At least seven visitors lined up for Swanage Railway diesel gala

Class 20s, a ‘47’ and ‘73s’ are among the locomotives that will feature at the Swanage Railway diesel gala on May 5-7.

Somerset & Dorset Locomotive Company D8059 (20059) and D8188 (20188) will visit the event from the Severn Valley Railway, while the Peak Locomotive Company Ltd’s 45041 The Royal

Tank Regiment will visit from the Midland Railway - Butterley.

The Crewe Heritage Trust’s 47192 will also be in action (it is usually based at Crewe Heritage Centre). Paul Spracklen’s 50026

Indomitable will appear at the gala for a third time, and GB Railfreight is supplying a Class 73/1 and a ‘73/9’.

More locomotives will be added, with organisers telling RAIL that a Class 37 is on the ‘wanted list’. Residents D6515 (33012) and 33111 will also be in action.

The usual preview day (May 4) will have a ‘Dawn of the Diesels’ theme, featuring the ‘33/1’ and ‘47’ running alongside the regular steam service (with standard tank 80104 in use).

The main three-day event will feature an intensive three-train diesel service operating between Norden, Corfe Castle, Harmans Cross and Swanage, from 08000000 on May 5/6 and 0800-1900 on May 7.

Driver experiences will be available on May 5/6, when a Class 33 can be driven from Norden to the Network Rail boundary near Worgret Junction.

These are limited, available to over-18s and are £120. They can be booked via http://www. swanagerailway.co.uk/drive-a-train or 01929 425800.

A beer festival will be held at Corfe Castle station. There will be a ‘Beerex’ on May 5/6, and the Wessex Belle Bistro dining train will also run.

Tickets for the Preview Day are £20 for adults. Tickets for the Diesel Gala are £25 for one day, £38 for two and £46 for three. There are discounts for children, ‘Priv’ card holders and CAMRA members.