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[[File:GER_564_20170922.jpg|thumb|300px|right|2017 Autumn Steam Gala guest GER 564 at Arley]]For many enthusiasts, the '''Autumn Steam Gala''' is the highlight of the SVR year involving operating around the clock for the whole weekend and having the presence of visiting locomotives. The first Autumn Steam Galas were referred to as "Enthusiasts' Days" or "Enthusiasts' Weekends"; these normally featured home locomotives only. In the 1980s, visiting locomotives began to appear and have done so for each year the Gala has run since 1990.
The event has also extended in duration and now typically incorporates a 'Preview day' on the preceding Thursday to the standard timetable but with visiting locomotives, and three days of Gala from Friday to Sunday inclusive with overnight running on the Friday and Saturday nights. One popular operation is the running of a "Breakfast train" using the [[Severn Valley Venturer]] stock. Other common features include demonstration freight trains and shorter local, part-line services.
*'''1975''' First Enthusiasts Day, with 11 locomotives in steam.<ref>SVR News 37</ref>
*'''1976''' First Enthusiasts Weekend.
*'''1984''' First [[Steam Locomotives visiting the SVR for galas|guest locomotive]] at an Autumn Steam Gala (5051 "Drysllwyn Castle")*'''1989''' The "Autumn Steam Spectacular" was the last Autumn Steam Gala featuring home locomotives only.<ref>SVR News 94</ref>
*'''1993''' First overnight running took place.
*'''1998''' First three day gala.
