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Two Bristol families who had a miserable day out at the heavily criticised Lapland New Forest have been offered a free festive train ride.

Both families hope to get their money back after the attraction was closed last week following a deluge of complaints.  But to cheer them up Avon Valley Railway has offered them all free tickets to meet Santa Claus on one of his trains, which they will take up on December 20.

The Santa Special trains give the opportunity for children of all ages to meet Father Christmas in the run up to December 25.

Last year more than 11,000 people rode the six-mile round trip through the Avon Valley.

Paramedics used a steam engine to transport a cyclist who suffered a back injury on a remote cycle path.

They borrowed a 1950s train to carry the man to safety after he collided with another rider between Bristol and Bath.

The cycle track runs alongside the Avon Valley Railway and is almost two miles from the A431 Bath Road.

Railway staff worked with Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) to get the man on board.

GWAS received a 999 call about the incident at about 1700 BST on Tuesday.

Paramedic Andy Osmond said: "The rider had gone over his handlebars and was complaining of spinal pain. We immobilised him on a stretcher, but could not get our ambulance to him. We thought about requesting the air ambulance but there was nowhere for it to land. However, there were two members of the Avon Valley Railway on scene and they called the engine driver to back up the steam train from Bitton so we could put the patient on board and take him to the ambulance."

The cyclist, thought to be aged in his 40s, was taken to Royal United Hospital in Bath for x-rays, but his condition was not thought to be serious.

Mr Osmond said: "Obviously we would like to thank the Avon Valley Railway staff for their assistance - their help meant the patient could be transferred safely from a difficult location. Also, I've never been on a steam train, so it was quite an interesting experience."

Time to fit some 'blues and twos' to RSH 7151 then?

The Avon Valley Railway Heritage Trust has been announced as one of 130 winners of The Queen^s Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for groups of volunteers who work in their local community for the benefit of others.

This prestigious UK National Honour recognises outstanding voluntary contributions and sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged to be of the highest standard.

After last year^s successful gala with the N2, we^ve decided to push the boat out. This will be for the first time in several years, that we have ran a two day event and to make it extra special, we have decided to hire ex-resident Black 5 45379 from the Mid Hants Railway. This will be the first time this loco has left its home base since returning to traffic last year.

Running alongside the Black 5 will be RSH 7151 and TKH 4015 (providing the repairs to it^s main steam pipe are completed in time). If 4015 is unavailable then Llangollen^s Hunslet saddle tank 1837 ^ Jessie^, will substitute.

Along with this, subject to being able to pay all the Transport Costs etc prior to the event, then we have also got the option to hire Jinty 47406 from Loughborough to join the line up, just for the weekend.

The timetable for both days, currently still being finalised, looks to be an interesting one, with stopping and express passenger services and freight services. For the first time, we will also be running a two coach local train, around the other services.

Tickets are now available for the event, either from the station office or online. Another first is two day tickets, also available. Anybody interested can also purchase tickets from First Great Western (day tickets only) allowing travel from your home station to Keynsham, a vintage shuttle bus to Bitton and your rover ticket for the gala.

Along with its visit for the gala, the Black 5 will be used for a Pie^Pint train on the evening of the 11th, starting at 7pm and several Footplate Experience courses. These take the form of the ^Pines Express^, allowing you to drive, fire and act as guard on an express passenger train.

On the 23rd of October we will also be running a Landslip appeal event, in support of the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway, the Black 5^s last scheduled operating day with us, with proceeds from this going towards the appeal. There will also be driver for a Tenner operating with on of the resident diesel loco^s during the day.

Any additional information for the gala can be found on our website at www.avonvalleyrailway.org/gala or by calling the station office on 0117 932 5538.

If anyone wants to say "hi" (or tell me exactly what you think of me, your choice!) then I'll be overseeing operations at Oldland Common all day Saturday and the guard on one of the passenger sets on Sunday.

If anyone wants to say "hi" (or tell me exactly what you think of me, your choice!) ...

Chugging along the Avon Valley Railway is always a lovely journey, but the trip was even more magical when a very important guest with a long white beard, rosy cheeks and sack of presents boarded the train.

Santa had made an early trip down from his home in Lapland to give presents to some very special Evening Post readers who have gone through a difficult year and deserved a treat.


There were wide eyes and even wider smiles when Father Christmas welcomed them on the platform at Bitton, and as the train made its way to Oldland Common there were cries of, ^where^s Santa, where^s Santa?^

One family who met Father Christmas was Myra Mitchell, 53, a cleaner from Patchway, her daughter, Hannah Mitchell, 28, from Downend and her children Teri Jay Thompson, six, and Brook, four. When Teri Jay was three she was sent for an MRI scan after abnormalities were found during an eye test. Doctors discovered she had a condition which caused tumours on her eyes, and now the little girl needs tests every six months and an MRI scan every year to check whether they are getting bigger or if she needs chemotherapy.

But yesterday she was thrilled when Father Christmas walked down the train carriage to give presents to her and her younger sister.

Myra said: ^We don^t know what the future holds for TJ, even the specialist doesn^t, so it is a case of doing as many nice things as we can now in case it gets any worse.^

When Father Christmas stopped by Riley Mills, four, and his brother Lenny, two, he gave them a special key to rub so that he would be sure to stop at their house for Christmas.

