Steam Dreams ‘Santafied’ at well-filled trips from Victoria

ITS new venture of running main line Santa Specials out of London Victoria is already paying dividends, as Steam Dreams' marketing department reports that the departures are filling well. Not only that, but the corresponding evening diners are also in demand.

The positive public reception for this latest venture means that a new marketing opportunity in the realms of festive trains running out of a major terminal has been created, reaching families living in the Greater London area.

The specials are scheduled to depart Victoria on December 13, 14, 20 and 22. The evening dining trains leave Victoria on the same dates, with trains departing at 6.50pm and arriving back at about 9.50pm. In addition, four Christmas shopper trains are running, the first of which departed from King's Cross on November 18 for York. A1 No. 60163 Tornado was replaced on that trip by a diesel, after a potential intermittent valve issue was discovered during the 4-6-2's Railway Touring Company ‘The Cheshireman' trip from Bristol to Chester on November 13 and was being investigated as we closed for press.

November 30 sees Victoria to Bath, and on December 5 a shopper departs Ealing Broadway for Lincoln. The Southend departure to Oxford on December 9 is sold out. Tornado was booked to haul all three. Then Steam Dreams staff take a break until Flying Scotsman hauls trains visiting Oxford on March 13, Canterbury on March 17, and Salisbury on March 24.

No tours have yet been posted for April, but May sees the first ‘Royal Windsor Steam Express' and the evening ‘Sunset Steam Express', which departs Victoria on May 10.

The frequency of the trains is repeated every Tuesday throughout May, June and July, and until August 16. Timings have yet to be confirmed, but there will be morning and midday departures for Windsor.

A new innovation is being introduced on both the morning and midday trains – a champagne brunch, which will be served in Pullman-style dining. Alternatively, passengers on the midday train will be offered a lunchtime tour of a round trip from Victoria and back via Windsor while partaking of a two-course meal.

Steam Dreams marketer Juliet Soley said that the lunch service has not ye't been launched and is therefore not bookable.

Meanwhile, Steam Dreams' planned three-week tour of New Zealand has been redated to run from October 21 to November 9. Described as a holiday of a lifetime, it will include railtours across the North and South Islands.