ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Wed 5th & Friday 7th August - Maroon Timetable*
*Due to high fire risk, it is likely that our heritage diesel locomotives will be operating these services.
Beer & Music Festival
28th - 31st August 2026
Since 2012, the Mid-Norfolk Railway’s annual fundraising Beer Festival has been a must-attend event for ale and cider lovers alike. We’re delighted to announce its return for 2026, better than ever!
Join us over the August Bank Holiday for a celebration of real ales and ciders from across the country, alongside the very best from local breweries. Enjoy your drink in a unique setting, with bars at our stations and even on board our trains.
🚂 Trains & Services
A special timetable will be running all weekend, featuring:
-
Steam, Diesel, and Pacer trains in service across all four days
-
Late evening trains on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
-
Services marked Loco hauled by Steam or Diesel engines; others will be operated by Pacer.
It’s the perfect way to sample great drinks while soaking up the atmosphere of heritage rail travel.
🍺 Bars
All drinks will be served via a token system. Simply purchase a set of beer tokens, grab your festival cup, and exchange tokens for drinks at any bar onboard or at the stations. Buying in advance is the best value!
-
Dereham Main Bar: Friday–Sunday, 11am–11pm (Monday until 6pm) - Located to the left of the station this year
-
Thuxton, Hardingham & Kimberley Park Station Bars: Open during 11am - 6pm each day (Card only)
-
On-Train Bars: Serving throughout your journey
-
Beer List available to download here shortly
🔑 Important Info
-
Challenge 25 policy applies – please bring valid ID.
-
Abuse of staff or volunteers will not be tolerated.
The festival supports the Mid-Norfolk Railway, helping us preserve and operate this much-loved heritage line.
🎸 Live Music
We love Live Music and have split the music into Afternoon and Evening Sessions at Dereham Station:
Live Music will take place on the Platform or if weather is poor inside the Marquee.
Friday Night : 1930 - Late Too Loud For Ivor (TLFI)
Saturday : 1400 - Lee Vasey, 1930 - Late - Deviders
Sunday : 1400 - 3Up2Down, 1930 - Late - Forged
Tickets & Beer Tokens
You can purchase discounted tickets in Advance on the button above. Please note, that advance tickets are non refundable.
Train Fares: - Our Normal Standard fares apply but we have some great value combined tickets to enjoy the beer festival with. Our Kids go FREE offer remains in place for this event.
Entry to the Beer Festival site is FREE at Dereham.
Train & Starter Pack (Cup + 5 x half pint tokens) - £30 per day
Starter Pack (Cup + 5 x half pint tokens) - £15
Set of tokens (5x half pints) - £12.50
Pint Cup on its own - £6
Beer Tokens are valid at all bars including Thuxton, Hardingham and Kimberley Park.
You can also purchase a Pint or Half Pint on it's own, but it is much better value to use tokens.
Pint - £6
Half - £3.50
Gift Aid Tickets and Donations - When purchasing your ticket you will be given the option to Gift Aid your purchase. As a registered charity, Mid Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you spend!
Please note - Where a customer purchases a ticket and elects to add Gift Aid, the full amount paid for that ticket is treated as a voluntary donation to the charity. In accordance with HMRC Gift Aid regulations, donations made under the Gift Aid scheme are non-refundable under any circumstances. As a result, once Gift Aid has been applied, no element of the ticket purchase — including ticket fees or associated charges — can be refunded, including in the event of cancellation or non-attendance.
*Please note that a valid MNR HOPS ID Card is required to obtain a MNRPT Working Members ticket.
**Our Kids Go Free offer is available on Maroon running days, where two children can travel FREE with every fully paying adult.
Timetables
Traction
Below is the current list of traction set to operate during our Beer Festival.
Please note: All locomotives and units are subject to availability. The Mid-Norfolk Railway reserves the right to change or cancel any traction without prior notice.
Gift Aid
As a registered charity, The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you spend. This allows us to help carry on looking after the railway and ensuring it is here for future generations.
Please help to keep us running into the future by donating choosing the Gift Aid Option (if eligable) to donate an extra 10% on top of your ticket. By doing so, we can claim the Gift Aid (an extra 25p in every £1) from the UK Government.
Event - Terms & Conditions
*Please note that whilst every effort is made to the advertised traction & services we do reserve the right to amend, alter or cancel service, The Mid-Norfolk Railway does not accept any responsibility for any inconvenience caused.
**Please note that the Mid-Norfolk Railway do operate a Challenge 25 policy and reserves the right to ask for Photo Identification/proof of date of birth. The Mid-Norfolk Railway also reserves the right to not serve alcohol to anyone it believes is below 18 years old, no refund will be made in this case. The Mid-Norfolk Railway will not tolerate any abuse or violence towards its staff members at any time.
***The Mid-Norfolk Railway are unable to offer any cancellations, refunds or reschedules to any orders, therefore please ensure you can attend the date/time you select before you make payment and book. By making a booking you agree that you shall not take on board the carriage any alcoholic drinks or illegal substances.
Full Terms & Conditions can be found here