Irchester Railway Museum

Steam locomotives and railway history sit in a proper working museum just outside Northampton. Irchester Railway Museum lets you get up close to vintage engines and rolling stock that would otherwise be rusting away in a field somewhere. You can actually climb aboard some of the trains, which beats looking through glass panels any day.

The museum runs heritage train rides on certain days - genuinely good fun if you time it right - and the volunteers know their stuff. They'll chat your ear off about the history of the line and why that particular engine was significant. It's free to wander around, which is brilliant value, though donations are welcome and frankly deserve it given the upkeep involved.

You'll want to allow a couple of hours if you're keen on railways, though an hour's enough if you just fancy a quick look. Kids usually enjoy clambering on the trains, though it can feel a bit static if the engines aren't running that day. Families staying at Grendon Lakes or Sywell Country Park - both within easy driving distance - could slot this in during a day out without it feeling forced.

Go on a running day if you can. Hearing the engines fire up makes it come alive. Otherwise it's pleasant enough but frankly a bit quiet. The site's straightforward to find from Northampton town centre, and parking's painless. Weather-dependent, naturally - you'll appreciate it more when it's not drizzling.