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The Sherborne Christmas Carol
Tuesday 6th December 2022
This day trip by steam train provides a unique opportunity to visit either the picturesque market town of Sherborne in Dorset at Christmas time, or the Yeovil Railway Centre. The special train will be hauled by a Black 5 steam locomotive. It starts from London Victoria Station and picks up more passengers at Staines, Woking and Basingstoke. Take a break prior to Christmas and treat yourself to a memorable day out with a difference.
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Our train leaves London Victoria Station at around 08:45 behind our splendidly restored steam locomotive. We pass through Clapham Junction, cross the Thames at Barnes Bridge, and continue to a stop at Staines to pick up more passengers. We join the South Western Main Line (SWML) at Byfleet Junction, and then stop for further passengers at Woking and Basingstoke. We leave the SWML at Worting Junction and take the West of England Main Line to Andover and Salisbury. At Wilton Junction the line becomes single track. We cross the edge of Salisbury Plain and pass through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at Tisbury and Gillingham in Dorset. We cross Gillingham Viaduct and pass through Buckhorn Weston Tunnel before Templecombe, where once the iconic Somerset & Dorset Railway passed beneath our line. The main destination for our train is Sherborne, one of the most beautiful towns in England. The historic market town, where King Alfred was educated, will be decorated for Christmas. It has much to offer visitors with its abundance of medieval buildings, superb ancient Abbey, picturesque Alms house, the ruins of a 12th-century fortified palace, and the 16th-century mansion known as Sherborne Castle. It has a delightful shopping centre with a large choice of handcrafted goods and elegant fashions and has become an important town in the region for Art and Antique Dealers. Whilst at Sherborne, why not join in the traditional Christmas Carol Service specially arranged for our tour and held in the splendid surroundings of the Abbey. Passengers have the choice of alighting at Sherborne or continuing with the train to Yeovil Junction where the steam locomotive will be turned and serviced at Yeovil Railway Centre. Here there is excellent viewing of these operations, which use one of the few remaining turntables in the country. There is also a variety of rolling stock and an exhibition of railway artefacts and pictures in the Engine Shed. A shop on the platform provides a large range of railway related goods and souvenirs. Our train leaves Yeovil Junction, hauled by our steam locomotive, and stops at Sherborne to pick up those passengers who chose to alight there. It stops at the same stations as on the outward journey, to set down passengers. Approximate Timings Outward Return London Victoria 08:45 22:30 Staines 09:35 21:10 Woking 10:05 20:15 Basingstoke 10:55 19:30 Sherborne 13:15 16:50 Yeovil Junction 13:25 16:30
There are three classes available:
Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and four course dinner silver served at your seat. First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam. Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.
Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £30 per person (subject to availability). A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.
