Car Boot Sale

Join us for a unique festival experience with craft beers, live music, and vintage steam trains at the Bluebell Railway Beer Festival.

Our famous Forties weekend is back again! Swing back in time for a weekend of live music, stunning classic vehicles, vintage trade stands, historical displays, and wartime fashions, all accompanied by a frequent steam service.

Our traditional autumn railway gala, with the usual format for an Apedale Gala – lots of steam, lots of movements, lots to see!

The diesel fleet comes to the fore for a weekend of action over some of the steepest gradients in preservation.

Enjoy a journey through the Essex countryside and enjoy a Real Ale or two!

Intensive train service, plus various attractions and entertainment for all ages.

Experience elegant dining in a historic Royal Carriage.

Join us for our annual Steam Gala. Featuring an intensive timetable, a visiting loco, goods trains and a selection of locally brewed real ales, join us for an unforgettable weekend of steam!

This is a strictly book-in-advance event. Please refer to the menu item at www.avlr.org.uk. Note that access to the site for general public on 10 October is likely to be restricted – further information will be made available in due course.

Giants of Steam returns for 2026...

Diesel Only days with either Loco or DMU traction

Our heritage Railcars take over operations for the weekend.

Steam Gala

Enjoy unlimited travel all day on every train including those hauled by special visitors.

Halloween spooky trains

Enjoy scarily fun, family activities with a spooky theme.

Spooky train rides packed with Halloween fun, friendly frights and ghostly surprises.

Halloween spooky trains

Celebrate 200 years of passenger railways at our Autumn Steam Gala from 31 October to 2 November 2025. Enjoy three days of intensive steam action with guest locomotives, brake van rides, and a display of vintage road steam engines.