SEVEN-year-old Ben Chapman’s post-Christmas mince pie was made more exciting by being served on a steam train.

He was one of hundreds to go on the Chinnor Railway’s mince pie train, a festive tour through the foot of the Chiltern hills.

As well as working their way along the Great Western branch line and enjoying festive food, Ben and his cousin Noah Dyer got to see the inner workings of the train. The pair were allowed to see the driver shoveling coal and steering the steam train.

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Ben, from Aylesbury, said: “The journey was awesome. I liked being on the driver’s plate.”

His grandfather Graeme Kilner said: “It was quite exciting, you were really close to the steam. It was really superb.”

Anastasia Crespin of Ballinger, Buckinghamshire, took her daughters Gigi and Matilda for the ride. She said: “It was incredibly beautiful and because they were old steam trains it was reminiscent of Thomas the Tank Engine, which was exciting for the children.” The mince pie train will run tomorrow and Sunday. Trains run at 10.30am, noon, 1.45pm and 3.15pm.

Visit chinnorrailway.co.uk

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