Loughborough - All Aboard The Santa Special
w/e 15 December 2002

Platform

As the days hurtle on towards Christmas, what better way to embrace the merriment than by joining many families with excited children aboard a Christmas Express. "Express" may be too grand a word for this outing as the steam driven engine trundled gently along the railway line between Loughborough and Rothley bringing back memories of similar train journeys when the journey was part of the fun and today's breakneck expectations of speed were but a dream. A Christmas tree and carols from a barrel organ greeted passengers on the platform.
Santa Special

The paraffin lamps were trimmed as engine no. 63601, the "Santa Special" built up a head of steam.
Loughborough Station

The garlands decorating the awning added to the festive atmosphere as the passengers boarded the train at Loughborough Station.
Rothley Cabin

Smoke (on the left of this picture) from the engine drifted by the Rothley Cabin signal box as the train slowed on its outward journey before reversing a few hundred yards to come to a halt in Rothley Station.
Rothley Station

Here there was the chance to disembark to get a closer look at the 63601.
The Last Passenger

But it was soon time to climb aboard again for the return to Loughborough and the last passenger to take his place was that man in red with the white beard waving to me from along the platform.

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