Santa Specials tickets success

More than 10,000 tickets have already been sold for this year's Santa Specials on the Severn Valley Railway.

A similar number are expected to go in the next few weeks as the railway heads for another Santa sell-out – despite a shorter trip.

Santa trains will terminate at Bewdley this year, instead of Arley, because of repairs to summer floods damage. SVR marketing manager John Leach said: "To have sold around half of all our seats at this stage is very pleasing. We are running 13 Santa trains a day and more than 100 in total but the message to everyone has to be book now because when all the seats are sold, they're gone."

Santa trains from Kidderminster to Bewdley operate on four consecutive weekends, on December 1 and December 2, December 8 and December 9, December 15 and December 16 and December 22 and December 23 with a flat fare of £8.50 for adults and children aged from one to 15 who all receive a present from Santa. Under ones travel free but a charge of £4 is made for a present.

The Santa Herald service runs from December 19 to December 21 with Father Christmas travelling on board the train and meeting children at their seats.

Christmas Carol trains, with choir-led singing at Kidderminster and Bewdley stations run from Bewdley on December 8 and December 15 at 6.50pm when fares will be £7 for adults and £3.50 for children. Bookings for seats on the Santa Special are being taken on the hotline 01299 403816.