Santa's Sharpness Special 12th-13th December 2026

SANTA’S SHARPNESS SPECIAL

We’re back on the branch line, with Santa on board!

On Saturday 12^th and Sunday 13^th December Santa’s Sharpness Special will offer a festive family train ride with music, gifts for the children and treats for every passenger.

Once again our heritage Pacer train, the star of our historic Return to Sharpness event, will be turning heads as you enjoy the ride from Sharpness to Berkeley Road Junction and back – this time with extra Christmas cheer.

What can you look forward to?

We’ve teamed up with our local partners to bring you a delightful way to ease you into the run-up to Christmas, with an enchanting journey through the Gloucestershire countryside.

Families with children will meet and chat to Santa, who will give each child a gift carefully chosen to suit their age. During the journey you can admire the decorations, listen to favourite Christmas tunes, pull a cracker, put on a silly hat (optional!), enjoy a drink and mince pie and chat with your fellow merrymakers. There’ll be an exhibition in our marquee, and every passenger gets a souvenir ticket to remember a very special day.

Booking and FAQs

This event is by ticket only, so booking is essential. You can book your ticket here 

Where is the event?

Your Santa’s Sharpness Special starts from the Sharpness Sports and Social Club, The Docks, Sharpness, Berkeley GL13 9UN.

 How often will Santa’s Sharpness Special run?

There will be 4 trains each day on Saturday 12^th and Sunday 13^th December. The trains are at 10:00, 11:30, 13:00 and 14:30.

Do I have to book or can I just turn up?

Booking is essential as there are limited places on each train. You can book your ticket here

If there are any last-minute tickets available on the day, we’ll put an alert on this website and our Facebook page. As we can’t guarantee there will be any still to buy, we strongly recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.

 How much does a ticket cost?

A ticket for adult or child is £30 plus a booking fee of £2.68 per ticket. This includes the food and drink, crackers and gifts for the children on the train. Children under 3 (no seat allocation or gift) travel free.

How many places are available?

Each train can carry a maximum of 90 people, including 4 accessible spaces for wheelchair users.

How do I get there?

For those travelling by car, free parking is available at the Sharpness Sports and Social Club GL13 9UN. There is no public transport to the Social Club but local taxis are available. 

What should you expect?

Make your way to the Sharpness Sports and Social Club where there is extensive parking. Go up the slope to the Club where the VoBR team will check your booking and give you your souvenir tickets for the journey.

You’ll board a double-decker bus for the short ride to the Oldminster Sidings, where you’ll enter our Christmas marquee. After a quick look at the attractions (there’ll be more time to browse after the train ride) the Guard will invite you to board the train and settle in for a wonderful experience. 

Soon after we set off Santa will begin to make his way down the train, chatting to each child in turn and giving them a gift suitable for their age range.

Adults won’t feel left out! Our volunteers will also be moving down the train, handing out mince pies / Christmas biscuits and mulled wine / fruit juice. Everyone will receive a cracker so you can don the hat, share the strange facts and groan at the jokes!

At the end of the journey you’ll have some extra time to explore our marquee (more details in the FAQs below) and a chance to take a picture in front of the Pacer with its festive headboard, sharing the memory with Santa if you wish. Then it’s back on the bus for the return trip to the Sports and Social Club, where you’ll find more Christmas excitement, food and drinks.

Please note that boarding and disembarking the train is only possible at Oldminster Sidings. There are no other stations on the line.

I have limited mobility. Can I still join in the fun?

There is level ground and ramp access to the train and each service will have four wheelchair accessible spaces (please select the accessible space add-on when booking).  Our volunteers will be on hand to help if required.  Limited disabled parking will be available at the Sidings where you can board the train directly. Please notify us when booking if you require this.

Can I bring my mobility scooter?

Unfortunately we cannot accommodate mobility scooters at this event.

Can children attend?

Children are especially welcome, after all this is Santa’s Special time of year! When you book your tickets please select the appropriate age range so Santa provides a gift suitable for them. Children up to 3 years old travel free but won’t receive a gift or a seat allocation.

Can adults attend without children?

Yes, Christmas is for everyone. While Santa will focus on the children, our other volunteers will focus on you, providing crackers and snacks and chatting to everyone to make the journey merry. We’ll try to answer any questions you might have about the Vale of Berkeley Railway, our trains and our plans.

Can I bring my dog?

We welcome any guide or support dog and we’ll be happy to welcome any other dogs as long as they are well behaved, under your control at all times and can cope with what may become a noisy train ride with cracker snaps being pulled, music and laughter around them.

What food and drink will be available on the train?

We’ll be providing mince pies or a Christmas iced biscuit for everyone, which will be suitable for a vegetarian diet; we are not able to provide alternatives for those with special dietary requirements so you are welcome to bring your own . You’ll have the option of mulled wine (with or without alcohol) and we’ll offer juice to the children as well. 

Can I purchase other refreshments?

At the Sharpness Sports and Social Club you’ll find a fully stocked bar serving tea / coffee and alcohol after 12:00 plus delicious fare (check their Facebook page for latest details).

Are toilets available?

There are toilet facilities available at the Sharpness Sports and Social Club. Oldminster Sidings has minimal toilet facilities (Portaloos) and there are no toilets on the train.

What type of train will I be travelling on?

You’ll be riding on one of the Vale of Berkeley Railway’s Class 143 Pacer sets, a two coach diesel powered unit which offers a heritage experience. The Class 143 was introduced in 1985/86 and ours was used by GWR trains until December 2020. It can seat 100 passengers but for this event each train is limited to 90 passengers.

What else is at the event?

In our marquee at Oldminster Sidings you can see our exhibition of period photographs depicting the history of the Sharpness branch, the Docks and the community, together with images showing how the Vale of Berkeley Railway has developed since it began in 2015. The Vale of Berkeley Railway stand will be at the Sharpness Sports and Social Club, where you can browse our unique gifts, join us as a member and find out what you could do as a volunteer.

Who is running this event?

Santa’s Sharpness Special is organised by the Vale of Berkeley Railway, a 100% volunteer-run charitable trust based at Oldminster Sidings, Sharpness, Gloucestershire. Our charitable aims are to educate and inform people about the history of the Sharpness branch and its role in serving and developing the local community, and ultimately to run trains regularly on the Sharpness branch. We welcome new members and especially volunteers. You can find out how to join us via our website: www.vobr.org.uk