, a 1930-built ‘Hudson’ steam locomotive, number 2816 Empress, magnificently restored by the railway itself at a cost of $2 million and which returns to service in 2010 following a year out of maintenance.

As befits such a powerful and magnificent locomotive, 2816 has its own train. We will travel in a set of comfortable day coaches with large picture windows to give a great view of the surrounding countryside, and a café bar serving refreshments to help you enjoy it even more.

For those who want an even more spectacular experience we offer our superb full length ‘Vista-Dome’ and Skytop Lounge observation car, the famous 1950s-built glass-roofed carriages that allow an unparalleled view of the mountainous scenery, river canyons and wide Prairies we travel through.

GW Travel’s Canadian tours are regularly accompanied by Tim Littler, our President and Founder. Passionate about rail, he chartered his first train at the age of 15 and founded GW Travel in 1989. His enthusiasm for travel and his unique experience of chartering trains ensures that travelling with us through Canada will not only be an unforgettable experience but truly a Voyage of a Lifetime.

Our Canadian tours are different to the other tours featured in our brochure, as our train does not have on board sleeping accommodation. Every night we sleep in quality hotels, specifically chosen for their location or special characteristics, before rejoining the train in the morning.

This allows us to experience the magic of travelling through Western Canada’s fabulous mountain scenery entirely in daylight whilst providing us with the flexibility to explore in the evening if we wish.