When the Santa Special Trains pull back into Butterley this year, the fun is not over: families walk across to a heated marquee for the Pinxton Puppet Show, with an animatronics tableau to look at too. Before that comes a round trip of about an hour in 1950s carriages, with Santa on board and a gift for every child, on dates in December 2026. For other ideas across the country, see the full list of UK Santa trains.
The short version
- Dates: the railway's own pages confirm 12 and 13 December and 22, 23 and 24 December 2026; more dates may be listed separately
- Departure: Butterley station, near Ripley; departure times are shown when you book
- Fares: shown in the railway's booking system; groups of 20 or more get 10% off
- Booking: online, or by phone with a £5 surcharge; arrive 30 minutes early
- Tip: leave time after the ride for the puppet show in the heated marquee
The Butterley Santa Special Trains at a glance
- Railway
- Midland Railway - Butterley
- Departs from
- Butterley station, near Ripley, Derbyshire
- 2026 dates
- Confirmed on the railway's own event pages: Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December, and Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 December 2026. Visit Peak District lists the season as 5 to 24 December 2026, so check the booking system for other dates.
- Duration
- About 1 hour round trip, followed by the Pinxton Puppet Show
- Booking
- Online through the railway's booking site. Phone bookings carry a £5 surcharge. 10% discount for groups of 20 or more; no other discounts. Private compartments for up to six plus two lap infants, seven per trip. No sold-out notice was seen when we checked on 4 November 2026.
- Checked
2027 ticket alert
Santa trains sell out fast
The best dates are often gone weeks before December. Leave your email and we will write once, the moment 2027 bookings open in East Midlands.
The train story to read before you boardRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a little corgi’s first train ride to see his grandparents, hand-painted in real watercolour. For ages 0 to 5.
Butterley station, Santa on board and the puppet marquee
Arriving at Butterley
The Santa Special Trains leave from Butterley station, on the edge of Ripley in Derbyshire. Butterley's event pages ask everyone to be there half an hour before the train leaves. That gives you time to park, get everyone out of the car and find the platform without rushing, which matters with excited children who have been waiting all week.
Departure times are not listed on the event pages we checked, so take your exact time from your booking confirmation. If you are coming from Derby or Nottingham, both around half an hour away, plan to leave home with plenty of margin on a December weekend.
Visit Peak District notes that the museum site at Swanwick Junction is closed during the Santa Specials, so this is a Santa day rather than a full museum visit. If your children are keen to explore the rest of the railway, plan a separate trip in the new year.
Keep your booking confirmation handy for your departure time and, if you booked one, your private compartment.
An hour in 1950s carriages
The round trip takes about an hour. The railway plans to run with steam, with an alternative locomotive if needed, so keep the promise of a particular engine loose. The carriages date from the 1950s, which gives the ride a lovely old-fashioned feel but may also mean steps and less room than on a modern train.
During the journey Santa visits the train, and every child receives a gift. Each adult and child also gets a cookie, and children are given a colouring book and pencils to keep them busy along the way. The event pages describe no entertainment on board beyond Santa, so the ride itself should feel fairly calm for younger children.
Help small children with the steps up into the carriage, and keep bags on your lap or under the seat so the aisle stays clear when Santa comes through.
The Pinxton Puppet Show after the ride
What makes Butterley different is what happens after the train. Back at the station, families go into a heated marquee for a performance by the Pinxton Puppet Show. There is also an animatronics tableau to look at. For small children, having a warm, seated show at the end gives the day a gentle finish rather than a rush back to the car.
The event pages do not say how long the puppet show lasts. Ask the railway how long to allow in total if you need to fit the visit around a nap, a meal or another booking later in the day.
Private compartments
If you want your own space, you can book a private compartment for up to six people, plus two infants on laps. There are only seven compartments per trip, so if you want one, book as soon as you have chosen your date. For a family with a baby and a toddler, a compartment can make the trip much calmer, with room to feed, change and settle children without worrying about other passengers.
Which Butterley Santa Special date suits your family
With a baby on the Butterley Santa train
The railway's event pages do not list a free age or a baby fare. A private compartment includes space for two lap infants on top of the six seats, which suggests babies can travel on a lap, but check the price for your baby in the booking system before you pay. A morning train usually works best, as the puppet show after the ride extends the outing.
