Bluebell Railway NSE Diesel Gala 4-6 September 2026

trainmania100 · 16 Feb 2026

Diesel Gala 2026 – Celebrating 40 Years of Network SouthEast!

We’re excited to confirm that the Bluebell Railway Diesel Gala 2026 will take place from 4th–6th September 2026 — and it’s set to be something truly special.

As part of the gala, we will proudly celebrate the 40th anniversary of Network SouthEast (NSE) — marking four decades since the launch of this bold, colourful, and much-loved era of British railway history. Network SouthEast transformed commuter and regional rail travel across London and the South East, and its distinctive red, white and blue branding remains iconic to this day. NSE 40 will form a fantastic addition to the 2026 Diesel Gala, with plans already underway to ensure the anniversary is celebrated in fitting style.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with NSE Friends, the 1305 Thumper Gang, and the B350 Preservation Group to help bring this celebration to life. Together, we aim to showcase and honour the legacy of Network SouthEast through locomotives from the era, rolling stock, displays, and carefully curated elements that capture the spirit of the era.

Planning is already well advanced, and further announcements, including visiting locomotives, ticket information, and additional attractions, will be shared in due course.

Save the date: 4th–6th September 2026

Join us as we celebrate 40 years of Network SouthEast and make Diesel Gala 2026 a true highlight of the heritage railway calendar!

With visiting locos to be announced in due course.

This comes from the Bluebell Railway Facebook post. For visually impaired users please see the post in quotes above.

For Facebook enabled users, the post is at such URL

Bluebell Railway

Diesel Gala 2026 – Celebrating 40 Years of Network SouthEast! We’re excited to confirm that the Bluebell Railway Diesel Gala 2026 will take place from 4th–6th September 2026 — and it’s set to be...

www.facebook.com

RailUK Forums

fgwrich · 16 Feb 2026

So, without jumping the gun, 73128 and one of 50017/026/027 then! :lol:

Sun Chariot · 16 Feb 2026

My memories of NSE (and I used it from the beginning) will remain as memories. Too much of it simply cannot ever be replicated

trainmania100 · 16 Feb 2026

Can the unit from strawberry hill expect a repaint into NSE do we think?

frankmoh · 16 Feb 2026

Sun Chariot said:
My memories of NSE (and I used it from the beginning) will remain as memories. Too much of it simply cannot ever be replicated

Even 30 years on, my local station's lampposts and fences still have red (or now pink) showing through. And of course there are places like Downham Market.

But back to the gala, I will be looking to seeing how they dress up the stations.

Invincible · 17 Feb 2026

trainmania100 said:
Can the unit from strawberry hill expect a repaint into NSE do we think?

It's possible both 3417 and now 455871 both could attend the gala.
In the 455871 video it was said could it be ready to run in the mainline later in the year. A 455871 rail tour from London under it's own 3rd rail power, and back, could raise cash for say central door locking for 3417 so eventually carry passengers on the mainline?

3417 could run push pull on the Bluebell line again.

Getting a loco to provide power for 455871's sliding doors on the Bluebell line might be more tricky?.
Perhaps an extra battery could be used as on the 3417

Southern Electric Traction Group restores historic commuter train No. 3417 ‘Gordon Pettitt’ with cutting-edge retrofit battery technology from NXTGENbps and High Viz Media Group - NXTGENbps

In a collaboration between Southern Electric Traction Group (SETG), High Viz Media Group Ltd, and NXTGENbps, the historic 1960s commuter train No. 3417, named ‘Gordon Pettitt’, is set to return to service on the prestigious Bluebell Railway, now equipped with state-of-the-art sustainable battery...

nxtgenbps.com

158760 · 14 May 2026

Digging this thread out from a few pages back, two visitors have since been announced!

33108 thanks to the 33/1 Preservation Company & The Severn Valley Railway

50026 thanks to Paul Spracklen & PTG Tours

33108 will be having an extended stay on the railway to provide diesel cover for the summer, expected to arrive next month and return home again towards the end of September.

HOOVER29 · 14 May 2026

A bit of a drive for me from Leicestershire but I’m going for it.
Have unfinished business with 50026 Indomitable so for me it’ll be a massive weekend

50002Superb · 14 May 2026

Are they repainting 33108 or leaving it as is?

Forty29 · 14 May 2026

It was only repainted about 18 months ago so probably not but you never know!

D1537 · 14 May 2026

50002Superb said:
Are they repainting 33108 or leaving it as is?

33108 never wore NSE livery, indeed only two Class 33s ever did (33035, now preserved in BR blue and 33114, long scrapped). So I wouldn't expect that to happen.

31160 · 15 May 2026

Had plenty of Dutch 33s pulling nse stock anyway perfectly authentic

SECR 65 · 15 May 2026

Some of the MK1s on the Bluebell are ex-NSE. SK 25728 certainly is, and it used to run on the Bluebell in NSE moquette. This coach is likely to be formed at the north end of the green set.

