PETERSFIELD station is included in a rare Royal Train tour this month for a “Christmas special” return trip to York’s famous St Nicholas Fair.

Starting from Eastleigh on Saturday, November 26, with beautifully restored first-class compartments and dining saloons in addition to standard class, locomotive 67005 Queen’s Messenger will pick up 380 passengers from the principal stations between Fareham and Woking, via Havant and Petersfield.

It will then be a high speed run to York, arriving in time for lunch and around four hours to see the fair and city before the return trip.

Families travelling in standard class can make the return journey for around 25 per cent less than the cheapest pre-booked regular advance fare, with children travelling for half price.

Barry Cordell, managing director of the organiser Pathfinder Tours, said: “Rail tours starting in the south are very few and far between. Our Festive York Explorer rail excursion is special on two counts.

“It is the first rail tour serving Hampshire and Surrey since 2003 and we are honoured it will be hauled by one of the DB Cargo operated royal locomotives.

“If the excursion is well supported we plan to run others from the same stations to various destinations in 2017. Our train will be suitably decorated to celebrate the start of the festive season. But our passengers chose to travel, they will be treated like royalty.