SWANAGE RAILWAY DIESEL GALA & BEER FESTIVAL 2019 (10 - 12 May)

FROM SWANAGE RAILWAY'S FACEBOOK SITE:
3rd March
The South’s Biggest Diesel Gala now brings Class 44, D4 ‘Great Gable’ to Purbeck, with day time services operating over our Extension to the River Frome!
The Swanage Railway is extremely pleased to announce the addition of D4 ‘Great Gable’, courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company Ltd, for our Annual Diesel Gala and Beer Festival between 10th and 12th May 2019. We have been looking forward to welcoming this ‘Peak’ in particular for some time after it sadly missed our line up back in 2013. Currently being repainted in BR blue after extensive engine repairs and a bodywork overhaul, this will be one of the first opportunities to see and hear it! What better place than in the sunny south!
In addition we’re also excited to announce a new first for our Diesel Gala, as this year we will be running day time services ‘over the road’ from Norden to the River Frome. Trains will run 'Top n Tail' to and from our limit of operations at Bridge 4, over the River Frome. This is the boundary between Swanage Railway and Network Rail before Worgret Junction so the extra mileage will offer a 10 mile journey between each end! From Bridge 4 it's a standing start before a 1:78 gradient to the summit at Furzebrook, so there will be plenty of opportunities for our all home and visiting engines to clear their throats…
Please note that unfortunately unlike last year, the 4TC unit was not unavailable for hire so we are therefore unable to run trains to Wareham on this occasion. Despite this, and with additional mileage for all locomotives, you'll be getting more mileage for your money!
Keep an eye out for regular updates and unique traction announcements in the coming days, or head to the Swanage Railway website and book your Driver Experience on D7535. Don't worry, the South's Biggest Diesel Gala is only a couple of months away!

www.swanagerailway.co.uk/events/detail/d7535-driving-experience

2019 Diesel Gala fares will open for bookings soon.

Advanced online.
1 Day Adult Rover £30.00
1 Day Child Rover £20.00
2 Day Adult Rover £48.00
2 Day Child Rover £38.00
3 Day Adult Rover £56.00
3 Day Child Rover £46.00

Purchase on the day.
1 Day Adult Rover £35.00
1 Day Child Rover £25.00
2 Day Adult Rover £53.00
2 Day Child Rover £43.00
3 Day Adult Rover £61.00
3 Day Child Rover £50.00

8th March
It is with great pleasure that the Swanage Railway can announce 26007 is our next exclusive visitor to the annual Diesel Gala and Beer Festival between the 9th and 12th May 2019. The Class 26 will be taking an early holiday 'cos she knows summer comes soonest in the south'!
We are also thrilled to say once it's starred in the gala, 26007 will be staying with us on hire throughout the summer until early September and temporarily join our resident Class 33s, 33111 and D6515.
Normally based at Barrow Hill, 26007 was the first Class 26 built for British Railways in 1958 and is now fresh from a repaint in her striking Railfreight Red Stripe livery. 26007's extended stay with us is courtesy of Victor Korzeniewicz.
Keep an eye out for further Diesel Gala announcements in the coming days, as well as information on 26007's running days this summer on the Swanage Railway...

Thus far, in summary, the following are coming to the Swanage Railway:
Class 25 D7535
Class 26 26007
Class 44 D4 "great Gable"

 

Sounds good especially the Beer bit.

 

Further announcement seen recently on WNXX Forum:
The Swanage Railway is delighted to announce details of our 14th Annual Diesel Gala and Dorset Beer Festival, running from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th of May, with themed preview day on Thursday 9th.
For the first time during a diesel gala, an intensive daily service will operate over our full 10 mile line between Swanage and our boundary with Network Rail at “Bridge 4” on the recently restored line towards Wareham.
Thursday 9th May will see a themed preview day in operation; "Type 2 Thursday" will feature Class 25 D5185 and Class 26 26007. Both will operate passenger services alongside a Swanage Railway resident steam locomotive.
The main three day Diesel Gala from Friday 10th May to Sunday 12th May will see an intensive three train diesel service operate between Bridge 4, Norden Park & Ride, Corfe Castle, Harmans Cross and Swanage from 8am to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and 8am until 7pm on Sunday.

