City News

Cynical about Christmas? Dischuffed by the overly-commercial exploitation of the ‘season of goodwill’? The Severn Valley Railway has the perfect spiritual remedy, guaranteed to make everyone feel good about the Yuletide season again: ‘Christmas Carol Trains’.

Perpetuating a now long-established tradition, the Kidderminster - Bridgnorth heritage line has for many years laid on these trains in which passengers, led by a choir, alight at stations along the 16-mile route, for the simple pleasure of singing traditional Christmas songs.

This year’s trains, running on the evenings of Saturday December 13 and Saturday December 20th, will however be extended to start from Kidderminster, the southern terminus of the line, and will run a full round-trip to Bridngorth and return. Previously, the Carol Trains have started from Bewdley.

Scores of local people - adults and children - are once again expected to join forces and voices for the start of the singing at 6.30pm, on the concourse at Kidderminster station, on both days. The railway’s heritage diesel unit, suitably stocked with refreshments, will stop at the showcase GWR country stations of Arley and Hampton Loade, for further rounds of carol singing. The train arrives back at Kidderminster at 10.15pm.

Contends SVR Marketing Manager John Leach: “We’ve run the Christmas Carol Trains every year for as long as I can remember, for the simple reason that it’s a nice thing to do, and there’s a wonderful atmosphere and spirit of cameradie among the passengers who take part. Anyone who’s a little bit disenchanted about Christmas really should come along for the spiritual uplift, if nothing else.”