The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway has released details of their biggest train gala of the year.
The gala will celebrate 355 years of birthdays and will take place in the Western Lake District from Saturday 4th May until Monday 6th May 2019.
Visitors will have the chance to experience the full fleet of small trains and will also be able to go on a short tour of the Murthwaite Crushing Plant, celebrate the centenary of Katie leaving the Railway.
Visitors to the gala will also be able to get on the footplate with Driver for a Fiver.
Highlights of the gala events include;
- Four engines celebrate big birthdays:
- River Irt (125yrs)
- Whillan Beck (90yrs)
- Perkins (90yrs)
- Shelagh of Eskdale (50yrs)
- Travel behind Katie
- The Ravenglass Railway Museum's engine which is commemorating 100 years since she left the railway Katie will take a special two coach train to Murthwaite for a guided tour of the stone crushing plant, a site usually inaccessible to the public.
- The Bug
- Visiting from the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway and is returning after 25 years since its last visit.
- A photo opportunity to take photographs of locomotives around the shed. Free for everyone.
- Many of the trains will be double headed. On Saturday, the 15.50 train will be hauled by The Bug and Whillan Beck, both built by Krauss of Munich in Germany.
- Triple-headed trains
- On Sunday 5 May at 15:50 with River Mite, River Esk & Whillan Beck and Monday 6 May at 15:50 The Bug, River Irt & Northern Rock.
There will be six steam locomotives in operation from the home fleet, with River Irt, River Esk, River Mite, Northern Rock, Whillan Beck and Katie and a visiting locomotive, the Bug, and two diesels, Douglas Ferreira and Lady Wakefield and Cyril will be in action as the shunting locomotive.
There will be a 16mm gauge model railway on display in the Railway Museum at Ravenglass Station, and museum locos Synolda and Little Giant will be on display at the workshop entrance.
Fares for this event are yet to be announced, however, below is the locomotive roster for the event:
| TIME / DAY | SATURDAY 4th | SUNDAY 5th | MONDAY 6th |
| 09.25 | Diesel TBC | Diesel TBC | Diesel TBC |
| 10.00 | Katie (to Murthwaite) | Katie (to Dalegarth) | |
| 10.25 | River Mite & River Esk | Northern Rock | River Mite & Northern Rock |
| 10.45 | The Bug | The Bug | The Bug |
| 11.25 | Whillan Beck & Northern Rock |
River Esk & River Irt | Whillan Beck & River Irt |
| 12.10 | Douglas Ferreira & Lady Wakefield |
Diesel TBC | River Esk |
| 12.50 | River Mite & River Irt | River Mite & Whillan Beck | River Mite |
| 13.30 | The Bug | The Bug | The Bug |
| 13.50 | River Esk & Whillan Beck | River Esk & Northern Rock | Northern Rock & River Irt |
| 14.10 | Katie (to Murthwaite) | Katie (to Dalegarth) | |
| 14.50 | Northern Rock | River Irt | River Esk |
| 15.30 | River Irt | The Bug | Whillan Beck |
| 15.50 | The Bug & Whillan Beck | River Mite, River Esk & Whillan Beck | The Bug, River Irt & Northern Rock |
| 16.50 | Diesel TBC | Diesel TBC | Diesel TBC |
| 17.30 | Photography Evening in Ravenglass until 19.45 | Katie
Driver for a Fiver in workshop yard at Ravenglass during the day on Monday 6th |
|
| 18.30 | Whillan Beck & River Irt return at 20.00 |
Details correct at the time of issue, this may be subject to change.
What did the officials say?
Martin Cookman, General Manager says:
‘This is the most exciting event in the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway calendar a real treat for all ages and rail enthusiasts alike. We are delighted to have the prestigious visiting engine The Bug on loan from Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway and excited about Katie going out on her grand tour around England.'
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