The Swanage Railway is set to come alive on Saturday, 9 May, with its much-loved Diesel Gala and Beer Festival, drawing enthusiasts and day-trippers alike to the Dorset coast.

Travelling aboard The Dorset Coast Explorer, hauled by a Class 73, passengers can alight straight into the event.

A diverse line-up of resident and visiting locomotives is to be expected, along with a festival atmosphere stretching across the line, with the popular Beer Festival hosted at Corfe Castle.

With boarding available from stations including Derby, Leicester, Bedford, and Watford Junction, the journey itself is part of the experience.

Passengers can alight at Bournemouth, Swanage (for the Gala and Beer Festival), or Weymouth for a memorable day combining mainline rail travel with one of the heritage calendar’s standout diesel celebrations.