6th December - Santa Special from Trowbridge and Melksham

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Santa Special!  from Trowbridge and Melksham

The Melksham Railway Development Group is delighted to announce that Father Christmas will be on the train from Trowbridge and Melksham Stations on Sunday, 6th December 2009.

Leaves from Trowbridge - 17:10 (Ten past five)
Leaves from Melksham - 17:20 (Twenty past five)

* Seasonal drink and minced pie for each adults, a present from Santa and a soft drink for every child.

The train will travel on the "TransWilts" line to Chippenham and Swindon, and return by the same route

Arrives back at Melksham - 19:00 (Seven O'Clock)
Arrives back at Trowbridge - 19:10 (ten past seven)

Tickets - Adults 9 pounds return (from Trowbridge) or 7 pounds return (from Melksham).  Children (15 and under) 3 pounds from either Trowbridge or Melksham.

Tickets are for sale from 31st October:
* Tourist Information Centre, Melksham
* Well House Manor, 48 Spa Road, Melksham
* Trowbridge (venue to be confirmed)

Our thanks to First Great Western who make this trip possible by lengthening the regular train, but never the less places are limited ... and sold on a "first come, first served" basis.

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Melksham is served by trains on the "TransWilts" railway line - running from Swindon and Chippenham via Melksham to Trowbridge, Westbury, Warminster and Salisbury.  It takes just 25 minutes from Melksham to Swindon, and just 55 minutes from Melksham to Salisbury, but services are very limited.

The Melksham Railway Development Group, in association with Save the Train, is campaiging for an improved service on this line which not only provides the only rail service to Melksham, but also provides the only direct train services from Chippenham to Salisbury, and from Trowbridge to Swindon.  For further information, see http://www.transwilts.org.uk, or contact us via mrdg@btinternet.com

[grahame]

Santa Tickets are now on sale at the Tourist Information Centres in Trowbridge and Melksham!

Trip details {here!}

[Phil]

Santa Tickets are now on sale at the Tourist Information Centres in Trowbridge and Melksham!

Trip details {here!}

Not quite true, actually. I went out of my way to visit the Tourist Information Centre in Melksham this morning and.... it was shut.

Meh.

[grahame]

Correction:

Santa Tickets are now on sale during opening hours at the Tourist Information Centres in Trowbridge and Melksham.   

It has always struck me as very odd that the TIC^▸ (Tourist Information Centre) closes early on Saturday and is unopen on Sunday when that's the time of week that there are likely to be more tourists around. 

[grahame]

Sold Out

We may be able to find one or two extra adult tickets ... but Santa's hands will already be more than full with young people booked already.

[grahame]

Good fun time had by all!

[JayMac]

Good fun time had by all!

I don't suppose the kiddies mind where they meet Santa, but somehow I find Santa travelling on Class 150 just a little soul-less. Santa and steam (or at least loco and coaches) just seems to be a better fit.

Am I just having a 'bah-humbug' moment?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm.  I have mixed feelings about that.

Yes, having Santa on board a proper train (that is, a steam one - like the Hogwarts Express?) for the young ones would be absolutely ideal.

However, having access to any reasonably timed train from Melksham, even if it's only a 150, is perhaps a treat for those young ones - as well as meeting Santa?

Apart from that: what was Dick Turpin doing on the train?? 

[grahame]

Here comes a nice, positive answer ...

Am I just having a 'bah-humbug' moment?

Yes, you are just having an 'sheep-Evertonmint' moment.

The tremendous fun and party atmosphere doesn't come across in the picture;  the "Santa Special" sells out every year with minimal advertising, and parents who brought their children when it first started about 12 years ago now bring their grandchildren.   Santa is fantastic, the team running it do an excellent job, and have a chance to take a few pictures of a really crowded train.

[JayMac]

Apart from that: what was Dick Turpin doing on the train?? 

And here's me thinking it was Captain William Bligh.