UP & RUNNING
Bowes Railway
Standard gauge, 1¾ miles. Springwell, Tyne & Wear.
Tel: 07850 916484.
Open: Halloween October 30, community events Thurs & Sats.
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
15in gauge, two miles. Cleethorpes,
North East Lincolnshire.
Tel: 01472 604657.
Running: October 23-31, November 6/7, 13/14, 20/21. Santa Specials December 4/5, 11/12, 18/19, 22/23.
Derwent Valley Light Railway
Standard gauge, ½ mile. Murton, near York. Tel: 01904 489966. Running: TBA.
Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
Standard gauge, five miles. Embsay, North Yorks.
Tel: 01756 795189.
Running: November 7, 14, 21. Santa Specials November 27/28, December 4/5, 11/12, 14, 18-24. Christmas Day Diner
December 25.
Heatherslaw Light Railway
15in gauge, two miles.
Ford Forge, Northumberland.
Tel: 01890 820244.
Running: Daily until October 31. Santa Specials December 11/12, 18/19.
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway
Standard gauge, five miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Haworth, West Yorks, BD22 8NJ.
Tel: 01535 645214.
Running: October 23-31, W/Es in November. Elf Express November 27/28, December 4/5, 11/12, 18-24. Mulled Wine Specials December 3, 6, 10, 17.
Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway
2ft gauge. Skegness, Lincs. Tel: 07407 500884. Running: TBA.
Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
Standard gauge, 1½ miles. Ludborough, Lincolnshire.
Tel: 01507 363881.
Running: October 31. Engine shed tours November 21. Santa Specials December
11/12, 18/19.
Middleton Railway
Standard gauge, 1½ miles. Hunslet, Leeds.
Tel: 0845 680 1758.
Running: October 27, 31. Santa Specials December 4/5, 11/12, 18/19, 23/24.
North Bay Railway
20in gauge, ⁄ mile. Scarborough, North Yorks.
Tel: 01723 368791.
Running: Daily until end of October. Santa Specials December 4/5, 11/12, 18/19, 22/23.
North Tyneside Railway
Standard gauge, two miles.
North Shields. Tel: 0191 277 7135.
Open: W/Es in October (running Suns). Elf Express November 27/28, December 4/5, 11/12, 18-21.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Standard gauge, 18 miles. Grosmont, North Yorks.
Tel: 01751 472508.
Running: Daily until October 31. Santa Specials December 4/5, 11/12, 18-24. Christmas Moorlander dining trains
Thurs-Suns in December plus December 29-January 2.
South Tynedale Railway
2ft gauge, 4¾ miles.
Alston, Cumbria.
Tel: 01434 338212.
Running: W/Es to end of October.
Stainmore Railway
Standard gauge, ½ mile. Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria. Tel: 01768 371700.
Open: Suns in November.
Tanfield Railway
Standard gauge, three miles.
Near Gateshead, Tyne & Wear.
Tel: 07508 092365.
Running: October 31. North Pole Express W/Es November 27-December 19 plus December 21-24.
Weardale Railway
Standard gauge, 18 miles. Stanhope, Co. Durham.
Running: December reopening TBC.
Wensleydale Railway
Standard gauge, 22 miles. Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire.
Tel: 01677 425805.
Open: W/Es & Weds in October. Polar
Express November 19-21, 26-28, December 2-5, 9-12, 15-23.
Whistlestop Valley Railway (Kirklees)
15in gauge, four miles. Huddersfield,
West Yorks.
Tel: 01484 865727.
Running: October 23-31, W/Es in November. Santa Secials November 27/28, December 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 21-24.
Yorkshire Wolds Railway
Standard gauge, 1,000ft. Fimber, East Yorkshire.
Tel: 01377 338053.
Open: Suns until end of October.
WALES
Bala Lake Railway
2ft gauge, 4½ miles. Llanuwchllyn, Gwynedd.
Tel: 01678 540666.
Running: October 23-30. Santa Specials December 11/12.
Barry Tourist Railway
Standard gauge, two miles. Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.
Tel 01446 748816. Running: TBA.
Brecon Mountain Railway
1ft 11¾in gauge, five miles.
Pant, Mid-Glamorgan.
Tel: 01685 722988.
