GRAND DIESEL GALA & BEER FESTIVAL TO MAKE HISTORY WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF LOCOMOTIVES TO EVER VISIT SWANAGE - 9th-11th May 2008

Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 1st May 2008
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
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Vistors to the Swanage Railway 2007 Diesel Gala and Beer Festival watch as the four-carriage VEP electric unit with a Class 73 electro-diesel providing the power departs Harman's Cross for Swanage.

History is to be made when the largest number of main line diesel locomotives to ever visit the award-winning Swanage Railway haul an intensive train service on the relaid Purbeck Line during its annual three-day Grand Diesel Gala and Beer Festival.

Up to eight main line diesel locomotives will be visiting Swanage to join the volunteer-run railway’s stable of three resident diesel locomotives for the fund-raising event which runs from Friday to Sunday, 9 to 11 May 2008, inclusive.

All but one of the visiting diesel locomotives are running down to Swanage from the national railway network via the Swanage Railway’s connection with the national railway system between Norden and Furzebrook.

The guest diesel locomotives - Classes 73, 50, 37, 20 and 07 - are travelling from Barrow Hill and Derby in the Midlands, the Severn Valley Railway as well as Eastleigh in Hampshire.

Main line operators South West Trains and GB Railfreight are among the companies supplying diesel locomotives for the special three-day event.

Also starring in the event will be a four-carriage VEP electric unit - owned by South West Trains - built for the new electric train service between Bournemouth and London Waterloo which replaced steam traction in July, 1967.

The South West Trains owned four-carriage VEP electric unit with a Class 73 electro-diesel providing the power arrives at Corfe Castle during the Swanage Railway 2007 Diesel Gala and Beer Festival

Varied permutations of the eleven diesel locomotives will be operating an intensive train service between Norden park and ride, Corfe Castle, Harman’s Cross, Herston and Swanage throughout the special event.

To offer added interest for the diesel locomotive enthusiast, there will also be an intensive shuttle train service between Norden park and ride, Corfe Castle and Harman’s Cross stations.

Joining the visiting diesel locomotives will be the Swanage Railway’s resident diesel locomotives - Class 33 D6515 ‘Stan Symes’, which hauled the last train from Poole to Wimborne in May, 1975, as well as a Class 47 and a Class 08 shunter.

The focus of the fund-raising event - with proceeds going towards the further development of the Swanage Railway, which has been rebuilt from nothing since 1976 - will be a large marquee offering more than 50 specialist ales and ciders in a field close to Harman’s Cross station.

The beer festival is being staged in association with the historic Red Lion pub in Swanage High Street.

The large beer tent close to Harman’s Cross station will be open from 11am to 11pm on the Friday and Saturday - as well as 11am to 3pm on the Sunday.

There will be evening trains on the Friday and Saturday evening when there will be live music in the beer tent at Harman’s Cross which will also offer a range of wines.

Swanage Railway Diesel Gala train arrives via Corfe Castle 10th May 2007

Non-alcoholic refreshments will also be available in both the beer tent and the nearby Harman’s Cross village hall.

Special one, two and three-day rover tickets for unlimited train travel will be available, as will be normal return and single fares between stations.

One day rover tickets are £18 for adults and £15 for concessions while two-day rover tickets are £25 for adults and £20 for concessions. Three-day rover tickets are £35 for adults and £28 for concessions.

Concession fares apply to children aged three to fifteen, inclusive, and adults aged 60 and over. Further details of the event - as well as the train timetable - are available by clicking here.