Families meet Father Christmas in unforgettable Santa Train journeys from Oswestry

Santa swopped his sleigh for a steam rail at Oswestry's heritage steam railway.

Published Dec 25, 2023

The Cambrian Heritage Railways' Santa Train. Drivers Ian Payne and John Allman are pictured with Santa Claus, Mrs Claus, an elf and the Marriott family from Manchester: Shaun, Lori, Brooklyn (12) and Boston (five)

The Cambrian Heritage Railway's Santa Special Train was able to drop Father Christmas off at Weston Wharf, just outside the town, before steaming off on a series of journeys throughout December for excited children and their families.

The Santa Train steaming out of Oswestry

The Santa Train kept on running right up to December 23, when families were able to enjoy the ambience and meet Santa just in time for Christmas.

It is only the second year that Santa has been able to reach the outlying station at Weston Wharf.

Santa and his elf say hello to the Rafferty family from Chirk: Daniel and Catrina with Neve (two) and Joseph (13)

It reopened in April 2022 after a gap of half a century.

John Williams serves Jack Downie (seven) and Julie Faulks, from Oswestry

The railway fell victim to the Beeching cuts of the 1960s. But a dedicated vision and endless hours of work by volunteers saw the platforms rebuilt track relaid and the line from Oswestry town centre to Weston re-opened.

Over the year the line has been popular with passengers, combining a trip on the train with calling in at the Stonehouse Brewery at Weston Wharf.