The weekend of Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th December 2009 saw the railway's annual Santa Trains operating between Douglas and Santon once again.  The services were hauled by No. 10 G.H. Wood and a train consisting of F.39, F.9, F.10, F.11 and F.26 and No. 12 Hutchinson hauling a second set with F.45, F.47, F.48 and F.46 (with banking assistance from No. 13 Kissack) shuttling between the two stations at hourly intervals between 10.00am and 4.00pm (save for the lunch break, there was no 1.00pm departure).  All trains were fully loaded and the locomotives both carried faces, No. 10 also sporting a Merry Christmas headboard on the front buffer beam.  Passengers were treated to seasonal refreshments in the bar set, stored at Santa's Halt (Santon) for the duration and each of the children received a present and visit to Santa Claus in the station building.  Such was demand for the services that extra trains will also run on Saturday 12th December in the afternoon to cope with the crowds.

This would usually signal the final services of the year on the railway but this year there will be a Blow Away The Cobwebs special train on 30th December between Douglas and Castletown, details of which appear on the front page of this site.  This will draw to a close another successful year for the railway and we hope for a prosperous and successful 2010.  We would like to take this opportunity to wish the management and staff of the railway a very merry Christmas and happy new year.

In addition to these services, this year also sees the inaugeral Santa Horse Trams on the Douglas Promenade operating on 19th, 21st and 22nd December as well as the popular Santa Trains on the Supporters' Association owned and operated Groudle Glen Railway which take place on 13th, 19th and 20th December between 11.00am and 3.30pm, and the Mince Pie Trains on Boxing Day, at the same times.  Further details can be found at www.groudleglenrailway.com our sister site.