What could be more exciting for children at this time of year than a ride on a steam train and a present from Santa? Middleton Railway is preparing to launch its ever popular Santa Specials on Saturday (1 December 2018).
Trains run each Saturday and Sunday through to Sunday 23 December. The first train of the day leaves Moor Road at 10am, the last at 3:45pm. Please try to arrive at least 15 minutes before the train on which you will be travelling is due to depart: if you arrive later than 10 minutes before its departure time you may not be able to travel.
Every child under 12 will receive a present from Santa during the journey, adults will get a warm drink and a mince pie at Moor Road station.
Prices, if booked in advance are £8.75 for adults, £11.75 for children aged 3-12 and £7.75 for children under 3, whilst babes in arms not requiring a present travel free. Tickets bought on the day are £1 dearer. All trains on Christmas Eve have already been booked. Book online here.
The Santa Trains are very popular and so you are strongly advised to book in advance,
Please note that Santa Special trains are NOT normal service trains, in that each ticket is valid only for one round trip on the specified train. Hence you must return from Park Halt on the same train: the option of getting off at Park Halt and returning on a later train is not available, as there may not be any seats on later trains.Full terms and conditions are set out on the Middleton Railway website: www.middletonrailway.org.uk
Steam trains have been running on the historic Middleton Railway for over 200 years. It was the first railway in the world to use steam locomotives commercially and was designed to bring coal from pits in Middleton to Leeds to power the industrial revolution.
The museum in the engine house also reveals the history of Hunslet as the centre of the locomotive manufacture for the world. The railway has been run by the volunteers of the Middleton Railway Trust since 1960.
