Merry Christmas

Well here we are at the end of another year, and another Santa Season.

Here’s to 2025 being a successful and profitable year for the railway.

If you are local to not only The Nene Valley Railway but another heritage railway, please give it your support through membership and volunteering. If you can’t volunteer you can still join snd give your support that way.

Have a great Christmas and a good 2025.

Interesting times.

We are in interesting times.

News is that 92 Squadron is leaving us and going to East Lancs railway, I believe this move will take place on 10th December.

Other news is that Tornado will be doing some Santa services and also a driver experience day before Christmas.

1st & 2nd February 2025 sees two days of a winter warmer service with the HST, I am sure this will be popular.

Who says nothing happens in the winter.

An excellent first day

Well today was the first day of the Santa services.

Excellent day and lots of happy passengers.

Nice view of the local flooded fields as a bonus.

Christmas Visitors.

Tomorrow sees the arrival of Bahamas to help with Christmas services.

Not too long to the Santa services, this year they have a completely new look.

Hopefully we will have an excellent busy Christmas. Its not too late to buy tickets, have a look on the NVR web site for full details.

Christmas and new year services.

Jubilee Class locomotive No 45596 ‘Bahamas’ to haul “The North Pole Adventure

45996 Bahamas will arrive at the Nene Valley Railway in late November to haul our North Pole Adventure Trains, 45596 will also haul our popular Jolly Fisherman Fish and Chips service on the evening of Saturday 4th January 2025,

The locomotive will also be available for our Driving Experience courses on 3rd and 4th January. On Sunday 5th January 45996 will haul passengers services.

The attendance of Bahamas to the NVR is with kind thanks to the Bahamas Locomotive Society

This is excellent news, North Pole adventure tickets available on the NVR web site.

Here we go…………

25th November sees the start of our Santa services.

If you’re a working member volunteering for the Santa services, have fun and enjoy yourself.

If you’re a visitor with your family on the Santa services have a great time, and if you’re not sure of anything please just ask.

Pictures for the blog will be most welcome.

The wrong time of the year.

With this being the run up to the Santa services I was reminded of a visitor to Orton Mere Station some years ago.

She asked if we had thought of running the Santa services in the summer when the weather was warmer and often sunny as it would encourage more people to book! She then added the following gem. When I lived in Australia we had Santa in the summer and events were very popular!

No, she was not blond and actually looked quite sensible as well! It was one the very rare times when I was truly lost for words!

Nice time of year for the weather!

Here I am sitting writing this entry with the temperature nudging 29c and fairly high humidity. I have a gloss finish on my face and I am doing nothing more active than typing.

Nice to have seen decent weather last weekend for the trains, makes a change from driving rain and howling winds.

Over the coming months we have some excellent events planned so all being well the weather will be on our side.

Of course this culminates at the end of the year with the Santa trains. Seems funny thinking about the Santas in this weather, but they are the most important services of the year. The profit from the Christmas services helps immensely during the quiet period at the start of 2024.

Mention must be made of both the Pacer and the Swedish railcar. They are running on some of the quieter days, and provide a variance to the normal diesel and steam services.

So let’s look forward to a busy summer, and welcome visitors with our normal enthusiasm, and make sure they go away after having a super visit.

Pictures of services and events always welcome for the blog, as are articles from events and happenings across the railway.

How the time flies.

Well the years seem to get shorter these days.

Today is June 1st and the Christmas Santa train tickets are on sale.

What’s the betting Easter eggs will be in the shops before Christmas.

45337 on Santa duty on a previous Christmas..

There we are a picture to get you in the mood to buy Santa tickets!