Blaenavon's Heritage Railway are very pleased to report that their 2011 Ghost Trains have been a resounding success with over 1,700 passengers carried over the two days. This is the highest ever total for an event at the heritage railway outside of a Thomas the Tank Engine event back in 2002 and the 1,019 carried on Sunday the 30^th is the highest attendance for a single day, outside of the aforementioned Thomas event.On the Sunday trains ran from 2pm until 8pm and the planned 30 minute frequency was abandoned in favour of a high intensity 20 minute timetable due to the volume of passengers . The same applied on the Monday night, with trains running later from 5pm until 9pm again on a 20 minute frequency.

Said Alex Hinshelwood, the railway's traffic manager, "The turn out from the public has been amazing, it has left us speechless, we never imagined in our wildest dreams it would be this popular". Not only were the railway staff dressed for the event but the passengers old and young alike also dressed to scare. Alex added "Everyone has entered into the spirit of the event and we hope they have enjoyed it as much as we have". With foul food tasting on the train, haunted figures roaming the carriages, and ghostly lights seen prowling the station, the laughs and screams echoed long into the night.

After packing off the ghost and goblins back to where they belong the railway is now getting ready for Santa Claus who will be visiting again for the 3 weekends before Christmas. As always steam trains will run from Furnace Sidings to take passngers to see him in his grotto and they offer a treat for all the family, each child will get a personalised present and there’s sherry and mince pies for the parents. Tickets are £7 in advance or £8 on the day but for the 3/4 December they will be a pound off. Bookings can be made by calling the Railway Shop on 01495 792263, writing to Santa, c/o, The Railway Shop, 13A broad Street, Blaenavon, Torfaen, NP4 9ND or emailing santa@pbrly.co.uk|. Trains are very popular, so parents are advised to book early to make sure everyone gets to see Santa.

Trains are very popular, so parents are advised to book early to make sure everyone gets to see Santa.