Swanage Railway Diesel Gala 2026 8-10 May 2026

[Loadhaul60059]

Is it known what the issue is with the 58, and will it prevent it being moved by rail after the gala?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

The 58 is not repairable and will be replaced by 73141 for the rest of the weekend.

Terminally not repairable?

 

[SECR 65]

Is it known what the issue is with the 58, and will it prevent it being moved by rail after the gala?

I've heard that it's some form of significant mechanical issue, so probably a long job to fix, but not preventing movement by rail if dragged.

 

[Richard Scott]

Terminally not repairable?

Cooler group, I believe. Was having issues with that at SVR last time it worked there.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Cooler group, I believe. Was having issues with that at SVR last time it worked there.

This does not augur well for the Ivatt 10000 project, as the cooler group for that project (as well as the chassis) come from sister loco 58022. Hope fully they are keeping in touch with progress on 58023.

Other components come from a Class 56 (alternator, rectifier) and a class 77 (bogies, traction motors) and, I believe, a Deltic (steam hert boiler)

 

[Forty29]

Yes been suffering from some kind of water problems for a few years now mainly leaks but cooler group sounds more serious.I presume it is important for keeping engine temperature in range?

 

[158760]

Had a quick look when we were shunting today and there was lots of fluid where there shouldn’t have been. Best of luck to the team who have to fix it.

 

[tumbles]

Is the 99 the first ever loco to arrive at Swanage, or indeed Dorset, with a pantograph?

Granted it was different voltage but didn’t the 71 run down towards Bournemouth on rail tours in 90s?

 

[99009]

I hope this is OK to post here as opposed to the Class 99 thread as the post is only focused on the workings of 99004 at the Swanage Railway.

Using the latest available timetable allocations from the Swanage Railway as well as various sites for photos and also Youtube and Trainlogger, I've tried to put together a list of every train 99004 was involved in on each day.

EDIT: With thanks to 158760 and Matt, here is the full list with headcodes for what 99004 worked on the Swanage Railway.

99004 at The Swanage Railway

Friday 8th May 2026:

Working No.1 - 37607 worked 2C02 09:15 Swanage – Corfe Castle 09:31 with 99004 dead on the rear.
Working No.2 - 99004 worked 2C03 09:39 Corfe Castle – Swanage 10:00.
Working No.3 - 99004 worked 2C24 14:15 Swanage – Corfe Castle 14:31.
Working No.4 - 99004 worked 2C29 15:39 Corfe Castle – Swanage 16:00.
Working No.5 - 99004 worked 2C36 17:15 Swanage – Corfe Castle 17:31.
Working No.6 - 73141 vice 58023 worked 2C37 17:39 Corfe Castle – Swanage 18:00 with 99004 dead on the rear.

Saturday 9th May 2026:

Working No.1 - 99004 vice 73141 worked 2C02 09:15 Swanage – Corfe Castle 09:31 with 73141 vice 58023 on the rear.
Working No.2 - 99004 vice 73141 worked 2C09 10:39 Corfe Castle – Swanage 11:00.
Working No.3 - 99004 worked 2C16 12:15 Swanage – Corfe Castle 12:31.
Working No.4 - 99004 worked 2C21 13:39 Corfe Castle – Swanage 14:00.
Working No.5 - 99004 worked 2C28 15:15 Swanage – Corfe Castle 15:31.
Working No.6 - 99004 worked 2C33 16:39 Corfe Castle – Swanage 17:00.

Sunday 10th May 2026:

Working No.1 - 99004 worked 1R14 11:39 Swanage – River Frome 12:20 throughout with 37607 on the rear Corfe Castle – River Frome.
Working No.2 - 37607 worked 1R15 12:32 River Frome – Swanage 13:12 with 99004 on the rear River Frome - Corfe Castle only.
Working No.3 - 73141 vice 58023 worked 1R22 13:39 Swanage – River Frome 14:20 with 99004 on the rear Corfe Castle – River Frome only.
Working No.4 - 99004 worked 1R23 14:32 River Frome – Swanage 15:12 throughout with 73141 vice 58023 on the rear River Frome - Corfe Castle.
Working No.5 - 99004 worked 1N38 17:39 Swanage – Norden 18:04 with 26007 added to the front Corfe Castle – Norden only.
Working No.6 - 26007 worked 1N39 18:15 Norden – Swanage 18:33 with 99004 on the rear throughout.

