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Matt ‘The Train Guy’ Hands Out Hornby Train Sets at Newcastle Central

Hornby staged the one-day giveaway after research highlighted nostalgia for train sets alongside high festive travel stress.

Overview

  • Streeton conducted the giveaway on December 8 at LNER’s Newcastle Central Station as part of a seasonal collaboration with Hornby.
  • Commuters received either a Hornby Santa’s Express Train Set or a Hornby Retro Train Set.
  • Passengers described emotional reactions, with some planning to gift the sets to children or rail‑enthusiast relatives.
  • Hornby cited findings that about one in five Britons named a train set as their dream childhood present and that roughly 31% find festive travel the most stressful part of the season.
  • Streeton, a Passenger Information Systems Manager and the voice behind “see it, say it, sorted” on Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern services, shared footage on TikTok and Instagram.