Gifts for a grandad who loves trains

The best gifts for Grandad who loves trains tend to do one of two things. They bring back the railway he remembers, or they get him onto a train with the people he likes most. A steam day out with the grandchildren manages both at once, which makes it an easy one to recommend. For something he can enjoy every single day, a small live departure board showing his own station is a lovely alternative.

Why do so many grandads love trains?

For a lot of men who grew up in the 1950s and 60s, the railway was the most exciting thing in town. Steam was still working the main lines (it finished on British Railways in August 1968), branch lines ran to villages that haven't seen a train in decades, and the station was where every trip started. Many of those branch lines closed in the 1960s after the Beeching report, which is partly why the memories feel so precious now.

So the trick is to find a gift that plugs into that. A ride behind a steam engine, a book about the line that used to run past his school, a print of a locomotive class he used to note down as a lad. It needn't cost much if it's about his railway.

A day out on a heritage railway

Britain has heritage railways in almost every corner of the country, run largely by volunteers, and they're brilliant for a grandad and grandchildren day out. There's usually a steam train, a proper old station, a tea room and somewhere to buy a souvenir. Here are some well-known ones by region:

Many of them run Santa specials through December, and those sell out early, so book as soon as dates go up. Our guides to Santa specials and heritage railways by region go into more detail. Timetables change every year, so always check the railway's own website before you buy tickets.

A departure board he doesn't have to fiddle with

Plenty of grandads like knowing what's running from their local station, whether they're off to see the family or just keeping an eye on the line. Most train apps assume you live on your phone, though. A dedicated board doesn't.

TrainTicker Desktop is a small amber LED board, 320 x 80 mm, that looks just like a station departure board. It shows the next trains from his chosen station (time, destination, platform, and whether it's on time or late), with the calling points scrolling underneath and a clock with seconds along the bottom. Once it's set up there's nothing to tap, nothing to install and nothing to log into.

A few things that suit grandparents in particular:

• Setup takes about 3 minutes from any phone, so a family member can do it on the day.
• If you claim it on your own account, you can change his station or the brightness later from the dashboard without visiting.
• It dims itself to 15% between 10pm and 7am, and the button on the back has four brightness levels.
• It works at any National Rail station in Great Britain, so it could show the station near where he grew up, provided trains still call there.

It costs £199.99 one-time, with no subscription and free train times for good. Try his station on the free live demo first if you're curious what it would show.

Books, films and smaller gifts

If you're after something smaller, or a little extra to go with the big present, these are all safe bets:

• E. Nesbit's The Railway Children, or the 1970 film, filmed on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. It's a good one to watch with the grandchildren.
• The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry, the original books behind Thomas the Tank Engine, for reading aloud at bedtime.
• Brief Encounter, the 1945 film shot at Carnforth station in Lancashire. The station now has a heritage centre if he fancies a visit.
• A reproduction railway poster from the line or region he grew up on.
• Membership of a heritage railway's supporters' society, which usually comes with a magazine and a reason to visit.

When to order

TrainTicker ships within 3 to 4 weeks, tracked. For Christmas, that means ordering in November, and for a birthday, about a month ahead. At checkout you can tick the gift option and add a note, which is printed on the packing slip with no prices on it. If Grandad doesn't do email, have it delivered to you and set it up together.

For more ideas, have a look at our lists of Christmas gifts for Dad who loves trains and train experience gifts in the UK. Every TrainTicker order comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.