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Railtours, Preserved Railway Events, Ferries and Service Trains Gen List
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- Last updated: Fri 03 Oct 2025
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Steam Festival 2025 Saturday 25 October and Sunday 26 October 2025 Steam Spectacular at the Vale of Rheidol Railway Unique BR Blue Steam Loco Returns as All Three Rheidol Tanks Star in Festival Line-Up The Vale of Rheidol Railway will stage one of its most ambitious events to date this autumn, combining historic repaints, intensive services and visiting attractions for an unmissable Steam Festival on 25th & 26th October 2025. The headline news is the long-awaited return to service of No. 9 'Prince of Wales', which has been out of traffic since 2020. Fresh from overhaul, it will be unveiled in later BR Corporate Blue lined livery with cab-side double arrow branding - unique in British railway history. No other steam locomotives in the UK - other than the Rheidol tanks - ever authentically carried this bold corporate image, making No. 9's repaint a true one-off. It will also be running, for the first time, with it's air-pump concealed in the water tanks. All three of the line's famous Rheidol Tanks wore BR Blue during British Railways ownership, but this is the first time since 1982 that the colour has been seen on the railway - and the first time in preservation. Its return in 2025, during the Railway200 anniversary year, is a fitting way to celebrate both the Vale of Rheidol's distinctive BR story and 200 years of innovation on Britain's railways. Joining No. 9 in action will be: No. 7 'Owain Glynd?r', freshly repainted in BR lined green, and reunited with its original nameplates. No. 8 'Llywelyn', in BR black with lion-holding-wheel crest. The line's powerful NGG13 Garratt locomotive No. 60 'Drakensberg', adding further variety to the roster. For the first time in many years, all three Rheidol Tanks will appear together in authentic BR liveries with their nameplates fitted, recreating the look of the railway in its closing decades as the last steam-only outpost of British Rail. An Intensive Weekend of Steam The festival will feature a special intensive timetable, with five departures on Saturday and four on Sunday from Aberystwyth. Multiple locos will be in steam each day, offering enthusiasts the chance to see a rare variety of combinations in service. Tickets will be issued as Day Rovers, allowing unlimited travel on all services throughout the day - so visitors can make the most of the intensive timetable and sample different locomotives across multiple trips. (The ticket will not cover admission to the Museum/Waterman layout - a separate ticket will be required). At Aberystwyth station, visitors will also be able to take the regulator themselves, with driver experience turns on one of the smaller engines - offering a hands-on taste of steam footplate work. More Than Just the Trains Complementing the steam action: Pete Waterman's world-record 208-foot portable model railway, on display in the VOR Museum throughout half term (25th October - 2nd November). A separate admission ticket applies to the exhibition. A model railway exhibition, showcasing layouts from a variety of clubs and modellers. A line-up of model road steam engines, adding to the festival atmosphere around the station. Vale of Rheidol Railway Managing Director, Llyr ap Iolo, said: 'The return of No. 9 to traffic in BR Blue is a landmark moment for the Vale of Rheidol. It's one of the only three steam locomotives ever to authentically carry this livery, and to see it back in Railway200 year - alongside Nos. 7 and 8 in green and black - makes this festival a real celebration of our unique BR heritage. Add in the Garratt, an intensive timetable and a host of model and road steam exhibits, and it promises to be a true festival of steam in every sense.'
