Jonathan's Gen . uk | Railtours, Preserved Railway Events, Ferries and Service Trains Gen List

Didcot Railway Centre events
There are 7 entries

Sat 23 May 2026 Didcot Railway Centre (Heritage Line Event) More...
- Heritage in Motion - featuring LBSCR H2-Class Atlantic No 32424 'Beachy Head' 23-25 May 2026 Unlimited steam train rides. Explore our living museum and experience 200 years of railway heritage Join us this bank holiday weekend as we welcome LBSCR H2-Class Atlantic No 32424 'Beachy Head' to Didcot Railway Centre. This is her maiden voyage to a heritage railway since restoration and is with kind thanks to The Bluebell Railway Trust. You'll have a rare chance to see her in an original engine shed environment - a true lost classic returned. This magnificent locomotive is the result of a project to reconstruct a Brighton H2 Atlantic based on SR/BR period 'Beachy Head'. It is based around a suitable boiler, and includes various other original H2 components given to the project, including the locomotive's original regulator handle and whistle, and a class identification plate. The locomotive was launched into service on the Bluebell on 18 August 2024, the culmination of 24 years work by a dedicated team of engineers, fundraisers and supporters. The decision to recreate this locomotive, enabled by the discovery of an ex-GNR Atlantic boiler (essentially identical to that used on the H2) in superb condition in a factory in Essex in 1986, is due to the significance of this particular locomotive to the Bluebell itself. It was: * an iconic Brighton express locomotive; * the very last Atlantic running in BR service; * used on many railtours in the 1950s, including several over the Bluebell line; This loco's scrapping in 1958 led Brighton enthusiasts to realise that action was required to save something of the history of the LB&SCR before it was too late, and led to the first meeting of what became the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society in 1959. With our 'heritage in motion' theme, we also hope to have lots more gems of preservation to excite you, and if it moves, we want you to see it moving! Whilst we can't guarantee all of these, a mix of the following will be available on each day:- * Wickham Trolley * Pump Trolley * Demonstrations of our wheel drop in action * Demonstrations of our 50 ton hoist * Use of the Coal Stage * Use of our traverser * Use of our turntable * The chance to see inside our travelling post office at close range

Sun 24 May 2026 Didcot Railway Centre (Heritage Line Event) More...
- Heritage in Motion - featuring LBSCR H2-Class Atlantic No 32424 'Beachy Head' 23-25 May 2026 Unlimited steam train rides. Explore our living museum and experience 200 years of railway heritage Join us this bank holiday weekend as we welcome LBSCR H2-Class Atlantic No 32424 'Beachy Head' to Didcot Railway Centre. This is her maiden voyage to a heritage railway since restoration and is with kind thanks to The Bluebell Railway Trust. You'll have a rare chance to see her in an original engine shed environment - a true lost classic returned. This magnificent locomotive is the result of a project to reconstruct a Brighton H2 Atlantic based on SR/BR period 'Beachy Head'. It is based around a suitable boiler, and includes various other original H2 components given to the project, including the locomotive's original regulator handle and whistle, and a class identification plate. The locomotive was launched into service on the Bluebell on 18 August 2024, the culmination of 24 years work by a dedicated team of engineers, fundraisers and supporters. The decision to recreate this locomotive, enabled by the discovery of an ex-GNR Atlantic boiler (essentially identical to that used on the H2) in superb condition in a factory in Essex in 1986, is due to the significance of this particular locomotive to the Bluebell itself. It was: * an iconic Brighton express locomotive; * the very last Atlantic running in BR service; * used on many railtours in the 1950s, including several over the Bluebell line; This loco's scrapping in 1958 led Brighton enthusiasts to realise that action was required to save something of the history of the LB&SCR before it was too late, and led to the first meeting of what became the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society in 1959. With our 'heritage in motion' theme, we also hope to have lots more gems of preservation to excite you, and if it moves, we want you to see it moving! Whilst we can't guarantee all of these, a mix of the following will be available on each day:- * Wickham Trolley * Pump Trolley * Demonstrations of our wheel drop in action * Demonstrations of our 50 ton hoist * Use of the Coal Stage * Use of our traverser * Use of our turntable * The chance to see inside our travelling post office at close range

Mon 25 May 2026 Didcot Railway Centre (Heritage Line Event) More...
- Heritage in Motion - featuring LBSCR H2-Class Atlantic No 32424 'Beachy Head' 23-25 May 2026 Unlimited steam train rides. Explore our living museum and experience 200 years of railway heritage Join us this bank holiday weekend as we welcome LBSCR H2-Class Atlantic No 32424 'Beachy Head' to Didcot Railway Centre. This is her maiden voyage to a heritage railway since restoration and is with kind thanks to The Bluebell Railway Trust. You'll have a rare chance to see her in an original engine shed environment - a true lost classic returned. This magnificent locomotive is the result of a project to reconstruct a Brighton H2 Atlantic based on SR/BR period 'Beachy Head'. It is based around a suitable boiler, and includes various other original H2 components given to the project, including the locomotive's original regulator handle and whistle, and a class identification plate. The locomotive was launched into service on the Bluebell on 18 August 2024, the culmination of 24 years work by a dedicated team of engineers, fundraisers and supporters. The decision to recreate this locomotive, enabled by the discovery of an ex-GNR Atlantic boiler (essentially identical to that used on the H2) in superb condition in a factory in Essex in 1986, is due to the significance of this particular locomotive to the Bluebell itself. It was: * an iconic Brighton express locomotive; * the very last Atlantic running in BR service; * used on many railtours in the 1950s, including several over the Bluebell line; This loco's scrapping in 1958 led Brighton enthusiasts to realise that action was required to save something of the history of the LB&SCR before it was too late, and led to the first meeting of what became the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society in 1959. With our 'heritage in motion' theme, we also hope to have lots more gems of preservation to excite you, and if it moves, we want you to see it moving! Whilst we can't guarantee all of these, a mix of the following will be available on each day:- * Wickham Trolley * Pump Trolley * Demonstrations of our wheel drop in action * Demonstrations of our 50 ton hoist * Use of the Coal Stage * Use of our traverser * Use of our turntable * The chance to see inside our travelling post office at close range

Fri 29 May 2026 Didcot Railway Centre (Heritage Line Event) More...
- National Biscuit Day 29 May 2026 Celebrate National Biscuit Day with us at Didcot Railway Centre! Free Biscuits! We do love a biscuit and if you think there's something missing in life, it's almost always a biscuit! Did you even know there was a National Biscuit Day? We did, and steam engines were a vital part of the history of this British staple, transporting most of the output by rail. The biscuit came from the need for something nutritious and long-lasting and over time this eventually led to the baking of foods for a more reliable longer lasting source of food, which were vital for the military. Doctors also recommended that biscuits be eaten daily for sustenance to avoid illness. Bakers tried to create the hardest biscuits possible because over time they naturally go soft. When baked hard, biscuits could be stored for years without spoiling as long as they were kept dry. It was Huntley & Palmers who, in 1831, invented the decorative biscuit tin and this meant biscuits could be distributed all over the world. By 1900, Huntley & Palmers biscuits had been sold in 172 countries, demonstrating their global reach. They really led the way and now each country has its own national biscuit treasures. With our friends from Reading Museum, we have a display of many rare and interesting artefacts from their vast collection for you to see, including two of the rare surviving hard biscuits that would have been taken to the front line. As you'll be able to see, these were actually quite inedible and often used to hold photographs of loved ones! See a beautiful replica headboard on our excursion train and take our biscuit trail, discovering fascinating facts about Huntley and Palmers along the way. Plus - free biscuits for all! Travel back in time to the golden age of the Great Western Railway and savour the sights, sounds and smells of steam as you explore this 21-acre living museum with trains dating from Victorian times to the 1960s.

Fri 11 Sep 2026 Didcot Railway Centre (Steam Gala) More...
- Autumn Steam Gala 11-13 September 2026 Join us for a multi engine event, with tours of some of our normally closed areas Buy tickets We're yet to announce what will join us for our steam gala this year, but no doubt we will have something special for you in due course! Check back to see what we have coming soon! Join us for an exciting weekend and celebrate steam with this multi-engine event. See autotrain operations, freight trains, shunting demonstrations, plus tours of our workshop areas, usually closed to the public. See some of the features of our site in operation, including our signal box, traverser, turntable and coal stage. This is a great way to travel back in time to the golden age of the Great Western Railway and savour the sights, sounds and smells of steam as you explore this 24-acre living museum with trains dating from Victorian times to the 1960s. Steam trains will be operating on both demonstration lines, allowing you to take unlimited rides. Check our Locomotive Roster to see what we expect to be running on the date of your visit.

Sat 12 Sep 2026 Didcot Railway Centre (Steam Gala) More...
- Autumn Steam Gala 11-13 September 2026 Join us for a multi engine event, with tours of some of our normally closed areas Buy tickets We're yet to announce what will join us for our steam gala this year, but no doubt we will have something special for you in due course! Check back to see what we have coming soon! Join us for an exciting weekend and celebrate steam with this multi-engine event. See autotrain operations, freight trains, shunting demonstrations, plus tours of our workshop areas, usually closed to the public. See some of the features of our site in operation, including our signal box, traverser, turntable and coal stage. This is a great way to travel back in time to the golden age of the Great Western Railway and savour the sights, sounds and smells of steam as you explore this 24-acre living museum with trains dating from Victorian times to the 1960s. Steam trains will be operating on both demonstration lines, allowing you to take unlimited rides. Check our Locomotive Roster to see what we expect to be running on the date of your visit.

Sun 13 Sep 2026 Didcot Railway Centre (Steam Gala) More...
- Autumn Steam Gala 11-13 September 2026 Join us for a multi engine event, with tours of some of our normally closed areas Buy tickets We're yet to announce what will join us for our steam gala this year, but no doubt we will have something special for you in due course! Check back to see what we have coming soon! Join us for an exciting weekend and celebrate steam with this multi-engine event. See autotrain operations, freight trains, shunting demonstrations, plus tours of our workshop areas, usually closed to the public. See some of the features of our site in operation, including our signal box, traverser, turntable and coal stage. This is a great way to travel back in time to the golden age of the Great Western Railway and savour the sights, sounds and smells of steam as you explore this 24-acre living museum with trains dating from Victorian times to the 1960s. Steam trains will be operating on both demonstration lines, allowing you to take unlimited rides. Check our Locomotive Roster to see what we expect to be running on the date of your visit.