It’s snow joke as Santa Special drifts to a halt

Which engine would it be for today’s North Bay Railway Santa Specials? It was… Robin Hood! Hurray, a red Robin Hood taking children to see a red Santa.

Early in the morning, the driver jumped into Robin Hood to ride down to Scalby Mills station. He had to make sure that Santa had arrived before children could be taken to see him.

It was a beautiful journey. A robin chirped from the top of the signal box. There was a lot of snow glistening in the bright winter sunshine. The water chute and the boating lake were still and quiet. Through the tunnel, past the lake. A few geese flew over. Under the bridge. No one there waving this early in the morning.

Then on towards the sea, with deep drifts of snow at each side of the track.

As Robin Hood pulled round the curve, a couple of beaming snowmen gazed across.

Oh no! The engine was brought to a stop. There had been a heavy fall of snow during the night. A lot of snow had slipped on to the track. The track was blocked. Robin Hood could go no further.

A figure in red waved from Scalby Mills station. It was Santa. The train could not get through. No time to get the snow moved today. The Santa Specials would have to be cancelled.

Many children would come for their Santa Special ride, waking up excited. How disappointed they would be.

What a start to Christmas! The driver waved back to Santa, not knowing what to say. “We need a miracle,” he thought.

He was just about to put

Robin Hood into reverse to go back to Peasholm Park station when that miracle began. Over the top of the hill came a young girl carrying a spade. She walked to the track and began to clear the snow.

“Thanks!” called out the driver, “but we haven’t time. It’ll take hours and hours to move all that snow off the track. Thanks for trying anyway!”

And that’s when something amazing happened.

From all directions came other children, all with spades, and some mums and dads with big spades. Before you knew it, there were dozens of diggers clearing the track. The spades which dug North Bay sand in the summer were now clearing North Bay Railway snow in the winter. The driver gazed on in astonishment. The track was cleared enough for the engine to get through.

Dozens of diggers waved at a bewildered, delighted driver. “Thank you!” he yelled.

The relieved driver headed back to Peasholm Park station to get the carriages ready for the Santa Special passengers, wondering, “Wow! How?”

They found out later that the girl who came first had been out in the early morning walking the dog. She noticed the snow piled on to the track. She had gone home for her spade telling everyone about it. One had told another, who had told another, who had told another .... soon lots of people knew, and everyone wanted to help. A lot of people cleared the track in time saving the Santa Specials for that day. Brilliant!

Many children had a wonderful time that day, travelling on the North Bay Railway to meet Santa. Thank you to everyone who helped clear that snow. Maybe you were one of them.

Happy Christmas!