All Aboard for Beer, Diesels, and a Jolly Good Time!

29th August 2025

Skipton may be known as the “Gateway to the Dales,” but sometimes it feels like the “Gateway to Beer and Trains” – especially this August Bank Holiday when the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is hosting its Beer Festival & Diesel Gala (29th – 31st August).

Yes, you read that right. Diesel. Beer. And more timetable action than a German trainspotter’s dream diary.

Now, you might be thinking: “But aren’t heritage railways all about steam, soot, and small boys in flat caps pretending to shovel coal?” Well, not this weekend. This one’s for the diesel lovers – those who can tell their Class 37 from their Class 20 without even needing to squint at the number plate. And for the uninitiated, don’t worry – after a pint or two, you’ll be happily cheering on D7076 Hymek as though you’ve been a diesel devotee all your life.

Here’s what to expect:

• A bumper timetable (translation: lots of trains going chugga-chugga at impressively regular intervals).
• Guest loco D7076 Hymek alongside the home fleet of Class 37, 20, 31, and shunters (the unsung heroes of the railway world).
• More photo opportunities than a royal wedding – only with fewer hats and more hi-vis jackets.
• A beer festival, because frankly, what’s a gala without ale?

And the best bit? After a day of admiring shiny diesels and sampling the local brews, you can toddle back to Thisledo Holiday Cottage in Skipton. No sleeping on a platform bench, no trying to fold yourself into a luggage rack – just a comfy bed, a cosy stone cottage, and maybe even a takeaway on the way home.

So, whether you’re a lifelong rail enthusiast, a beer lover, or just someone who thinks “gala” sounds like a fine excuse for a weekend away, this bash is the perfect excuse to combine a stay at Thisledo with some good old-fashioned railway fun.

Because let’s face it – you don’t need steam when you’ve got diesel, ale, and a guaranteed comfy cottage bed at the end of the line.

🚂🍺 Book your tickets, pack your camera, and let the diesel times roll!