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Formatting
Two Weekends were held in 1984 and 1985, although Western Courier was only using one engine during the May 1984 event. 1986 only featured an October Weekend.
At the start of 1987, another "Western Diesel Weekend" was advertised for May of that year.<ref>SVR News 82</ref>. However by spring a number of guests had been announced, including Class 55 Deltic 55015 Tulyar (the Board nevertheless decided that the two steam locomotives would still be used on service trains). The October 1987 event, and those in May and October 1988 also saw included guest locomotives and adopted the more general title of "May/October Diesel Weekend".
===Diesel Galas===
In early 1989, General Manager [[Michael Draper]]'s notes referred for the first time to the forthcoming "'''Spring Diesel Gala'''" and "'''Autumn Diesel Gala'''". These continued to include guest locomotives, but were still held on the weekend only and still included steam services.
At the start of 1991, the SVR announced that "''We are abandoning both the Spring Diesel Gala and the June Steam Gala through lack of support and a desire to concentrate our resources on fewer but better events.''"<ref>SVR News 113</ref> The advertised line-up for the 1991 Autumn Diesel Gala, which was to be the last 2two-day weekend event, gives a flavour of events at that time: "''Visiting locos, D120, D821, D1842, D7523, D9000, D9016. 'Regulars', D1013, D1062, D5419, D7633 and 2-car DMU. 2 steam locos on service trains.''"<ref>SVR News 100</ref>
For 1992, the now annual Diesel Gala reverted to May and became a 3three-day event from Friday to Sunday with seven guest locomotives. This format was repeated in 1993 and 1994, with both years featuring 5 five guest locomotives. However at the start of 1995, SVR News noted that "''The Thomas the Tank Engine and Autumn Steam Gala events brought successful business in 1994, and these will be repeated. The Diesel Gala was less so, and a different formula is to be tried in 1995. This involves our home-based diesel locos and the DMU operating on selected dates; there have been complaints of under-use of our own assets, and this is an attempt to remedy this.''"
Following this one-year absence, Diesel Galas returned in October 1996 and October 1997, although both were two-day events on Friday / Saturday featuring home locomotives only. October 1998 saw a similar format with a return to the use of guest locomotives (which would then feature in all subsequent diesel galas), while October 1999 reverted to a 3three-day Friday to Sunday event.
2000 again saw a 3three-day Friday to Sunday event end of season event with, for the first time, all trains on the Friday being diesel-hauled. This format continued until 2005, with a one-year switch to an April date in 2001.
In 2006 the Diesel Gala was once again absent from the calendar. No explanation appeared in SVR News, although discussion on social media suggested that the SVR's decision was due to declining numbers attending the event, with a new "Wizard Weekend" aimed at younger customers taking its place.<ref>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=285 SVR Forum 2006]</ref> Correspondence in SVR news that year queried whether the continuing use of steam locomotives during diesel galas was deterring diesel enthusiasts; the editorial response being that the SVR's timetables still advertised "a steam train every weekend of the year".<ref>SVR News 153, 154</ref> However the point appeared to have been taken on board with a compromise being reached; the 2007 timetable for October included a three-day Diesel Gala from Thursday to Saturday advertised as "''The return of the event for those with an interest in modern traction. Thursday and Friday will use diesel locomotives only.''" (The [[2007 Storm Damage]] meant the event could only take place between Kidderminster and Bewdley.) The next two diesel galas in April 2008 and October 2009 followed a similar format.
2016 saw the event revert to May. The "'''Spring Diesel Festival'''", as it became, also saw a significant change in scope, with 15 guests taking part over the three days. May 2017 and May 2018 (18 guests and 14 guests respectively) were of a similar size, and also included a 'mixed traction' day on the Sunday. October 2018 also saw the record-equalling [[Tales from the Severn Valley#Class_50_Golden_Jubilee|Class 50 Golden Jubilee]].
2019 again saw a "Spring Diesel Festival and Mixed Traction Day" with guests, together with the return of a 3three-day Autumn Diesel gala in October featuring home locos. The timetable for 2020 included the same two events, but neither gala took place due to the [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic]].
May 2021 saw a "'''Diesel Bash'''" with two visiting locos, although seating restrictions were still in place due to the ongoing Covid pandemic. The 2021 Autumn Diesel Gala offered "four days of diesel traction from Thursday 30 September to Sunday 3 October", again with two guest locomotives. The return to the SVR's traditional operating pattern from 7 September allowed passengers the freedom to select which trains they travelled on during the gala.
2022 reverted to the pattern of a "Spring Diesel Festival" and "Autumn Diesel Bash". 2013 saw the addition of a Winter event during the festive season running, using home fleet locomotives.
==Notable events==
*'''1979''' First "Western Weekends"
*'''1987''' First use of guest locomotives
*'''1991''' Decision taken to hold only one diesel gala per year. The last 2two-day weekend gala.*'''1992''' First 3three-day gala Friday to Sunday (steam still used on all 3 three days).
*'''1985''' No diesel gala.
*'''1986''' Annual 2two-day Friday / Saturday gala reintroduced but with home locos only
*'''1988''' Guest locomotives reintroduced.
*'''1996''' Milk tanks were hired in to recreate BR Western Region scenes of the past
*'''1999''' 3Three-day gala Friday to Sunday reintroduced with 'diesel only' day on Friday
*'''2006''' No diesel gala.
*'''2007''' 3Three-day gala Thursday to Saturday with 'diesel only' days on Thursday / Friday
*'''2010''' Traditional diesel gala replaced by 'Railcar Reunion'.
*'''2011''' 3Three-day gala Thursday to Saturday with 'diesel only' on all days.
*'''2016''' New 'Spring Diesel Festival format with significantly more guest locomotives. Sunday 'mixed traction' day from 2017 on.
*'''2019''' Reintroduction of an Autumn Diesel Gala with home locos only.
