Oct 10-12th, what’s on?

[Iskra]

I have a relatively free weekend on these dates, alas it seems to have coincided with a lull in railway activity.

Is anyone aware of anything of interest happening on preserved railways over these dates please? I don’t mind diesel or steam but prefer mainline locomotives. I’ve done the Keighley & Worth Valley and Embsay & Bolton Abbey railways recently, and I have the North Yorkshire Moors and Ecclesbourne Valley in the diary upcoming already. Ideally any suggestions would be within 2 hours of Yorkshire by car or train.

Thanks in advance

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Iskra. Are you looking for some themed heritage railway event on that particular weekend? The East Lancs Railway is certainly operating Saturday 11th / Sunday 12th October 2025, albeit it just seems to be a 'normal' weekend timetable for them, their "Autumn Steam Gala" event being scheduled for the following weekend.

 

[Iskra]

@Iskra. Are you looking for some themed heritage railway event on that particular weekend? The East Lancs Railway is certainly operating Saturday 11th / Sunday 12th October 2025, albeit it just seems to be a 'normal' weekend timetable for them, their "Autumn Steam Gala" event being scheduled for the following weekend.

It doesn’t need to be a themed event, a regular running day would be fine although one with more than one train in operation would be preferred, unless there was something particularly interesting about the sole train operating.

 

[Narrowgauge725]

How about some miniature trains Ravensprings Park Brighouse open day on the 12th BHME two tracks at least 5 different locos running

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The ELR looks to have both a steam loco (not sure which one) and a heritage diesel operating on Saturday 11th October 2025, with services operating the entire length of the line, from Rawtenstall to Heywood. And not too far from West Yorkshire!

 

[DarloRich]

Barrow Hill have an event/gala on that weekend i think

 

[james_the_xv]

GCR have an LMS weekend, visitors Bahamas and Mogul 13268 running alongside the Standard 5 from the home fleet. Departures every 45 mins from Loughborough.

 

[Iskra]

Thank you all, some good suggestions there!

 

[xotGD]

The ELR looks to have both a steam loco (not sure which one) and a heritage diesel operating on Saturday 11th October 2025, with services operating the entire length of the line, from Rawtenstall to Heywood. And not too far from West Yorkshire!

D5054 is allocated for the 11th, with a DMU on the 12th.

The steam loco roster hasn't been updated yet - only shows the weekend just gone.

 

[Iskra]

GCR have an LMS weekend, visitors Bahamas and Mogul 13268 running alongside the Standard 5 from the home fleet. Departures every 45 mins from Loughborough.

Is that in addition to the Autumn Steam gala the week before, or are you confusing the two? I can’t see it advertised anywhere?

 

[WesternLancer]

Is that in addition to the Autumn Steam gala the week before, or are you confusing the two? I can’t see it advertised anywhere?

Looks like it's this - now on GCR website

Bahamas Farewell weekend

Bahamas Farewell Weekend

Join us for a very special event on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October as we say farewell to two much-loved locomotives.

www.gcrailway.co.uk

Join us for a very special event on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October as we say farewell to two much-loved locomotives.

45596 “Bahamas” will be making its final runs with us before being withdrawn for overhaul – this is your last chance to ride behind this famous Jubilee locomotive. Alongside it, 13268 Mogul will be steaming on the Great Central Railway for the final time before moving to our friends at the East Lancashire Railway for their Autumn Steam Gala. Adding to the excitement, our home fleet favourite Standard 5 73156 will also be in action across the weekend.

This is your last chance to see Bahamas and 13268 in action on our double track main line – don’t miss it.

 

[Iskra]

Looks like it's this - now on GCR website

Bahamas Farewell weekend

Bahamas Farewell Weekend

Join us for a very special event on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October as we say farewell to two much-loved locomotives.

www.gcrailway.co.uk

Sounds good, thank you!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Oct 2025 ==

Barrow Hill have an event/gala on that weekend i think

The Branchline Society have just announced that a Class 93 will be running at the Barrow Hill Roundhouse along with a class 58 on Friday 10th of October, so I’ve booked that. A deltic is also operating during the day.

The weekend in question has now gone from one extreme to the other for me in terms of things to do

 

[Peter749]

The Branchline Society have just announced that a Class 93 will be running at the Barrow Hill Roundhouse along with a class 58 on Friday 10th of October, so I’ve booked that. A deltic is also operating during the day.

The weekend in question has now gone from one extreme to the other for me in terms of things to do

You would have to book the Class 93 trip, of about 1 mile, in advance on the BLS Website - no pay on the day
And the Entrance fee to Barrow Hill which is £24.20 in Advance or £26.00 on the day.

 

[Iskra]

You would have to book the Class 93 trip, of about 1 mile, in advance on the BLS Website - no pay on the day
And the Entrance fee to Barrow Hill which is £24.20 in Advance or £26.00 on the day.

You can just do the 93 & 58 via BLS if you wish. You don’t have to pay for both.

I’ve never done Barrow Hill Roundhouse so it makes sense for me. A 20 & 25 and 03 also rumoured to be operating during the day.

