Railway on track for great autumn/winter

* Santa Specials begin on December 1. 

Llangollen Railway is on track to stage a number of special events between now and Christmas. 

First to pull into the station on Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21, Thursday, October 25, Friday, October 26, Saturday, October 27 and Sunday, October 28 will be Days Out With Thomas.

Gates open at 10am and  Thomas will arrive at Llangollen Station between 10am and 10.30am.

Ticket Prices: Adults £15, seniors £13, children £10, Family 1 (one adult and one child) £22, Family 2 (two adults and two Children) £40, under-threes free.On Friday, November 2, is the Ride the Rocket fireworks party. 

Departing from the station at 6pm aboard a steam train, revellers will head for Carrog and on the way back stop off at Glyndyfrdwy Station for a fireworks display. 

Refreshments, including alcohol, soft drinks, tea and coffee, will be on sale aboard the train, with soup and hotdogs available to buy at Glyndyfrdwy. 

Tickets: £14 adults, £9 children and under-threes free.   

Saturday, November 3 will see a murder mystery entitled “Guy Fawkes and the Fireworks Plot”. 

The year is 1605 and Sir Percival du Frane, pampered favourite of King James I, has got wind of a stinking plot to murder the king and his entire parliament in just two days’ time.  

From the Royal Court to the stews of London and the depths of Jacobean Wales, this is a tale of love, intrigue, betrayal, skulduggery and murder, bloody murder. 

Can you uncover the truth about the Gunpowder plot, unveil the traitors in the plotters’ midst and guess … whodunnit?  

The plot starts at 7.15 pm, with food served on the train. 

Themed dress is optional and there’s a bottle of wine to be won for the best outfit. 

Seating is reserved and tickets cost £29.50 per person. 

On Saturday and Sunday, November 3 and 4, to mark Remembrance Day, the Poppy Train will run out of Llangollen Station proudly wearing its own poppy. 

The service will depart at 11am, 1pm and 3pm on both days for a period of quiet reflection. 

Visitors can also find out about the LMS Patriot Group’s new steam engine, The Unknown Warrior, currently built in Llangollen Station’s own engineering works. 

Adopted by The Royal British Legion, the aim is to have it ready to steam into London on November 11, 2018 to mark the 100^th anniversary of the end of the First World War.  

There will be free entry to the workshops at specific times on both days with a valid train ticket. 

Tickets: Adults £12, seniors £10, children £6, family £30. 

Next of the railway’s successful Rail and Ale excursions takes place on Saturday, December 1 and gives the chance to sample locally-brewed ales while travelling 30 miles on the train through the Dee Valley.

Departing Platform 1 at 6.30pm, it costs £13.50 per person. 

Ever-popular Santa Specials begin on Saturday, December 1. 

They give you a chance to join the Grand Old Man and his elves aboard the train as it travels to Carrog Station, which will be transformed into Lapland especially for the occasion. 

On the station there will be an opportunity to be photographed with Santa and his elves on his sleigh.   

Each boy and girl will receive a special gift from Santa and accompanying adults will get a mince pie and mulled wine served by his helpers. 

For all events, book online at www.llangollen-railway, or call 01978 860979.