A ‘guest’ locomotive has been secured for the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Diesel Gala & Beer Festival event over the three days of weekend from 30 August to 1 September.
The volunteers and staff of the Yorkshire Dales Railway Museum Trust, the owner and operator of the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, are delighted to have secured, courtesy of Eastern Rail Services, Class 31 locomotive No 31452, which will be visiting Embsay for the event. The locomotive has been at the line for several weeks, having originally been brought in for a private filming assignment.
The Class 31 locomotives were built for British Railways (BR) by Brush Traction at Loughborough between 1957 and 1962. Originally numbered D5500-D5699 and D5800-5862, they were one of the pilot scheme locomotives ordered by BR to replace steam.
No 31452 was built by Brush Traction at their Loughborough Works and entered service with BR in July 1961, originally numbered D5809. It was re-numbered as No 31279 in 1974 and, ten years later, as No 31452 following the fitting of electric train heating equipment.
After nearly 40 years in service with BR, No 31452 later worked for English, Welsh & Scottish Railways (EWS) after privatisation of the national railway network, before being one of four Class 31s purchased by Fragonset Railways (later FM Rail) in 1998. It later joined the fleet of Devon and Cornwall Railways (DCR), before passing to its current owners, Eastern Rail Service. No 31452 has recently been repainted into the former BR InterCity livery.
An intensive timetable will be in laid on, with services at regular intervals during each day. Three carriage sets will be in operation, and on-train breakfasts and lunches available on board during the day. In addition, the unique and only surviving LNER Thompson buffet car No 1706 will be working, with up to twenty-five real ales available on draught! An evening ‘Beer-Ex’ will also operate on the Friday and Saturday.
In addition, the Railway’s popular ‘Box Van Bar’ will be open all weekend at Embsay, whilst food and live music will also be available.
A free connecting bus service between Skipton railway station and Embsay will operate throughout the event.
Commercial Manager, Ryan Whitaker said:
“Following feedback received, this year we have decided to combine our annual Diesel Gala and Beer Festival events, which we are sure will be very popular.
"With the undoubted highlight being the visit of the Class 31, which is making its first visit to Embsay, the event will readily appeal to both the heritage diesel enthusiast and all those who enjoy real ale.”
In what is sure to be a popular event, tickets can now be booked via our dedicated website www.ebar.org.uk/beerfestival.
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