Never mind his one horse open sleigh – Santa Specials have proved to be just the ticket for the East Lancashire Railway.

In the past 10 years there has been a 69 percent increase in visitors from 24,000 to 40,000 a year on the festive steam train specials that run on the 12-mile line.

This December, the railway is expected to carry a record-breaking 40,800 passengers on a magical trip with the big man himself.

But the cause for celebration isn’t just for Christmas – the East Lancashire Railway has released new figures showing it’s a rail success story all year round.

A new report reviewing the impact of the business in the past decade makes for happy reading.

The value of goods and services brought into the three local partner authority areas of Bury, Rochdale and Rossendale has doubled since 2008 to £2.6million.

Brian Davies JP, Chairman of the East Lancashire Railway Trust, said: “The East Lancashire Railway plays an important role in the protection and preservation of our transport history and offers a range of unique experiences to more than 200,000 visitors a year as one of the North West’s most popular leisure attractions.

“With a diverse range of events for both adults and children alike, as well as regular standard steam and diesel services each week, the East Lancashire Railway provides much-loved experiences to not only our local communities but to visitors from further afield.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the East Lancashire Railway staff and volunteers, past and present, the last ten years have been a remarkable period of success in our organisation’s 31 year history and I am sure the next decade will be equally memorable.”

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