Diesel Gala

Diesel Gala 2025

Our annual Diesel Gala returns for 2025 on 13th & 14th September. With two of English Electric’ largest and finest classes announced as our visitors, 55009 in BR Blue w/ Finsbury Park windows and 50021 in BR Large Logo Blue, our 2025 gala is set be a spectacle and a half. Both are penned to operate alongside our very own 08769 in Corporate Blue, 09106 and D9521 (both due to be repainted ahead of the event – livery gen TBA!).

Althought the timetable is only at a draft stage, we are hoping to have an intensive service with multiple passenger sets and rideable freight set (stock TBC). We hope to provide all advertised locomotives on at least one booked passenger working per day. Our timetable boffins have not ruled out multi-heading and top’n’tailing moves too…!

Vacs and Deltics are quite contrasting in their sound but we believe both will be equally as magnificent reverberating from the trees that border our 4 and a quarter mile route. The tight curves and prevailing gradient between Lydney Junction and Parkend, with various sections at 1 in 128, will make Northbound/’Down’ direction trains particularly exciting. Departures from Lydney Town, Norchard High Level and Whitecroft are usually highlights of the weekend!

Pre-booking your tickets will make the arrival process a more speedy experience. For 2025, as well as standard single-day tickets a pre-bookable two-day weekend ticket is also available with a slight discount, making attending both days slightly better value. The timetable will be uploaded here as soon as it is ready complete with loco allocations. Please check the newsreel below for event updates.

Event newsreel:

DFR Press release, 6th May 2025 12pm:

“The Dean Forest Railway, in conjunction with the Deltic Preservation Society, are pleased to announce the visit of Deltic No. 55019 ‘Royal Highland Fusilier’ [Edit 06/06/25, please see DPS press release from 05/06/25 below] as a star guest for our Diesel Gala in September.

This will be the first time the Forest of Dean has reverberated to sound of the distinctive Napiers along our line, and it’s shaping up to be a spectacular weekend!”

DFR Press release, 5th June 2025 12:05pm:

“The Dean Forest Railway are pleased to announce the visit of Class 50 No. 50 021 ‘Rodney’ as the second star guest for our Diesel Gala in September, courtesy of her owner Paul Spracklen.

This will be the first time the Forest of Dean has been visited by a Class 50 – and resplendent in BR large logo blue, this former Midland and Western Region loco will make a spectacular sight along our line!

No. 50 021 will be joining previously announced No. 55 019 ‘Royal Highland Fusilier’ and our home fleet of Class 08 No. 08 769, Class 09 No. 09 106 and Class 14 No. D9521.”

DPS Press Release, 5th June 2025:

“Due to a change in plans 55019 ROYAL HIGHLAND FUSILIER will now be replaced at our visit to the Dean Forest Railway in September by 55009 ALYCIDON.”

Lineup:

Anticipated home fleet:
Class 14 no. D9521, courtesy of the D9521 locomotive group. Image: Adrian Copley
Class 08 no. 08769, courtesy of Valley Rail Preservation. Image: Adrian Copley
Class 09 no. 09106, courtesy of Road and Rail Steam Services Ltd. Image: Adam Dickinson.

Anticipated visitors:
Class 55 no. 55009, courtesy of the Deltic Preservation Society. Image: Deltic Preservation Society.
Class 50 no. 50021, courtesy of Paul Spracklen. Image: Nikon User, via Wikimedia Commons, Flickr (CC 2.0).

Rail200 – Britain’s first scheduled 100mph passenger services were launched in 1961 with 3,300hp ‘Deltic’ diesel locomotives running between London and Scotland on the East Coast Main Line.

Rail200 – one of the first mainline diesels, LMS’s No. 10000, was released from Derby Works in December 1947, just three weeks before Nationalisation.

Page last updated 09/06/25. E&OE.