Watercress Line, Alton

[pippo]

Am thinking of booking the santa special that runs from Alton, has anyone done this, is it good? TIA

Interested in this also, have been thining of something like this too!

Do you think it would be too long a round trip for a 2yr old?

Yes we've done it for the past two years. Very enjoyable for kids and adults. The train and station were decorated for Xmas and looked lovely. Our daughter was 2 last year when we went. The time goes quickly and you can get out half way to look at the train being topped up with water. Suggest you take colouring or some toys. The children are given good presents.

Oh it's FAB, so blimmin Christmassy with the steam. Expensive but absolutely worth it. I took 2yr old and nearly 1yr old (on hipbelt to save space) plus lots of small cousins from the Alresford station. The giftbags are great, we now use them as stockings! Take snacks.

That's good advice thank you! Think I will book it now

link please! sounds fab.

Have moved away from that area now, but when I were a nipper, my Grandma lived near Alton and we lived in Winchester. So my mum (non-driver) and my brother and I would go and visit my Grandma on that train. I would have been a toddler at that time in the mid 60s.

Then the trains stopped running, so when I went to stay with my Grandma in the school holidays, and we were allowed out all day to play, we would go and play on the railway line (with grass growing through the tracks) and in the fields and lanes around it. This is me and my cousins aged about 7 to 12. Makes me feel sad and nostalgic now, memories of picking blackberries and going into fields with cows and horses just to say hello, completely unsupervised by adults. My dcs will never know anything like this.

But I may well take them on the train ride. Thanks for this thread OP.

bump - anyone got the link? would love to take the DDs.

oooohhhh! we're going! taking dd (3) on the sunday before xmas! can't wait (neither can the other 6 adults who are coming too! yes thats right how many adults does it tkae to tkae a three year old to see santa on teh train? answer 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I'm not complaining - very generous uncle is paying for the whole family to go! one kid 7 adults!

LINKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

please

I've never attempted a link - just google watercress line! I can't decide if it's worth it - it will cost £78 for all of us?? Plus they 9 year old will moan about it being babyish blah blah..

We've been on the line before - it'll all be over in an hour!

here

Is it still available?

PILs taking us on teh Bluebell railway one and that sold out in hours a month ago

ps Have a nose round Alresford if you get off there it is a lovely Georgian small town (I lived there for about 8 years when a kid!)

I've done the Thomas the Tank thing on the Watercress line and it was very nice. I think it is pricy, but if you have a completely train mad small child (as I did at the time) I do think it would be worth it.

Thanks!