This is something we have wanted to do for a few years but we were always too late to book and it was sold out.
I wasn’t going to let that happen this year so as soon as the tickets became available I got straight in there.
We booked tickets for Sunday 17th September at 11:30 as the time suited us with Erin’s nap time.
We arrived nice and early at Lanyon Place Station (previously Central Station) in Belfast and tried to contain the kids excitement so they have a bit of energy for the journey to Whitehead Station.
After giving our name to one of the RPSI representatives we proceeded down to the platform. The kids were very excited and I must admit I was too when we saw the steam train sitting there. After talking a couple of selfies we jumped in to car 300 where our allocated table was.
As the train started to move we could see all of the other NI Railways patrons on the platform waving us off. A massive cheer of magic and excitement came from the children as the train went under it’s first bridge and filled it’s surroundings with steam blocking the scenery.
Along Belfast lough the scenery was beautiful. Santa and his elves (St. John Ambulance Volunteers) were making their way through the cars, stopping for a chat at each table which I thought was a nice touch.
They stopped at our table and had a chat with AJ and Erin before giving them a bag with some age related gifts in it and then sitting for a photo.
After a short 25-30 minute journey we arrived at Whitehead Station where we took some more photos at the front of the train before going in to the museum to meet Santa & Mrs Clause.
45 minutes after we stopped it was time to jump back on the train and head back. Again the kids cheered with excitement every time we went under a bridge or in to a tunnel and were surrounded by steam.
After disembarking at Lanyon Place, Santa was standing there waving goodbye to the children and ringing his bell.
I must say that we were extremely impressed with this Santa experience and although it was £64 (£16 x 4) we thought that it was definitely worth the extra money to have a unique journey by steam train.