Steam Festival 2025 Saturday 25 October and Sunday 26 October 2025 Steam Spectacular at the Vale of Rheidol Railway Unique BR Blue Steam Loco Returns as All Three Rheidol Tanks Star in Festival Line-Up The Vale of Rheidol Railway will stage one of its most ambitious events to date this autumn, combining historic repaints, intensive services and visiting attractions for an unmissable Steam Festival on 25th & 26th October 2025. The headline news is the long-awaited return to service of No. 9 'Prince of Wales', which has been out of traffic since 2020. Fresh from overhaul, it will be unveiled in later BR Corporate Blue lined livery with cab-side double arrow branding - unique in British railway history. No other steam locomotives in the UK - other than the Rheidol tanks - ever authentically carried this bold corporate image, making No. 9's repaint a true one-off. It will also be running, for the first time, with it's air-pump concealed in the water tanks. All three of the line's famous Rheidol Tanks wore BR Blue during British Railways ownership, but this is the first time since 1982 that the colour has been seen on the railway - and the first time in preservation. Its return in 2025, during the Railway200 anniversary year, is a fitting way to celebrate both the Vale of Rheidol's distinctive BR story and 200 years of innovation on Britain's railways. Joining No. 9 in action will be: No. 7 'Owain Glynd?r', freshly repainted in BR lined green, and reunited with its original nameplates. No. 8 'Llywelyn', in BR black with lion-holding-wheel crest. The line's powerful NGG13 Garratt locomotive No. 60 'Drakensberg', adding further variety to the roster. For the first time in many years, all three Rheidol Tanks will appear together in authentic BR liveries with their nameplates fitted, recreating the look of the railway in its closing decades as the last steam-only outpost of British Rail. An Intensive Weekend of Steam The festival will feature a special intensive timetable, with five departures on Saturday and four on Sunday from Aberystwyth. Multiple locos will be in steam each day, offering enthusiasts the chance to see a rare variety of combinations in service. Tickets will be issued as Day Rovers, allowing unlimited travel on all services throughout the day - so visitors can make the most of the intensive timetable and sample different locomotives across multiple trips. (The ticket will not cover admission to the Museum/Waterman layout - a separate ticket will be required). At Aberystwyth station, visitors will also be able to take the regulator themselves, with driver experience turns on one of the smaller engines - offering a hands-on taste of steam footplate work. More Than Just the Trains Complementing the steam action: Pete Waterman's world-record 208-foot portable model railway, on display in the VOR Museum throughout half term (25th October - 2nd November). A separate admission ticket applies to the exhibition. A model railway exhibition, showcasing layouts from a variety of clubs and modellers. A line-up of model road steam engines, adding to the festival atmosphere around the station. Vale of Rheidol Railway Managing Director, Llyr ap Iolo, said: 'The return of No. 9 to traffic in BR Blue is a landmark moment for the Vale of Rheidol. It's one of the only three steam locomotives ever to authentically carry this livery, and to see it back in Railway200 year - alongside Nos. 7 and 8 in green and black - makes this festival a real celebration of our unique BR heritage. Add in the Garratt, an intensive timetable and a host of model and road steam exhibits, and it promises to be a true festival of steam in every sense.'
Autumn Steam Gala Friday 31 October, Saturday 1 November and Sunday 2 November 2025 Join us at the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway for an unforgettable Steam Gala on Friday 31 October and Saturday and Sunday 1 & 2 November 2025 as we commemorate 200 Years of passenger carrying railways. There are four confirmed locomotives. GWR Castle Class 4079 'Pendennis Castle' The first ever Castle Class to take to our branch line, and will also be the most powerful steam locomotive to grace our railway. She was built at the GWR Swindon Works and completed on 4 March 1924. Pendennis Castle is without doubt a celebrity locomotive with its reigning superior in the LNER and GWR exchange trials, and not forgetting its famous stint in Australia with the legendary Flying Scotsman. GWR 66XX class 0-6-2 no.6695 6695 was completed at Armstrong Whitworth's Newcastle works in October 1928 and was given works number 983. During its working life it has been employed on suburban passenger services and used to haul freight and passenger trains It was withdrawn from service in July 1964, after completing more than 620,000 miles, and sold to Woodham's Scrapyard at Barry Island in South Wales. In May 1979 it was purchased by the 56XX Tank Group (from 1995 called the 6695 Locomotive Group). Since December 2019, the locomotive has been based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway and returned to steam in September 2022. USA Class 160 (6046) Built in Philadelphia, USA in 1945 and shipped in the early to mid 1940's to South Wales and dispatched from the Great Western Railway locomotive depot at Ebbw Junction, Newport. The locomotive spent the majority of its working life on industrial lines, before being withdrawn. We are delighted that this engine is also our resident steamer for the 2025 season. Sentinel 7109 'Joyce' Built in 1927 at the Sentinel Waggon Works, Shrewsbury, Joyce was ordered by Croydon Gasworks and gained the number 37 in their fleet. It was given the name Joyce after the daughter of Mr Sandeman, the chairman of Croydon Gas works where it operated for 32 years until 1960. The locomotive is unusual in having vertical water-tube boiler supplying transversely mounted cylinders that transmit power to the wheels via gears and chains. It's steam haulage at its best and with gradients like our 1-68 Chinnor Bank (and there's others, including quite an incline at the Princes Risborough end of the line), it will be a really very intensive 3-Days of Steam! This is only the second occasion that an all-steam Gala has been run over 3-days on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway and so please do make an advance note in your diary, or see below and book your tickets today! BRAKE VAN RIDES AT PRINCES RISBOROUGH: There will also be brake van rides at Princes Risborough: these will take place between steam departures and arrivals using our Sentinel 7109 'Joyce' brake van and hauled up and down by one or two brake vans for a authentic trip!brake van rides are included in the ticket price! Other attractions At Chinnor station there will be a visiting road steam Eddison roller engine 'Jenny' courtesy of Ali and Paul Green.
