PRESS RELEASE

1 July 2025

Diesel Gala to evoke ‘sights & sounds' of bygone era of rail travel

A popular Teddy Bear and much-loved Thumper are amongst the special guests heading to the Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) this month for a three-day Gala, as part of Rail 200 marking two hundred years of passenger rail travel.

But these celebrity guests are not cuddly storybook characters: ‘Thumper' and ‘Teddy Bear' are actually the nicknames for two iconic and historic engines which will be part of a dynamic line-up for the multi-award-winning heritage railway's Diesel Gala, taking place on Friday 18th July, Saturday 19th July and Sunday 20th July.

 
Class 14 No. D9551 is affectionately known as a ‘Teddy Bear’ 
Photo: Gary Williams 
 
 

Thumper 1118 has a distinctive sound!
Photo: Nigel Remmington 

‘The Farmers Line: a Network SouthEast revival'will evoke the sights, sounds and spirit of mid-20th Century rail travel. And following last year's highly successful Diesel Gala, which saw hundreds of visitors and railway enthusiasts flock to the railway, this year's event promises an even richer blend of diesel traction, heritage celebration and unique hands-on experiences for all ages.

The Gala theme takes inspiration from the K&ESR's original nickname and ‘The Farmer's Train' - a poem written by Hugh Bevan, illustrated by Rowland Emett and published in Punch in 1946 - to embrace the nostalgia of a by-gone era of rail travel in the Weald.

Four visiting locomotives from across the country will join members of the K&ESR's home fleet to provide an intensive service timetable between Tenterden and Bodiam throughout the weekend, with a special locomotive cavalcade on Sunday morning travelling from Rolvenden to Tenterden Town Station.

The Gala will also see the first ever visit by a Class 50 Diesel Locomotive No. 50017 ‘Royal Oak' - courtesy of the Great Central Railway - to the K&ESR. This will be the most powerful locomotive ever to operate on the heritage line.
 

Further highlights throughout the weekend will include:-
 

• Two Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear' locomotives working together. The affectionate nickname hails from the time of their manufacture in Swindonwhere the works foreman quipped: "We've built The Great Bear, now we're going to build a 'Teddy Bear'!"

• Class 73 Electro-Diesel E6040hauling the Class 205 ‘Thumper'. Thumper gained its nickname for its distinctive sound in operation
• A freight train with brake van rides
• Cab visits at Bodiam Station
• ‘Drive for a Tenner' experiences at Tenterden
• Symbolic painting of a red lamp post and the official unveiling of a ‘Farmer's Line' Network SouthEast-inspired logo for the Kent & East Sussex Railway

Two active restoration projects involving pre-nationalisation era locomotives will also be on display: GWR Railcar No.20 - one of the only examples left in preservation - and Ford Diesel Shunter No.1 which was the first diesel electric locomotive built in the UK in 1931.

A Saturday evening service will enable visitors to enjoy the railway into the twilight. A Real Ale Bar will be available on selected services, with an additional bar located inside the Class 108 DMU at Bodiam Station.

In terms of getting to Tenterden, a heritage bus link to Headcorn Station (on the South Eastern main line) will operate on all days, including on Saturday evening, providing convenient connections to regular train services.

Jack Marlow, Gala Joint-Organiser, said:

"We've worked hard to create a weekend that not only showcases an impressive and diverse line-up of diesel traction action, but one that also tells a deeper story about the heritage of the line and the evolution of British rail travel.

"Whether you're a seasoned enthusiast, nostalgic about the era, curious about rail history or just looking for a great day out, there'll be something for everyone — from mainline heritage to hands-on activities and immersive touches like the lamp post ceremony and our ‘Farmer's Line' identity. We're really looking forward to welcoming visitors on board."

For more information, timetables and tickets visit: www.kesr.org.uk

-ends-

For further information please contact:

Alison Miles, Press Officer, K&ESR

amiles@kesr.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Visiting Locomotives

Class 50 No. 50017 ‘Royal Oak' (courtesy of the Great Central Railway)

Currently bearing striking Network South East livery, this locomotive spans a total of 68 feet and will be the longest Diesel locomotive ever to visit the Kent & East Sussex Railway. ‘Royal Oak is part of a class of diesel locomotives which went into service during 1967 and 1968. They were designed to haul express passenger trains at 100mph, so the 25mph speed limit on the K&ESR will not be an issue for this powerhouse! 50017 entered service in April 1968 as D417 and was renumbered 50017 in 1973 before receiving the name ‘Royal Oak' in 1978. The loco enjoyed a 23-year BR career before being withdrawn in 1991.

Class 73 Electro-Diesel E6040 (courtesy of the Bluebell Railway)

Built at the Vulcan Foundry in 1966, Class 73 E6040 was one of the first bi-mode locomotives in railway service. This class was unusual because they could operate both on the Southern Region's 650V / 750V third rail power supply, and use an onboard diesel engine to run on non-electrified routes. However, the lower power produced by the diesel engine vs the third rail power meant they were rarely used outside of the BR Southern Region. They were unique on the network from 1977 until a new bi-mode model - the Class 88 - arrived in 2017. Originally numbered73133,E6040 was named The Bluebell railway in 1990, It narrowly escaped being scrapped in 2004, returning to the main line in 2013after being used as a shunter at Bournemouth Depot and then the Eastleigh Works. It was privately purchased by a member of the Bluebell Railway's locomotive department in 2022, refurbished by the owner and moved permanently to the Bluebell.
 

Class 14 No. D9551 ‘Teddy Bear' (courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway)

D9551 was one of the final batch of Class 14s to be produced. It entered BR service in September 1965 at Cardiff Canton, worked through BR service for two years and seven months before being withdrawn from BR. After this ‘51' got sold to Stewarts & Lloyds Minerals Ltd.  D9551 was acquired in December 1968 and was one of those allocated to Corby. It initially became S&L No. 29 and was subsequently repainted into BSC green livery and renumbered as BSC No. 50. It remained in service until early 1981. D9551 was purchased for preservation in 1981 and went to the WSR. In 2003 ‘51' moved to the Royal Deeside Railway, in 2013 D9551 was sold to the Severn Valley Railway Class 14 Diesel Group, which later became the SVR Class 14 Company Limited, D9551 re-entered service hauling passengers for the first time on 18 May 2017.

Class 205 No. 1118 ‘Thumper' (courtesy of Nigel Remington)

Originally built at Eastleigh Works, Unit 1118 formed part of the pioneering 2H sets that revolutionised non-electrified regional services in Hampshire and later the wider Southern network. Entering service in 1957, it was fitted with an English Electric 4SRKT engine producing a unique growl that earned these locomotives the nickname Thumpers. The Class 205s went on to serve for nearly half a century from Portsmouth and Salisbury to Hastings, Ashford, and beyond. This particular unit now runs in preserved form with power car 60117 and driving trailer 60828 - the latter having been rebuilt following the tragic Cowden crash in 1994.

Home Fleet Locomotives

• BR Class 03 D2023 - Courtesy of Tenterden Railway Equipment & Traction Company Ltd
• BR Class 08 08359 - Courtesy of The Diesel Electric Shunter Company Ltd
• BR Class 14 D9504 ‘Jon Grimwood' (aka a ‘Teddy Bear') - Courtesy of Tenterden Railway Equipment & Traction Company Ltd
• BR Class 20 20087 ‘Reginald T Latham' - Courtesy of Road & Rail Steam Services
• Ruston No.1