Santa Specials run 12, 13, 19 and 20 December 2026 at the Kempton waterworks railway, £11 a child with a gift. Plus the free grottos in Shepperton and Staines.
The one Santa visit near Staines that is already on sale for 2026 is the Santa Specials on the Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway: four afternoons in December, a gift for every child, and advance booking only. Two free visits are also fixed, at the Staines Christmas parade on 22 November and Shepperton Big Tree Night on 9 December. The borough’s smaller free grottos in Ashford, Sunbury and Stanwell have not announced their 2026 dates yet.
The quick answer
- Santa Specials: Saturday and Sunday 12 and 13, 19 and 20 December 2026, 3pm to 7.30pm, Snakey Lane, Hanworth. £11 per child (3 to 15), £8 per adult, advance booking only.
- Free: Santa in the Elmsleigh Centre after the Staines parade on Sunday 22 November, and in his grotto by Shepperton Library from 6.35pm on Wednesday 9 December.
- Squire’s Shepperton ran its grotto from 22 November to Christmas Eve in 2025, at £10 a child with a gift. Its 2026 dates are not out.
Santa Specials at the Kempton waterworks railway
The Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway is a heritage railway run by a registered charity beside Kempton Steam Museum in Hanworth, just over the borough boundary from Sunbury. Its 2026 events page and Santa Specials page give these details:
- Dates: Saturday 12, Sunday 13, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December 2026.
- Times: 3pm to 7.30pm, so the later trains run after dark.
- The train: Santa and his elves ride aboard the lit-up heritage locomotive Darent.
- Tickets: children aged 3 to 15 £11, adults (16 and over) £8.
- Included: a Christmas present for every child, plus a hot drink and mince pies.
- Under-3s need a child ticket if they are to get a present.
- Booking: advance booking only, through the railway’s online booking system. The railway says places fill fast.
Every child must be with an adult over 18, and one adult can bring no more than four children. Parking is free. The site entrance for sat navs is TW13 7ND on Snakey Lane, and the railway warns that from the main Snakey Lane entrance on foot it is a 20-minute walk to the platform, which matters if you come by bus.
Free Santa visits with a fixed 2026 date
| Date | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 22 Nov | Staines High Street, then the Elmsleigh Centre | Father Christmas walks in the Christmas parade, which starts at 10.30am, then moves inside the Elmsleigh Centre. Parade details |
| Wed 9 Dec | Shepperton High Street | Santa arrives on stage at 6.30pm, then goes to his grotto with real reindeer by Shepperton Library until 8.30pm. Big Tree Night details |
Grottos that ran last year, 2026 dates to come
Spelthorne Borough Council’s Christmas events page still lists the 2025 programme. Three of its community events included a free Santa’s grotto:
- Ashford Wide Christmas Market, Church Road, Ashford: Wednesday 3 December 2025, 5pm to 8pm, with a free grotto in the library.
- Sunbury Christmas Street Party, The Avenue Parade: Thursday 4 December 2025, 5pm to 8pm, with a grotto for children.
- Stanwell Christmas Grotto and Snow Globe, Community Building, Long Recreation Ground: Sunday 7 December 2025, 11am to 4pm, free.
All three fell in the first week of December last year. We will add the 2026 dates here when the council updates the page.
Squire’s Garden Centre, Shepperton ran a paid grotto in 2023 and again in 2025. Its 2025 festive events page had Santa in the grotto on selected days from 22 November to 24 December 2025 at £10 per child including a gift, two adults free and £1 for each extra adult, with quieter sessions for children who find the grotto overwhelming. Breakfast with Santa ran from 23 November to 21 December at £20 a child and £11 an adult. Squire’s says booking is essential and tickets are non-refundable.
Still to be confirmed
- Squire’s Shepperton 2026 dates and prices.
- Ashford, Sunbury and Stanwell grottos, on the council’s Christmas events page once it moves on to 2026.
More Christmas in Spelthorne: Kempton Park Boxing Day races, Christmas trains from Staines and Christmas bin collections.
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