Royal Forest of Steam Saturday 1 November and Sunday 2 November 2025 Our signature Royal Forest of Steam Gala returns to finish our normal operating season for 2025. A weekend where home and visiting locomotives join to give you a fantastic opportunity to enjoy them in action against an autumnal Forest of Dean. Featuring visiting engines working alongside our home fleet with an intensive timetable, with multiple passenger trains in operation as well as the popular shuttles at Parkend station. Visiting engines and other attractions to be confirmed soon. Anticipated home fleet: 9681 WD 152 'Rennes' Uskmouth 1 Visitors: The Dean Forest Railway are pleased to announce the visit of BR Standard 2 No. 78019 for the 2025 Royal Forest of Steam Gala, courtesy of the Great Central Railway, Loughborough Standard Locomotives Group and the Charles Newton Trust. A small number of BR Standard 2s were based at Gloucester's Horton Road shed, and at least one of the class visited the Forest's lines in the latter days of steam. This marks the first visit of a BR Standard locomotive to the Dean Forest Railway, and we're looking forward to seeing the loco perfectly matched with our BR maroon stock as well as goods stock. More to be announced! Rail200 - British Rail's last mainline steam train ran in 1968, but the first preserved locomotives were already working on restored lines. Please note, prices shown are not yet confirmed and may be subject to change before the tickets are made available.
Autumn Steam Gala Friday 31 October, Saturday 1 November and Sunday 2 November 2025 Join us at the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway for an unforgettable Steam Gala on Friday 31 October and Saturday and Sunday 1 & 2 November 2025 as we commemorate 200 Years of passenger carrying railways. There are four confirmed locomotives. GWR Castle Class 4079 'Pendennis Castle' The first ever Castle Class to take to our branch line, and will also be the most powerful steam locomotive to grace our railway. She was built at the GWR Swindon Works and completed on 4 March 1924. Pendennis Castle is without doubt a celebrity locomotive with its reigning superior in the LNER and GWR exchange trials, and not forgetting its famous stint in Australia with the legendary Flying Scotsman. GWR 66XX class 0-6-2 no.6695 6695 was completed at Armstrong Whitworth's Newcastle works in October 1928 and was given works number 983. During its working life it has been employed on suburban passenger services and used to haul freight and passenger trains It was withdrawn from service in July 1964, after completing more than 620,000 miles, and sold to Woodham's Scrapyard at Barry Island in South Wales. In May 1979 it was purchased by the 56XX Tank Group (from 1995 called the 6695 Locomotive Group). Since December 2019, the locomotive has been based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway and returned to steam in September 2022. USA Class 160 (6046) Built in Philadelphia, USA in 1945 and shipped in the early to mid 1940's to South Wales and dispatched from the Great Western Railway locomotive depot at Ebbw Junction, Newport. The locomotive spent the majority of its working life on industrial lines, before being withdrawn. We are delighted that this engine is also our resident steamer for the 2025 season. Sentinel 7109 'Joyce' Built in 1927 at the Sentinel Waggon Works, Shrewsbury, Joyce was ordered by Croydon Gasworks and gained the number 37 in their fleet. It was given the name Joyce after the daughter of Mr Sandeman, the chairman of Croydon Gas works where it operated for 32 years until 1960. The locomotive is unusual in having vertical water-tube boiler supplying transversely mounted cylinders that transmit power to the wheels via gears and chains. It's steam haulage at its best and with gradients like our 1-68 Chinnor Bank (and there's others, including quite an incline at the Princes Risborough end of the line), it will be a really very intensive 3-Days of Steam! This is only the second occasion that an all-steam Gala has been run over 3-days on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway and so please do make an advance note in your diary, or see below and book your tickets today! BRAKE VAN RIDES AT PRINCES RISBOROUGH: There will also be brake van rides at Princes Risborough: these will take place between steam departures and arrivals using our Sentinel 7109 'Joyce' brake van and hauled up and down by one or two brake vans for a authentic trip!brake van rides are included in the ticket price! Other attractions At Chinnor station there will be a visiting road steam Eddison roller engine 'Jenny' courtesy of Ali and Paul Green.
