Santa Claus is coming to town – or at least the Suffolk countryside – giving children the chance to get their Christmas orders in early while enjoying a fun day out.

East Anglian Daily Times: Santa Special trains will be returning to the Middy in December. Picture: MID SUFFOLK LIGHT RAILWAYSanta Special trains will be returning to the Middy in December. Picture: MID SUFFOLK LIGHT RAILWAY (Image: Mid Suffolk Light Railway)

The Mid Suffolk Light Railway is running Santa Specials on the first three Sundays in December – giving youngsters and their families the chance to be whisked away to the new-look North Pole that is moving to the railway for a few weeks!

Steam trains run from Brockford Station to “North Pole Halt,” where the children will have an individual meeting with Santa at his Christmas Guards Van. The Stations will be fully decorated in full Christmas style.

Visitors can enjoy the atmosphere at Suffolk’s only standard gauge award-winning railway museum. The genuine Great Eastern Railway Victorian four wheeled coaches are a historical experience for any passengers, especially younger ones, and there will also be other entertainment including a traction engine and model railway.

All seats must be booked in advance. Bookings will be by compartment with a minimum of £50 for four per compartment and £12.50 per additional passenger with a maximum of six, or up to eight if they are from the same household. There is also room for up to 11 in the first class compartment.

Trains run from 10am to 3.45 pm on December 6, 13, and 20. Passengers will be asked to arrive 15 minutes before their booked departure.

Visitors need to arrive on time because of the extra cleaning needed to be Covid compliant and all visitors must wear masks in the railway’s public areas and to their train.

All seats will be padded, but there will be no blankets. Passengers may bring their own. Also due to Covid restrictions, the railway cannot provide any refreshments.

Bookings and compartments will be identified by a number and reindeer name (non-transferable). To book, or for more information, visit the website or call 01449 766874 between 9am and 6pm. Bookings can be taken from Thursday, October 15.

MORE: Middy closed for summer – but work goes on

These trains will be the first public services operated by the Middy since New Year’s Day but since lockdown volunteers have been busy maintaining the museum and preparing for the opening of the line’s extension and the rebirth of its own steam locomotive whose restoration is nearing completion.