With a baby, think about the walk from the train to the marquee too. A carrier keeps your hands free for an older sibling and for the gift and colouring book, and it is easier than lifting a buggy in and out of 1950s carriages.
Preschoolers and the Pinxton puppets
This is the age group the Butterley format suits best. The hour on the train is short, the colouring book keeps hands busy, and the puppet show in a warm marquee is a natural treat for preschoolers. A mid-morning slot leaves time for lunch after the show.
Talk to your child before the day about what will happen: first the train, then Santa, then the puppets. At this age, knowing that there is a show waiting at the end often helps a child sit happily through the ride, and the colouring book gives them something to do while they wait for Santa.
Older children on the Butterley Santa train
Children of seven and up may enjoy the 1950s carriages and the steam engine as much as Santa. If you have a train fan, remember the Swanwick Junction museum is closed during the Santa Specials, so save that for another visit.
Older children who feel too grown up for Santa can be given a role, such as looking after the younger ones' pencils or taking the family photos, which keeps them part of the day.
Weekend or Christmas week
The confirmed dates fall on the weekend of 12 and 13 December and on the three days before Christmas, 22 to 24 December. The weekdays suit families who have already broken up from school, while the weekend suits those who work in the week. Prices were not on the pages we checked, so compare dates in the booking system. If you are booking for a large group, 20 or more people get 10% off, and booking online avoids the £5 phone surcharge.
Derbyshire weather in December is often cold and damp. The marquee is heated, but you will walk between the train and the marquee, so bring coats and hats.
From a Victorian Midland branch to a volunteer railway at Butterley
The line your Santa train runs on was built by the Midland Railway as the Ambergate to Pye Bridge line, connecting the Derwent Valley with the Erewash Valley. It opened on 1 February 1875 and was laid to standard gauge. For a while there was also a branch towards Ripley, which ran from 1889 until 1923.
Passenger services ended on 23 December 1968, just before Christmas, which gives the Santa Specials of today a nice sense of the line having come full circle.
The line was built to link two valleys, the Derwent and the Erewash, and it carried passengers for more than ninety years before it closed. For a few years after 1968 there were no trains at all, until a group of enthusiasts decided to bring the railway back.
Restoration work began in 1973. It was not a smooth start: in 1976 much of the old trackbed was lost when the A38 road was built. Despite that, volunteers kept going, and the first preserved passenger services ran in 1981.
The railway kept growing in the following years. In 1988 a signal box was moved from Kettering to Swanwick Junction, where it still stands. In 1991 the Golden Valley Light Railway opened on the trackbed of an 1813 plateway built by the Butterley Company. From 2007 to 2019, Swanwick Junction also hosted the Indietracks music festival.
Swanwick Junction is the railway's museum site, which Visit Peak District says is closed during the Santa Specials. The signal box that stands there today was not built for this line at all: it came from Kettering in 1988, a good example of volunteers bringing old railway buildings to Butterley from elsewhere and giving them a second life.
Today the heritage line runs for three and a half miles, from Hammersmith to Ironville. Our source does not give a founding date for the Midland Railway Trust, which runs the site, so we leave that out rather than guess.
- 1875The Ambergate to Pye Bridge line opens on 1 February
- 1889A branch towards Ripley opens, running until 1923
- 1968Passenger services end on 23 December
- 1973Restoration work begins
- 1976Much of the trackbed is lost to the new A38
- 1981The first preserved passenger services run
- 1988A signal box from Kettering is moved to Swanwick Junction
- 1991The Golden Valley Light Railway opens
To tell a six-year-old: the last passenger train on this line ran just before Christmas, a very long time ago, and now volunteers bring the trains back every December so Santa can ride here again.
Ripley, Derby and Nottingham around your Santa trip
Butterley sits between Derby and Nottingham, both about half an hour away, so it is easy to pair the Santa Special with a city visit. Nottingham's Winter Wonderland is listed by JustPark for 12 November to 31 December 2026, closed on Christmas Day; check Nottingham's official listings before you travel, as we have not seen the city council's 2026 page.
If you go to Nottingham on the same day, a morning Santa train followed by an afternoon in the city works well, as the puppet show finishes the Butterley part of the day indoors and in the warm. Derby is the other easy option for lunch and shopping, with the drive from Butterley about 25 minutes without traffic.
