Tuesday, 10 December 2019
All aboard the Santa train! East Midlands Railway host special Christmas train ride for local school children
- Volunteers from EMR host Christmas train ride for 60 children from Harford Manor School, Norwich
- Santa delivered presents to children on board
- The children were entertained throughout the journey with festive activities, treat bags and refreshments and all volunteers dressed in fancy dress for the occasion too
EMR worked alongside Harford Manor School to create a special Christmas train ride for 60 children and their parents from Norwich.
The special Santa train went from Norwich to Ely and back again. Santa also made a special appearance to deliver gifts and presents supplied by East Midlands Railway.
Tony Stevens, Train Driver for East Midlands Railway said: “The children from Harford Manor School are all aged between 4 -18 and aren’t able to attend main stream schools.
“Many of the children are autistic and can find the world a very scary place and can be upset by new environments and loud noises. As such, most avoid public transport but we hope this special train ride will not only give them a great Christmas experience but also introduce them to public transport and the opportunities to travel.
“The train ride was a huge success. I would like to thank everyone who gave their time to help create a really magical day for the children”.
Clare Chaplin, Parent Group Chair for Harford Manor School said: “On Sunday 8 December, EMR did something truly wonderful, by organising a four carriage return train from Norwich to Ely with 130 passengers.
“My son, aged 7, cannot visit Santa as he finds queues, the grotto and stimulation far too much. So to have a Santa on a train passing through the carriage was perfect gift which all of the family could enjoy.
“The volunteers were in great festive spirits, dressed as elves, offering refreshments and snacks to all, and the children loved their special gifts from Santa.
“We are truly grateful to EMR and their generous staff for allowing this magical event to happen, from all the families, thank you so much, you’ve made our Christmas!”