We still have further announcements to make including at least two visiting English Electric locos, but the line up so far including resident locos consists of:

Class 25 - D7535 (25185) courtesy of the South Devon Diesel Trust

Class 26 - 26007 Courtesy of Victor Korzeniewicz, which will be staying on the railway until early September

Class 33s - D6515 (33012) & 33111

Class 44 - D4 “Great Gable” (44004) courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company

All of the above locos are subject to availability.

The ever popular Dorset Beer Festival will return to Corfe Castle, this year in conjunction with the Bankes Arms Hotel. Other attractions include the museum, Tea Truck and DTSO coach, 76275 from the Swanage Railway Trust 4TC group will be on display at Corfe Castle, plus trade stands and Smith's Butchers BBQ at Swanage.
On both the Friday and Saturday evenings the popular "Beerex" train will be operating. Traction for theses trains will be announced soon.

There are a number of options for purchasing tickets, and these are shown below. Great savings can be made by purchasing tickets in advance!

2019 Diesel Gala Fares
Advance Online Purchase* On the Day

1 Day Adult Rover £30.00 £35.00

1 Day Child Rover £20.00 £25.00
1 Day Family Rover £65.00 £73.00
Adult Rail Staff Travel Day Rover --------- £25.00
2 Day Adult Rover £48.00 £53.00
2 Day Child Rover £38.00 £43.00
2 Day Family Rover £105.00 £115.00
3 Day Adult Rover £56.00 £61.00
3 Day Child Rover £46.00 £50.00
3 Day Family Rover £145.00 £160.00

* Advance Booking Close 8th May at 23:59

* A Family is 2 Adults and Up to 3 Children

Bookings open soon.

A limited number of driver experiences with Class 25, D7535 are available to book on Saturday 4th - Monday 6th and on "Type 2 Thursday" 9th May

http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/events/ ... experience

Subsequently, 50007 "Hercules" (courtesy of Class 50 Alliance) has been added to the list of visitors - in it's new GBRf livery.

 

Forgets to mention on the preview day, 25185 is on driver for a fiver most of the morning so its 26007 running day

 

59003 and 73107 or 73136 added to the line up

 

Why can't the 5 coach mainline set be used to run to Wareham?

 

I understood that the stock is certified for mainline haulage but not for carrying passengers (lack of secondary door bolts?). I might be wrong. I guess they would also need a TOC to run it.

 

They found a TOC last year, but running ECS wouldn’t be that useful!

 

I see the Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum will be open during the Gala. Never seen the narrow gauge railway open other than a stationary Simplex loco and some wagons, but understand it has a couple of working diesel locos. Also when stopped at Norden with the FS had a look at the bridge which could extend the track and no doubt people would pay for a ride to being in extra revenues for the museum.
Will the diesels be out the shed and working during the Gala?

 

No idea if/when they will be running, but worth a look around regardless.
(It's a bit like the Tardis, there is a lot more there to see than you'd think from first glance).

 

Final nine loco line up appears to be:

Class 25 - D7535 (25185) courtesy of the South Devon Diesel Trust
Class 26 - 26007 Courtesy of Victor Korzeniewicz, which will be staying on the railway until early September
Class 31 - 97205 (31163) courtesy of Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway
Class 44 - D4 “Great Gable” (44004) courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company
Class 50 - 50007 "Hercules" courtesy of Class 50 Alliance
Class 59 - 59003 "Yeoman Highlander" courtesy of GB Railfreight
Class 73/1 - TBA (Dual braked) courtesy of GB Railfreight

Plus home fleet: Class 33s - D6515 (33012) & 33111

 

What steam loco is in use on the Thursday?

 

Eh!

 

Preview day normally has a steam loco on the regular timetable time departures as it does this year.

 

Great Gable an't coming no more...

 

50.007, 31.163 and 50.026 0Z50 06:32 Kidderminster to Swanage. 35 mins early approaching Bristol.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R04635/2019/05/08/advanced

Note that D4 'Great Gable' will not be joining the convoy due to problems with the loco at the Midland Rly. Centre. <BJ>

 

Oh is 50026 attending

 

Convoy arriving today at Creech and Townsend Bridge. Can one of those who follow this genre of traction tell me why 50007 carries two identities?

 

Presumably the same reason as to why 34046 'Braunton' is running as 34052 'Lord Dowding'. <BJ>