For a Peak District day, Chatsworth's Christmas runs from 7 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 with the theme of The 12 Days of Christmas, and its Christmas market runs until 13 December 2026. All Chatsworth tickets must be booked in advance. That fits nicely with the Butterley weekend of 12 and 13 December, if you are happy with a longer drive.
Because the Butterley Santa trip ends with a show indoors, it is one of the better choices in the region for a rainy day. If the forecast is poor, keep the rest of the day simple and close to home rather than adding a long outdoor walk, and save the city lights for an evening when the weather is kinder.
Closer to home, the countryside around Butterley and Ripley is good for a short walk in winter light, and the railway's own site is worth a return visit when the museum at Swanwick Junction reopens after the Santa season. For more festive ideas in the area, our guide to Christmas days out with children near Nottingham collects events across the East Midlands.
Two other Santa trains are within easy reach: the Peak Rail Santa Special sold by the table in the Derwent Valley, and the Loughborough Santa Express on the Great Central, further south in Leicestershire.
What to check before your Butterley Santa Special
Pushchairs at Butterley
The event pages do not say whether pushchairs can be taken on board. As the carriages date from the 1950s, space may be tight. Ask the railway whether there is somewhere to leave a buggy at Butterley, and bring a carrier as a back-up.
If you bring a buggy anyway, a compact one that folds quickly is the most practical, so you can stow it while you board and get it out again for the walk to the marquee.
Toilets at Butterley
The event pages do not mention toilets on the train or at the station. Ask the railway what facilities are available at Butterley and in the marquee area, including baby changing.
It is worth taking young children to the toilet before boarding, as an hour on an old train is a long time for a newly trained toddler.
Heating on the Butterley Santa train
The puppet show takes place in a heated marquee. The event pages do not describe the heating in the carriages, so dress children in layers and keep coats handy.
Parking and arrival at Butterley
The railway asks you to arrive 30 minutes before departure. Parking arrangements are not described on the event pages we checked, so ask the railway if you need details, especially on the busy weekend dates.
On the weekdays before Christmas, roads around Derby and Nottingham can be busy with shoppers, so allow extra travelling time on 22, 23 and 24 December.
Tickets and discounts
Prices are shown in the booking system rather than on the event pages. Groups of 20 or more get 10% off, and there are no other discounts. Booking by phone adds a £5 surcharge, so book online if you can. Only seven private compartments run on each trip, so book early if you want one.
Accessibility and dogs at Butterley
The railway uses 1950s carriages, and it asks visitors with reduced mobility to contact it in advance so it can discuss access. Butterley's Santa trains take assistance dogs but no pets.
When you call, ask about steps into the carriages, whether a wheelchair can be carried on the train, and how to reach the marquee for the puppet show, so you know what to expect before you book.
Dates still to check
The railway's own event pages confirm 12, 13, 22, 23 and 24 December 2026. Visit Peak District lists the season as running from 5 December, so there may be more dates, perhaps listed as separate events. Check the booking system or call the railway before you plan around a date not listed here.
Packing for Santa trains and puppets at Butterley
Some ideas for a Santa trip that ends in a marquee rather than on the platform.
- Your booking confirmation with the departure time
- Warm coats for the walk from train to marquee
- A small bag for the gift, colouring book and pencils
- A baby carrier for the 1950s carriages
- Wipes for cookie crumbs
- A drink for each child for after the puppet show
- A phone or camera for Santa's visit
- Hats and gloves for children who want to watch the engine on the platform
The Butterley Santa Specials in numbers
- 1875: the year the Ambergate to Pye Bridge line opened
- 1981: the year preserved passenger trains began
- 3.5 miles: the heritage line from Hammersmith to Ironville
- 5: Butterley Santa dates we could confirm from the railway itself
- About 1 hour: the round trip by train
- 7: private compartments per trip
- 6: seats in each private compartment, plus two lap infants
Driving to Butterley from Derby and Nottingham
Allow about 25 minutes from Derby and about 30 minutes from Nottingham, without traffic. Arrive 30 minutes before your departure.
| From | Drive time (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Derby | about 25 minutes |
| Nottingham | about 30 minutes |
More Santa trains near Derby and Nottingham
These are the nearest other Santa trains to Butterley in our guide.