UP13 · 26 May 2026

Does anybody know what has happened? I've noticed that the image of the 4CIG has disappeared from the official poster (now its the class 50) and that there seems to be no mention of Friends of Network SouthEast anymore.

SECR 65 · 26 May 2026

UP13 said:
Does anybody know what has happened? I've noticed that the image of the 4CIG has disappeared from the official poster (now its the class 50) and that there seems to be no mention of Friends of Network SouthEast anymore.

As far as I am aware, the gala is still going ahead and should be a great event!

I presume the marketing material has been updated to reflect the visitors currently announced.

33108 is due in service on the Bluebell next month.

ExRes · 2 Jul 2026

I see on the Bluebell website that 03179 is also a visitor, there's a suggestion on the WNXX forum that DCR will be providing something, no reports of tins of blue, red and white paint heading to Rectory Junction to give 60022 an NSE livery though ......

43096 · 2 Jul 2026

ExRes said:
I see on the Bluebell website that 03179 is also a visitor, there's a suggestion on the WNXX forum that DCR will be providing something, no reports of tins of blue, red and white paint heading to Rectory Junction to give 60022 an NSE livery though ......

Class 56s were allocated to the NSE “Meldon” ballast pool not long before the end of NSE.

SECR 65 · 2 Jul 2026

A key thing we must remember when considering mainline visitors is the very limited clearance of Oxted Tunnel.

Forty29 · 2 Jul 2026

Isn't there a Class 47 preserved in NSE livery aka 579 at the Mid Hant's Railway? Would be great for it to attend.

strimmer · 2 Jul 2026

Forty29 said:
Isn't there a Class 47 preserved in NSE livery aka 579 at the Mid Hant's Railway? Would be great for it to attend.

47579 is in large logo, 50027 is the one in NSE.

fgwrich · 2 Jul 2026

strimmer said:
47579 is in large logo, 50027 is the one in NSE.

The last 47 in NSE was 715 in its tired late NSE livery. Since last year it is now in RES* Virgin Trains inspired livery.

*(rail engineering solutions not Rail Express Systems)

UP13 · 3 Jul 2026

Forty29 said:
Isn't there a Class 47 preserved in NSE livery aka 579 at the Mid Hant's Railway? Would be great for it to attend.

The Class 50 'Lion' is in revised NSE livery and is inoperational as far as I can tell.

Forty29 · 3 Jul 2026

Thanks guys for clarifying that for me about an NSE '47'

SECR 65 · 3 Jul 2026

I would imagine that there are more visitors to come, although the phrasing on the website doesn't confirm this.

The general Bluebell gala timetable involves running four sets every 45 minutes, although this can tend to vary. Therefore, to run a decent timetable, there will need to be a minimum of four locos capable of hauling trains. In practice, at least three of these will need to be 'big'. Here I say 'big' to mean four or more coaches at 25mph.

33108 is announced
50026 is announced
03179 is announced, but this is not a 'big' engine
E6040 should be planned to run, but this can only haul 3-4 coaches, and with respect, is not a very reliable engine.
D4106 may be repaired in time, but this is hardly a 'big' engine, albeit very useful with up to 4 coaches at 15mph.

I can't see that the above would be sufficient to hold up a decent timetable. Therefore I feel one more large engine will be added to the lineup, with a small possibility of a second. This would line up with recent Bluebell galas in having four visitors.

Note that the above thoughts are simply my own, have no correlation to the official opinion of the railway, and are not based on any internal information.

PP57601 · 3 Jul 2026

Out of interest, is the Ardingly branch (from the Bluebell Railway end) still operational at galas ??

Jan Mayen · 3 Jul 2026

About 100 yards maybe. However, I haven't seen it being used for a few years.

Ted633 · 3 Jul 2026

SECR 65 said:
E6040 should be planned to run, but this can only haul 3-4 coaches, and with respect, is not a very reliable engine.
.

Would E6040 have to be used as a 'translator' vehicle for the Class 50? (same as last year)
Or is 50026 different to last years 50?

158760 · 3 Jul 2026

Ted633 said:
Would E6040 have to be used as a 'translator' vehicle for the Class 50? (same as last year)
Or is 50026 different to last years 50?

26 is dual, so it can run on vac braked stock and won’t need a translator.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jul 2026 ==

PP57601 said:
Out of interest, is the Ardingly branch (from the Bluebell Railway end) still operational at galas ??

It’s not currently rated for passengers to travel over. Over the next couple of years, the stub up to Sherriff Mill Viaduct will be relayed as a double track section, primarily for training use but potentially also brake van rides at galas.

SECR 65 · 16 Jul 2026

31108 announced as a visitor.

Richard S · 16 Jul 2026

This event sounds so good I've just booked return rail travel from Cheshire.

Bluebell Railway NSE Diesel Gala 4-6 September 2026

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