The Canterbury Christmas Cantata

Following The Southern Seaside Sparrow’s unexpected failure to fly, we are delighted to present a spectacular festive alternative that keeps our fantastic train set intact. We hope you can join us as we head southeast for a glorious winter day out to the historic walled city of Canterbury. The locomotives and coaching stock remain exactly as planned for the Sparrow; two roaring Class 37s powering our rake of Mk2 carriages, but this time with added tinsel and sparkle, as befits the season. Better still we’ve structured this festive itinerary to satisfy both those looking for a wonderful Christmas day out and the seasoned rail enthusiast alike! We depart from Peterborough and head south down the East Coast Main Line, picking up at several easy to reach stations before weaving across London. Our outbound routing takes us via Copenhagen Junction, Camden Road, and Gospel Oak before arriving at our final pick up station at Kensington Olympia, after which our train heads through Brixton and Bromley South. We then travel via Rochester and Chatham through to Faversham and Canterbury East. Canterbury at Christmas time For those looking for a wonderful festive day out, Canterbury is hard to beat. We will be offering a generous afternoon break of around four hours. You’ll have ample time to wander through the cobbled medieval lanes, marvel at the world-famous Canterbury Cathedral, and fully immerse yourself in the bustling Canterbury Christmas Market. Located in the heart of the city, the market features charming festive log cabins, unique handmade gifts, live seasonal music, and plenty of opportunities to sample mulled wine and gourmet festive treats. Optional Mini Tour: The Festive Tractor Trek If your primary interest lies in the motive power and rare track for Class 37 haulage, you are in for an absolute treat. Instead of stepping off for the city break, passengers can remain on board for The Festive Tractor Trek, an exciting enthusiast mini tour around the Garden of England. We will drop off the shoppers at Canterbury East before embarking on a sprawling loop. Our Class 37 “Tractors” will get stuck into some fantastically graded routes, taking us via Dover Priory, Folkestone, Ashford, Tonbridge, and Sevenoaks, before we weave back via Sidcup, Dartford, Gravesend, and the Medway towns. We’ll sweep along the North Kent coast past Herne Bay, Margate, and Ramsgate, finally bringing the enthusiasts back to earth at Canterbury West. This mini-tour features plenty of coveted “rare track” specifically requested by 37 fans! On the return leg, we reunite both groups at Canterbury West around 17:00. From there, our train heads home via Ashford, Maidstone East, Otford, and Swanley, before retracing our steps back to London and the East Coast Main Line. This tour is operated by Rail Adventure utilizing Mk2 carriages provided by Eastern Rail Services. Providing the soundtrack for the day will be two Class 37s provided by EPR and HNRC/Swietelsky, so you can expect plenty of vintage English Electric thrash to reverberate around the suburbs of London and the hills of Kent, much to the awe of those waiting for their mundane electric trains! All timings are provisional and intended only as a guide. StationDepartArrive Peterborough06.4021.40 Huntingdon07.2021.10 Stevenage07.5020.40 Potters Bar08.3020.10 Finsbury Park08.5019.50 Kensington Olympia09.4019.00 To keep you fueled throughout this festive extravaganza, our train will feature The Railway Diners’ Buffet Car, serving a selection of hot meals, snacks, festive treats and drinks. The Festive Tractor Trek Mini Tour can only be booked by those on the main tour. ClassFareAvailability Standard Class£129Good Standard Class Junior£109Good First Class Non Dining£229Good Optional Mini Tour: The Festive Tractor Trek £30Good Book Now