THOUSANDS of people are expected to flock to Swanage Railway’s looming Diesel Gala and associated Dorset Beer Festival.

The three-day event, starting Friday, includes rail services between Swanage and Norden Park & Ride, with all trains hauled by visiting diesels or locomotives based at Swanage Railway.

Rail enthusiasts have the chance to see 11 classic diesel locomotives in action.

Meanwhile, the beer festival, also running for the same three days, takes place at Corfe Castle’s Bankes Arms pub and boasts live music, a hog roast and around 50 ales to chose from. As a gala prelude and marking quarter of a century since the end of ‘push-pull’ slam door trains, a special Swanage Railway event takes place on Thursday.

One of Swanage Railway’s 1960s-built locomotives is set to haul six trains between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Norden.

This month marks the 25th anniversary of the end of Class 33-powered slam door 4TC carriage stock ‘push-pull’ trains between Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and Weymouth.

Swanage Railway Company chairman Peter Sills, pictured right, said: “The push-pull trains were designed so the Class 33 diesel locomotive didn’t need to uncouple from the 4TC carriage sets at the end of each journey – reducing turnaround times.

“The Class 33 locomotives pulled the 4TC carriage sets in one direction and then pushed them back in the other, with the driver controlling the locomotive from a small cab in the front of the leading carriage.”