 

[158760]

I can’t confirm anything for Friday other than the 17:39 is 2C37, but for Saturday and Sunday:

2C02 / 09:15 Swanage - Corfe Castle (73141 on rear)
2C09 / 10:39 Corfe Castle - Swanage
2C16 / 12:15 Swanage - Corfe Castle
2C21 / 13:39 Corfe Castle - Swanage
2C28 / 15:15 Swanage - Corfe Castle
2C33 / 16:39 Corfe Castle - Swanage

1R14 / 11:39 Swanage - River Frome (37607 on rear from CC)
1R15 / 12:32 River Frome - Swanage (rear as far as CC)
1R22 / 13:39 Swanage - River Frome (on rear from CC)
1R23 / 14:32 River Frome - Swanage (73141 on rear to CC)
1N38 / 17:39 Swanage - Norden (26007 pilot from CC)
1N39 / 18:15 Norden - Swanage (on rear)

Perhaps someone else will be able to help with Friday.

 

[matt]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...26-05-08/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt That looks fairly correct for the Friday

 

[99009]

Thank you very much @158760 and @matt for this. Embarrassingly I didn't know the Swanage Railway was on RTT so didn't think to check there. At some point today I'll edit post #99 (total coincidence!!) with all the correct details.

 

[Invincible]

This does not augur well for the Ivatt 10000 project, as the cooler group for that project (as well as the chassis) come from sister loco 58022. Hope fully they are keeping in touch with progress on 58023.

Other components come from a Class 56 (alternator, rectifier) and a class 77 (bogies, traction motors) and, I believe, a Deltic (steam hert boiler)

Must be frustrating for the owner of 58023, once they get it back to the workshops at the Battlefield line, where there are 2 more 58s under overhaul, they can fix the the problem in time for another gala, and the Ivatt 10000 project will also benefit

Overall seemed to be a success for Swanage Railway and boost it's funds, along with funds for the 3TC project (maybe running later this year?).
.

 

[ac6000cw]

Is the 99 the first ever loco to arrive at Swanage, or indeed Dorset, with a pantograph?

Granted it was different voltage but didn’t the 71 run down towards Bournemouth on rail tours in 90s?

Video (not mine) of preserved class 71 E5001 at Bournemouth in 1992:

 

[OPRail]

Must be frustrating for the owner of 58023, once they get it back to the workshops at the Battlefield line, where there are 2 more 58s under overhaul, they can fix the the problem in time for another gala, and the Ivatt 10000 project will also benefit

Overall seemed to be a success for Swanage Railway and boost it's funds, along with funds for the 3TC project (maybe running later this year?).
.

After speaking to one of their reps on Sunday the 58 is going back to Leicester for repairs, it was a split in the cooling pan/tray (? sorry cant remember the exact name) at the base of the cooling system causing it to dump 400ltrs of coolant between Harmans and Corfe.

Unknowingly at the time I was speaking to the CEO on Saturday night and she was saying the event had broken all previous records so was really happy with the result.

And again unknowingly, I spoke to the chairman who was a guard on one of the services, he was saying the TC is not too far off, waiting on 2 coaches to come back from Ramparts and to complete a little bit of work on the ones already at the line, but they may even jump the original plan of the 3TC and go straight to running as a 4TC. Later looking at incorporating a griddle car to make a 5 Car set.

 

[158760]

Well, I had a brilliant weekend, and I hope everyone else did too!

