Crowds enjoy “best ever” diesel gala

‘Clive’ from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway (the only 03 to have carried NSE livery in its working life) was certainly a well received, if unusual, addition to the gala.  It was giving brake van rides around the station and sidings at Horsted Keynes, sometimes using the Queen Mary brake can, and at other times, to provide greater capacity, the Bluebell’s 1913-built LNWR Observation Car.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2026 Diesel Gala and helped make it such a memorable few days. From the first arrival to the final departure, it was fantastic to see so many of you enjoying the railway, our visiting locomotives and everything the gala had to offer.

Our heartfelt thanks go to every volunteer, members of staff, gala crews, operations team, station staff, catering, retail, photographers, event organisers and everyone else who worked tirelessly before, during and after the gala to make it all possible.

Whether you were working long days behind the scenes, preparing locomotives, keeping trains running, welcoming visitors, serving refreshments, selling merchandise or simply helping wherever needed – we couldn’t have done it without you.

And, of course, thank you to our fantastic visiting locomotive crews and everyone who brought our 2026 Diesel Gala to life.

Most of all, thank you to our visitors for coming along, supporting the railway and making the weekend so special.

We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Thank you for making Diesel Gala 2026 one to remember!  We are especially gratified to have received many comments along the lines that this was the best diesel gala people had ever attended, anywhere!