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Sell Out Hop tu Naa Trains
31 October 2023
Not So Scary Trains prove a success!
Our first ever Not So Scary Hop tu Naa trains have proved a big hit with families.
Ran over the weekend of 28th and 29th September, the trains were a new addition to our special event calendar as Jinny the Witch welcomed children (young and old) to her lair.
Fortunately for all the boys and girls, Jinny is a kind witch and her assistants were on hand to give out plenty of sweets.
With passengers met by a giant pumpkin, they boarded the train bound for Witches Hollow, passing some friendly ghosts hanging out trackside.
Once at the terminus, they met Jinny and her assistants, had some hot chocolate (with whipped cream and marshmallows) and headed off on the train back down into the glen.
Railway chairman Trevor Nall said that the railway decided to run the trains when they thought that younger children weren’t being catered for during Hop tu Naa.
He said: ‘We picked the non-scary trains hoping that would be an attraction and I think judging by the amount of people we’ve managed to attract, it appears to be working well and it certainly seems to be popular.’
Trevor said that by booking people into 15 minute slots, the railway had managed to ensure no-one was waiting for too long, while running the trains at night was a special treat for the volunteers as they never normally get to operate in the dark.
Looking ahead, Trevor confirmed the trains will be back next year, but with some new additions, saying ‘we will certainly improve that we’ve noticed that maybe nobody else does’.
In the meantime, Groudle Glen Railway will be back in operation this winter with the Santa Trains and the ever popular Mince Pie Trains.
For a video from the event and a full story, check out the Gef story here.
Santa paid his annual visit to Groudle Glen Railway in the two weekends prior to Christmas and brought a festive winter wonderland with him with record numbers of families visiting to make magical memories. Sea Lion, Brown Bear and Otter were in service over both weekends, with the new Tinsel Trams operating for the first time this year brining people from Douglas and the free Bus Vannin shuttle bus transporting people to North Pole Halt at Groudle Beach. Also for the first time visitors were able to have their photo taken with Santa's Elves and download it specifically in high quality from a QR code. Hot Chocolate, cookies, tea, coffee, orange juice, mulled punch and mince pies were also available in abundance, but the big man in the red suit was the main attraction and he distributed quality gifts to hundreds of children ahead of the big day. On Boxing Day when the excesses of Christmas were over, hundred of visitors attended the Mince Pie Trains to blow the cobwebs away and enjoy the festive atmosphere when Santa and his team had retired to the North Pole for a rest. The railway now looks ahead to 2025... with tickets being on sale shortly for our popular Easter Bunny Trains and the popular steam teas already available for booking for the 2025 season.
For the second year running families turned out in their hundreds to enjoy the family friendly spooky atmosphere at Groudle over the weekend. Sea Lion & Otter were in service hauling busy trains from Broomstick Halt where passengers had been met by Mr Pumpkin, a spooky trip through the glen passing some of our cheerful ghoulish friends then arriving at Witches Hollow. As well as the warm and spooktacular atmosphere, families visited Jinny the Witch in her lair to receive a frightfully fun gift, enjoyed sweets from her friends and refreshments including hot chocolate with cream and marsh mellows and spooky doughnuts! Our thanks to not only everyone who visited us, but also the volunteers who helped make the event so special and for the support of Bus Vannin for the provision of the shuttle bus to the railway. Next stop....CHRISTMAS!
The weather eventually played ball for our September Steam Gala as the day started damp and overcast, but by midday the sun was thankfully shining and the railway was very busy with all three steam locomotives in service with two trains passing at the headland loop. Visitors relished the opportunity to see all three locomotives; Sea Lion, Brown Bear and Otter in service together all day operating an intensive service. Sunday services now continuing into October. Our next special event is the Hop Tu Naa Trains at the end of October which is booking only. Tickets available online.
