Off on our family excursion to the North Yorks Moors Railway (NYMR) to join the Santa Train at Pickering. 

Hauled by a J27 in BR livery no 65894, the usual mix of coaches awaited. Impossible to see out of the windows due to condensation until a gloved hand wiped the mist away. Then to open the top window between the arrow marks to avoid a draught and off we went. Wrapped up against the winter chill I did not notice any heating in the coach. The J27 I read later, served in the NE up to 1967, hauling freight ie wagons. I hope that the coaches had heating installed, but suspect that heating would not be coming from an engine designed to pull wagons.

Santa came along with his elves and a good time was had by all. Time for the children to be taken into the engine cab and ‘enjoy’ the smoke.