Category: Santa

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Winding down, or are we?

Many people think that with the end of the summer holidays the railway will be winding down for the autumn and winter. Now this is I suppose a logical thought after all nothing happens in the autumn and winter at the railway.

This if course is not true, the railway never sleeps, it may have the odd doze but it never truly shuts down.

Let us look between now and Christmas. We are running services at weekends between now and the end of October. With several events planned and ready to go. Hopefully the first week of November should see the installing of the new crossing gates at Wansford and of course we have not only the preparation for the Santa services but the services themselves. Throughout this period S&T and the civil’s will be doing work out and about.

The office will function normally as will other departments. So as you can see the railway is far from winding down, and after Christmas the railway will start and do it all over again.

So please if you are able come along and support the railway, this is a lovely time of year to travel the line.

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Well another year gone!

Here we are at the end of another year. Today saw the last of the 2021 Santa trains run, and as always they were full and busy.

Now we have a short rest before we begin 2022 services on the 8th January with the Swedish Railcar.

It’s been a funny couple of years with great challenges and unexpected hurdles at every turn. But the railway is still running.

So if you have visited and spent money with us, thanks for your support, it is appreciated.

We look forward to seeing you in 2022, hopefully with more events and visiting locomotives.

So on behalf of the members & staff I would like to wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we look forward to seeing you again in the coming year.

Thomas in the Christmas Spirit.
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The Polish Tank, another Santa loco through the eyes of a visitor.

Today saw the Polish Tank Engine hauling the Santa trains. Here are some images of it at Peterborough Nene Valley Station.

The images are © Christopher Walker

The Polish Tank Engine with a bit of steam
Off the front of the Santa’s to take on water.
Under the water tower.
Getting ready to go back to couple up to the coaches.

My thanks to Christopher for these images they are much appreciated.

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The Santa Locomotives. Through the eyes of a visitor.

After I posted some of Christopher Walker pictures he has sent me two more of the Santa locomotives yesterday.

Both images are © Christopher Walker

Class 14 arriving back at Wansford.
92 Squadron awaiting to depart Wansford for Peterborough Nene Valley.

My thanks to Christopher for sending the above images, it is appreciated.

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Standing by for Santa

This Saturday 27th November sees the start of the 2021 Santa services.

Always a fun time on the railway. So to kick it off here are a few pics of Santa trains gone by. Some pics are better than others but including them all anyway!!

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Except for the Santa trains the railway is dead in the winter!

The Polish Tank Engine on Santa duties

Over the years I have lost count of the number of people who would comment every autumn that except for the Santa trains the railway was dead in late autumn & winter.

This of course is far from the truth. In both November and January we are running services, yes it’s just the railcar but it’s still a service and the Swedish railcar is popular with many visitors. Not to mention we have some steam driver experience days.

But that’s not all that will be going on. Remember that it’s a busy period in the office with plans for next year. As well as enquiries and the normal work that has to be done to keep the railway running through the year.

No doubt down in the shed people will be working away at both routine maintenance as well as rebuilds etc.

The cafe will be open at weekends and Wednesdays, which hopefully will encourage people to visit on non-running days and help with both turnover and profit for the railway in the process.

Around the railway there will be maintenance along the line, the civils will no doubt be out and about making sure that the line is clear and safe for the trains that will use it.

As usual the monthly electronic newsletter for working members will be prepared and sent out on the 1st of the month.

So next time somebody says that the railway is dead in the winter point out those working members and paid staff that will be working to make sure that we have a safe, busy and profitable railway in the coming year.

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Well that was a nice weekend.

Some weekends can, shall we say be a little difficult. Due to things like breakdowns or the weather. But last weekend was not one of those

Saturday saw the main service diesel hauled by the Peak locomotive, which seems to be popular with both normal visitors and enthusiasts. Please note I am not saying that enthusiasts are not normal!!!

There were two cream tea runs as well using the Polish steam locomotive and the continental coaches. Nice to see people on there enjoying themselves. The day was topped off with a Gin evening on the train, again very popular and something we have not done before.

Sunday was tame by comparison with the Polish tank engine pulling the Mk1 coaches. It ran to time all day, which is always a bonus.

Weekends like this are important to the railway, it’s been a far from normal period that we are hopefully coming out of. But we need events that appeal to visitors and are also profitable.

Bahamas arrives on the 7th August and there are some great events planned with that and I look forward to observing them.

It promises to be a good summer and then we have the Santa trains, always popular with both the public and the volunteers alike.

Sitting typing this in the evening where it’s still a bit on the warm side perhaps the Santa trains in cooler weather can’t come quick enough.

Something to cool you down in the hot weather.
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Well here we go again……

Today is New Years day and the start of the new year.

Many will be wondering what it will hold for the railway.

The answer is of course, nobody knows. I mean who on this day in 2020 would have been able to forecast how the year would turn out?

It was a year like no other for the railway, and the staff and working members/volunteers came through it.

Our sympathies must go to those who had to be made redundant, it was necessary to enable the railway to survive a very difficult period, they will be missed.

History will no doubt show that we owe a debt of gratitude to those on the railway both paid and volunteer who time after time went far beyond what was required or even expected to ensure that the trains we were able to run were as safe as they could be for the visitors and that the site was as safe as possible.

So please remember when things become more normal and you visit railway that your visit is only possible because of those people. The people who remained pleasant and smiling wether face to face or answering the telephone.

If you are a member of the public who travelled on either the Santas or other trains we were able to run. Thank you for your support of the railway, it is without exception appreciated and we look forward to welcoming you back in better times.