Watercress Line's Autumn Steam Gala: a look back

The Watercress Line's Autumn Steam Gala has come and gone, so it is not one to plan your weekend around. The event, also billed as the Autumn Steam Spectacular, ran from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 October at the Mid-Hants Railway in Hampshire, with the gates open from 9am to 6pm each day. If you missed it, it is worth knowing what was on offer, if only to gauge what to look out for at the next one.

The heart of the gala was three days of steam displays and unlimited rides behind visiting locomotives and the Watercress Line's own fleet, running an improved timetable along the historic 10-mile route between New Alresford and Alton. Visitors could explore all four stations, take Brake Van rides, see restoration projects and attend talks and exhibits. The whole thing was set up to recreate a Southern and Great Western railway hub: Southern locomotives started the day at Alton, Great Western engines worked out of Alresford, and mainline, inter-regional and branch-shuttle services appeared throughout the day.

The visiting line-up was the real draw. The first to arrive was Ivatt Class 2MT 41313 from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, a 2-6-2 tank engine designed by George Ivatt for the LMS in 1946, with 130 of the class eventually built. It is the sister locomotive of the Watercress Line's own 41312 and was scheduled to make its final gala appearance before being withdrawn for overhaul. Joining it were GWR Heavy Freight Tank 4247 from the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway, built at Swindon in 1916 and hauled during the gala by 30506 and 46447; 6989 Wightwick Hall from the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, a BR Western Region 4-6-0 5MT rescued from the Barry scrapyard in January 1978 and restored over more than four decades; 46447 from the East Somerset Railway, an Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 tender locomotive withdrawn in 1966 and rescued from Woodham Brothers' scrapyard, which returned to service in 2014 after a 48-year absence; 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, one of 35 Class A4 LNERs built at Doncaster in October 1937, which holds the post-war steam speed record of 112 mph set in 1959; and 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair from the Bluebell Railway, a Battle of Britain-class locomotive withdrawn in October 2011 and returned to service in November 2023.

At home, 41312 and 30506, the LSWR Urie S15 Class "506", did the heavy lifting, with 30506 returning to traffic in a new repaint and livery as the first preserved S15 to carry an early crest. 35005 Canadian Pacific and 850 SR Lord Nelson were on static display in Ropley yard. The daily programme included an Ivatt triple-header, "Moving the Goods" freight demonstrations, unlimited miniature-railway rides and free guided tours of the Engineering Works at Ropley. A free Behind the Scenes Tour, included with a gala ticket, gave access to the locomotive and rolling-stock restoration and maintenance workshops, though it was unsuitable for wheelchair users and required climbing stairs and walking over uneven surfaces.

For the more adventurous, the 1788 Kilmersdon Driver Experience ran in Ropley yard from 10.30am to 3pm each day, where over-18s could drive Kilmersdon for about five to seven minutes at £20 a go, pre-booked alongside a gala ticket. Food and refreshments were available at the West Country Buffet at Alresford, the T-Junction at Ropley and the Kiosk at Alton, with gift shops at Alresford and Ropley. Parking was free in the field at Ropley, with paid, monitored parking at Alresford and Alton.