It wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit from Santa and the Kent & East Sussex Railway have once again enlisted the help of the man in red to create a magical Christmas experience for the young and the young at heart, at their Tenterden Town station.
Running until Christmas Eve, December 24, the Santa Special steams from Tenterden to Northiam on a magical return trip lasting just over an hour. Magicians, elves and, of course, Santa himself, are aboard to delight and entertain passengers throughout the journey. Back at the station, a Victorian carousel offers unlimited free rides, there’s a model festive village to discover and all the usual delights of a bygone era for those who love the age of steam.
For five-year-old Alice Pollard from Canterbury, a ride on the Santa Special is an annual treat. “We come every year” says Mum, Anna Pollard, who clearly enjoys this festive treat as much as any child. “It’s a family tradition, and Alice loves it”. Alice attends the St. Stephens’s Infant School in Canterbury and is currently producing a school project on ‘Celebrations’. It will be no surprise if Santa, the elves, and the Kent & East Sussex Railway’s ‘Santa Special’ feature large in Alice’s work this week.
Book your ride online for the Santa Special at kesr.org.uk but hurry, tickets are selling fast. The last train departs Tenterden station on Christmas Eve at 4pm.
Image Credits: Chris Lawson .