Summer diesel gala - June 13th - 14th 2009
On Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June, the South Devon Railway will be continuing its landmark 40th anniversary year by hosting a slightly more unusual event that showcases diesel traction from over the last half century. Instead of the normal steam hauled services, the SDR plans to operate five former mainline diesel locomotives along with two types of diesel multiple unit, most of which date back to the 1960s. During the 40 years that the line between Buckfastleigh and Totnes has been operated as a heritage railway, there have been many changes on the national rail system. Most of the diesel locomotives that were hauling trains over the British Railways network in 1969 when the Buckfastleigh to Totnes line re-opened, have now been withdrawn and replaced by modern high-speed units. Many of these older diesel locomotives - which usurped steam in the late 1960s - are themselves now over 50 years old. The summer diesel gala will provide visitors the chance to see and ride behind heritage diesel locomotives that represent railway scenes of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. Locomotives appearing include the Devon Diesel Society’s English Electric Type 3 No. D6737. Prior to arrival on the South Devon Railway in 2004, this locomotive last operated in France hauling construction trains in connection with the building of the new high-speed rail network. D6737 carries the early British Railways green livery. Also appearing in early British Railways green livery will be the three-car Class 127 Diesel Multiple Unit which worked commuter services over the Midland mainline between London St.Pancras and Bedford. Sulzer Type 2 D7612 represents a type of loco that was once an everyday sight in the South West, the class being used on many local passenger trains, and freight workings. By the 1970s, British Railways had evolved to become British Rail and a new corporate image had been adopted. Diesel locomotives were all painted into the “house” livery of rail blue with full yellow ends. Class 20, 20 110 will represent this era during the gala. Class sister, 20 118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea has been restored into the 1980s/90s grey livery of Railfreight. The class 20s were built in 1962 and represent one of the earliest designs that goes back to the British Railways Modernisation Plan of the early 1950s. |
D6737 at Staverton
The final diesel locomotive to appear over the weekend event will be South Devon Diesel Traction’s newly restored Class 33. Named Sea King, 33 002 has been the subject of a five year rebuild. The diesel line-up will be completed by a second DMU. Class 122 No.55000 is a single car unit that is affectionately known as the ‘Bubblecar’. No. 55000 has strong connections with the West Country and was used in the 1960s on such lines as those to Brixham and Kingsbridge. Although most services are diesel worked during the course of the two-day event, on the Sunday two round trips will be operated by steam power. These services will be worked locomotive 5526 and the popular ‘Auto Train’.
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