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With the widespread use of multiple units on the national network the sight of a diesel locomotive hauling a rake of passenger carriages on the national mainline has become rare. However, the distinctive sight and sound of the post-steam era on Britain's railways is frequently recreated at diesel galas.

Many preserved railway lines hold a diesel gala on an annual basis using a range of heritage locomotives from their home fleet together with visiting guest locomotives from other lines. Galas sometimes have a theme centred on either the type of traction e.g. diesel hydraulic locomotives or a specific manufacturer e.g. locomotives produced by English Electric.

Depot open days used to be a common feature of the traction scene. In their heyday during the 1980s and 1990s large depots such as Crewe would command attendance figures measured in the thousands. Locomotives on display would include a selection for whom the depot was their base together with a selection of visiting guest locomotives from depots further afield to increase visitor numbers.

With the decline in locomotive numbers and the ever increasing costs of insurance such open days are now a thing of the past and have almost disappeared from the railway calendar in their traditional form. Modern depots with something to celebrate now tend to hold invitation-only events which are often run to raise money for charities with links to the workforce.