Located in the heart of Bury, the East Lancashire Railway has been nominated as a finalist of the Lancashire Tourism Awards in the ‘Large Event of the Year’ category. The railway has been named for its top-rated Santa Specials event which sees thousands of visitors attend every year in order to grab some festive family frivolity and nostalgia.

Capturing the magic of Christmas time, the East Lancashire Railway’s Santa Specials provide a walk through a winter wonderland at its Bury Bolton Street Station where families get to meet an array of festive characters. Next, the event sees an 80-minute round trip hauled by a heritage steam locomotive with food and drinks for all and of course a visit from Santa who has a gift for every child onboard and a glass of Bailey’s for the grown-ups.

As the largest Santa Specials event in the UK for 2021, the heritage railway saw a massive 42,000 people make their way from across the country and has now become a regular festive tradition for many families with 2022s event promising to be as fun packed as ever.

The Lancashire Tourism Awards are the largest and only county-wide celebration of tourism. This year’s awards will focus on the resilience within the tourism sector for Lancashire following the pandemic.

Mike Kelly, Chairman of East Lancashire Railway, comments: “We are incredibly honoured to be named as finalists in these prestigious awards.

“Our Santa Specials have been running for 35 years and are a vital source of revenue in preserving and sustaining the ELR and has enabled the railway not just to survive but to thrive, even during times of uncertainty brought about by lockdown.

“This year our improved Santa Specials are bigger and better than ever before with more to see, do and enjoy, but none of this would be possible without our team of dedicated staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to bring the Christmas magic and experience to the railway every year. And finally, a great big Xmas thanks to the many thousands of families who come year after year to enjoy this unique family extravaganza.”