This August Bank Holiday weekend, 29th
to 31st August 2009, the South Devon Railway hosts its Rails
and Ales gala event.
On the railway front, seven locomotives will be in
use. A special train service will be in operation on all three days, with extra
trains running between Buckfastleigh and Staverton to connect with the Real Ale
Festival being held at this idyllic former Great Western Railway country branch
line station.
There will be over 25 different ales and ciders during
the three-day event. Some of the local brews will be familiar, whilst others
such as Well Blathered, Pressed Rat & Worthog, and BG Sips will be less so,
coming from breweries whose ales are not regularly seen in Devon. Also expected
on sale will be Bulliver and Celebration Ale. Both are normally only available
as bottled beers and are brewed specially by Red Rock. Bulliver Ale is named
after the train that once plied its trade between Totnes and Buckfastleigh and
on to the former branch terminus at Ashburton. Celebration Ale has been brewed
to mark the railway's 40th anniversary this year.
There will also be a range of traditional ciders on
sale, plus soft drinks.
Saturday will see a mix of steam and diesel traction
hauling passenger trains along the branch. Small prairie tank locomotive 5526
will be in use working a number of auto trains, which will be formed of just a
single trailer car. The main train will be hauled by former Great Western
Railway heavy freight locomotive 3803, whilst the 1950s carmine and cream
liveried set will be hauled by both English Electric Type 3 diesel D6737 and
former Great Western pannier tank 5786, which has recently been returned to its
1950s black livery.
On Saturday evening a special Pie and Mash train will
depart from Buckfastleigh at 7pm. Passengers will be served with a pie and mash
supper, whilst on the return run the train will make an extended stop at
Staverton for passengers to visit the Real Ale Festival. For further details of
this train, and how to book, please email us.
On Sunday and Monday 5526 will again be used to work
auto services, with 3803 and 5786 working the remaining steam hauled services.
1369 will be in steam at Buckfastleigh and will undertake station pilot duties,
and recalling the scenes at many stations and yards of yesteryear it will be
coupled to the former Great Western Railway shunters truck. A special freight
train will operate between Staverton and Buckfastleigh on Sunday and 1369 will
be used to shunt the wagons from this train. There will be one diesel hauled
passenger service on both days hauled by Sulzer Type 2 D7612. On Monday evening,
D6737 will attach to D7612 at Staverton, the final train being double-headed by
the two green diesels.
