NINE HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVES & CLASSIC ‘PUSH-PULL’ TRAIN TO STAR IN DIESEL GALA AND BEER FESTIVAL

With seven of the locomotives travelling to the Purbeck heritage line from the national railway network, the popular event draws enthusiasts from across the country and takes place from Friday to Sunday, 8 to 10 May, 2026, inclusive, with the beer festival at Corfe Castle station.

Now in its nineteenth year, the Diesel Gala and Beer Festival features an intensive three-train service with most trains operating along the entire length of the nine-mile Swanage Railway – past Norden station and beyond Furzebrook to the River Frome within sight of Wareham.

The event will be the first time Class 58 diesel locomotive No. 58 023 operates between Furzebrook and the River Frome since it hauled gas trains from the Wytch Farm oilfield gas terminal at Furzebrook to the national railway network before the terminal closed in 2005.

The Diesel Gala and Beer Festival also includes a nostalgic and pioneering 1966 Class 438 ‘push-pull’ 4TC four-carriage set No. 428, courtesy of London Transport, which operated between London and Swanage from 1967 to 1969 and on the main line between London and Weymouth from 1967 to 1988 when the Bournemouth to Weymouth line was electrified.

Also appearing will be 1960s Class 33 diesel-electric No. D6515 ‘Lt Jenny Lewis RN’ which hauled the last train through Broadstone to Wimborne, in Dorset, after British Rail closed the line to freight trains in May, 1977.

With 40 Dorset ales and ten ciders – and hot food available from mid-day until late during the three days of the event - admission to the beer festival next to the Victorian goods shed at Corfe Castle station will be free with a token system for the purchase of drinks.

The Diesel Gala and Beer Festival features evening ‘Beerex’ diesel trains between Swanage and the beer festival at Corfe Castle on the Friday and Saturday – Class 20 No. 20 066 performing the honours on the Friday and Class 26 No. 26 007 on the Saturday.

Subject to availability, the visiting heritage diesel locomotives across the three-day Diesel Gala and Beer Festival will be:

• Class 20 No. 20 066 courtesy of Shaun Wright.
• Class 26 No. 26 007 courtesy of Victor Korzeniewicz.
• Class 37 No. 37 607 courtesy of Swietelsky.
• Class 45 No. 45 041 ‘Royal Tank Regiment’ courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company.
• Class 58 No. 58 023 ‘Leicester Depot’ courtesy of Ed Stevenson.
• Class 73 No. 73 119 ‘Paul Taylor’ courtesy of GB Railfreight and subject to availability.
• A mystery locomotive courtesy of GB Railfreight.

Also appearing at the event will be 1960s Class 33 diesel locomotive No. 33 053 which is based on the Swanage Railway.

The Diesel Gala and Beer Festival also features trade stands at Swanage station – including locomotive nameplate auctions – and an on-train bar on some trains. The Swanage Railway museum will be open in the Victorian goods shed at Corfe castle station as will be the Purbeck Mining Museum next to Norden station.

A Diesel Gala and Beer Festival preview event takes place on Thursday, 7 May, 2026, with a day of diesel and steam trains operating between Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage featuring 1962 Class 45 diesel locomotive No. 45 041 ‘Royal Tank Regiment’ and 1920s Southern Railway U class steam locomotive No. 31806.

Event organising team member and Swanage Railway volunteer Dan Bennett said: “It will be very special to see – and hear - Class 58 diesel locomotive No. 58 023 operate between Furzebrook and the River Frome since it hauled gas trains from the Wytch Farm oilfield gas terminal at Furzebrook to the national railway network before the terminal closed in 2005.

“A lot of detailed organisation by a small team of enthusiastic Swanage Railway volunteers and staff goes into planning the diesel gala with planning beginning four or five months before the event,” added Dan who is the volunteer deputy chair of the Swanage Railway Trust and a volunteer Swanage Railway Company director.

Full details of the Diesel Gala and Beer Festival - including timetables and fares - are available from the Swanage Railway’s website at www.swanagerailway.co.uk.

Anyone interested in finding out about varied Swanage Railway volunteering opportunities should contact volunteering officer Kelly Griffin by emailing [email protected] while details about volunteering can also be found at swanagerailwaytrust.org/volunteering.

Story by Andrew P.M. Wright,

Swanage Railway official photographer and press officer.