Isle of Wight Railway - Winter Gala and Dark Ales Festival 20-23 Feb

Featuring:

• W8 Freshwater
• W24 Calbourne
• D2554 Nuclear Fred
  
• Ryde Pier Tram no. 2 & trailer

More info: https://iwsteamrailway.co.uk/event/winter-gala-and-dark-ales-festival

 

Timetable/roster for this is now available on the link above - slight change of plan to what was initially publicised by the look of it as the Ryde Pier Tram is now off the list and non-steam services are split between the Cl.05 on a brake van on the Thurs and Sat and the Cl.03 on passenger stock on the Fri and Sun.

I haven't been to the IoW since the brilliant 2017 diesel gala with the Cl.33, so I'm not familiar with what the sets listed are likely to be. W24 is shown as hauling the 'bogie set', W8 the 'Ventnor West' set and D2059 the '4 wheel set'.

Quite tempted by this.

 

Just noticed the Island Line is closed that weekend, which is a real shame

 

The Thursday & Friday should be OK for those who can make it on a weekday.

For the weekend the IWSR website states this but I'm not sure which tickets will be needed as these buses are not in the national rail journey planner.
Island Line Trains will not be running on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd February. There is a replacement bus in operation. Pick up point will be at the exit/entrance to the pier. Timings as follows:

Departing Ryde Esplanade To Havenstreet Station Car Park at 55 minutes past the hour from 9.55am to 3.55pm.
Departing Havenstreet Station Car Park to Ryde Esplanade at 25 minutes past the hour from 10.25am to 4.25pm with a last bus at 5.40pm.

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/planned-improvements/february-2025-works

States: -
There will be no island Line train service all weekend due to maintenance work.

• 
  
  
  • Buses will replace trains between Ryde Esplanade and Shanklin.
  • A replacement taxi service will run between Ryde Pier Head and Ryde Esplanade.
  • Journey times will be extended and passengers will have to travel earlier than normal to maintain connections.
  • Hourly buses will run from Ryde Esplanade to Havenstreet starting at 0955 with the last bus from Havenstreet to Ryde Esplanade at 1555.

 

Yesterday was... Wet... To say the least, and Calbourne did stall on its first Wootton service. Today slightly less trouble. The Terrier is looking and running very good; the crew yesterday spoke very highly of it.