Watercress line diesel gala 11-13 July 2025

Beer List as promised (as a non-drinker I hope this makes sense to those that are! )

Alresford Station Forecourt

Flower Pots Brewery

Goodens Gold 4.8%
Pots Bitter 3.8%
Perridge Pale 3.4%
Cheriton Porter 4.2%

Ropley - Beer

Langham Brewery (Lodsworth)

Session IPA 3.8%
Sundowner 4.2%
Arapaho 4.9%

Steam Town Brew Co. (Eastleigh)

Stoke 3.8%
Northern Soul 4.0%
Steam Stout 5.0%

Longdong Brewery (Basingstoke)

Red Runner 4.2%
Black Crow 4.5%
Kismet 4.5%
Lovely Nancy 4.8%

Tillingbourne Brewery (Guildford)

Fools Gold 4.2%
Hop Troll 4.8%

Mysterious Brewing (Reading)

Cardinal Lime 4.8% (gf)
Lo-Fi 4.8% (gf)
Noir 5.2%

Crackle Rock Brewery (Botley)

Verified 4.0%
White Willow 4.7%
6ft Red Head 4.9%

Hop Back Brewery (Salisbury)

Glasshopper 3.8%
Fugglestone 4.0%
Dragonfly 4.8%

Bowman Ales (Droxford)

Swift One 3.8%
Quiver 4.5%
British IPA 4.5%

Ropely - Cider

Mr Whitehead's Cider Co (Holybourne)

Strawberry 4.0%
Equinox 4.5%
Cirrus Minor 5.0%
Midnight Special 5.0%
Rum Cask 7.0%

Blackmoor Estate (Blackmoor)

Black Cherry 4.6%
Beltain 5.5%
Ridges Green 5.5%
Gospel Green 8.4% *some purchasing restriction applies to this one although not too clear what exactly

Medstead and Four Marks

Triple FFF Brewery

Satisfaction 3.4%
Alton's Pride 3.8%
Moondance 4.2%

More available at the brewery itself which is just round the corner!

B Set RAT Bar

Alfred's Brewery

Winchester Pale Ale 4.5%
Dom Broc 4.2%
Saxon Bronze 3.8%
Fryd 4.6%



Beer tokens (£4.50 a pint) can be purchased at shops, ticket offices, catering facilities and "The Cider Junction" at Ropley. Obviously please drink responsibly

 

Please arrive by public transport!!!

 

Are all Mk1 sets 5, bar the shuttle, can we check?

 

Clearly not as the TC is 4!

 

Yes hence the 'Mk1 sets', as in the non fixed sets...

 

Currently 66593 is being planned to attend by Freightliner. Class 70 ID still unknown at this stage. All subject to FL's operational requirements. Many thanks to FL again for their hard work in sending 2 locos to us!

A/B/C sets are full formations. S set will be 2 Mk1s, 4TC is well a 4TC

 

Freightliner locos are arriving on Thursday evening:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R01468/2025-07-10/detailed

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Would love for the 70 to be leading but I imagine it'll be the 66

 

'Western Champion' looked and sounded wonderful at Frampton Mansell this morning as it hauled 46.045 and D821 'Greyhound' from the SVR to Alton.

All three locos in immaculate BR blue livery. Enjoy the trio!! <BJ>

Latest news from the Watercress Line. ''We are very pleased to announce that the two Freightliners attending the Diesel Gala this weekend are confirmed to be Class 66 66.593 and Class 70 70.002'',

 

Lion will be on display in the yard all weekend, parked next to 50008 for photos when it’s not hauling trains.

Staffing levels permitting, 27 will be open for cab visits between 10:30 and 14:00 each day.
Come along and say hi and for a small cash donation come write your name on the wall of the engine / genny rooms.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding ... ntoservice

 

A Western, a Peak and a Warship through Woking. 50 plus years since I last saw a Warship on the SWML

 

The restriction on Gospel Green 8.4% cider is that it's probably only sold in half pints. Similar restrictions apply in some West Country pubs.

Cheers, Neil

 

Last visitors arrived about 30 minutes ago. Good to see the 70 leading, sounded great!

 

It sounded quite odd to me - not used to hearing such a quiet Diesel!

 

Would always take a heritage diesel over modern, but a 70 does have quite a 'throb' to it

 

How has the Gala been going today?

We will be there tomorrow and hope to start on the 0848 if we can make the tighf connection off the 0820 service 64 bus from Winchester which arrives at 08 39 though I can’t walk fast now
Don

 

Things went very well today. It was just bloody hot on the trains

Very busy today with all trains packed. Some brilliant thrash from the Western and the Warship. The best bit was the express run with the Warship. A wonderful sound as she was opened up through Ropley in some style.
We have just got back to Alton on the 18.00 service from Alresford which provided another great performance from the Warship. A nice bonus for us was watching 9 red kites flying over the farmer working in a field between Ropley and Medstead.
We are back again on Sunday.

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Trains seemed reasonably full. Timetable slipped at times. Only stayed for the morning as the heat and chemo exhausted me. A few phone shots. Remainder are still in my camera

 

I'm sorry to hear about your health issues and hope your treatment is successful. [BJ]

 

Thank you.