The East Lancashire Railway has teamed up with foster care and special needs provider Family Care to provide a British Sign Language interpreter for children on selected Santa Special trains later this year, in what will be a first for the railway. The new facility will be available for families to book from November on select dates, with spaces limited.
The interpreter will travel on specific Santa Specials between Rawtenstall and Bury from November 29, helping to make the festive experience as inclusive as possible for young travellers on board.
The service has been made possible through a new partnership between the East Lancashire Railway and Chorley-based Family Care, which will sponsor the facility.
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The move is the latest step in the ELR’s efforts to make its Santa Specials more accessible.
In 2023, the railway ran its first dedicated SEND Santa Special, with adaptations introduced to make the experience more suitable for visitors with special educational needs. These included toning down the lights on the station footbridge Winter Wonderland Walkthrough, reducing flashing bulbs, spacing characters out more and extending the arrival window to avoid the usual boarding rush.
On board, visitors could also use quiet carriages and signage to indicate whether they wanted characters to keep interactions to a minimum or be more enthusiastic. The SEND service proved popular with local families and has since been expanded to multiple trains on multiple dates.
This year, the railway will go a step further with the introduction of a British Sign Language interpreter.
Marie Marshall has worked as a BSL interpreter for 26 years, having previously worked in education and covering Community BSL Bookings. She has also been involved with football interpreting in both mainstream and Deaf Football, took part in the 2025 Tokyo Olympics with Great Britain’s Deaf Women’s Football Team, and spent four summers providing performance interpreting for music events.
She said: “I am really looking forward to being part of the Santa Express team so deaf children can have the same experience as other children.”
Phil Williamson, Director at Family Care Group, which will provide the funding for the interpreter service, said: “We’re proud to be supporting the ELR with their dedicated SEND Santa Specials which provide a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for families to enjoy this amazing trip.
“As a family-owned and community focused organisation, we have a real passion for providing opportunities for all children in the Lancashire and North West, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities. Our new partnership with East Lancashire Railway reflects our own strong commitment to supporting SEND children in the work we do.”
ELR chairman Mike Kelly said: “We are incredibly proud to have been the first heritage railway to introduce dedicated SEND Santa Specials in 2023, creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where families could experience the magic of Christmas together.
“Since then, we have expanded the programme each year, ensuring even more children and families can enjoy this special experience. In 2026, we are delighted to extend our reach further by providing the support of a professional British Sign Language (BSL) signer, making our events even more accessible.
“As we look ahead to the 40th anniversary of our Santa Specials in 2027, our vision is simple: that every visitor, whatever their additional needs or challenges, can experience the wonder and excitement of Christmas and create treasured memories that will last a lifetime”.
The Santa Specials run from late November through to Christmas Eve. Visitors can expect a Winter Wonderland walkthrough before boarding a steam train, with Christmas characters, performances from traditional brass bands and a visit from Father Christmas, who will hand out gifts to children.
The East Lancashire Railway opened as a heritage railway in 1987 and attracts around 200,000 visitors annually. It operates restored steam and diesel trains from Bolton Street Station in Bury along a 12.5-mile route between Heywood, in Greater Manchester, and Rawtenstall in Lancashire.
Family Care was founded in May 1988 by Ged Williamson and has grown from one children’s home into a provider of fostering, residential, specialist and education services for young people across the North West and Midlands.
Find out more about the Santa Specials by visiting www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
To learn more about Family Care Group and its fostering and SEND services, visit:
