Grand Steam Gala and Vintage Transport Rally 11th-13th September 2009 - Visitor Information

The Swanage Railway's Grand Steam Gala and Vintage Transport Rally, 11th-13th September 2009, offers a weekend of glorious steam with all our engines in action, plus the Vintage Transport Rally at Harman's Cross.

The Swanage Folk festival is also running over the same weekend.

Special Event travel tickets will also include Vintage Transport Rally admission. Full details including timetables are now available to view or download on this page.

Grand Steam Gala 11th-13th September 2009 Visitor Brochure

Our fully illustrated Steam Gala Visitor Brochure is now available for FREE download here

Our star attraction this year is the visit to the Swanage Railway by the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust's Ex-S.D.J.R. '7F' 2-8-0, No. 88, seen here at Bishops Lydeard on the West Somerset Railway - Photo by Roger Stronell. The West Somerset Railway has hired No 53808 from the Trust on a "full repairing contract" from 1st May 1998 until 30th April 2020, whereupon the locomotive will be returned to the S&DRT in full working order.

All our resident locomotives will be in steam

Herston Works will be open Friday-Sunday from 10am until 3pm.

Intensive timetable including double-heading, freight trains and "Beyond Norden" (There will be a small supplement of £5 payable for this unique opportunity to see the Swanage Railway beyond Norden station towards Wareham.)

FREE Gala Bus Service (Wareham-Norden Shuttle) 11th & 12th September 2009

The timetable for the FREE Gala Bus Service (Wareham-Norden Shuttle) serving the Steam Gala on the Friday and Saturday is now available for download here or scroll to the bottom of this page to see it displayed there.

This is FREE service provided by the Swanage Railway this year for visitors to our Gala - but of course our we would welcome any voluntary donations if you find it useful.

Vintage Transport Rally at Harman's Cross. 11th-13th September 2009

Vintage Transport Rally 11th-13th September 2009, admission 9am - 5pm each day. at Haycrafts Lane, off A351, Harman's Cross, Swanage BH19 3EB

Entrance Adults £2.50, OAP £2.00 children free
(Entrance included in Swanage Railway Special Event travel tickets)

Go back in time with

• Vintage motor cycles
• Vintage & classic cars
• Commercial vehicles
• Tractors
• Stationary engines
• Stalls
• Catering
• Bar & Music (See downloadable poster for details: Stepping Out on Friday, Buddies Duo on Saturday, and The Original Plonkers playing Saturday & Sunday afternoon)

Swanage Folk Festival

The Swanage Folk Festival is also on during this event. Follow the link to www.swanagefolkfestival.co.uk for more information.

Wessex Belle Bistro running Friday and Saturday. (Wessex Belle Bistro bookings now open)

Singer Bram Taylor will be performing on our trains 12th September 2009

Singer Bram Taylor will be performing on our trains as part of Swanage Folk Festival on 12th September . Bram is performing on Saturday 12th September on the 18.45 ex Swanage and 20.48 ex-Norden to Swanage. This is the train that goes "Beyond Norden". A £5 supplement is chargeable for the Norden to Motala section of this service for those who remain on the train. Otherwise there is no entrance fee for the performance, just a valid standard or special event train ticket. See www.bramtaylor.com for more information on Bram.