Press release -
Families invited to join Santa’s festive train on the Abbey Line this Christmas
Santa’s festive train will be making it's way along the Abbey Line again this December, taking passengers to and from a special Grotto.
On Sunday 9 December, between 1300 and 1600, passengers can get off the train at Bricket Wood and follow a short walk to St Stephen Parish Centre.
The event is being run by the Abbey Line Community Rail Partnership (Abbey Line CRP), with support from London Northwestern Railway.
There will be face painting, balloon modelling, crafts, mini rides on ‘Steam’ Railway and a quiz with prizes to be won. London-based rock band Chasing Deer will also be performing live music at the event throughout the day. Refreshments will be provided by Mount Pleasant Primary School PTA.
Visitors will a valid train ticket will be able to enter the grotto for free, and will be able take unlimited journeys on London Northwestern Railway services between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey throughout the day. The Meraki Christmas Festival is also taking place on the same day. This is a short walk from St Albans Abbey station at Verulamium Park.
Vicky Cropper, head of stakeholder and community engagement at London Northwestern Railway, said: “The festive train is always a highlight for the Abbey Line. The event is a shining example of how our Community Rail Partnerships can make a positive impact in their local area and to our customers. We would encourage anyone who wouldn't usually travel by train to give it a go this December and to make it a special day out for the whole family."
Edna Woname, partnership development officer at Abbey Line CRP, said: "We look forward to welcoming our community to a day of festivities this December. We want people to learn more about how the Abbey Line and how our CRP is making a difference to those who use it. I am particularly grateful for the support we have received from members of the partnership, volunteers, Mount Pleasant Lane School PTA and London Northwestern Railway in putting this event together. We hope to build on the success of last year, where hundreds of people enjoyed a festive day out on the railway."
Abbey Line CRP will be running a competition on their Facebook and Twitter feeds to win family train tickets for use on the London Northwestern Railway network. They will also be posting updates on the run up to the event.
Registration for the event is not essential, but will help in planning ahead. This can be done here
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For further information on this release, call our press office on 03300 955150 or email press.office@wmtrains.co.uk
About Abbey line CRP
The Abbey Line is a 6.5-mile local railway line running from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey station. Opened on May 5th 1858, the Abbey Line has given over 150 years of continuous service to the local community.
Since 2005, the Abbey Line Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has brought together local government, businesses and volunteer organisations, along with the train operator and infrastructure owner, in the pursuit of a common cause - namely, to promote and improve services on the Abbey Line.
For more information visit abbeyline.org.uk
For more information on rock band, Chasing Deer, visit chasingdeer-official.com
There will be no parking will be available at the Parish Centre so please travel by train.
Groupsave rail tickets are available on this route.
About West Midlands Trains
West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services.
- London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast mainline to and from London Euston.
- West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street.
For more information on these services visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
The West Midlands Trains franchise started on 10 December 2017 and will run until 2025/26.
West Midlands Trains operates 1,300 services a day, manages 150 stations and provides over 70 million passenger journeys a year. Over the course of the franchise, West Midlands Trains will be investing £1 billion into the rail network to deliver new trains, improved routes and station upgrades. This will include 400 new train carriages across the network and space for an extra 85,000 passengers into Birmingham and London at peak times.
The franchise is a joint venture between Abellio (70.1% share) and East Japan Railway Company / Mitsui & Co., Ltd (29.9% share in a 50:50 split). Abellio is the international passenger transport subsidiary of the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. In the UK, Abelllio operates ScotRail and Greater Anglia train services, Merseyrail services in a joint venture with Serco and buses through Abellio London. For more information visit www.abellio.com
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