 

[Lemmy282]

Deleted

 

[duffield]

The ELR looks to have both a steam loco (not sure which one) and a heritage diesel operating on Saturday 11th October 2025, with services operating the entire length of the line, from Rawtenstall to Heywood. And not too far from West Yorkshire!

For me the ELR always feels a bit gala-ish at Bury Bolton Street anytime they're running two services and to Heywood, particularly when they have two services departing simultaneously for what are essentially two different lines. Bury Bolton Street (at platform level) is one of my absolute favourite heritage stations.

 

[Peter749]

You can just do the 93 & 58 via BLS if you wish. You don’t have to pay for both.

I’ve never done Barrow Hill Roundhouse so it makes sense for me. A 20 & 25 and 03 also rumoured to be operating during the day.

The BLS Website also mentions the locos working - https://www.branchline.uk/gen.php

55009 (10:00-12:00), D7659 (12:00-14:00), 20066 (14:00-16:00) are working T'n'T with 03066(?).

 

[Iskra]

For me the ELR always feels a bit gala-ish at Bury Bolton Street anytime they're running two services and to Heywood, particularly when they have two services departing simultaneously for what are essentially two different lines. Bury Bolton Street (at platform level) is one of my absolute favourite heritage stations.

I concur that Bury Bolton Street is one of the finest preserved stations.

The BLS Website also mentions the locos working - https://www.branchline.uk/gen.php

55009 (10:00-12:00), D7659 (12:00-14:00), 20066 (14:00-16:00) are working T'n'T with 03066(?).

Amazing, thank you!

While the line is only short, 6 loco’s in a day is pretty decent.

 

[Teaboy1]

Slightly off topic but the Pickering 1940's Weekend event is on both days. It is being promoted as a 1940's event with a good bias of "Dont mention the War" about it. Organisers want [rigtly or wrongly] to de-milliterise the event so dont expect any throw back to previous "War" Weekends, it wont happen!
Still should be a jolly good day out with the NYMR to visit as a bonus.

 

[Iskra]

The 58 has failed at Barrow Hill so won’t be running. Not clear what will work on the rear of the 93 at this point.

 

[Gooner18]

Sir Nigel Gresley is at the watercress line

 

[TheLancsNinja]

The 58 has failed at Barrow Hill so won’t be running. Not clear what will work on the rear of the 93 at this point.

Earlier tonight, for the BLS shuttle it was the little green tank engine, No. 2000 - quite a bizarre mix of traction, given 93002 and 20066 were leading!

 

[Iskra]

Earlier tonight, for the BLS shuttle it was the little green tank engine, No. 2000 - quite a bizarre mix of traction, given 93002 and 20066 were leading!

Yes I completely agree, quite the consist:

The Deltic and the Peckett earlier in the day also looked a bit funny!

 

[50002Superb]

I went to Barrow Hill today, it was very busy, especially with the opportunity to be pulled by Scotsman but photographing was quite tricky with people often just standing around in front of various locos so you had to be patient to get decent shots of what was on show.

We then paid a visit to the Midland Railway Centre as it was a Great Gable running day. It was pulling five carriages but it was so quiet that you wouldn’t have filled one carriage!

It’s a little depressing visiting Swanick when the main sheds are all closed up as you can see very little so it probably wasn’t the best weekend to visit.

 

[Iskra]

I went to Barrow Hill today, it was very busy, especially with the opportunity to be pulled by Scotsman but photographing was quite tricky with people often just standing around in front of various locos so you had to be patient to get decent shots of what was on show.

We then paid a visit to the Midland Railway Centre as it was a Great Gable running day. It was pulling five carriages but it was so quiet that you wouldn’t have filled one carriage!

It’s a little depressing visiting Swanick when the main sheds are all closed up as you can see very little so it probably wasn’t the best weekend to visit.

It was the opposite on Friday. While busy people tended to keep clear of the locomotives and everyone was very respectful of each others footage/photos.

This was my footage from the Great Central yesterday, which was a very enjoyable event:

 

[ChrisC]

It was the opposite on Friday. While busy people tended to keep clear of the locomotives and everyone was very respectful of each others footage/photos.

I really enjoyed my visit to Barrow Hill on Friday. I only live around 25 miles away but it’s somewhere I had never got around to visiting.There was loads to see but quiet enough to get around and see the roundhouse etc without too many crowds. I even got a ride behind the Deltic without any queuing. Going on the Friday and arriving just after it opened was a good plan to see everything without huge crowds.

 

[Iskra]

I really enjoyed my visit to Barrow Hill on Friday. I only live around 25 miles away but it’s somewhere I had never got around to visiting.There was loads to see but quiet enough to get around and see the roundhouse etc without too many crowds. I even got a ride behind the Deltic without any queuing. Going on the Friday and arriving just after it opened was a good plan to see everything without huge crowds.

Agreed; avoiding ‘The Flying Scotsman’ effect was the way to go.

 

[Class73Electro]

Found the Best time was waiting until the FS sounded it's horn - at which point everyone flew to watch it, leaving a lot of locos clear,!