One of the trains starring at the Swanage Railway‘s Diesel Gala and Beer Festival will be four-carriage Class 423 4VEP electric multiple unit No. 3417 named after Gordon Pettitt, a former senior British Rail manager.

Gordon Pettitt officially opened Harman’s Cross station in 1989 as part of the project to reopen the line from Swanage to Corfe Castle in Dorset.

Sadly, Gordon died in March this year, aged 90.

Now in its eighteenth year, the Diesel Gala and Beer Festival will be held from Friday, 9th to Sunday, 11th May, with the Beer Festival being held at Corfe Castle station and operated by Purbeck Kitchens.

On all three days, an intensive train three-train service will operate between Swanage and Norden, calling at Corfe Castle and Harman’s Cross stations.

Locomotives scheduled to appear include:

• Class 20 No. 20 066 courtesy of Shaun Wright.
• Class 45 No. 45 108 courtesy of the Peak Locomotive Company.
• Class 47 No. 47 715 courtesy of Rail Engineering Solutions.
• Class 50 No. 50 008 Thunderer courtesy of Hanson & Hall Rail.
• A Class 56 courtesy of Colas Rail.
• Class 69 No. 69 007 Richard Trevithick courtesy of GB Railfreight.
• Class 73 No. 73 128 Kent & East Sussex courtesy of GB Railfreight.

One of the Swanage Railway’s own locomotives running during the gala will be Class 33 No. D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN, which hauled the last train through Broadstone to Wimborne after the line was closed completely in May 1977.

On Thursday, 8th May, a special preview event with the theme of Network South East, the 1980s and early 1990s British Rail sector, will see trains running between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Norden hauled by Class 47 and Class 73 heritage diesel locomotives, 4VEP electric unit No. 3417 Gordon Pettitt, one of the Swanage Railway’s resident steam locomotives/ Gordon Pettitt will be pulled or pushed by a locomotive.

Full details of the festival, including timetables and fares can be found on the Swanage Railway website at www.swanagerailway.co.uk.

Gordon Pettit will be one of the attractions at ‘The Greatest Gathering’ celebrating Railway 200 in August.

“We are delighted the 1967 4VEP electric multiple unit Gordon Pettitt will be taking part in our diesel gala as it’s an important piece of almost 60-year-old history and a poignant tribute to the highly respected former British Rail Southern Region general manager from the 1980s who officially opened the Swanage Railway’s new Harman’s Cross station in 1989. A life long railwayman described as a gentle and decisive reformer, Gordon Pettitt was surprised and delighted to have the unit named after him. Owned by the Bluebell Railway in Sussex – and cared for by the Southern Electric Traction Group – the unit has been restored and maintained to a high standard.”

Dan Bennett, event organising team member