Avoiding Santa specials

[PUFFINGBILLY]

Yes I know they put bums on seats and eat lots of sweets, but am hoping to visit a restored railway somewhere in the Midlands on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th December without having to endure hordes of uncontrolled screaming brats.
The SVR is my favourite but if I read the timetable correctly is only running a truncated service out of Kidderminster.
Have yet to properly investigate the Great Central Line.
Commonsense indicates I should visit very early in the day and ride the first service ( on the basis that many can't get out of their beds till the day is almost over ).
Any other railway or transport heritage sites I should consider?
The Ironbridge area ( Blist Hill etc ) is one that comes to my mind.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Well i shall be honest most kids of the age santa is exciting do get out of bed very very early...
I think almost every heritage line will have them as for us KWVR they are the single biggest source of income over the year we could ot exist without them.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

They are usually indicted in the respective railway's timetables / leaflets, or you could check online nearer the time.

'Uncontrolled screaming brats'? Lovely. Would rather have them on my train than someone who made sweeping generalisations and showed that sort of arrogance.

 

[GM078]

In my experience kids on board Santa specials are generally well behaved (I suppose from their perspective they'd want to be!). As jimmyowl1992 says they are very important for any heritage rail group in order to keep things moving, without those "brats" the railway heritage movement would be worse off.

 

[Cymroglan]

'Uncontrolled screaming brats'? Lovely. Would rather have them on my train than someone who made sweeping generalisations.

If it's all the same to you, I'll travel with the bloke who makes sweeping generalisations because he will probably be better behaved than the kids.

I completely understand the financial imperative of the Santa special (and Thomas events etc), but I avoid these events like the plague. Surely that is just sensible? Some weekends are aimed at families, others are aimed at old gricers like me. The two groups are probably best kept apart to the benefit of both?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

If it's all the same to you, I'll travel with the bloke who makes sweeping generalisations because he will probably be better behaved than the kids.

I completely understand the financial imperative of the Santa special (and Thomas events etc), but I avoid these events like the plague. Surely that is just sensible? Some weekends are aimed at families, others are aimed at old gricers like me. The two groups are probably best kept apart to the benefit of both?

See edited post

I agree with the second part.

 

[caliwag]

Well i shall be honest most kids of the age santa is exciting do get out of bed very very early...
I think almost every heritage line will have them as for us KWVR they are the single biggest source of income over the year we could ot exist without them.

KWVR is a fantastic railway at any time...my favorite and run with real enthusiasm and professionism, but it's fantastic in December. Twilight runs seem to suit it...gas lamps and all. Give it a try, you don't notice the kids and they give it a buzz anyway...I'll be going over anyway, again.

Incidentally I believe the very successful beer fest. also helps to fill the coffers...20th-23rd October, best festival that I know. Get a day rover and if you get bored (you shouldn't be there!!) you can jump on the train (with its own real ale bar), smell the smoke and steam and return to the rare ales and brass band.

Jim

 

[Roylang]

Yes I know they put bums on seats and eat lots of sweets, but am hoping to visit a restored railway somewhere in the Midlands on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th December without having to endure hordes of uncontrolled screaming brats.

Were you the guy I saw sat drunk on a train a while ago shouting loudly down the phone that he did not expect to be on a late night train with a bunch of unruly little baskets (you can translate)? The only children on in the coach were mine who were silent and half asleep.

I hope to visit railways without grumpy old men

Roy

 

[45669]

The post Christmas Sherry and Mince Pie type trains might be a better bet. Otherwise, live and let live.

 

[YorkshireBear]

KWVR is a fantastic railway at any time...my favorite and run with real enthusiasm and professionism, but it's fantastic in December. Twilight runs seem to suit it...gas lamps and all. Give it a try, you don't notice the kids and they give it a buzz anyway...I'll be going over anyway, again.

Incidentally I believe the very successful beer fest. also helps to fill the coffers...20th-23rd October, best festival that I know. Get a day rover and if you get bored (you shouldn't be there!!) you can jump on the train (with its own real ale bar), smell the smoke and steam and return to the rare ales and brass band.

Jim

very often take a twilight ride in the winter. on a wedding special the other week we came back at about midnight.

 

[AlexS]

KWVR has always been a favourite on New Years Day - especially when it's snowed Couple of years ago I did it and they kicked out the 25 on 2 Mk1 suburbans vice Railbus - there was ice all over the inside of the carriages it was that cold

 

[ChrisCooper]

Santa, a bit like Thomas (or these days more often equivalents) do bring in a lot of money to the preservation movement. Even the East Anglia Transport Museum is trying running a Santa service this winter, and even though they have only recently started bookings it's already doing well. At the end of the day, the preservation movement is primarily about that, preserving historic locos, rolling stock and other vehicles, but they have to branch out into other areas to finance preservation. Enthusiasts might not be the big cash cow, but they are still the main target and consideration, if not things could be a hell of a lot different.

If someone decided to try and make money out of railways as an attraction, it would end up as a themepark style thing. Steam effect locos, modern coaches that had an old fasioned look to them, and an all inclusive sort of thing with rides, food, entertainment etc. You wouldn't have volenteers, but instead lots of unskilled or lowskilled staff on minimum wage, including probably operating (under the right circumstances driving a train doesn't have to be a particularly skilled job).

 

[Greenback]

Santa specials are obviosuly a good way to get children interested in heritage railways, and their parents to spend their money!

If I wanted to avoid screaming children, and I frequently do, I would go for a later train. In my experience the last couple of trains a day are much quieter than the morning ones.
We had a carriage to ourselves on the last KWVR service in April!