Great Western Coffee Shop

As has been the norm in recent years, a special service will be operating late on Christmas eve, originating from North Pole Depot. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/S73184/2019-12-24/detailed

This year many of the places he visits are in order, and I know in the past a certain member of this forum has wished for a couple of re-instatements of curves in the Wiltshire area to allow a direct service from Bath to Melksham and on to Bradford-on-Avon, well it looks as if Santa has granted that wish!


(https://i.ibb.co/mCMz562/Screenshot-20191222-222344-Samsung-Internet.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d0zK4GV)

De-wired and pick-up coal, must be a bi-mode!

1X01 North Pole International to North Pole International

I am predicting the following issues on route along the journey:

On leaving North Pole all the presents are rammed onto 5 sleighs because the second 5 sleighs didn't turn up - but be grateful you got half a service rather than none.

Delays then occur on the South Western section following strike action due to a disagreement whether the Elves or the Reindeer operate the doors.

Heading West the sleigh has to slow right down as someone built the railway in the sea and now the salt water gets into the antlers and causes problems.

Heading North, all presents for Liverpool and Scarborough are thrown out and abandoned at Manchester and York because the Reindeer are not trained yet on the new Novasleighs.

Also in the North the local drop offs don't happen as the new sleighs that were due to replace the 4 wheeled shopping trolleys are not all here yet.

We then get to Scotland where the new refurbished 40 year old sleigh with powered door is still in Doncaster because nobody thought that a 40 year old piece of wood that spent its life outside in the wet might be rotten.

Coming back down the East the special Reindeer Spaghetti unexpectedly fell out of the sky again.

Then in East Anglia there were no sleighs as the old ones were sent to Wales whilst the new ones were still in a siding on a Heritage railway waiting to come into use.

Finally the trip CROSS London wasn't available for use yet as the Red Nose control system wasn't compatible with the new technology.

After completing the journey Santa explained that he is not working next year as the seat on his sleigh is rock hard, bolt upright and he now has back ache.

Santa also discovered that there was no sherry and mince pies on the journey. The reindeer didn't get their carrots either. The reason? The catering elf was stuck at the back of the sleigh.

I've seen the North Pole special though.

Santa also discovered that there was no sherry and mince pies on the journey. The reindeer didn't get their carrots either. The reason? The catering elf was stuck at the back of the sleigh.