The Isle of Wight Steam Railway's 2006 Spring Gala will be held during the Spring Bank Holiday weekend with a special Gala timetable operating over three days, 27th, 28th and 29th May. The event is entitled the 'Works Outing Weekend' and gives the opportunity to see all of the Railway's operational fleet of historic locomotives, carriages and wagons in service - If it works it will get an outing!

An intensive service of passenger and goods trains, including some double-heading, will operate over the five and a half mile long railway. Four steam locomotives will be in action; 1876 built A1x 'Terrier' class No.W8 'Freshwater', Barclay 0-6-0T No.W38 'Ajax', No.W37 'Invincible', a Hawthorn-Leslie 040ST and Hunslet 'Austerity' No.WD192 'Waggoner'. The Railway's three diesel locomotives; Barclay No.235, Class 03 D2059 and Class 05 D2554 (alias Nuclear Fred) will also be working, mainly around the Havenstreet Station area. Interest and variety will be maintained on each day by varying the locomotives allocated to each of the four steam duties.

'Terrier' W8 'Freshwater' will be in action.

The Railway is justifiably renowned for it's fleet of historic carriages, the weekend will give a rare opportunity to see all of the operational vehicles in service at the same time. There will be two sets of our unique passenger coaches on the road, a four coach rake of SE&CR and LB&SCR bogie coaches, the most modern of which was built in 1924, along with a 5 coach set of Victorian 4-wheelers, the oldest built in 1864. The demonstration goods train will include pre-grouping vehicles such as the L&SWR 10ton Road Van, built in 1898. Full details of the fleet can be found on the Carriage & Wagon page.

'Waggoner' in her distictive blue livery on arrival at Havenstreet during February 2005 - Her official return to service will take place on the Saturday of the Gala weekend.

On Saturday lunchtime a ceremony will be held at Havenstreet Station to mark the official acceptance into service of the railway's most recently restored locomotives, 'Ajax' and 'Waggoner'. Ajax' is being dedicated to the memory of Chris 'Andy' Anderton, a railway volunteer for many years who sadly died in 2003. Andy was a well known and popular character at Havenstreet and was one of the railway's senior Drivers. 'Ajax' now carries a South African chime whistle which Andy left to the railway. 'Waggoner' is a Hunslet 'Austerity' 0-6-0ST, built for the War Office in 1953 and beginning her military service on the Longmoor Military Railway in Hampshire. In 1984 she was placed on static display at the Museum of Army Transport, Beverley, Yorkshire until it's closure in 2003. 'Waggoner' was transferred to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway in 2005, joining sister locomotive WD 198 'Royal Engineer'. 'Waggoner' is now fully restored to working order and has been fitted with Westinghouse air brake equipment, enabling her to be used to haul the railway's passenger trains. Both WD192 and WD198 are on loan from the National Army Museum. Representatives of the Museum and the former Army Railway Organization will be present for the occasion. More details of the ceremony can be found Here

W38 'Ajax' arrives at Havenstreet on a wet April afternoon - W37 'Invincible' can be seen in the sidings.

The first train on each Gala day will depart Havenstreet for Smallbrook Junction at 9.45am with a frequent service continuing throughout the day. For passengers arriving via the Island Line interchange at Smallbrook Junction the first train will arrive at 9.56am for a 10.05am departure. The last connecting service of the day will leave Havenstreet at 5.09pm, arriving at Smallbrook Junction at 5.22pm. Trains will call by request at Ashey Station, an ideal location for lineside photographers. Detailed timetables will be available at the Railway throughout the weekend. More travel details, including excellent value combined Ferry/Island Line/Steam Railway tickets and advanced booking discounts are given below.

Class 03 D2059, Barclay No.235 and Class 05 D2554 will all be working around Havenstreet Station.

Guided workshop tours - Licensed cafeteria - Museum of Island railway history - Railway Shop - Children's Play Area - Woodland Walk - On-site caravan and camping area

Day Tickets: Adult £10.50, Child (5-15 years) £5.50 Family (2 adults, 2 children) £28.

Advance bookings paid for by 19th May - Adult £10.00, Child £5.00, Family £26.00

We are only 30 minutes from Portsmouth Harbour Station - Special Deal Advanced purchase through tickets include the return journey by Wightlink FastCat Catamaran, Island Line electric train (Historic ex-London Transport 1938 Tube Stock) and unlimited travel on the Steam Railway. Adult £17 and Child £9.

Advance bookings call 01983 884871 (Mon to Fri office hours) or book On Line at