Despite the loss of 58023 on Friday, we still had a great lineup on the TC for Saturday, with 37607, 73141 and 99004 providing the traction. Although we weren’t using the CDL to conserve the battery for the toilets, almost everyone was very well behaved and waited for us to stop before getting on or off the train, so thank you very much . The TC was completely rammed out until about 14:00, when people started migrating to the beer tent, but we were never quiet onboard.

Unfortunately, the 73 struggled to find its footing going up Corfe Bank, and was quite often down to 10-15MPH by the top of the bank. It was quite often the same going up from Swanage to Harmans, and it struggled to get any speed after we had a Herston stop on the up. Despite this, the latest we ran on Saturday was 8 minutes, and we even departed right time from Corfe a few times, which is quite the achievement for a Swanage Diesel Gala (lots of very fast walking involved)!

The Sunday saw the Corfe Shuttle change to the B Set, with the TC running ‘over the road’ to the River, which was very popular and no doubt increased ridership on the Sunday. We had a minor issue with the 26 refusing to create a brake in the morning, but after that it was plain sailing, with the latest running being 15 minutes on the last down service as we needed to shunt about the 33s at Corfe and Swanage.

Ticket sales are indicating this was one of our most popular Diesel Galas ever - this is the first time in my memory the Beerex has been 6 coaches, and I’ve never seen the TC so full (photos attached below!). Here’s to an even better gala next year!


26007 leads the 15:39 Swanage - River Frome through Harmans Cross on Saturday.


58023 on the naughty step at Swanage.


99004 awaits its next service at Swanage on Sunday.


The LUL TC rammed out on the 10:15 out of Swanage on Saturday.

 

[OPRail]

Well, I had a brilliant weekend, and I hope everyone else did too!

Despite the loss of 58023 on Friday, we still had a great lineup on the TC for Saturday, with 37607, 73141 and 99004 providing the traction. Although we weren’t using the CDL to conserve the battery for the toilets, almost everyone was very well behaved and waited for us to stop before getting on or off the train, so thank you very much . The TC was completely rammed out until about 14:00, when people started migrating to the beer tent, but we were never quiet onboard.

Unfortunately, the 73 struggled to find its footing going up Corfe Bank, and was quite often down to 10-15MPH by the top of the bank. It was quite often the same going up from Swanage to Harmans, and it struggled to get any speed after we had a Herston stop on the up. Despite this, the latest we ran on Saturday was 8 minutes, and we even departed right time from Corfe a few times, which is quite the achievement for a Swanage Diesel Gala (lots of very fast walking involved)!

The Sunday saw the Corfe Shuttle change to the B Set, with the TC running ‘over the road’ to the River, which was very popular and no doubt increased ridership on the Sunday. We had a minor issue with the 26 refusing to create a brake in the morning, but after that it was plain sailing, with the latest running being 15 minutes on the last down service as we needed to shunt about the 33s at Corfe and Swanage.

Ticket sales are indicating this was one of our most popular Diesel Galas ever - this is the first time in my memory the Beerex has been 6 coaches, and I’ve never seen the TC so full (photos attached below!). Here’s to an even better gala next year!

View attachment 203988
26007 leads the 15:39 Swanage - River Frome through Harmans Cross on Saturday.

View attachment 203984
58023 on the naughty step at Swanage.

View attachment 203985
99004 awaits its next service at Swanage on Sunday.

View attachment 203986
The LUL TC rammed out on the 10:15 out of Swanage on Saturday.

It was a great weekend, and it was brilliant to see the railway buzzing at all times, and to see the Beerex running as 6 Coaches, and as full as they were was brilliant to see. @158760 Please pass on my thanks to all involved, it was truly amazing and everyone involved are a massive asset to the railway. I can't wait for next year's event.

 

[158760]

And again unknowingly, I spoke to the chairman who was a guard on one of the services, he was saying the TC is not too far off, waiting on 2 coaches to come back from Ramparts and to complete a little bit of work on the ones already at the line, but they may even jump the original plan of the 3TC and go straight to running as a 4TC. Later looking at incorporating a griddle car to make a 5 Car set.

