The East Lancashire Railway's Summer Diesel Gala, running from 29 June until 1 July, will feature visiting locomotives as well as the Railway's own fleet.
The Railway runs a twelve-mile line from Rawtenstall to Heywood, with a total of seven stations.
The two visiting locomotives will be:
- Class 26, 26038, ‘Tom Clift', courtesy of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) and 6LDA Group
- Class 37, 37403, ‘Isle of Mull', courtesy of SRPS
26038 ‘Tom Clift' was built in 1959, when it had the number D5338. For most of its career, it was based at Inverness, until being withdrawn from service in 1992. In 2013, the loco was named ‘Tom Clift 1954-2012′ in honour of a lifelong railwayman and former head of Hull Trains.
37403 ‘Isle of Mull' began its service at Swansea's Landore depot, and was renumbered 37307 in 1974. In 1984, it was converted to work passenger trains on the West Highland and Oban lines in Scotland. It was refurbished, fitted with electric train heating and renumbered 37403. In 1986, the loco was named ‘Isle of Mull'.
Both locomotives will also visit the Worth Valley Railway's Diesel Gala the week before going to East Lancashire.
ELR Diesel Home Fleet locos feauring at the gala will include:
- Class 14, D9531 ‘Ernest'
- Class 25, 25279
- Class 33, 33109 ‘Captain Bill Smith RNR'
- Class 37, 37109
37109 // Credit: ELR - Class 40, D345
- Class 42, D832 ‘Onslaught'
- Class 45, 45108
- Class 47, 47765
- Class 50, 50015 ‘Valiant'
Class 28 ‘Co-Bo' will be on static display at Bury during the gala.
The evening “Beer-ex” will run on the Friday and Saturday of the gala, and brake van rides (introduced in 2022) will be on offer for a supplementary fare.
Tickets are now available from the Railway's website.
