Santa Specials on the Northampton and Lamport Railway run weekends from 29 November, Delapré's grotto opens 28 November, Lamport Hall is £20 a child. All dates.

There are four ways to meet Father Christmas around Northampton this year with dates already published, and the one that sells out first is the steam train. The Northampton and Lamport Railway’s Santa Specials run on Saturdays and Sundays from 29 November to 20 December, Delapré Abbey’s grotto opens on 28 November, Lamport Hall puts Father Christmas in its Tudor house from 5 December, and Santa arrives by sleigh at Daventry’s Christmas market on 21 November. The Grosvenor Centre grotto in the town centre, which ran from the switch-on weekend last year, has not yet been announced for 2026. Everything below comes from the organisers’ own pages, checked on 24 September.

The quick answer

  • Santa Specials, Northampton and Lamport Railway: Saturday and Sunday, 29 November, 5 and 6, 12 and 13, 19 and 20 December, from Pitsford and Brampton station, NN6 8BA. Booking is “essential” and tickets are on sale now.
  • Delapré Abbey Santa’s Grotto: Saturday 28 November to Tuesday 22 December, a five-minute visit, a gift and a craft. Sensory and dog-friendly sessions in the mornings.
  • Lamport Hall, Father Christmas in the Tudor House: 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 and 13 December, £20 a child including one adult, with £15 evening slots on 7, 8 and 10 December.
  • Grosvenor Centre grotto: not yet announced. Last year it opened on the switch-on day, ran weekends in December, and cost £2 a family with the money going to two charities.

Santa Specials on the steam railway

The Northampton and Lamport Railway’s Santa Specials page sets out the 2026 season. Trains run on 29 November, 5 and 6 December, 12 and 13 December and 19 and 20 December, from Pitsford and Brampton station on Pitsford Road, Chapel Brampton, NN6 8BA. The ride comes with “a glass of sherry and a mince pie for adults and a sweet treat and a Fruit Shoot for kids”, a visit to Santa in his workshop at the end of the line, a present for every child, and the chance to write a letter to Santa on board.

Two variations run alongside it.

  • Santa Paws, Saturday 28 November only, is the dog and cat day. Pet tickets are £9 and the animal gets a present from Santa and a treat on the train. Dogs are not allowed on the seats.
  • Breakfast with Santa, on 12, 13, 19 and 20 December, adds a hot bap or pastry breakfast before the train and a second meeting with Santa in the workshop. It is limited to six groups a day, with up to four people at a table.

Ticket prices for adults and children are not printed on the railway’s page. They are on its booking site, where the Christmas category is listed as running from free to £135, the top end being the breakfast tables. The railway says “prior booking is ESSENTIAL” and expects the trains to sell out. Its enquiries line is 01604 820327.

Delapré Abbey’s grotto, 28 November to 22 December

The abbey’s Christmas page lists three grotto strands.

  • Santa’s Grotto, Saturday 28 November to Tuesday 22 December, in timed slots: “a 5 minute slot with Santa, a special gift and an arts and crafts activity”.
  • SENDta’s Grotto, Sunday 29 November to Tuesday 22 December, 10am to 12pm, a quieter version for children who need a calmer visit.
  • Santa Paws, Saturday 28 November to Monday 21 December, 10am to 12pm, for pets.

All three book through Ticketsource. The abbey’s what’s on listing now gives the 2026 price: £15 a child and £5 an adult, on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 6pm, with tickets “coming soon” on 4 October. In 2024 adults went free (Santa’s Grotto 2024). The grotto sits inside the abbey’s wider Christmas, with the Winter Light Trail through the grounds from 27 November, which is on our Delapré Abbey Christmas page. Parking at the abbey is free for general visits, and it is at London Road, NN4 8AW.

Lamport Hall’s Tudor house, from 5 December

Lamport Hall, north of the town off the A508, runs Father Christmas in the Tudor House on the same weekends as its Christmas market. Its event page gives the dates as 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 and 13 December, 10am to 4pm, with evening sessions on Monday 7, Tuesday 8 and Thursday 10 December from 4pm to 7.30pm. The final 7pm slot on the evening dates is reserved for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

  • Daytime: £20 a child, which includes one adult and entry to the market. Extra adults are £5 in advance.
  • Weekday evenings: £15 a child, with adults free.
  • Children get a story in a group, an individual photo, “a personalised nice certificate and wrapped present”, a card to decorate and a letter to write. Adults get a warm drink and a mince pie. The visit lasts about 20 minutes.
  • Everything is advance booking only. Sales close on the Tuesday before each weekend, there are no door sales, and the hall asks you to arrive five minutes early and dress for a queue outside.

The hall’s events listing confirms the same December dates for this year, but the event page itself does not state the year, so check the booking calendar before assuming a slot exists.

Santa’s sleigh at Daventry Christmas Market, 21 November

Daventry Town Council’s Christmas market page, updated on 17 February 2026, has Santa arriving “in his sleigh from Rotary Danetre Daventry” with reindeer at the market on Saturday 21 November, 10am to 3pm, along the High Street, Bowen Square, Foundry Walk and Sheaf Street. Entry is free, parking in the town is free that day, and there is a snow globe, face painting, a choir and crafts. The High Street and Sheaf Street close to traffic for it. The district’s other markets are on our Christmas markets page.

The Grosvenor Centre grotto: not yet announced

The town centre grotto is run by Northampton BID in the Grosvenor Centre. Its grotto page, last updated on 6 November 2025, describes last year’s arrangement: pre-booking required, a £2 charge per family through PayPal to secure the slot, all proceeds split between Northamptonshire Toy Library and Rockin Roadrunner, a gift for every child, and families taking their own photos. West Northamptonshire Council’s 2025 festive announcement had it opening on the switch-on day, 22 November 2025, and running on weekends in December. Nothing has been published for 2026. The switch-on this year is Saturday 21 November, and if the pattern holds the grotto will open the same day; details are on our switch-on page, which will carry any announcement.

Getting there

Pitsford and Brampton station is on Pitsford Road, off the A5199 north of Kingsthorpe, with parking at the station. Delapré Abbey is on London Road on the south side of town, on bus routes 7, 33, 88, X6 and X7. Lamport Hall’s entrance is via Porter’s Lodge on Old Road, NN6 9HG, with free parking in the fields. For the Grosvenor Centre, the town centre car parks are on our parking page, and December road closures on the roadworks and travel page.

What is still to be confirmed

Adult and child prices for the Santa Specials, and whether the Grosvenor Centre grotto returns. We expect the BID to confirm the town centre grotto in early November, as it did last year, and will update then.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Santa Specials on the Northampton and Lamport Railway in 2026?

Saturdays and Sundays on 29 November, 5 and 6 December, 12 and 13 December and 19 and 20 December, with the pets-only Santa Paws train on Saturday 28 November.

Is there a Santa’s grotto in Northampton town centre?

The Grosvenor Centre grotto ran last year from 22 November with a £2 booking charge per family. It has not been announced for 2026.

How much is Father Christmas at Lamport Hall?

£20 a child in the daytime, including one adult and market entry, or £15 a child at the weekday evening sessions on 7, 8 and 10 December.

Sources