A very generous donor has privately funded the TFK and most of the Swanage end DTSO, so we’ll have the full unit much earlier than expected. The TBSK is pretty much done, and the London end DTSO only needs a little work doing to finish it, so it will be almost certainly be operational for next year!

Thank you very much @158760 and @matt for this. Embarrassingly I didn't know the Swanage Railway was on RTT so didn't think to check there. At some point today I'll edit post #99 (total coincidence!!) with all the correct details.

No worries at all, I would double check Friday with photos and videos though because whilst RTT is quite accurate and Tom and the team did a great job of keeping it up to date across the gala, it doesn’t always show exactly what’s going on with every service (for example when the engines swapped round).

 

[Western Sunset]

Video (not mine) of preserved class 71 E5001 at Bournemouth in 1992:

That's got me thinking. Did any other electrics appear at BM open days, I wonder? As an aside, the old county boundary between Dorset and Hants, ran through the middle of BM depot.

 

[fgwrich]

Well, I had a brilliant weekend, and I hope everyone else did too!

Despite the loss of 58023 on Friday, we still had a great lineup on the TC for Saturday, with 37607, 73141 and 99004 providing the traction. Although we weren’t using the CDL to conserve the battery for the toilets, almost everyone was very well behaved and waited for us to stop before getting on or off the train, so thank you very much . The TC was completely rammed out until about 14:00, when people started migrating to the beer tent, but we were never quiet onboard.

Unfortunately, the 73 struggled to find its footing going up Corfe Bank, and was quite often down to 10-15MPH by the top of the bank. It was quite often the same going up from Swanage to Harmans, and it struggled to get any speed after we had a Herston stop on the up. Despite this, the latest we ran on Saturday was 8 minutes, and we even departed right time from Corfe a few times, which is quite the achievement for a Swanage Diesel Gala (lots of very fast walking involved)!

The Sunday saw the Corfe Shuttle change to the B Set, with the TC running ‘over the road’ to the River, which was very popular and no doubt increased ridership on the Sunday. We had a minor issue with the 26 refusing to create a brake in the morning, but after that it was plain sailing, with the latest running being 15 minutes on the last down service as we needed to shunt about the 33s at Corfe and Swanage.

Ticket sales are indicating this was one of our most popular Diesel Galas ever - this is the first time in my memory the Beerex has been 6 coaches, and I’ve never seen the TC so full (photos attached below!). Here’s to an even better gala next year!

View attachment 203988
26007 leads the 15:39 Swanage - River Frome through Harmans Cross on Saturday.

View attachment 203984
58023 on the naughty step at Swanage.

View attachment 203985
99004 awaits its next service at Swanage on Sunday.

View attachment 203986
The LUL TC rammed out on the 10:15 out of Swanage on Saturday.

Was there an issue with 141 over the weekend I wonder? I arrived at Corfe on the Saturday just as it was being chopped off the TC, it drew forward then seemingly died. A bout 5 minutes later and a lot of standard class 73 clunking, it died back up into life and moved off to the DMU sidings.

My only issue with the Beerex, and I think the guard on the Saturday evening felt the same too, was the complicated shunt move outside Swanage, ironically due to it being 6 coaches. I think keeping it Top and Tailed would be beneficial for next year.

Apart from that, another very enjoyable weekend and Thank You to Marcus, Team and all you staff and volunteers again. Now, if only you could carry the weather over from the Saturday that would be top, I’d planned to go lineside photting yesterday but it was Baltic

 

[158760]

Was there an issue with 141 over the weekend I wonder? I arrived at Corfe on the Saturday just as it was being chopped off the TC, it drew forward then seemingly died. A bout 5 minutes later and a lot of standard class 73 clunking, it died back up into life and moved off to the DMU sidings.

My only issue with the Beerex, and I think the guard on the Saturday evening felt the same too, was the complicated shunt move outside Swanage, ironically due to it being 6 coaches. I think keeping it Top and Tailed would be beneficial for next year.

