SDR Rails and Ales August 22nd to 25th

The SDR's annual Rails and Ales event again take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The main festival bar will be at Staverton housed in one of the Goods sheds where the Devon Diesel Society have constructed a permanent bar. Proceeds from the festival go towards the Society's projects, particularly the ongoing long term overhaul and return to service of D402.

There will be an intensive passenger services on all four days with late trains on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the steam hauled services, following the successful use of heritage diesel traction at the 2013 event, this year there will again be plenty of diesel hauled services to enjoy. Traction will be drawn from South Devon Diesel Traction's stable as the DDS's D6737 is undergoing body repairs and a partial rewire ready for the diesel gala in November.

Planned diesel services over the rails and ales event are as follows:

Friday 22nd.
Class 37 6975 (37 275) will work the 10.00, 11.30, 13.45, 16.00 & 17.30 from Buckfastleigh and the 10.42, 12.12, 14.27, 16.42 & 18.17 from Totnes.

Saturday 23rd
Class 25 D7612 will work the 10.00, 11.30 & 13.00 from Buckfastleigh and 10.42, 12.12 and 13.42 from Totnes
Class 33 D6501 (ex works after repainting) will work the 14.30, 16.45 & 19.00 from Buckfastleigh and the 15.12, 17.32 & 19.45 from Totnes
Class 37 6975 will work the 13.45, 16.00 & 17.30 from Buckfastleigh and 14.27, 16.42 & 18.17 from Totnes

Sunday 24th
Class 25 D7612 will work the 13.45 & 17.30 from Buckfastleigh and 14.27 & 18.17 from Totnes
Class 33 D6501 will work the 11.30 & 16.00 from Buckfastleigh and 12.12 & 16.42 from Totnes
The 25 & 33 will also work the 10.00 from Buckfastleigh and 10.42 from Totnes doubleheaded

Monday 25th
Class 33 D6501 will work the 16.45 from Buckfastleigh and 17.32 from Totnes.

In addition it is hoped to provide Class 04 D2246 on brake van rides at Staverton between services on both the Sunday and Monday.

Steam hauled services will be operated by 5542 and 3205 on the Friday, 5542 on Saturday, 5542 and 3205 on Sunday, and 5542, 3205 and L92 on Monday. Evening services on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be worked by 5542 and trailer W228 working in auto mode.

Around 60 ales and ciders will be on offer at Staverton, and there will be light refreshments and snacks available throughout the event, plus an evening BBQ on both Saturday and Sunday. There is no separate entry fee for the festival, but with limited parking at Staverton visitors are advised to arrive by train from either Totnes or Buckfastleigh. Full timetables and loco alloocations will appear on the various SDR websites in due course.

 

I live 256 miles away from Buckfastleigh so I'm not going to able to make this one but I want to take the chance to give my (belated) thanks to the SDR for a very enjoyable day back at the end of May when they ran a similar Gala with mucho real ale at Staverton. I have to say that the staff were as friendly as you could ask for. the scenery was beautiful, there was a very nice freight / engineers train and the choice of real ale in the good shed at Staverton was top notch.

If you are anywhere near, give this one a go.