The Ruddington heritage railway has listed one Santa date, Saturday 5 December, with four departures. The advertised £12.50 is the infant fare.
Santa’s Steam Train Adventure runs at the Great Central Railway Nottingham in Ruddington on Saturday 5 December 2026, with four departures. It is the borough’s biggest Santa event and, on the railway’s own listing, the only date.
Two things about it are worth knowing before you book. The railway’s page contradicts itself about how many dates there are, and the price it advertises is not the price most people will pay.
The date, and the “8 running dates” problem
The railway’s event page carries a badge reading “8 running dates”. Every other field on the same page gives a single date:
“Dates: 5th December 2026”
“Saturday, 5th December 2026”
Both were live together on 6 September 2026. The railway’s full events listing also shows one Santa entry, on 5 December, and no other December date at all.
The likely reading is that the badge is boilerplate left over from a multi-weekend Santa season and the 5 December listing is what has actually been loaded. Either way, do not assume there is a second weekend to fall back on. Historically this railway ran Santa trains across the December weekends and on Christmas Eve. In 2026, one date is published.
Departure times
Departures from Ruddington on Saturday 5 December:
- 10.00am
- 12.00pm
- 2.00pm
- 4.00pm
Each trip is an 80 minute return steam journey from Ruddington Fields to the outskirts of Loughborough, with a brief pause at Rushcliffe Halt.
What £12.50 actually gets you
The railway advertises “Prices From £12.50”. That is the infant ticket. The real fares are on the booking page run by its events partner Fox & Edwards, and on 6 September 2026 they read:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, open seating | £32.50 |
| Child, open seating | £32.50 |
| Infant ticket | £12.50 |
| Traditional compartment, up to 8 people | £200.00 |
| Premium compartment, up to 6 people | £200.00 |
| 1st Class Saloon, up to 10 people | £400.00 |
| Merry Christmas Gift Treat Tin, optional | £22.95 |
Note that children pay the same £32.50 as adults in open seating. So two adults and two children is £130 before any extras.
The compartments are priced per compartment, not per person, and Fox & Edwards states each holds that many “persons of any age”. That changes the arithmetic:
- Four people: open seating £130, traditional compartment £200. Open seating wins.
- Six people: open seating £195, premium compartment £200. Line ball, and the compartment is private.
- Eight people: open seating £260, traditional compartment £200. The compartment is £60 cheaper and private.
If you are going as two families, book a compartment.
What is included
From Fox & Edwards’ own listing:
- Live entertainment from Santa Claus, Mother Christmas and their elves, working through the carriages.
- A bespoke plush toy steam engine for every child, plus a Christmas story book from Mother Christmas.
- A bespoke activity book, a juice drink and a baked treat for each child.
- A mince pie for every adult.
At the station on the day: the cafe is open, the miniature railway runs (weather dependent, and charged separately on site), the vintage transport collection at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre is there, and there is Christmas music and family activities.
Site entry is free and parking is £3, payable on arrival at the gate or the booking office, per the railway’s booking page.
The things that catch people out
No wheelchair space on board. Fox & Edwards says plainly there is no wheelchair accessible area on this train, and recommends the Great Central Railway at Loughborough for its Santa Specials instead. That is a different railway, in Leicestershire, with its own booking.
No dogs on this journey.
Pushchairs need folding. Storage is limited and buggies generally have to be folded to get through the train doors. If yours does not fold, a representative will show you where to leave it.
Allergies are handled on board, not in advance. The standard treat is a gingerbread biscuit shaped like a steam train. Fox & Edwards offers Nomo chocolate, free from dairy, gluten, egg and nuts, and says there is no need to contact them beforehand, just ask on the train.
You will not share a table. In open seating, each booking gets its own table, normally a table of four.
Cancellation has a hard cliff. Free amendment or refund until 23:59 on the Monday before your trip. After that, and up to 24 hours before, a £25 administrative charge. Inside 24 hours, no changes and no refund.
You do not need a printed ticket. Give your name at the check-in desk. Fox & Edwards emails further information roughly seven days before the trip.
Getting there, and the 5 December squeeze
The Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre is at Mere Way, Ruddington, NG11 6JS, just off the A60 south of West Bridgford.
Saturday 5 December is a busy day in the borough. Under Ruddington Village Market’s published first-Saturday rule the monthly market should be on The Green the same morning, and the Sky Kingdom drone show opens its doors at Trent Bridge at 5pm that evening. Both are covered on our Rushcliffe Christmas markets page and our Trent Bridge drone show page. The A60 and the village approach roads carry all of it.
If you are parking in West Bridgford either side of the trip, our parking page has the tariffs, and our roadworks and travel page covers anything closing on the route.
Contacts
- Great Central Railway Nottingham: 0115 940 5705, info@gcrn.co.uk
- Fox & Edwards, who hold the bookings: 01629 380600, tickets@foxandedwards.com
We will update this page if the railway loads further December dates behind that “8 running dates” badge.
Have your say