Running: October 26-28 & 30. Santa Specials November 27/28, December 4/5, 11/12, 18/19, 20-22.
Conwy Valley Railway Museum
7¼in and 15in gauge, ¾ mile. Betws-y-Coed station, Conwy. Tel: 01690 710568.
Open: Daily.
Corris Railway
2ft 3in gauge, ¾ mile.
Corris, near Machynlleth. Tel: 01654 761701. Running: October 31, December 11/12.
Fairbourne Railway
12¼in gauge, two miles. Fairbourne, Gwynedd. Tel: 01341 250362. Running: October 23-31.
Ffestiniog Railway
2ft gauge, 13½ miles. Porthmadog, Gwynedd.
Tel: 01766 516000.
Running: Daily until October 29.
Gwili Railway
Standard gauge, four miles. Bronwydd Arms, Carmarthenshire. Tel: 01267 238213.
Running: TBA.
Llanberis Lake Railway
2ft gauge, three miles. Llanberis, Gwynedd. Tel: 01286 870549. Running: October 24-31, November 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 30, December 1/2. No Santa trains in 2021.
Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway
Standard gauge, ¼ mile. Cynheidre, Carmarthenshire.
Tel: 07956 082305.
Running: Santa Specials December 4/5.
Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway
Standard gauge, 3½ miles. Blaenavon, Torfaen. Tel: 01495 792263. Running: Halloween Ghost Trains
October 28-31. Santa trains TBA.
Rhyl Miniature Railway
15in gauge. Rhyl, North Wales.
Tel: 01352 759109.
Running: Santa Specials December 11/12, 18-24.
Snowdon Mountain Railway
800mm gauge, 4½ miles. Llanberis, Gwynedd. Tel: 01286 870223. Running: Daily until October 31 (diesel).
Talyllyn Railway
2ft 3in gauge, 7½ miles.
Tywyn, Gwynedd. Tel: 01654 710472. Open: Daily except December 20/21, 25, January 1/2, 8.
Running: Daily until October 31, W/Es until December 19 plus December 26-31. Tinsel & Turkey Trains December 5, 12, 19, Santa Specials December 22-24.
Teifi Valley Railway
2ft gauge, ½ mile. Henllan, Ceredigion, SA44 5TD. Tel: 01559 371077.
Open: W/Es.
Vale of Rheidol Railway
1ft 11¾in gauge, 12 miles. Aberystwyth, Ceredigion.
Tel: 01970 625819.
Running: Daily until October 31.
Welsh Highland Heritage Railway
2ft gauge, one mile. Porthmadog, Gwynedd. Tel: 01766 513402. Running: October 27-30.
Welsh Highland Railway
2ft gauge, 26 miles. Caernarfon, Gwynedd. Tel: 01766 516000. Running: October 25-28.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway
2ft 6in gauge, eight miles. Llanfair Caereinion, Powys. Tel: 01938 810441. Running: October 23-31.
SCOTLAND
Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway
Standard gauge, five miles. Bo'ness, West Lothian. Tel: 01506 825855.
Running: W/Es & Tues until end of October.
Caledonian Railway
Standard gauge, four miles. Brechin, Angus.
Tel: 01356 622992. Running: TBA.
Doon Valley Railway
Standard gauge. Dunaskin, Ayrshire. Open: TBA.
Keith & Dufftown Railway
Standard gauge, 11 miles. Dufftown,
Banffshire.
Tel: 01340 821181.
Running: Santa Specials December 4/5, 11/12, 18/19.
Lathalmond Railway Museum
Standard gauge, ½ mile. Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, Lathalmond, nr Dunfermline. Tel: 07379 914801.
Running: Suns in October.
Royal Deeside Railway
Standard gauge, 1¼ miles. Banchory, Kincardineshire. Tel: 01330 844416. Running: TBA.
Strathspey Railway
Standard gauge, 10 miles. Aviemore, Inverness-shire. Tel: 01479 810725. Running: October 28-30.
IRELAND
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
5ft 3in gauge. Whitehead, Co. Antrim. Tel: +44 28 9358 6200.
Open: Museum open Thurs to Sat. Running: TBA.
The details in this list were correct at the time of going to press. We strongly advise that you confirm details with the venue concerned. Pre-booking is often essential.
TBA = To Be Announced