Christmas services
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 tickets sold annually.
Services are a volunteer lead project, headed by Dianne Malyon.
Contents
Early years
The South Devon Railway relates that Kitson & Co 5474 'Carnarvon' carried Santa in 1969. [1] There is no record of the event in either SVR News or Severn Valley Railway Memories.[2] Since the 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 'Santa Claus' specials ran between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade, hauled by 'Austerity' 0-6-0ST WD 193. The weekend marked the SVR's first Santa services.[3]
On 20 December 1982 Santa arrived at Bewdley by helicopter, before travelling to his grotto at Arley by train.[4]
On 8 December 1990 the worst snowstorm for a decade affected the weekend's Santa services; only a small proportion of the 9,000 ticket holders were able to attend.[5]
The 2007 Storm Damage resulted in services being restricted to Kidderminster to Bewdley, where Santa was ensconced.
On 10 December 2017 all Santa Special services were cancelled in light of heavy snow overnight and complete loss of power at Arley Station.
Hired in locomotives
The SVR normally operates services using a working fleet drawn from its own steam locomotives. On several occasions it has been necessary to hire in locomotives from other railways to alleviate pressure on the fleet over the busy Christmas period.
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 Day. 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.
On 23 November 2018 the SVR made a 'Black Friday' discount offer of unsold Santa Special tickets.
A secondary operation are ‘Santa Heralds’, with Santa travelling on the train to distribute presents. These are typically steam-operated midweek services.
Carol Trains are an evening DMU service, running from Kidderminster to The Engine House. Christmas Carvery DMU services also run to The Engine House where a meal is provided. Dining Trains also operate. Schools steam services run in midweek.
Stations and platforms at Kidderminster, Bewdley and Arley are decorated. At both Kidderminster and Arley live seasonal music is provided by local groups. Carriages are not usually decorated, locomotives may carry headboards, wreaths or other decoration.
It is also an important part of activities for other groups. SVR Apprentices dress in animal character costumes to entertain the waiting youngsters at Arley. Several preservation groups roast and sell chestnuts.
2019 operations
In June 2019 the SVR announced there will be a refresh of Santa Specials, including the addition of departures from Bridgnorth for the first time in many years and operations from Bridgnorth during the evenings. These will make use of the new facilities afforded by the Bridgnorth development project.
Passenger numbers
Total passenger numbers for Christmas services are given below. Where totals only include Santa trains and exclude post-Christmas services, numbers are in italics.
Year | No of passengers | Location | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade. | 1 weekend of Santa trains | ||
1974 | Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade. | |||
1975 | Bewdley to Arley | 2 weekends of Santa trains. | ||
1976 | Bewdley to Arley | 3 weekends of Santa trains. | ||
1977 | Bewdley to Arley | 4 weekends of Santa trains. | ||
1978 | 10,882 | Bewdley to Arley | SVR News 50 | Total for Santa trains only, a 46% increase on 1977. |
1979 | Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade | Repairs to Victoria Bridge. | ||
1980 | 19,515 | Bewdley to Arley | SVR News 59/63 | Santa trains 17,872 |
1981 | 16,378 | Bewdley to Arley | SVR News 63 | All Santa services ran but numbers were affected by snow. |
1982 | 22,005 | Bewdley to Arley | SVR News 67 | |
1983 | 33,634 | Bewdley to Arley | SVR News 71 | Santa trains 31,450, Mince pie specials 2,184 |
1984 | 34,628 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 75 | Santa trains 33,326, Mince pie specials 1,302 |
1985 | 30,975 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 79 | Santa trains 28,978, Mince pie specials 1,997 |
1986 | 37,369 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 83 | Santa trains 34,753, Mince pie specials 2,616. |
1987 | 31,889 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 87 | Santa trains 29,634, Mince pie specials 2,255. |
1988 | 41,496 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 91 | Santa trains 38,039, Mince pie specials 3,457. |
1989 | 47,259 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 95 | Santa trains 42,602, Mince pie specials 4,657. |
1990 | 40,935 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 98 | Adverse weather in early December. |
1991 | 42,535 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 102 | |
1992 | 48,004 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 106/109 | Santa trains 42,660, Mince pie specials 5,344.[6] |
1993 | 48,485 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 109 | Santa trains 41,501, Mince pie specials 6,984. |
1994 | Kidderminster to Arley | Not reported in SVR News. | ||
1995 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 117 | Predicted Santa trains 32,000; final number not reported. | |
1996 | Kidderminster to Arley | Not reported in SVR News. | ||
1997 | >33,000 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 125 | |
1998 | >39,258 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 129 | December 38,258, plus >1k on New Years Day |
1999 | 37,876 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 132 | |
2000 | >33,000 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 135 | 33,000 weekend Santas, other midweek services not reported. |
2001 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 139 | Santa trains not reported; 5,100 after Christmas. | |
2002 | Kidderminster to Arley | Not reported in SVR News. | ||
2003 | Kidderminster to Arley | Not reported in SVR News. | ||
2004 | ~43,500 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 149 | Santas 35.5k, Diners 1k, Other 7k (approx) |
2005 | ~43,200 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 152 | Santas and other 42k, Diners 1.2k (approx) |
2006 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 156 | Not reported (Santas were 5k more than budget) | |
2007 | Kidderminster to Bewdley | 2007 Storm Damage. Numbers not reported. | ||
2008 | ~29,000 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 164 | |
2009 | Kidderminster to Arley | Not reported in SVR News. | ||
2010 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 172 | 26,529 advance tickets sold, final number not reported | |
2011 | Kidderminster to Arley | Not reported in SVR News. | ||
2012 | 47,038 | Kidderminster to Arley | SVR News 181 | |
2013 | Kidderminster to Arley | Not reported in SVR News. | ||
2014 | Kidderminster to Arley | Not reported in SVR News. | ||
2015 | 33,319 | Kidderminster to Arley | [7] | |
2016 | 33,364 | Kidderminster to Arley | [7] | |
2017 | 31,962 | Kidderminster to Arley | [7] | One day lost due to weather. |
2018 | 36,104 | Kidderminster to Arley | [7] |