Watercress Line Autumn Steam Gala 3rd to 5th October 2025

I had an email arrive this evening informing me that tickets can now be booked for the above event.

https://watercressline.co.uk/autumn-steam-gala/

I wonder if anything is known about the loco theme for the three days yet?

Although on the assumption that 35005, 30506 and 41312 will be running, I certainly hope to get down for at least one day.

I think there was a post somewhere here on Nat Pres stating that the four Merchant Navy meet up half suggested/rumoured would not happen.

Bryan

 

Yes the four Merchants line up was mentioned in a recent Steam Railway article by Stephen Evans the WLHRT chairman.
No official announcements yet from the MHR though. However you'd think the MHR would have at least mentioned one guest locomotive on the same day as the tickets went on sale.

 

Hopefully the gathering of four Merchant Navy locos is still the plan. The Watercress Line website says that there will be "exciting announcements soon".

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Based on this statement any line up won't include 35006

"..we can confirm that the loco will be off on a final visit before the overhaul to the Severn Valley Railway for their Autumn Gala"

My money is on 60007 as that is due to be visiting a gala in the "south" in October.

Andrew

 

I know that 35006 recently had an extension applied to her boiler ticket which now expires in November 2025.
If she doesn't appear at the Watercress Line Gala the possibilty of three MN's will still be impressive especially as 35018 was a former resident for some years while being restored. It will be good to see her tackling the "Hampshire Alps" at last......

I raised the question about 60007 visiting Ropley elsewhere on here earlier in the year but was told it was not visiting the Watercress Line Gala.

 

Swanage were teasing something in BR blue on their social media the other day, FWIW

 

That clue was for 30506 with the early emblem rather than a blue loco.

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60007 Sir Nigel Gresley has been announced as the first visitor on the website.

"First visiting locomotive to be announced:
60007 “Sir Nigel Gresley” was one of 37 LNER A4 Class pacific locomotives built in October 1937 at Doncaster works for use on the East Coast main line between Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
Originally numbered as 4498 was the 100th pacific locomotive designed by Gresley and was named in honour the man that gave us these world famous streamlined locomotives.
With the formation of British Railways in 1948 the locomotive was renumbered to 60007, and later in 1959 became the post war steam record holder by running at 112 mph.
We are extremely grateful to the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation Trust and to Locomotive Services for the loan of this iconic locomotive."

 

Such exciting news. Can't wait to see 60007 at Watercress!

Interesting the website says more guests to follow, when Bluebell had 60007 last year it was deemed enough of a headline and they didn't have any other guests. So excited to learn what other locos are set to go.

 

Worth pointing out the gala also marked the first Giants appearance of Beachy Head, which was probably as good as another visitor on it's own (certainly judging by the popularity of the trains it worked!)

 

Good point, completely forgot about that. Especially as I think it had only run before then during it's launch week and one other weekend.

 

More to follow sounds good to me. 73082 or 73156 would go superbly with 30506, 35005 and 41312.

Bryan - dinosaur - B

 

Would love to see a Std 5, still hoping 73096 will enter the works some day!

 

My dream would be if the N2 is back in time I'd personally love to see that at the Gala. Be a perfect loco to run alongside Gresley with the overall Gala feel being a mix of Southern and LNER traction.

 

Blue peter would be a good addition especially to cut movement costs if it could come down with 60007, 34028, If its passed by then, and en route to Southall, it could drop in enroute, either running round, then running tender first from Woking, so its facing the right way or running via Guildford,

 

Why would SLL end it to a gala having spent all that time and effort to get it out on the mainline? Plus there are RTC trips virtually every weekend in Sept & Oct, not sure there will be too many other air braked large locos available for them it would seem. That of course assumes Eddystone is on the mainline by then.

 

In fairness I did bring up transport costs, if your going to have another visitor, If ones available, would it not be cheaper to see if you can get another from the same stable, and bring them down together,, And In Answer to Gladiator, I did say, if it happened to be en route, So heading towards London, Plus Ropley does have facilities to hand, should anything run hot, or need attention,

 

In this case it is the Mid-Hants themselves who have enhanced the inevitable Fantasy list of visitors with presumably the costs involved, by adding these words under the announcement of their first guest: More to follow!

Bryan

 

73156 will be a definite no this year, considering the GCR Autumn Gala nicely clashes with this one