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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.
Services are a volunteer lead projectunder a Santa committee, headed by Dianne Malyon.It is almost a twelve-month project: presents are ordered in March, and bands and choirs by May.<ref>SVR News 171, 203</ref>
==Early years==
==Recent operation to 2018==
The mainstay operation is the Santa Special operation. This operates half hourly all day, typically weekends from late November/early December until Christmas Eve. This necessitates a five-train operation, all steam hauled, with a sixth locomotive providing train pre-heating and acting as standby. The trains operate 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 staff trains, and a late afternoon service for late-returning passengers.
Setting up takes place at the beginning of October, with clearing away taking place before year end. A typical day's operation needs around 100 volunteers, excluding crew and signalmen. There are 96 Santa turns for the Santa Specials.
On 23 November 2018 the SVR made a 'Black Friday' discount offer of unsold Santa Special tickets.
