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When Back to the Future director and regular Tom Hanks collaborator Robert Zemeckis released the 2004 animated Christmas film The Polar Express, it was to a world somewhat suspicious of the film’s humongous $170m price tag and its bold attempts to make fully CGI human characters.
The passage of time has been kind, though, with subsequent festive re-releases of the Hank-starring seasonal film pushing it into profit, and later generations simply not getting hung up on the question of whether the eyes looked perfect or not.
Long story short, 20 years on the film is so beloved that this year a special Polar Express steam train will be running from the most Christmassy place in London: Euston station.
It’s essentially an officially licensed immersive experience based on the film – a bit like a posh version of one of those Santa steam trains you can ride in various Kentish valleys at this time of year.
As your train pulls out for a trundle around the Network Rail area (Euston is the start and end point), you can enjoy various skits and scenes based on the film, with songs, characters, hot chocolate, a cookie and a visit from Santa.
The show is sold out for 2024, although that bodes well for it returning next year. In the meantime, The Polar Express film is back in London cinemas for the holiday season.
The Polar Express Train Ride departs Euston on select dates until Dec 23.