Santa Specials — Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway

The Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway runs its Santa Specials from Sittingbourne Viaduct station, which is inside Sittingbourne Retail Park in Kent. Passengers check in at the ticket office and are given a ticket pack that details the trip and includes personalised Christmas cards for the children, whose names are asked for when booking.

The 15-minute journey to Kemsley Down is behind one of the railway's original steam locomotives. At Kemsley Down, passengers are met by Santa or his elves. Ticket holders in Group 1 go to Santa's Grotto, where children, accompanied by an adult, queue to meet Santa, have a few minutes to talk to him and choose an unwrapped gift from a selection of age-appropriate toys. A craft activity to take home is on offer in Santa's Workshop.

Adults collect their seasonal refreshments at the Footplate Café: a sausage roll, a mince pie, an item from the tray and tea, coffee or hot chocolate, all part of the fare. The operator says children do not receive food, because they get a present from Santa. Each ticket group is called when it is time to change activity, and the train returns to Sittingbourne Viaduct so that the whole trip is completed within two hours.

A 15-minute steam train ride each way to Kemsley Down, a visit to Santa's Grotto where each child chooses a toy, a craft activity in Santa's Workshop and refreshments for adults at the Footplate Café; the whole trip takes about two hours. The operator says the grotto and workshop are visited in turn as each ticket group is called.

Trains leave from Sittingbourne Viaduct station, within Sittingbourne Retail Park, Kent; the operator says to use satellite navigation postcode ME10 2XD, because its own postcode would lead to the Sittingbourne Post Office. Check in at the ticket office, which is reached by a step-free route. Seats must be booked in advance, and the operator takes details of food allergies and preferences when booking. Coach A is reserved for parties needing a wheelchair-accessible coach: email bookings@sklr.net to book it. The operator takes large group bookings, such as a whole coach, Beavers or a school party, by email at the same address, and also has a telephone booking line on 0333 666 3366. Advance tickets are sold through TicketSource, which adds a booking fee.