Santa Specials 2025
Join Santa and his elves at The Battlefield Line Railway this Christmas!
Our railway volunteers will once again be decorating the station at Shackerstone and our festive express train, then welcoming you all on board your 90-minute journey.
Departures are at 11:30, 14:00 and 16:30 each day and pre-booking is essential! (no 16:30 service on 24/12)
As the train departs for Shenton, there will be an onboard refreshment service with at-seat service (card payment preferred) whilst you await Santa's visit to you and your guests.
We offer 3 types of package, further details below...
Bronze:
🎄 Bronze Package – Festive Fun in Our Open-Style Coach
Step aboard our open-style coach, beautifully decorated for the season and buzzing with festive cheer — especially when Santa and his elves make their grand entrance!
🎁 What’s Included:
A personal visit from Santa to each group on board
A small gift for every child
Sweets for children during the journey
A complimentary mince pie for every adult
🎅 Why Choose Bronze?
Seats up to 64 passengers – perfect for larger groups
-A cost-effective option for families looking to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of a steam train
-Ideal for those who want to meet Santa without breaking the bank
Enjoy the magic of Christmas aboard our lively, family-friendly coach — and make memories that last long after the steam has cleared!
Silver:
🎄 Silver Package – A Cosy Christmas Journey
Begin your magical visit at Shackerstone Station, where you'll be welcomed aboard our heritage steam train and shown to your own private, festively decorated compartment.
🎁 What’s Included:
A private compartment (seating 4–8 people)
Sweets and juice ready for the children on arrival
A glass of wine and a delicious mince pie for each adult
(Just be sure to eat yours before Santa arrives — he’s very fond of mince pies!)
🎅 Santa’s Visit:
Santa and his cheerful elves will stop by your compartment to greet everyone. He’ll take time to chat with the children and hand each of them a wonderful present, making the moment extra special.
👨👩👧👦 Planning for Groups:
Each compartment seats 4 to 8 people.
For larger parties, please book multiple compartments (e.g. a group of 12 should book 2 x 6-person compartments).
We’ll do our best to assign adjoining compartments so your group can enjoy the experience together.
This option offers a warm, relaxed setting for families and friends to enjoy the sights, sounds, and sparkle of the season — all with a touch of traditional steam railway magic.
Gold:
🎄 Gold Package – Our Flagship Experience
Step aboard for the ultimate festive journey with our Gold Package, the most luxurious way to experience Christmas by steam train.
As you slide open the door to your private, decorated compartment, you’ll discover that Santa’s elves have already paid a visit — leaving behind a generous festive hamper packed with treats!
🎁 What’s Included:
-A private compartment (seating 4–8 people)
-An exclusive Christmas hamper filled with a large selection of sweet and savoury snacks, plus a variety of drinks for adults and children
-All the magic of our Silver Package, including:
A personal visit from Santa and his elves
Gifts for each child
Sweets and juice for children on arrival
Wine and mince pies for adults
👨👩👧👦 Perfect for Families or Groups:
-Compartments seat 4 to 8 people
-For larger groups, please book multiple compartments
(e.g. for a group of 12, book 2 x 6-person compartments)
-We’ll make every effort to seat your group in adjoining compartments
-Treat yourself and your loved ones to a premium festive experience full of warmth, wonder, and delicious delights — a Christmas celebration to remember.
A few FAQ's from previous years:
- All trains depart from SHACKERSTONE STATION
- NO tickets are posted or emailed, your booking confirmation email is your ticket. Simply quote the booking name on arrival.
- Under 1's travel free, but you must state any under 1's during checkout stage. If not, we cannot provide a gift.
- The experience lasts approx 90 minutes, but may be longer due to unforeseen delays (eg: bad weather, train operating issues, etc)
🎄 Santa Specials – Important Terms and Conditions
📍 Departure & Arrival
➤ All Santa Special trains depart from and return to Shackerstone Station.
➤ Please arrive at least 20 minutes before your scheduled departure to allow time for parking and walking to the platform.
➤ Trains will not be held for late arrivals. If you miss your train, no refund will be issued.
🎟️ Booking Information
➤ Allocated Seating: Seats are allocated at time of booking.
➤ To ensure your group is seated together, please book all tickets in one transaction.
➤ Additional bookings cannot be guaranteed to be seated near earlier ones.
Booking Changes:
➤ Minor changes (e.g. passenger details, age adjustments, additional guests) incur a £10 admin fee.
➤ Date/time changes may be possible, but as this event usually sells out, we cannot guarantee availability. If we are unable to move your booking, it will be treated as a cancellation under our refund policy.
💷 Refund Policy (Customer Cancellations)
➤ More than 28 days' notice: 80% refund only
➤ 10 to 28 days' notice: 50% refund only
➤ Less than 10 days' notice: No refund, but you may request standard tickets to our Mince Pie Specials (30th Dec – 1st Jan) as an alternative
(Note: These do not include Santa, gifts, hampers, or other "Santa Special" extras)
🚂 Train Operation
➤ Services may be steam or diesel hauled, subject to availability.
➤ We will do our best to run trains as advertised, but alterations or cancellations may occur due to unforeseen circumstances.
➤ The railway accepts no liability for late running or cancellations and reserves the right to amend services without prior notice. E&OE.
♿ Accessibility
➤ Due to the design of our historic coaches, wheelchair users cannot access standard passenger areas. If a member of your party uses a wheelchair, please contact us before booking to discuss your needs.
🐶 Pets
➤ Dogs are not permitted on Santa Special trains.