SANTA SPECIALS ALL aboard for real festive "fare" as Santa takes to the track with his sack -- full of gifts for good boys and girls.

Father Christmas will be busy in the run-up to the big day as he enjoys train rides across East Lancashire, meeting wide-eyed children and sharing a family fun day and all the excitement of the festive season.

He will also be heading into North and West Yorkshire, joining with the Lions' Club of Keighley to bring sunshine into the lives of more than 150 children.

East Lancashire Railway is running Santa Specials today and tomorrow and on the remaining Saturdays and Sundays up until Christmas. During each journey he will make his way through the train presenting every child with a gift. Adults will receive a souvenir miniature sherry and mince pie.

All Santa specials leave Bolton Street station in Bury, travel to Ramsbottom and return.

Today's and tomorrow's trips leave Bolton Street at 10.30am, 11.45am, 1pm, 2.15pm and 3.30pm.

For the next three Saturdays and Sundays times are 10am, 11.15am, 12.30pm, 1.45pm, 3pm and 4.15pm. Bookings can be made by post, in person or by telephoning 0161 764 7790 between 10am and 4pm.

Meanwhile children in the Darwen, Blackburn, Whalley and Clitheroe areas will be able to share a mince pie with Santa next Saturday and the following two Saturdays on scheduled services with a difference. Volunteers of the Ribble Valley Rail Users' Group have teamed up with train operators First North Western to provide Santa Specials three times daily.

The Ribble Valley line runs from Manchester to Clitheroe and the Santa Specials will call at Bromley Cross and Darwen before reaching Blackburn. The train will leave Blackburn at 11.47am, 2.47pm and 5.50pm, heading for Ramsgreave and Wilpshire, Langho and Whalley before terminating at Clitheroe. En route adults can enjoy sherry and mince pies, with soft drinks and mince pies for the children. The youngsters will also receive a goodie bag, containing colouring books, balloons and sweets, courtesy of Booth's supermarket in Station Road, Clitheroe. The sherry has been donated by D Byrne and Co wine merchants of King Street, Clitheroe.

Santa then returns on the 12.38pm and 3.29pm services from Clitheroe.

David Baxter, route manager for the Ribble Valley line, said: "It has been very popular in the past." Mr Baxter also said First North Western, in conjunction with Railtrack, would be running services to Whalley village on Thursday, December 13, for a "Pickwick Night" from 6-9pm.

There will be standard rail services but with shuttle coaches to the village, where shoppers can enjoy stalls and music.

Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is running Santa's Specials every Saturday and Sunday until Christmas. There are frequent trains between 10.30am and 3pm through picturesque Yorkshire Dales scenery and a return journey with Santa takes about 55 minutes.

No booking is required -- fares are £7 for children, including a present from Santa, and all other fares £6.

Keighley and Worth Valley Railway bosses have teamed up with the town's Lions' Club today when more than 150 children, including some from the Todmorden area, will be meeting Santa on their own special steam train.