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Special Events

Santa Specials

12 Dec
- 22 Dec 2026

Celebrate the festive season with a magical journey through beautiful Mid-Wales to meet the family’s favourite Christmas cheer bringer, Father Christmas!

Arrive at our vintage station, Llanfair Caereinion, board our heated carriages hauled by a historic steam engine to be transported through a wintery landscape to our middle station at Castle Caereinion and back.

All trains depart from Llanfair Caereinion (SY21 0SF). Pre-booking Essential.

Tickets on sale NOW (scroll down).

Steam Train Journey

Meet Father Christmas

Your journey lasts approximately 70 minutes, during which time you will meet Father Christmas and his elves on the train. Every family then receives a specially made Christmas decoration, and, very importantly, an entry ticket to Santa’s Workshop. Upon your return to Llanfair Caereinion, see Mrs Claus and her Maker Elf in the Workshop to select your Christmas gift.

Adult passengers receive a mince pie and non-alcoholic hot seasonal drink to enjoy during your journey. Children receive a festive biscuit and juice carton.

All trains depart from Llanfair Caereinion, postcode SY21 0SF, where you should arrive 20 minutes before your booked time. The experience lasts for approximately 90 minutes.

At the station

Festive Cheer

Food & Drink – Enjoy the warmth of a seasonal soup, hot turkey bap, slice of cake, or tea and coffee in our Station Tearoom before or after your train journey.

Shop – Treat yourself or a little one with a festive gift, including our locally produced Welsh range and specially produced Christmas Cards depicting winter scenes along the line.

 

16 December

SEN Friendly Santa Trains

Our Santa Experience on 16 December has been specially altered to be friendly for those with Special Educational Needs:

  • Reduced number of passengers, giving more space and a quieter environment.
  • All Adult/ Carer tickets HALF-PRICE for this day only (discount automatically applied during online booking).
  • Santa, Music, and other performances adjusted to be SEN friendly.
  • Limited number of spaces for Wheelchair Users or those with additional access requirements (please contact us for more information).
Santa Specials Fares
Price
Additional Info
Adult
£24
(includes a mince pie and non-alcoholic hot seasonal drink)
Child (2 – 15 years)
£20
(includes an age appropriate present, soft drink and sweet treat)
Infant (under 3 year)
£5
(includes a small age appropriate gift)

Accessibility – Our trains have a limited number of spaces for wheelchair users. If your party has additional access needs please contact us on 01938 810441 before purchasing tickets.

SEN Friendly – 16 Dec: The trains on this day have been specially adjusted for those with Special Educational Needs. Adult/ Carer travel half-price automatically applied at checkout.

Wrap up warm – Our vintage carriages are steam heated, however our stations and many activities are outdoors, therefore we advise our passengers to wrap up warm during the winter months.

PLEASE NOTE – Members concessionary travel is not available during this special event. Due to the large number of small children, dogs are not permitted on our Santa Specials.

Book your Santa Specials tickets now

Book Tickets
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Customer Support Team

Do you love helping people? Join our Customer Support Team:

  • Deal with customer queries and offer information and advice.
  • Help to ensure all visitors have a positive experience.
  • Assist with keeping our background administration up to date.
  • We offer a traditional service where customers can talk to ‘real people’ if they want to.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Archives & Education Team

Do you love building and sharing detailed records of history? You might enjoy volunteering in our Archives and Education Team:

  • Help to find and store accurate and detailed records of our history.
  • Gather and record oral and written memories of our railway’s past.
  • Share our heritage stories with community and school groups.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Events Team

Do you like making good things happen? Could you help us to organise our special events?

  • Be part of the team planning and running special events throughout the year.
  • Vintage weekends, children’s events, themed events and the annual steam gala.
  • You can help with just one event or several during the year.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Museum & Visitor Centre Team

Do you love museums and heritage centres? You might enjoy volunteering in our Llanfair Connections Visitor Centre:

  • Meet and greet visitors.
  • Open weekends and school holidays from March to October.
  • Support children’s activities and learning.
  • Support heritage conservation and visitor interest.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Buildings & Grounds Gang

Do you want to help us to keep our station sites looking tidy? Can you spare some time on Tuesdays or Wednesdays?

Then join our Buildings and Grounds Gang:

  • Help to keep our stations and facilities well cared for.
  • Carry out routine and general maintenance as part of a team.
  • Regular Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the year.
  • Join the team on a regular or occasional basis.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Lineside Vegetation Gang

Do you want to help us to keep our railway line looking tidy? Can you spare some time on occasional weekends - one weekend per month or less?

Then join our Fence-to-Fence gang:

  • Be part of the team managing vegetation alongside the railway line.
  • Work outdoors as part of the team.
  • Regular two-day weekends throughout the year.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Track Gang

Are you happy working outside in the fresh air? Do you love the satisfaction of seeing a job well done?

  • Be part of our track gang, maintaining eight miles of railway track.
  • Work outdoors as part of the team.
  • Repairs and routine maintenance.
  • Weekday operations – currently every Friday.
  • Light tasks included, so no need for physical strength.
  • Reasonable mobility is required.
  • Supervision and training provided.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Engineering & Workshops

Do you love tinkering with cars? Then you’ll love volunteering in our engineering workshop!

  • Maintain and restore heritage locomotive engines.
  • Fabrication, fitting and machining of specialist parts.
  • Well-equipped workshop and facilities.
  • Both specialist and general roles.
  • Full training and supervision provided.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Shopkeeper

Do you want to volunteer and prefer to be indoors? Then join our busy station team as a Shop Keeper:

  • Serving customers in our station shops.
  • Restocking shelves.
  • Helping visitors with their purchases.
  • Full training provided.
  • Can be combined with the Assistant Station Master role if desired.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Locomotive Team

Do you dream of being a train driver? Make your dream come true!

  • Learn ‘footplate roles’ from Fireman through to Steam Engine Driver.
  • Train on heritage steam and diesel engines.
  • Drive our interesting and challenging line.
  • Shunt rolling stock around the stations.
  • Full, progressive training provided.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Guard : Signalman

Are you looking for a new volunteering experience? How about becoming a Guard or Controller Blockman for our heritage trains?

  • Manage all aspects of passenger train journeys.
  • Oversee train movements and timekeeping.
  • Help visitors to their seats and check tickets.
  • As Controller Blockman, take control of signals and points.
  • Full training provided.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Station Master

Do you enjoy making people happy? Then you’ll love volunteering as our Station Master!

  • Despite the title, women are very welcome too!
  • Oversee smooth operation of the station site.
  • Ticket sales.
  • Ensure station safety and cleanliness.
  • Make our visitors feel welcome.
  • Full training provided.
  • Start with Assistant Station Master role if preferred.

Volunteer Enquiry Form

Please complete the following information so that the Volunteer Liaison Office can deal with your enquiry. The information helps us to consider where we might be able to place you.