A diesel day at the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway will take place on Saturday 15th June 2024 at Skegness water leisure park.
No fewer than 9 heritage diesel locomotives will appear at the diesel extravaganza.
The design of these engines originated in the trenches of World War 1, where light railways were an effective way (sometimes the only way) of transporting supplies, ammunition and men to the front over treacherous shell-holed and often muddy ground.
These “Simplex” engines, made by Motor Rail Ltd. of Bedford, proved so rugged and reliable that after the war, they were adapted and used in mining and agricultural applications for over 70 years.
They could haul heavy loads of farm produce and minerals over narrow gauge rails which were easily installed where there were no roads or tracks.
They were phased out once road networks were expanded to cover the countryside, and road trucks became widely available and cheap.
The Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway (LCLR) uses a narrow-gauge track just under a mile long located within the Skegness Water Leisure Park, using historically significant rolling stock.
Interesting locomotives include “Major J.A. Robins R.E”, “Fred”, “Wilton”, “Nocton” and “Queen Mary”.
The event will open at 11am. Visitors will be able to ride in authentic period carriages, and photograph the equipment and locomotives at work.
Most train rides will involve two diesel engines in a “top-and-tail” configuration, where one engine pulls from the front and the other pushes from the rear.
The event will culminate in a locomotive cavalcade at 3:50 pm.
Fares on passenger trains will be:
- £2 return
- £5 family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children 3-16)
- Free for children under 3 and dogs
Whilst the focus of the day will be on diesel engines, the most famous engine on the railway is the steam locomotive ‘Jurassic', which dates from 1903.
It's our 1903-vintage steam engine Jurassic which attracts most attention but many people come to see this remarkable range of diesel locomotives, some built as long ago as 1920 and 1926.
“Diesel Day 2024 will showcase them running in a variety of combinations, with varying rolling stock, representing periods from 1960 – when the LCLR opened near Cleethorpes as the first heritage railway in the world to be built by enthusiasts – through to the reopening in the Skegness Water Leisure Park in 2009 and our popular 2024 services from Walls Lane station.
“We're hoping the event will be equally attractive to those who want to ride in period passenger carriages with the differing combinations and those who want to photograph the scenes.
John Chappell, LCLR
