Family Care steams ahead with East Lancashire Railway to provide Sign Language Interpreter for Santa Specials

The innovative new facility will be available for families to book from November on select dates, promising to make Christmas even more accessible.

The new festive interpreter will travel on specific Santa specials run by the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) between Rawtenstall and Bury from 29 November, helping to ensure that the magical ride is as inclusive as possible for every young traveller on board.

The new interpreter service has been made possible by a special new partnership between Family Care and ELR, with Family Care sponsoring the new facility.

This latest innovation reflects the ELR’s continuing commitment to making its famous Santa Special events a welcoming and magical experience for as many people as possible.

In 2023 the railway ran its first-ever SEND Santa Special train. This Christmas experience was adapted to make it an accessible adventure for those with special educational needs. This involved several careful refinements, all made with expert advice.

The lights on the station footbridge (the Winter Wonderland Walkthrough) were toned down, with fewer flashing bulbs. The Characters were more spaced out and low-key, and the arrival window was extended to avoid the usual hustle and bustle of boarding.

Once on board, visitors could avail themselves of special quiet carriages and were given signage to indicate if they wanted the characters to keep their interactions to a minimum or be more enthusiastic.

The SEND Train proved to be hugely popular with local families, and it has since been expanded to multiple trains on multiple dates.

This year, in order to expand the offering further, the ELR, working with Family Care, will introduce a British Sign Language interpreter to give families even more opportunities to get the most out of this event.

Marie Marshall has been working as a BSL Interpreter for 26 years, having previously worked in education and covering Community BSL Bookings. She has been involved with Football interpreting in both mainstream and Deaf Football and even took part in the 2025 Tokyo Olympics with Great Britain’s Deaf Women’s Football Team. For four years, she spent her summer months providing Performance Interpreting for music events.

She had this to say: “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 ELR to offer 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.”

Chairman of the ELR 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 East Lancashire Railway will continue its efforts to make sure that everyone can have the most magical experience possible on the Santa Special train.

The Santa Specials run from late November through to Christmas Eve. Visitors can look forward to a magical Winter Wonderland walkthrough before boarding their steam train and setting off on their adventure. During the journey, they will meet colourful Christmas characters, enjoy performances from traditional brass bands, and of course be visited by Father Christmas himself, who will be handing gifts out to the little ones.

Find out more about the Santa Specials by visiting www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk