Shunt Fest with Winter Ales Festival opens at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway in Havenstreet on Saturday 7 November, from 9.30am to 5.30pm. Entry to the station site is free. The railway puts its diesel shunters front and centre, so you can watch the engines that do the yard work. Train journeys and brake-van rides are charged separately, so pick those extras according to what you want from the day.
The advertised locomotives include visiting 03 158, Class 03 Clive and Class 05 Nuclear Fred. The programme also names Army 235 for a close look in the station yard, plus diesel locomotive D2509. All locomotives are subject to availability. Workshop tours and cab access show the work behind the trains, with the railway’s team putting the shunters through their paces. Tour times and the day’s operating arrangements are best checked on arrival.
The Winter Ales Festival bar runs from 11am to 5.30pm at the Whistle Stop Café, so it opens later than the station site. The organisers describe seasonal winter beers, including stouts and porters. There’s a log burner in the café. Come in the morning for the railway heritage programme, then decide whether to stay for a pint. Plan your transport around any drinking, and check ride prices before you join a queue.