Getting up steam for festivities

But the festive season has come early for the volunteers at Telford Steam Railway, who are already putting in every effort to make the holidays as magical as possible as work continues on their second year of Polar Express experiences.

Workers have been refurbishing the coaches ready for the event in December.

A spokesman for the railway said: “We are currently in the process of preparing for the Polar Express experience this Christmas.

“This includes fully refurbishing the coaches, from seating to painting and cleaning. Our 08 has also seen work carried out to its vacuum and braking systems. The Class 37 has had refurbishing and cleaning carried out on to it and our trains, Rocket and Merlin, have also being cleaned.”

“Work also continues to the site maintenance along with gardening and cleaning. We have also had successful running days with many visitors thanks to the hard work of our volunteers. Our volunteers work doesn’t just end on site either. Many of us are also working hard ‘behind the scenes’.”

The steam railway risked everything to put on their first Polar Express experience last year. Because of the expense involved, organisers were told they were best not putting it on at all. But months before the 2016 event was held, tickets were already being snapped up by families who wanted a different kind of Christmas experience.

More than half the tickets for 2017 were snapped up within three days of them going on sale in March.

Families are fast booking up seats for The Polar Express experience that is being expanded by a third this year with a new allocation of 21,000 tickets.

There are only a limited number of tickets left.

To book visit midlandsthepolarexpressride.com