King’s Cross is getting a very helpful visitor this weekend as Thomas & Friends pulls into London’s King’s Cross railway station for a free, two-day family pop-up to kick off a nationwide Christmas campaign with Save the Children and launch Thomas the Tank Engine as the face of Christmas Jumper Day.
Open on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th November, the pop-up invites families to step into the world of Thomas & Friends through play, Christmas jumper crafts, storytelling, giveaways and a photo opportunity with Thomas. Young visitors can journey through four activity stations – The Platform, Play Station, Wool Station and Jumper Station – collecting stamps along the way and a special Thomas & Friends gift at the end.
The Platform: Pose for a platform-themed photograph and settle into a cosy corner with Thomas & Friends books.
Play Station: Try motorised and push-along train sets and diecast engines, with clips and trailers introducing Thomas’s new-look adventures.
Wool Station: Help Thomas get ready for Christmas Jumper Day by sorting colourful wool balls into matching chutes.
Jumper Station: Design and colour a Christmas jumper on a themed activity sheet, with a knitting pattern or Twinkl certificate available to collect.
Thomas & Friends x Save the Children
For more than 80 years, Thomas has shown generations of children that even the smallest engine can make a big difference. Now, he’s bringing that spirit of helpfulness beyond the Island of Sodor, helping deliver comfort, joy and support to children who need it most.
Appointed Chief Delivery Officer for Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day, Thomas the Tank Engine is taking on his most important delivery yet – helping deliver toys, vital funds and awareness for children who need it most. Thomas will encourage families, schools, nurseries and workplaces to get on board, while Mattel will donate 5,000 toys to Save the Children’s UK programmes and baby banks and is helping with donations of up to £40,000 for Christmas Jumper Day.
The partnership builds on more than 20 years of support from Mattel for Save the Children, spanning the charity’s work in education, health and child protection.
Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day takes place on Thursday 10th December 2026. Families, schools and workplaces can take part by wearing a favourite festive knit, borrowing one or decorating something they already own, and donating whatever they can. Since launching in 2012, the fundraiser has raised over £42 million to help children in the UK and around the world stay safe, healthy and learning. To sign up and find out more, visit www.christmasjumperday.org.
The campaign comes as Thomas & Friends introduces a new generation of children to Sodor through refreshed animation, heartwarming stories, a new toy line and experiences, from Day Out With Thomas and Thomas Land at Drayton Manor Resort. The new animated special Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories – Really Helpful Engines is available to stream on 5’s Milkshake! now, ahead of the new animated series Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories, launching on the channel in early 2027.
