Steam fans across Greater Manchester have one last big date for their calendars this year.

The East Lancashire Railway will hold its Autumn Steam Gala from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October, with an intensive, all-steam timetable along the line through the Irwell Valley.

The railway calls it its last large-scale steam event of the year, and nine steam locomotives are due to run across the three days.

Four guest engines are making the trip: Urie S15 No. 30506 from the Watercress Line, back at the ELR for the first time since 1993; GWR Pannier Tank No. 7714 from the Severn Valley Railway; SECR O1 No. 65 from the Bluebell Railway; and Hudswell Clarke No. 1208 'Illingworth' from the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, which will run on the Friday and Sunday only.

They will work alongside the home fleet, including West Country No. 34092 'City of Wells', Standard 4MT No. 80097 and the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 'A Class', with 'Pug' No. 11243 running on the Friday only.

There is more to it than watching trains go by. Brake van rides run on all three days, giving passengers a return trip between Bury and Ramsbottom on the veranda of a brake van, boarding at Bury Bolton Street Station.

Footplate rides are also on offer for anyone who wants to see the crew at work, though tickets are limited.

On the Friday evening the Irwell Valley Fryer fish and chip special returns, hauled by guest engine No. 7714 and leaving Bury Bolton Street at 17:35.

On the Saturday and Sunday, passengers can enjoy a cream tea in the railway's Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway observation saloon, an Edwardian carriage built in 1906 for the company's directors.

Both the chippy tea and the cream tea must be pre-booked by 9am on Wednesday 14 October, and you need an advance gala ticket for the same day.

Full timetables and tickets are on the East Lancashire Railway website.

Sources: East Lancashire Railway and RailAdvent. This article was produced with the help of AI tools and checked against the sources above.