Following another successful year of diesel operations on the South Devon Railway, the final public outing for the resident fleet of heritage traction takes place on Saturday 4th November.

The one-day Autumn Diesel gala will feature five locomotives and a D.M.U on passenger workings. 

Class 04, D2246 will be making its first public runs in a year. During the past twelve months the loco has been out of service for attention to oil leaks from the fluid coupling. These have now been cured and the loco was restarted at the end of September. Several other maintenance tasks have been completed whilst the loco has been out of traffic. During the gala D2246, which celebrates its 50th birthday in December, will haul three passenger services over the full length of the line. It will also be used to work a 1960’s era ballast train between Buckfastleigh and Staverton in the afternoon. 

Class 20’s, 20 110 & 20 118 will be running in multiple throughout the gala. 20 118 will only have arrived back on the SDR in the week leading up to the gala following its summer loan to the Spa Valley Railway. 

Class 25, D7612 has recently been repainted into the popular and attractive two-tone green livery. D7612 will haul six passenger services during the day and will also make an early morning run with the 1960’s era ballast train.

Class 37, 37 321 will work five passenger services during the day. Recently repainted into large logo livery, this loco continues to prove very popular with visitors.

Class 127 D.M.U. Following recent repair work the 3-car Diesel Multiple Unit will be making its first public runs under its own power for nearly a year. External repainting of the unit is being progressed slowly by the owners hence the various differing shades of green at present carried.

Passenger services commence at 09.00 with 10 or 11 round trips over the full line being planned. The actual number depends on the possible running of a private charter in the late afternoon. This still has to be confirmed and the working timetable has been compiled to show it running if required. 

In addition to the full line trips the D.M.U will also make a couple of shorter runs between Buckfastleigh and Staverton.