All of the 48 Santa Specials planned to run over the festive period on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway have already sold out.

The Santa Specials are scheduled to run every weekend until Christmas, as well as on the 20th, 22nd and 23rd December.

As has become traditional, a special day was held before they started when children from local charities the James Hopkins Trust and Riding for the Disabled visited Santa in his grotto are under way.

This year’s success follows last year when the Santa Specials quickly sold out.

Youngsters from the James Hopkins Trust, which cares for life-limited and life-threatened young people, and from the Riding for the Disabled Association, enjoyed a day out on the railway with Father Christmas.

There was a last-minute change of plan when Greet, where Winchcombe Station is located, suffered a major power outage.

Instead of running to Winchcombe as originally planned, the day was quickly changed and the special trains with Father Christmas riding along on the train ran to Broadway.

Because of the children’s special needs, the train included carriages specially adapted to provide comfortable accommodation for those confined to a wheelchair and their carers.

Those travelling on the Santa Specials will be amazed at the magical transformation of Winchcombe station into the ‘North Pole’.

As well as experiencing a ride on s steam train, during their journey to visit Father Christmas, guests will enjoy mulled wine and mince pies and top-quality gifts for the children to really make Christmas special for families who visit from miles around.

The Santa Specials have developed over the years to become what the railway believes to be the best traditional Christmas experience in the Cotswolds, all of it being organised and run by volunteers.
Last year the railway won awards for the Best Attraction in the Cotswolds, Best Experience, and Best Events.

“Despite the difficulty presented by the sudden change of plan, the day was wonderful, everyone enjoying the atmosphere on the train with Father Christmas presenting lovely gifts to the children. Our charities said they enjoyed a very happy time meeting everyone involved with the railway, from station staff, locomotive crews, on-train catering and, of course, Santa and his many elves.”

Chris Blake, a volunteer in the railway’s Steam Department who originally took the initiative to organise what has become an annual event