Golden Eagle Luxury Trains Celebrates 60 Years Since Founder Tim Littler’s First Rail Journey
On the 23rd April Golden Eagle Luxury Trains celebrated a remarkable milestone: the 60th anniversary of the very first rail journey organised by our founder, Tim Littler, whose passion for rail travel began long before Golden Eagle became one of the world’s leading luxury rail operators.
On 23 April 1966, at just 15 years old, Tim organised his first ever rail tour — The Waverley Special — a steam hauled charter that departed Manchester for Edinburgh. What began as an enthusiast venture by a determined teenager has since grown into a global legacy of luxury train travel spanning more than three decades.
A Passion That Sparked a Global Luxury Rail Brand
Tim’s early love of railways was the driving force behind The Waverley Special, the first rail tour run by the Altrinchamian Railway Excursion Society. Carefully planned and boldly executed, the journey travelled the iconic Waverley Route at a time when the line was nearing closure, offering passengers a rare chance to experience one of Britain’s most scenic cross border railways in its final years.
Hauling the train was the prestigious Peppercorn A2 Pacific No. 60528 Tudor Minstrel, a symbol of express steam travel at its finest. For the passengers onboard, the journey represented the fading golden age of British steam. For Tim Littler, it was the beginning of something far greater.
From Teenage Railtour Organiser to International Train Pioneer
In 1989, Tim transformed his lifelong passion into a full fledged business, founding Golden Eagle Luxury Trains from his hometown of Altrincham. Originally trading as GW Travel, the company soon earned global recognition for designing ambitious and culturally rich rail journeys across continents.
From the Silk Road to Paris–Istanbul, Tim’s vision shaped some of the world’s most celebrated long distance rail adventures.
His belief was simple:
The journey should be as extraordinary as the destination itself. Today, that belief continues to define Golden Eagle’s philosophy.
A Family Legacy Three Generations Strong
Golden Eagle Luxury Trains remains proudly family run.
Tim’s daughter, Jo Masterson, and grandson, James Masterson, play leading roles in the company, helping develop and refine its world class itineraries. The close partnership between Tim and James has produced several of Golden Eagle’s most iconic routes, uniting heritage, adventure, and luxury in a way that echoes the spirit of that first 1966 journey.
Sixty Years of Storytelling by Rail
Six decades after The Waverley Special steamed north from Manchester, the romance of rail travel continues to sit at the heart of the Golden Eagle experience. For more than 35 years, the company has transported travellers across continents in comfort and style, bringing Tim’s youthful vision to life for thousands of passengers each year.
What started with a 15 year old’s determination to share his love of trains has become a lasting legacy of global rail exploration — a legacy still evolving, still family driven, and still rooted in pure passion.
