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The below is an incomplete page'''Christmas services''' are a huge part of the SVR's services, accounting for approximately 35,000 of the 200,000 [[SVR Passenger numbers|tickets sold annually]]. By tradition, the SVR's services close at the end of the services after New Year's Day and therefore includes the immediate post-Christmas trains.

Christmas services Services are a huge part of the SVR’s services, accounting for approximately 35,000 of the 200volunteer lead project under a Santa committee,000 until 2019 headed by [[SVR Passenger numbers|tickets sold annuallyDiane Malyon]]. By traditionIt is almost a twelve-month project: presents are ordered in March, the SVR's services close at the end of the services after New Year's Day and therefore includes the immediate post-Christmas trainsbands and choirs by May.<ref>SVR News 171, 203</ref>

Services are ==Early years==The first visit by Santa was in 1968. Tony Bending recalls it was a volunteer lead projectstaged affair organised by Dillons store in Bridgnorth High Street who wanted a novel way for Santa to arrive. [[LMS Ivatt Class 2 46443|46443]] drew a single coach out to [[Cleobury Road Bridge]] before the event and later on, at the appropriate time, rolled it back in. Having arrived at [[Bridgnorth]] by train Santa then travelled by horse and cart, before spending the day seeing children in the High Street shop.<ref>[https://www.svr.co.uk/svr50years.aspx '50 Years of Steam at the Severn Valley Railway', SVR website] (Retrieved 22 May 2020)</ref> The exhibition '50 Years of Steam at the Severn Valley Railway' records the event on 24 November 1968, [[David Williams]] records 46443 operating on 21 December 1968.<ref>Tony Bending, headed David Williams by email</ref> The South Devon Railway relates that [[Kitson & Co 5474 'Carnarvon']] carried Santa in 1969.<ref>[http://www.southdevonrailwayassociation.org/Caernarfon.html South Devon Railway website]</ref> This was a similar event held on 20 December 1969; a photograph by Dianne MalyonC.R. Jenkins of Carnarvon shunting at Bridgnorth on that morning appears in David Williams' book ''Severn Valley Railway Album''.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Williams (1974)]] p. 23.</ref>  There is no record of either event in SVR News or ''Severn Valley Railway Memories''.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Magner (1997)]].</ref> As the public did not use the Railway to meet Santa at his grotto at one of the SVR stations, neither event can be considered as a 'Santa service'. ==SVR Santa services==

==Early years==The South Devon Railway relates that On 23 and 24 December 1973 'Santa Claus' specials ran with three coaches between Bridgnorth and [[Hampton Loade]], hauled by [[Kitson & Co 5474 WD 193 Shropshire|'CarnarvonAusterity'0-6-0ST WD 193]] carried Santa in 1969. <ref>[http://www.southdevonrailwayassociation.org/Caernarfon.html South Devon Railway website]</ref> There is no record of The weekend marked the event in either SVR News or ''Severn Valley Railway Memories''.<ref>s first [[Bibliography#BooksChristmas services |Magner (1997)Santa services]].<ref>SVR News 29,32</ref> Since the [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1970|Light Railway Order]] was only granted in 1970, it could presumably only have been a static event at [[Bridgnorth]], and so it would not have been classed as a 'Santa service'.

In 1973 two days of 'Although the SVR extended to Bewdley during 1974, there was no run round loop at Arley at the time. Accordingly the 1974 Santa Claus' specials ran services were again held between Bridgnorth and [[Hampton Loade]], hauled by . The loop at Arley was commissioned in May 1975 and from that year on it became the norm for Santa services to run between the southern terminus (Bewdley and later Kidderminster) and a [[WD 193 ShropshireSanta's Grotto|'Austerity' 0-6-0ST WD 193grotto at Arley]]. The weekend marked In 1979 services reverted to the north end of the line due to the SVR's first winter closure of [[Christmas services | Santa servicesVictoria Bridge]]for repairs.<ref>SVR News 29,32</ref>

On 20 December 1982 Santa arrived at Bewdley by helicopter, before travelling to [[Santa's Grotto|his grotto at Arley]] by train.<ref>SVR News 67</ref>

==Hired in locomotives==The SVR normally operates services using a [[Steam Locomotives | working fleet]] drawn from its own steam locomotives. On several occasions it has been necessary to [[Steam Locomotives hired by the SVR|hire 29 December 2020 snowfall resulted in locomotives from other railways]] to alleviate pressure on the fleet over the busy Christmas periodday's services bring cancelled.

The mainstay operation is was the Santa Special operation. This operates operated half hourly all day, typically weekends from late November/early December until Christmas Eve. This necessitates necessitated a five-train operation, all steam hauled, with a sixth locomotive providing train pre-heating and acting as standby. The trains operate operated between [[Kidderminster]] and [[Santa's Grotto]] at [[Arley]], with trains picking up and setting down at [[Bewdley]] on the return leg only. In addition the [[Class 108 DMU]] runs ran staff trains, and a late afternoon service for late-returning passengers. Setting up took place at the beginning of October, with clearing away taking place before year end. A typical day's operation needed around 100 volunteers, excluding crew and signalmen. There were 96 Santa turns for the Santa Specials.

A secondary operation are was ‘Santa Heralds’, with Santa travelling on the train to distribute presents. These are typically steam-operated midweek services.

It is was also an important part of activities for other groups. [[SVR Apprentices]] dress in animal character costumes to entertain the waiting youngsters at [[Arley]]. Several [[List of preservation groups|preservation groups]] roast and sell chestnuts.

In June 2019 the SVR announced there will be a refresh of Santa Specials, no longer featuring a Grotto but instead including the addition of departures :  *Santa Specials from Kidderminster *Premium Santa Specials from both Kidderminster and [[Bridgnorth]] . These services operated to Highley on a decorated steam train with Santa meeting every family on the train handing out gifts and posing for photographs. Operationally both were top and tailed, the Bridgnorth-originating services with steam and the Kidderminster services steam and diesel.  A 'Steam in Lights' evening illuminated steam service operates from Bridgnorth. This did not feature Santa. Carol Trains, Christmas Carvery, Dining Trains, Schools steam services and post-Christmas services continued.  The Bridgnorth services were the first time in many years and operations from Bridgnorth during the evenings. These will make , making use of the new facilities afforded by the [[Bridgnorth#Bridgnorth_Development_Project|Bridgnorth development project]].  The objective was to provide customers with a new experience and reduce the workload for volunteers. The result was a planned reduction inSanta Services numbers of 4,178, but with revenue increased by £121,324<ref name=SVR2019>SVR(H) annual report and financial statements for the period ended 5 January 2020</ref>. ==2020 onwards==The [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic|COVID-19 pandemic]] lead to pre-booking Christmas events, using compartment stock for all services. The 2020 operation involved two sets for the Santa services and one for Steam in Lights. Santa trains were steam-hauled departures from Kidderminster to Arley for a Santa Pantomime and presents distributed on the train to minimise face-to-face contact. For Steam in Lights evening return trips were planned from Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade, with a steam loco on the north end and diesel on the south end.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blsep20 Branch Lines newsletter, September 2020] (Retrieved 29 August 2020)</ref> The imposition of a second lockdown in November included dates for the early services, which where cancelled. Services restarted as planned on 3 December but were again suspended due to additional restrictions from 31 December. A similar experience was announced for 2021. Additionally, it will include the 'Enchanted Express' between Bridgnorth and Highley, based around the classic poem ''‘Twas the Night Before Christmas'', narrated by actress Dame Julie Walters<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blaug21 Branch Lines, August 2021]</ref>.