- Peak Rail Santa trips through the Derwent Valley Darley Dale, East Midlands
- Santa Express from Loughborough Central Loughborough, East Midlands
- Severn Valley Christmas trains from Kidderminster Kidderminster, West Midlands
More for Christmas train families
Butterley Santa Special Trains: questions from parents
When do the Midland Railway Butterley Santa Specials run in 2026?
The railway's own event pages confirm 12 and 13 December and 22, 23 and 24 December 2026. Visit Peak District lists the season from 5 December, so check the booking system for other dates.
What time do the Butterley Santa trains leave?
Departure times are not shown on the event pages. Check your booking confirmation and arrive 30 minutes early.
How much do the Butterley Santa Special Trains cost?
Prices are shown in the railway's booking system rather than on the event pages. Groups of 20 or more get 10% off.
How do I book the Midland Railway Butterley Santa train?
Tickets are sold online on the Midland Railway Butterley booking pages, and phone bookings cost £5 extra.
Do babies need a ticket for the Butterley Santa Special?
The event pages do not say. Private compartments include room for two lap infants, so check the baby fare in the booking system.
How long is the Midland Railway Butterley Santa Special?
The train ride is about an hour, followed by the Pinxton Puppet Show in a heated marquee.
Where do the Butterley Santa trains leave from?
They leave from Butterley station, near Ripley in Derbyshire. Parking is not described on the event pages, so check with the railway.
Can I take a pushchair on the Butterley Santa train?
The event pages do not say, and the carriages date from the 1950s. Ask the railway and bring a carrier as a back-up.
Are there toilets at Butterley for the Santa Special?
The event pages do not mention toilets. Ask the railway about facilities at the station and near the marquee.
Is the Butterley Santa train heated?
The puppet show marquee is heated. The pages do not describe heating in the 1950s carriages, so bring layers.
Does Santa visit every child on the Midland Railway Butterley train?
Santa visits the train, and every child receives a gift.
What do children get on the Butterley Santa Special?
Every child gets a gift, a cookie, and a colouring book with pencils. Adults get a cookie too.
Which Butterley Santa train is best with a baby?
A morning train usually suits babies best. A private compartment gives you room to feed and settle them.
Can we bring the dog on the Butterley Santa Special?
Only assistance dogs are allowed on the Midland Railway Butterley Santa trains.
What is the weather like for the Butterley Santa Special?
Expect cold, damp December weather. Bring coats for the walk between the train and the marquee.
When did the railway at Butterley open?
The Ambergate to Pye Bridge line opened on 1 February 1875, and preserved passenger trains started in 1981.
Is the Butterley Santa Special suitable for wheelchair users?
The train uses 1950s carriages, so the railway asks visitors with reduced mobility to contact it in advance to discuss access to the train and the puppet marquee.
What can we do near Butterley after the Santa Special?
Derby and Nottingham are both about half an hour away. The Swanwick Junction museum is closed during the Santa Specials, according to Visit Peak District.
Is there a Christmas market near Butterley in 2026?
Nottingham's Winter Wonderland is listed for 12 November to 31 December 2026 by JustPark, and Chatsworth's Christmas market runs until 13 December 2026.
Are there other Santa trains near Derby and Nottingham besides Butterley?
Yes. Our UK Santa trains hub lists Peak Rail at Rowsley South and the Great Central Railway at Loughborough.
2027 ticket alert
Santa trains sell out fast
The best dates are often gone weeks before December. Leave your email and we will write once, the moment 2027 bookings open in East Midlands.
Sources
- Midland Railway - Butterley: official page (midlandrailway-butterley.co.uk) (opens in a new tab)
- Midland Railway - Butterley: official page (midlandrailway-butterley.co.uk) (opens in a new tab)
- More information (visitpeakdistrict.com) (opens in a new tab)
- Midland Railway Butterley (Wikipedia) (opens in a new tab)
- UK Christmas markets 2026 (JustPark) (opens in a new tab)
- Christmas at Chatsworth 2026 (Chatsworth) (opens in a new tab)
Checked on the railway’s official pages on 4 November 2026. This train is run by Midland Railway - Butterley. Rally Takes the Train is a children’s picture book; we are not partners with or affiliated to the railway. Book only on the official site and check dates and fares before you travel.
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