12 Magical Santa Steam Trains

New for 2020, meet Santa and his helpers aboard a steam train this Christmas in vintage, festively decorated carriages whilst steaming through the capital on a circa 90 minute round trip. Departing London Victoria Monday and Wednesday 14th /16th /21st and 23rd December three times daily at 09.30, 12.00 and 14.15. 

Each child, of course, receives a Christmas gift whilst adults can enjoy mulled wine in First Class, tea or coffee and a mince pie. Travelling with the Steam Dreams Rail Co. prices from £39pp or £139 for a family of four (at least one adult) in Standard Class or £49p and £175 family ticket travelling First Class.

The Steam Dreams Rail Co. also offers the option of Christmas gift vouchers from £50 with a choice of over 40 nostalgic days out by steam train planned for 2021 travelling to cathedral cities, coastal towns and historic sites across the UK. Delivered either by post or email, these trips will delight anyone with a love of history, nostalgia or unique experiences. 

To purchase a Santa Steam Express steam train trip or a Christmas gift voucher please call the Steam Dream Rail Co. Booking Office on 01483 209888

9am – 12.30pm on weekdays or purchase online at 

www.steamdreams.co.uk   

-ENDS-

For further information contact WixHill PR:

Tim Fordham-Moss / Pippa Evans

tim@wixhill.co.uk / pippa@wixhill.co.uk

+44 (0) 771 491788 / + 44 (0) 7545 522292 

October 2020

Editor's Notes: Santa Steam Express

Covid-19 note : All on-train catering options and service will be guided, and possibly altered, to ensure compliance with the Covid-19 requirements that apply on the day of departure. The catering described is what we hope to offer. 

All Steam Dream excursions are compliant with the current government guidelines on social distancing; hand sanitisers are available at every carriage door and in the lavatories; guidelines for passenger safety are sent with every e-ticket issued and prominent on the trains. Individual bookings that must be delayed due to Covid can be rescheduled to a later date with no amendment fee.

Gift Vouchers

Valid for a full year from date of purchase, gift vouchers must be booked before the voucher expires but travel can take place after this date. Gift vouchers start at £50. 

Gift tickets can also be purchased which summarize the trip itinerary purchased without prices and come in a special presentation wallet.  

It is likely the engine pulling the Santa Steam Expresses will be Mayflower though one from the following; these are all vintage locomotives so it isn't possible to absolutely guarantee their availability.

61306 Mayflower

Built for the London & North Eastern Railway in 1948, 61306 Mayflower is one of two surviving B1 Class locomotives. Designed as mixed traffic locomotives capable of hauling express passenger trains as well as freight traffic, the B1s are powerful, go anywhere engines and worked across most of the UK rail network from East Anglia to Scotland.

Mayflower was built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow but was delivered post-nationalisation and acquired the number 61306 by British Railways. She was first allocated to Hull Botanic Gardens Depot followed by a spell at Hull Dairycotes Depot before being finally transferred to Low Moor Depot, Bradford. She was the last B1 in service; her final trip was hauling the 'Yorkshire Pullman' from Leeds in September 1967.

Mayflower was immediately purchased for preservation and was initially based at Steamtown in Carnforth. She was fully restored for mainline operation and worked a number of rail tours in the 1970's. Acquired by Steam Dreams owner David Buck in 2014, she returned to the mainline in 2015 before being withdrawn for an extensive overhaul. Resplendent in the early British Railways apple green livery as she was originally given when delivered in 1948 she returned to full mainline operation in early 2019.

Mayflower has two cylinders, 6 driving wheels, a firebox grate area of 30 square feet and can operate at 75mph.

45212 Black Five 

45212 is one of 842 'Black Fives', as they became affectionately known, built for the London Midland and Scottish Railway. It is one 18 members of the class to survive into preservation.

Carbon Offset

The Steam Dreams Rail Co., was the first rail charter to be carbon neutral. For the last ten years the company has offset annually the carbon footprint of all aspects of its operation. 

About The Steam Dreams Rail Co. 

• The first tour left London for Salisbury in December 1999 and was an immediate success
• Two decades later, the company is proud to be offering day trips to more than 35 destinations and picking up passengers at over 100 stations across the UK every year
• The Steam Dreams Rail Co. is now delighted to offer a number of multi-day tours around the British Isles as well as overseas tours including New Zealand in 2022. 
• The company has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence every year since 2015, and was short-listed for Best Rail Holiday Provider in the inaugural Silver Travel Awards