The family, with mum Melanie, 27, and dad Ryan, 28, from St George, were invited on the train because Riley suffers from moebius syndrome, which causes problems with his eyes. The little lad, who has just started school, has had three operations this year alone, and has to travel up to Manchester every three months for physiotherapy. Dad Ryan said: ^It is a big year for him so we thought it would be a nice treat for him. Lenny has hearing problems as well, so it is nice for us to come out as a family.^

Father Christmas gave Riley a wooden building block set and Lenny a cow teddy. Riley said: ^It was fun to meet Father Christmas. I touched his magic key so that he can come to our house on Christmas Eve.^

As Santa handed out the presents there were whoops of delight as youngsters unwrapped juggling balls, toy cars, teddies and games.

When the train reached the Avon Riverside stop everyone got out to see the engine driver.

Council worker Linzi Mitchell, 43, her postman husband Mark, 41, and their children Holli, nine, and Abbi, five, had come from their home in Little Stoke to see Santa. Holli was born with holes in her heart and had surgery when she was a baby and again a month ago to have a valve replaced, so it was lovely for the family to have a nice day out together. The two girls somehow managed to wait before ripping open their presents, and Holli said: ^It was exciting to meet Father Christmas and really nice to see him.^

Abbi said: ^Father Christmas has a long beard and it was nice to get a present from him, and I am glad my sister is better now.^

Back on the platform at Bitton, Archie Grafton, six, was just as excited at seeing the train as Santa. Archie, of St George, had travelled with his sister Kaitlin, three, and dad Dean, 31, and mum Tina, 26, for the day out, and loves trains so much he wants to be a train driver when he is older. Mum Tina said: ^He^s train mad, obsessed with them, so this is a lovely day out for us.^

Before he got on his sleigh to go back to Lapland, Father Christmas said: ^It^s the best job in the world, getting to see all these bright eyes and smiling faces, and it^s always a happy train. They^ve all been good boys and girls and I^ll be visiting them all on Christmas Eve ^ but they^ll have to be sound asleep so I can put their presents under the tree.^

David Cole, development manager at Avon Valley Railway, said: ^We^ve been running the Santa experience now for just over 30 years. Every year it is wonderful to see the young children having a great time, having their photos taken with Santa and receiving their presents as well. We^ve been delighted that we have been able to work with the Evening Post to help some of those children who might otherwise not have the chance to meet Father Christmas, and also give them the opportunity to travel on a steam train.^

Next steam through Nailsea?  Double-headed on the 27th April from Bristol to Plymouth.  (With some diesel on the front from Tyseley to Bristol)

A first for the AVR and a bit of an experiment: if it succeeds then it's likely to become a regular event, if not then, erm, it probably won't. Fares are very reasonable for an event like this, and all support much appreciated.

Ex-BR locos due to feature are 31130 (class 31), D2994 (class 07) and visiting guest loco D9521 (class 14), together with our ex-MOD Ruston shunter 429 and a class 107 DMU.

Full event details on the AVR's website here:
http://www.avonvalleyrailway.org/events/diesel-gala (http://www.avonvalleyrailway.org/events/diesel-gala)

Diesels?  Pah!  ;D

You want some proper engines - Tornado, for instance.  :P

First's Service 332 from Bristol Bus Station is your best bet, calls at Kenilworth Drive junction in Willsbridge, 400 yds from Bitton station. Service 42 terminating at Cherry Gardens is also pretty close to Bitton station.


EDIT: Ah, blakey just beat me to it.  :)

Avon Valley Railway sees record passengers step on board for its Santa Special

Record numbers of passengers enjoyed a festive ride on the Avon Valley Railway this Christmas.

Another cracking season has seen Avon Valley Railway's Santa Specials run at more than 90 per cent capacity.

The festive train rides, which ran from November 30 until Christmas Eve, carried thousands of passengers along the heritage railway line from Bitton.

The special services, during which each passenger meets Santa and his helpers as they pass through the carriages handing out gifts to young visitors, have seen their popularity grow for five consecutive years.

Commercial manager Richard Shacklock said: "We would like to thank everyone who joined us to celebrate the festive season on board one of our Santa Specials, making it our best Christmas yet. The Santa Specials are a magical experience for passengers of all ages, whether it's receiving a gift from Santa himself or enjoying some festive nostalgia on board our steam train.

"Families return year after year to travel with Santa, and we see plenty of new faces too as the popularity of the Santa Specials just keeps on growing. Even though the way the calendar fell this year meant we were running two less days than in 2013, average numbers per train were up. It^s been incredible.

"This is testament to our volunteers' hard work in creating a truly memorable day out for visitors, many of whom send us thank you letters. Record-breaking passenger numbers are, of course, more than just figures - the Santa Specials bring in vital funds for Avon Valley Railway, which couldn't survive without its volunteers and visitors."

The heart of Avon Valley Railway is Bitton Station, an original Midland Railway station, which like the locomotives, carriages and track, has been restored by a team of dedicated volunteers.

Without the volunteers, the locomotives wouldn^t operate or be restored, tickets wouldn^t be sold and the site wouldn^t be maintained ^ but thanks to them and those that visit, the railway is being restored for the delight of current and future generations.

For more information on Avon Valley Railway visit www.avonvalleyrailway.org or call 0117 932 5538

Maybe it could run some Double Decker trains?

Or perhaps it could give the IETs a Twirl.