The Diesel Gala at The Kent & East Sussex Railway will see British Rail Class 205 ‘Thumper’ Unit 1118 taking part.
Thanks to Nigel Remmington, the unit will be joining the gala, which runs from the 18th to the 20th of July 2025.
It will join Class 50 No. 50017 ‘Royal Oak’ in its Network SouthEast livery for the gala to create a powerful Southern theme.
Unit 1118 was built in Eastleight Works and formed part of the pioneering 2H sets, which were revolutionary for non-electrified regional services.
The locomotive gets its nickname of ‘Thumper’ from the English Electric 4SRKT engine, which makes a unique growl.
Together, these two locomotives create a powerful Southern theme for this year’s event – a nostalgic celebration of the sights, sounds, and spirit of post-war Southern Region traction.
The unit now runs in preserved form with power car 60117 and driving trailer 60828.
The Diesel Gala at the railway will see a busy schedule of diesel services, featuring model displays, cab rides and trade stands.
The strong Southern focus will be great for fans of any age and can witness the charm and legacy which shaped the post-steam era.
A third visitor will be announced for the Gala in due course. Additional details on the Gala and ticket booking can be found on The Kent & East Sussex Railway’s website.
“It’s hard to overstate the appeal of the Thumpers. They’re utterly distinctive – the sound, the look, the memories. Unit 1118 was one of the very first, entering service in 1957, and if the K&ESR had remained open under British Railways, it’s almost certain a Thumper would have been seen here. So this is a rare chance to rewrite history for one weekend.”
Jack Marlow, one of the Diesel Gala organisers
Responses
Would a 2H or even an Ovted line 3D have run o the KESR? It is possible that a complete Hastings unit might have made it on to the KESR, or else a Restriction 0 two-car variant would have needed to be created in order to reach Robertsbridge via Hastinds or via Tonbridge, or else the closed section of the KESR would have needed to be reopened through to Headcorn in order for a 2H to access the KESR via Ashford.