The South Devon Railway will welcome one of the most powerful locomotives in the country for its Diesel Gala on the 9th of November 2024.
A Devon and Cornwall Railways (DCRail) Class 60 locomotive will take a break from hauling 2,400 tonne trains to HS2 construction sites to appear on passenger trains alongside the South Devon Railway’s own fleet of restored 1950 and 1960s diesels. The 130-tonne locomotive will bring a modern twist to the preserved Great Western Railway branch line running between Totnes and Buckfastleigh.
David Fletcher, Group Rail Director at Cappagh said ‘’The South Devon Railway plays an important role in preserving the railway heritage of Devon and through DCRail we are very pleased to be able to support the Diesel Gala. The DCRail fleet of Class 60 locomotives currently haul over 18,000 tonnes of limestone each week for use in the construction of the new High-Speed line being built between London and Birmingham. The use of rail brings significant environmental benefits with the DCRail trains removing 720 loaded lorries from the roads each week. We look forward to seeing the locomotive operating at the gala and hope visitors enjoy the rare opportunity to travel behind a DCRail Class 60.’’
The Class 60 locomotives are affectionately known as mountain movers due to the power available to haul the heaviest freight trains. Many of the Class 60 locomotives were appropriately named after the highest peaks in the UK and, subject to operational requirements, DCRail is planning to send Class 60 locomotive no. 60029 ‘Ben Nevis’. This will be the first occasion that ‘Ben Nevis’ has hauled a passenger train since 2003 and its first appearance at a heritage railway, so the visit is expected to draw visitors from across the country, bringing a welcome end of season boost for the South Devon Railway.
Ernest Elsworth-Wilson, General Manager at South Devon Railway said “We are delighted to be able to welcome the first ever Class 60 to the SDR, providing a unique opportunity for passengers to travel behind this locomotive. This is the first diesel gala at our railway since 2019 and will therefore provide a rare opportunity to travel behind the preserved diesel locomotives based on the line, including Class 04. Class 25 and Class 33, which will be operating in addition to the Class 60. We are very grateful to Devon and Cornwall Railways for supporting our event, and we hope the day will prove popular.”
Tickets for the event are on sale now, including early-bird saver tickets which are only available to purchase until 2nd November. Further information can be found at https://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/visit-us/whats-on/diesel-gala/
Note to Editors: Devon and Cornwall Railways (DCRail) is a national freight operator and part of the Cappagh Group of Companies, which specialises in providing civil engineering, material supply and transport solutions for infrastructure, construction and utility projects. With a customer base of some of the UKs biggest users of rail freight, DCRail focuses on bulk freight markets such as aggregates, industrial minerals and construction soils. DCRail has a developing network of rail freight facilities and its innovative supply chain solutions have been recognised by four industry awards for excellence in recent years.
South Devon Railway, a 7-mile heritage railway running between Buckfastleigh and Totnes along the valley of the River Dart, is operated by South Devon Railway Limited, a Charitable Community Benefit Society. The line celebrated 50 years of preservation in 2019, and the 150th anniversary of it opening as a railway in 2022. It is amongst the most well-established heritage railways in the UK.
Please note: The appearance of all locomotives, including the Class 60, at the gala is subject to availability and operational requirements.
60029 “Ben Nevis” seen at Wimbledon with a construction train. Photo courtesy of DCRail.
