Christmas sleigh ride opens at Coventry Transport Museum

[dutchman]

After 60 years at the now-closed Co-op store in Corporation Street, Santa's sleigh rides again at its new home in Millennium Place



Santa isn’t coming to town - he has already arrived thanks to the start of the Coventry Transport Museum’s Christmas sleigh ride.

The first visitors to the ride arrived yesterday to find one of the museum’s exhibition halls transformed by Christmas decorations.

Christmas trees, life size reindeer models, snowflake lights and a snow queen throne give children plenty to look at while they wait their turn.

The festive trappings provide the perfect backdrop for Christmas snaps.

Father Christmas has brought several elves with him to greet visitors at the attraction in Millennium Place, city centre.

Among those visiting on the first day was Jennifer Ward with Isaac, one and Lucas, three.

She said: “It was brilliant - it was really good. They met Father Christmas, they were given a toy and they had a sleigh ride.”

Ray Burke, who travelled from Evesham with his wife Jenny to take grandson Layton, three, on the ride, said: “We heard on the radio it was starting today so we decided to come. I went on the ride when I was a child and it was at the Co-op.

“I don’t remember much about that but I remember taking Layton when he was younger.

“It’s equally as good if not better than when it was at the Co-op.”

Jean Sharpe, who came with granddaughter Millie, two, said: “There’s so much more than when it was at the Co-op, this is brilliant.”

For 60 years the ride was based at the Co-op nearby in Corporation Street but when the store closed there were fears for the future of the much loved attraction.

But Coventry Transport Museum bosses stepped in and last year the sleigh ride moved to the museum.

Tickets for children cost £5 which includes the sleigh ride, meeting Father Christmas and a gift. Accompanying adults are £1.50. Adults who don’t have a child with them are £5.

The elves selling tickets for the ride are only accepting cash.

The ride runs until Friday December 23.

Opening times are 10am to 4.30pm. The ride will stay open until 5.30pm on Wednesday December 7, Wednesday December 14 and Wednesday December 21.

[dutchman]

90 minute wait to see Santa at Coventry Transport Museum

Families have been queueing for up to two hours to ride on the popular Coventry Transport Museum Santa sleigh ride.

Some families were taking one look at the queue and giving up while others braved the long waits in search of a pre-Christmas treat.

Queueing parents even urged organisers to introduce a booking system.

Noel Carroll, aged 73, from Nuneaton with his grandchildren Finn, eight and Conor, three decided it wasn’t realistic to queue for two hours with a lively toddler.

He said: “I came when it had just opened and I thought this is really good I’ll have to bring the grandchildren.

“It’s really good and I’m not blaming anybody for the queues but we decided to give it a miss today.”

Charlotte Graham braved the long wait with her two children aged four and seven.

The pair were delighted with their ride and presents from Santa of a car and motorbike.

Amelia Lawlor, who brought Reuben, aged two, said: “We waited 40 minutes and got about halfway through the queue and gave up. It was a bit of a disappointment.

“We went to the Co-op as kids so it would have been nice to have gone.”

Doesn't surprise me in the least that they made a complete hash of it.

[rebbonk]

It's not exactly rocket science is it? The bottle-neck is going to be Santa. Any timings need to be based on that. Of course, they could speed up the throughput by having more than 1 Santa...