There’s a problem. A real problem.

In a matter of weeks, Father Christmas will be riding high across the sky delivering presents to children throughout the world, only his sledge has broken. Yes, broken, and 21st-century technology ain’t going to fix a traditional sledge. We need tools or an alternative.

One solution is to take the train. Stepping into the cosy carriage pulled by Teddy the engine, we’re absorbed by all things festive.

Gingerbread character cushions rest on red and white covered chairs neatly arranged around one end of the carriage. The floor space is covered with comfortable cushions and neatly folded blankets.

Once inside, the children are told to take a cushion and snuggle up in their blankets, for the journey.

Nobody knows the destination. The colourful handdrawn map on the carriage wall gives no clues either, and apparently there’s no ‘Santa-nav’.

All is eventually revealed when Nick the narrator opens his big story book in front of a large throne-like chair at the front of the carriage.

Firstly, the gathering audience of children and families are told about the situation with Santa’s broken sledge, and how the train will provide a solution to his transport problems. Just at that moment the train begins to trundle away from York’s National Railway Museum, where we’d arrived to climb aboard Santa’s Steam Adventure.

Suddenly, without warning, the train stops. Narrator Nick looks a little perturbed. Perhaps this isn’t going according to plan?

His assistant, Jen, appears looking flustered. She whispers something but the expression on her face tells us all is not well.

Narrator Nick informs us the train has developed a technical problem. In short, the wheel has come off.

Confused looks are exchanged. Jen returns to the carriage, this time with a plastic tool box. Our six-year-old daughter Katy isn’t fazed by the thought of having to fix things; her daddy is a joiner, so, with him on board, we knew there would be a solution.

She looked a little unimpressed by the plastic socket set, but a demonstration from Dad showed her how it’s done.

Hammering, banging and clattering ensued as, armed with plastic tools, the young passengers adhere to their instructions to fix the wonky wheel, with a little improvisation of course.

Then Jen reappears to say it’s fixed, but it’s too premature for any woops of delight. Although the wonky wheel has been fixed, the train has developed a problem with its brakes. Magic is the only way to get this train back on track.

Jen distributes a box of wrist bells to the concerned crowd with strict instructions to jingle. We do so, accompanied by the Christmas song Jingle Bells.

To everyone’s delight, the train is now fixed and, in gratitude for the children’s help, Father Christmas wants to thank them personally, with a present.

There are smiles all around the moment the man in red steps into the carriage. And quicker than a ‘ho, ho, ho’, each gift is unwrapped before the youngsters’ feet touch the platform!

Making our way back along the platform, we bid Father Christmas, narrator Nick, Jen and Teddy the engine a fond farewell safe in the knowledge that we had, in some part, saved Christmas!

We also had word that Father Christmas’s sleigh will be fixed in time for his big Christmas Eve delivery, so no panic there!

Katy couldn’t put her book gift down, poring over the Winnie-the-Pooh stories while sipping a hot chocolate treat in the Brief Encounter cafe, where we stopped off after browsing the traditional railway carriages stuffed with presents and festive characters in Santa’s Toy and Present Warehouse.

We had visited the museum some years earlier when we took Katy to meet Thomas the Tank Engine. She had some recollection of having her photo taken with the Fat Controller next to the park in Station Yard where she stopped to play on our recent visit.

Of course, we couldn’t leave without looking at the huge hulks of locomotive engineering on display in the Great Hall.

Visitors are taken on a journey of transportation through the ages, from the show-stopping steam trains, made famous by their engineering feats and achievements – the Mallard holds the world record for steam traction on rail – to the ‘futuristic’ high-speed trains.

We sat on the famous Shinkansen, known as the Japanese Bullet Train, created in the 1960s. Watching an on-board information film, we learned Japan was the first country in the world to build a high-speed passenger train.

Glancing round the Intercity 125 evokes memories of Britain’s own fleet of high-speed trains.

The experience gives you the opportunity to explore in depth the history of the train and its achievements, and it is all under one roof.

A fabulous family day out.

FACTFILE: * Santa’s Steam Adventure runs at the National Railway Museum, Leeman Road, York, today and tomorrow, and on December 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23.

* Tickets are £7.50 per child (includes ride and present) and £5 per adult (includes ride, mince pie and a hot drink). For more information, ring 0844 815 3139, or visit nrm.org.uk/christmas.