In summary
From a festively decorated station, families board a beautiful old steam train to embark on a 75 minute return journey, chugging through the countryside. A drink and a little snack are provided, while guests are kept entertained by a magician and an activity booklet, until Santa and his elf visits every carriage to deliver an age-appropriate gift to each child. At the station, there's the chance to get a lovely family festive picture taken and printed (included in the cost of your booking), ride the free vintage gallopers, and grab a hot drink or bite to eat.
When did we visit?
I visited with my husband and our two sons Odhran, 9, and Reuben, 6, on the last weekend in November to kickstart the countdown to Christmas with a wonderfully festive family day out. Kent & East Sussex Railway Santa Specials are running from now until 24 Dec.
Where is it located?
Kent & East Sussex Railway, Tenterden Station, Kent, TN30 6HE. Tenterden is a lovely little town, and it was beautifully decorated and all lit up for Christmas. Tenterden Station is a charming heritage railway station, dating back to 1900. The Kent & East Sussex Railway is a not for profit historical and educational charity.
What does the experience involve?
Despite aiming to arrive at the station half an hour before departure time, we got caught in traffic coming from London and ended up cutting it fine. We arrived at the station a bit flustered, but were greeted by two friendly members of staff, who reassured us that we would still make our 2.15pm departure. We were kindly led to the ticket office to collect our boarding cards and an activity pack for the boys. There's a free car park at the station. But you can only park for three hours, which is worth being aware of if you arrive early and then end up spending time on site after your train ride. It is important to give yourself plenty of time in case the car park is busy and you need to use one of the other car parks in the town and walk down to the station. Luckily, there was ample parking on the day of our visit.
The quaint train station was decorated with Christmas trees and lots of lights, and staff wore festive waistcoats, which was a lovely touch. As we stepped on to the platform, there were Christmas tunes playing and a snow machine really added to the atmosphere. We boarded our vintage carriage and found it to be decorated with baubles, bells and snow stickers on the windows. Odhran was delighted to find a little red paper goody bag containing a carton of juice for each of us, a mince pie for myself and his dad, and a small Cadbury Dairy Milk bar for himself and his brother. There is only trolley service in certain tiers of booking. So if you're bronze tier make sure the kids have eaten lunch before boarding.
We set off, chugging through the countryside and admiring the view. Reuben got stuck into his activity book and it wasn't long until a magician arrived at our table to perform a couple of tricks that kept the boys entertained. They were both delighted by the sight of Santa and his elf making his way down through the carriages. It was a very convincing looking Santa, and when he arrived at our table and asked the boys if they'd been naughty or nice this year, there was a moment's hesitation! But Santa must have been happy with their behaviour, as he presented them both with a gift.
The boys quickly unwrapped their presents. They both received build your own robot kits suited to their different ages, which we thought were lovely gifts. I don't think there are standard gifts given to all children, though whatever gift your child does receive it will be age appropriate. After delivering all the presents, Santa and his elf came back through the carriages to pose for pictures. The train journey felt just the right length for little ones who can quickly become restless.
How long does the experience last?
It's a 75 minute return journey, but you will spend time at the station before and after your train ride. After we returned, we had a ride on the vintage gallopers before visiting the Tea Room to collect the drinks included in the ticket cost (a mulled wine for my husband, and a delicious hot chocolate for me). Despite it being cold, the boys decided to purchase an ice-lolly! Then, we queued up to have our family Christmas photo taken, which was then printed out and presented on a little card commemorative mount (as this year Kent & East Sussex railway celebrates 50 years since passenger services resumed on the line). We also enjoyed waiting for the steam train to come back into the platform and taking photographs. In total we spent just under three hours enjoying the whole experience.
What's the cost and what packages are available?
We were on the Bronze package, but there are three tiers of bookings to choose from - Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Silver includes a trolley service with a choice or alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks for adults only, included in the cost, and Gold passengers can enjoy unlimited Prosecco, beer or non-alcoholic beverages, and a selection of festive cakes and mince pies.
Passengers in Silver and Gold will also meet Jingle and Sparkle, Santa's head elves, as they search for the next generation of spirit elves to uphold the magic of Christmas. Will your group pass the spirit of Christmas detector test? Each successful guest will be crowned with their very own elf hat and awarded the prestigious 'Diploma of Elfship'.
Bronze - £100 for two people, £110 for three people, £120 for four people. Silver - £300 for first class tables for up to six people, £250 for a private family compartment for up to four people, £330 for a private family compartment for up to six people, £400 for a private family compartment for up to eight people. Gold - £375 for premium first class tables for up to six people. Find out more here
Take a Break's verdict
This charming steam train ride through the countryside is a delightful way for little ones to meet Father Christmas, especially if they are also fans of trains. It is on the pricey side, but as are many places you'll take kids to see Santa, and it is also a nostalgic steam engine experience. We felt it could have benefited from some Christmas music on the actual train and maybe a little entertainment from the elves included for all booking tiers, such as a sing-a-long or a game. But the staff (most are volunteers) were super friendly, and it was relaxing to sit and look out the window. Most Santa visits involve standing in a queue for ages. So, it was lovely to instead sit back in comfort and wait for Santa to come and visit your family in your seats. We also loved getting a family festive photo taken and having it printed out and mounted as part of the ticket cost. As, so often, we come home from days out with loads of photos on the camera or the phone that never get printed out! So, it was lovely to have a printed family snap to put up on the boys' bedside table. We'd rate Kent & East Sussex Railway Santa Specials a 4 out of 5.