Royal Forest of Steam Saturday 1 November and Sunday 2 November 2025 Our signature Royal Forest of Steam Gala returns to finish our normal operating season for 2025. A weekend where home and visiting locomotives join to give you a fantastic opportunity to enjoy them in action against an autumnal Forest of Dean. Featuring visiting engines working alongside our home fleet with an intensive timetable, with multiple passenger trains in operation as well as the popular shuttles at Parkend station. Visiting engines and other attractions to be confirmed soon. Anticipated home fleet: 9681 WD 152 'Rennes' Uskmouth 1 Visitors: The Dean Forest Railway are pleased to announce the visit of BR Standard 2 No. 78019 for the 2025 Royal Forest of Steam Gala, courtesy of the Great Central Railway, Loughborough Standard Locomotives Group and the Charles Newton Trust. A small number of BR Standard 2s were based at Gloucester's Horton Road shed, and at least one of the class visited the Forest's lines in the latter days of steam. This marks the first visit of a BR Standard locomotive to the Dean Forest Railway, and we're looking forward to seeing the loco perfectly matched with our BR maroon stock as well as goods stock. More to be announced! Rail200 - British Rail's last mainline steam train ran in 1968, but the first preserved locomotives were already working on restored lines. Please note, prices shown are not yet confirmed and may be subject to change before the tickets are made available.
Autumn Steam Gala Friday 31 October, Saturday 1 November and Sunday 2 November 2025 Join us at the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway for an unforgettable Steam Gala on Friday 31 October and Saturday and Sunday 1 & 2 November 2025 as we commemorate 200 Years of passenger carrying railways. There are four confirmed locomotives. GWR Castle Class 4079 'Pendennis Castle' The first ever Castle Class to take to our branch line, and will also be the most powerful steam locomotive to grace our railway. She was built at the GWR Swindon Works and completed on 4 March 1924. Pendennis Castle is without doubt a celebrity locomotive with its reigning superior in the LNER and GWR exchange trials, and not forgetting its famous stint in Australia with the legendary Flying Scotsman. GWR 66XX class 0-6-2 no.6695 6695 was completed at Armstrong Whitworth's Newcastle works in October 1928 and was given works number 983. During its working life it has been employed on suburban passenger services and used to haul freight and passenger trains It was withdrawn from service in July 1964, after completing more than 620,000 miles, and sold to Woodham's Scrapyard at Barry Island in South Wales. In May 1979 it was purchased by the 56XX Tank Group (from 1995 called the 6695 Locomotive Group). Since December 2019, the locomotive has been based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway and returned to steam in September 2022. USA Class 160 (6046) Built in Philadelphia, USA in 1945 and shipped in the early to mid 1940's to South Wales and dispatched from the Great Western Railway locomotive depot at Ebbw Junction, Newport. The locomotive spent the majority of its working life on industrial lines, before being withdrawn. We are delighted that this engine is also our resident steamer for the 2025 season. Sentinel 7109 'Joyce' Built in 1927 at the Sentinel Waggon Works, Shrewsbury, Joyce was ordered by Croydon Gasworks and gained the number 37 in their fleet. It was given the name Joyce after the daughter of Mr Sandeman, the chairman of Croydon Gas works where it operated for 32 years until 1960. The locomotive is unusual in having vertical water-tube boiler supplying transversely mounted cylinders that transmit power to the wheels via gears and chains. It's steam haulage at its best and with gradients like our 1-68 Chinnor Bank (and there's others, including quite an incline at the Princes Risborough end of the line), it will be a really very intensive 3-Days of Steam! This is only the second occasion that an all-steam Gala has been run over 3-days on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway and so please do make an advance note in your diary, or see below and book your tickets today! BRAKE VAN RIDES AT PRINCES RISBOROUGH: There will also be brake van rides at Princes Risborough: these will take place between steam departures and arrivals using our Sentinel 7109 'Joyce' brake van and hauled up and down by one or two brake vans for a authentic trip!brake van rides are included in the ticket price! Other attractions At Chinnor station there will be a visiting road steam Eddison roller engine 'Jenny' courtesy of Ali and Paul Green.
Grand Gala Weekend 2026 Saturday 13 June and Sunday 14 June 2026 We're planning the BIGGEST Gala we've ever hosted - including visiting engines on our main railway.
Grand Gala Weekend 2026 Saturday 13 June and Sunday 14 June 2026 We're planning the BIGGEST Gala we've ever hosted - including visiting engines on our main railway.