Santa Special Steam Trains 2010 at the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway

SANTA STEAM TRAINS on the RUDYARD LAKE STEAM RAILWAY

santa train in the snow

The 2009 Santa Train in the snow

SANTA SPECIAL STEAM TRAINS

DECEMBER 12th,18th & 19th 2010

Rudyard Station, Rudyard, Nr. Leek, Staffordshire ST13 8PF

Santa has promised to come again and see us and our Santa Special steam trains in 2010. So dress up warmly and come along with your children for a unique Santa experience. We were able to run all the booked trains in 2009 despite the snow on the 20th of December. It made for a magical experience and the lake looked stunning especially when the sun was shining. We will post some more photographs soon.

All the Children who take the Special Santa steam train experience with us receive a very good quality present from Santa and the adults have sherry and mince pies before or after seeing Santa.

Father Christmas Special Steam Trains depart from Rudyard Station only. You will enjoy a scenic steam train ride before alighting to see Santa in his Grotto by the Lake. The Grotto is inside in the warmth and dry of the lake activity centre. After seeing Santa you will then catch a later train back to the Car Park at Rudyard Station.

Santa often sails past in his boat on his way to the Grotto & meets the trains by the lake and talks to the children having parked his sled at the end of the Lake. We cannot guarantee that this will happen but every effort is made and we achieved 100% success in 2008 although it was touch and go as the lake was frozen solid the day before.

Santa greets the train from his boat

Santa greets the train in 2008

Children receive a good quality present from Santa and the adults enjoy complimentary seasonal refreshments (sherry and mince pies). Each child and family get a quality opportunity for the children to speak to Santa & for the family to take photos. There are very good photo opportunities to photograph or video the children with Santa as only one family group at a time meets Santa. We limit numbers of passengers on each train to try to ensure this. Our aim is a high quality, pleasurable experience for adults as well as the children.

Only ticket holders will be able to travel on the trains and see Santa. Please arrive 15 minutes before your booked departure time. The train will NOT be able to wait if you are late because this would cause delays to all the other passengers for the rest of the day. The experience takes about an hour and a quarter from the time the train departs until the train returns you to Rudyard.

Our Santa trains have been very well received for the last five years and we all hope to enjoy the day as much as the children. Santa Claus was last at Rudyard Lake in December 2009 but will be back in 2010 on December 12th, 18th and 29th. Sadly we can't arrange for snow every year.

The path to the lake in sun and snow 20 December 2009

The path to the lake as the first Santa train arrives

Click here to go to our printable booking form. This can then printed out and posted to us at our office at Flonora, Blackpool Old Road, Little Eccleston, Garstang, Lancs, PR3 0YQ.

Santa with gifts for children

Santa gives a gift to one of his favourite children

Fares for 2010

Adults Ł8.50 complimentary sherry and mince pies

Children (age 2-12) Ł8.50 with quality gift

Children (under 2) Ł8.50 with quality gift

Seats will be reserved for you and prior booking is essential as the train capacity is limited and we endeavour to ensure that all the children have plenty of time to talk to Santa. There will be the opportunity for photographs with Santa.

Train Times from Rudyard

11.00am, 12.00 noon , 1.00pm, 2.00 pm, 3.00pm (Not Saturday)

We are sorry if you were disappointed in 2009 because most trains sold out. Please book as early as you can to avoid disappointment. Bookings will be taken from August 2010.

The ultimate Christmas present is a driver experience course where you are taught how to drive a real steam engine on our railway. Click here for more information

Also consider our children's birthday express for a really special birthday party. Click on the Party link below for more details.

Santa train in the snow

HOW TO GET THERE

The Rudyard Lake Steam Railway is a narrow gauge steam railway located 2 miles North of the town of Leek in the Staffordshire Peak District near to the Cheshire & Derbyshire borders To get there head for Leek or Macclesfield and then take the A523 until you are a mile North of Leek then follow the B5331 for half a mile to the free car park at Rudyard Station. Look out for the brown direction signs on the A523.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION (click on the links below)