Railway200: The Greatest Gathering. Derby Litchurch Lane. 1-3 August.

The BLS railtours are now available to book https://branchline.uk/current-fixtures.php

These do not include entry.

Shuttle 1, Friday 1st August:

1 x GBRf Class 66 (Chesterfield - Derby - Barrow Hill Sidings)
1 x GBRf Class 69 (Barrow Hill Sidings - Derby)

Chesterfield P3 (PU 10:20) - Derby P4 (PU 11:18) - Toton Centre - Alfreton - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Woodhouse - Beighton Jn - Barrow Hill Up Sidings - Belper - Derby P6 (SD 13:55)

Shuttle 2, Friday 1st August:

1 x GBRf Class 69 (Derby - Barrow Hill Sidings)
2 x DBC Class 66 (Barrow Hill Sidings - Derby - Chesterfield)

Derby P6 (PU 14:15) - Toton Centre - Alfreton - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Woodhouse - Beighton Jn - Barrow Hill Up Sidings - Belper - Derby P4 (SD 17:04) - Chesterfield P3 (SD 18:00)

Shuttle 3, Saturday 2nd August:

2 x DBC Class 66 (Chesterfield - Derby - Barrow Hill Sidings)
1 x FL Class 70 + 1 x FL Class 66 (Barrow Hill Sidings - Derby)

Chesterfield P3 (PU 10:18) - Derby P4 (PU 11:16) - Toton Centre - Alfreton - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Woodhouse - Beighton Jn - Barrow Hill Up Sidings - Belper - Derby P6 (SD 13:55)

Shuttle 4, Saturday 2nd August:

1 x FL Class 70 + 1 x FL Class 66 (Derby - Barrow Hill Sidings)
1 x DRS Locomotive (Details TBC) (Barrow Hill Sidings - Derby - Chesterfield)

Derby P6 (PU 14:15) - Toton Centre - Alfreton - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Woodhouse - Beighton Jn - Barrow Hill Up Sidings - Belper - Derby P6 (SD 17:18) - Chesterfield P3 (SD 18:11)

Shuttle 5, Sunday 3rd August:

1 x DRS Class 68 (Chesterfield - Derby - Barrow Hill Sidings)
1 x Locomotive (FOC and Details TBC) (Barrow Hill Sidings - Derby)

Chesterfield P2 (PU 10:20) - Derby P3 (PU 11:05) - Toton Centre - Alfreton - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Woodhouse - Beighton Jn - Barrow Hill Up Sidings - Belper - Derby P5 (SD 14:13)

Shuttle 6, Sunday 3rd August:

1 x Locomotive (FOC and Details TBC) (Derby - Barrow Hill Sidings)
1 x Locomotive (FOC and Details TBC) (Barrow Hill Sidings - Derby - Chesterfield)

Derby P5 (PU 14:36) - Toton Centre - Alfreton - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Woodhouse - Beighton Jn - Barrow Hill Up Sidings - Belper - Derby P6 (SD 17:36) - Chesterfield P3 (SD 18:36)

 

Exciting News from The Greatest Gathering!

''We’re thrilled to announce our next exhibit as 60532 Blue Peter courtesy of Locomotive Services Ltd will be on display at our three day event, subject to operational availability''. <BJ>

 

Delighted it's been finally announced. Still disappointing for people with Sunday tickets they'll miss the gathering of the four LNER locos but never mind, hopefully it'll happen again in the future, a Gala surrounded it would be cool.

 

Site map https://www.alstom.com/sites/alstom.com/files/2025/07/15/The_Greatest_Gathering_Map_EN.pdf

Rides on Test Track (TR1) and Steam Train (TR2), plus the HS2 interior mockups will be bookable via a QR code.

Cab Rides (TR6) will be bookable via a QR code with an additional charge.

 

One minor annoyance for me is that with my ticket being for the Sunday, part of my journey to Derby will need to be made by road as the line is closed between Peterborough and Leicester...

 

Except the QR code just takes you to the booking page for event tickets, not site rides

 

46203 Princess Margaret Rose has left Butterley! She has started her journey to Derby to take part in The Greatest Gathering .

 

Well, 7 days from now we should be wheels up from YYZ en route to LHR and our week in England including my Sunday jaunt to Derby for the Greatest Gathering. If anyone sees someone with a camera running around like mad trying to catch as much as they can Sunday afternoon in a Toronto Railway Museum ball cap (see pic, trust me, you won’t see another as I had them custom made and the other two who own them won’t be there), say hi!

Hope everyone going has a great time, not sure how I’m going to get around and see everything I want to see from the seemingly never ending list of announcements!

Cheers,

Stephen Gardiner
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Have a fantastic trip!

Really looking forward to this, looks set to be a once in a generation 'I was there' event. Hats off to the organisers for pulling this together.

Also very pleased (& proud!) to see a strong SVR representation heading to Derby. After the difficult year they have had hopefully some cause for celebration finally, starting this weekend with Flying Scotsman.