Apart from that, another very enjoyable weekend and Thank You to Marcus, Team and all you staff and volunteers again. Now, if only you could carry the weather over from the Saturday that would be top, I’d planned to go lineside photting yesterday but it was Baltic

The only thing I’m aware of is that it was getting very hot, and whenever we got to Harmans Cross they would open the engine bay doors to try and cool it down.

The Beerex being shunt released was an annoyance, and there were only two reasons they didn’t put a 33 on the other end - crewing and the fact it was advertised both ways as the 26, rather than top and tailed. I think it will be top and tailed for next year.

 

[Buzz Topmann]

That's got me thinking. Did any other electrics appear at BM open days, I wonder? As an aside, the old county boundary between Dorset and Hants, ran through the middle of BM depot.

I saw 27000 (Class 77) and 87013 on display at the September 1992 Open Day there, the same event that E5001 ran down for.

---

 

[Tom]

whilst RTT is quite accurate and Tom and the team did a great job of keeping it up to date across the gala, it doesn’t always show exactly what’s going on with every service (for example when the engines swapped round).

I think the only inaccuracy was something on Friday evening with the juggling to get the 58 back from Corfe because it needed to do something that wasn't in the diagrams normally which is already in the todo list to do in the future. The rest should have been spot on.

Edit: actually thinking about it, it was https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-pt:3181/2026-05-08/detailed not showing the 37 on the back as that was the way to get everything back right.

 

[158760]

I think the only inaccuracy was something on Friday evening with the juggling to get the 58 back from Corfe because it needed to do something that wasn't in the diagrams normally which is already in the todo list to do in the future. The rest should have been spot on.

Edit: actually thinking about it, it was https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-pt:3181/2026-05-08/detailed not showing the 37 on the back as that was the way to get everything back right.

I stand corrected then, thanks for clearing that up. The graphics for all the engines were as good as always, excellent job whoever did those

 

[Forty29]

I was lucky enough to be staying in a caravan at a holiday park high above Swanage and the thrash from the beerex's with both the 20 and 26 reverberating against the hills in the chill late evening air was phenomenal. The last train on Saturday night sounded like l was in the first coach but was in fact lying in bed!!
In fact heard most departures early morning too with the 37 on Sunday morning sounded awesome.
Over the weekend l did pop down to all the stations and spent money on food and refreshments but there were family commitments so would have been expensive for everyone to travel!!
Trains l saw were busy but not rammed though l didn't see the 4TC hearing that was. I liked the authentic look of Swanage station looking a bit run down probably like it did before closure though the loose platform edging stones were a bit of a worry.
Well done Swanage railway for a thoroughly good weekend of entertainment.

 

[matt]

I had an excellent couple of days at Swanage. They always put on a good show.

Here is some video from Saturday of the gala

 

[Invincible]

A very generous donor has privately funded the TFK and most of the Swanage end DTSO, so we’ll have the full unit much earlier than expected. The TBSK is pretty much done, and the London end DTSO only needs a little work doing to finish it, so it will be almost certainly be operational for next year!

There is a photo of what looks like a completed 76275 on the Facebook Southern electric group

Southern Electric Group | S76275 seen at barrowhill looking splendid in blue and grey | Facebook

S76275 seen at barrowhill looking splendid in blue and grey. 11/4/26

www.facebook.com

No doubt other photos will follow, assuming the Swanage 4TC group has funds for transportation back to Swanage.

 

[Jack2015]

After spending 4 days at the gala being local, I had mixed views on the event.

The original lineup lacked a bit from previous years and I guess costings and availability played a part. Losing out on the peak then the 58 left a few disappointed especially now with 3 x 33's with 2 being resident.

I think the event not having a 50 was noticeable which was a shame. The 37, 26 and 99 held a lot of interest and the visitor numbers were up.

The staff did a great job all things considered and the weather in the main held up.