SANTA is back in his special grotto train on the South Devon Railway between Buckfastleigh and Totnes, from December 5.

The Santa by Steam trains will be running on December 5, 6, 12 and 13, and from Friday 18 to Wednesday 23. Trains leave Buckfastleigh station at 10am, 12.30pm and 3pm, and the journey takes about 90 minutes.

A spokesman for the railway said: ‘With the pre-Christmas Santa trains expected to sell-out again this year, people are advised to book early in order to avoid disappointment and missing out on the festive fun.’

Volunteers at the railway will also be busy on Christmas Day preparing to run special steam train services on Boxing Day and the Mince Pie trains from December 27 to January 3 inclusive.

With just a limited on-train buffet available on Boxing Day and the railway’s refreshment rooms and shops closed until December 27, visitors are encouraged to bring along their own Christmas dinner leftovers picnic of food and drink so that they can enjoy a packed lunch on the rails.

Boxing Day trains will run to a special timetable, departing from Buckfastleigh at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm and from Totnes at 12.15pm, 2.15pm and 4.15pm.

There will be a 15-minute stop at Staverton on the first two trains returning from Totnes, where the volunteer-run station buffet coach will be open from 10am to 3pm serving hot drinks, pasties, soup and mince pies to customers.

The Boxing Day and Mince Pie special trains have plenty of seats and do not need to be pre-booked.

For more details, visit www. southdevonrailway.co.uk