The Who have agreed to play a transport festival in exchange for Roger Daltrey being allowed to drive a steam train

The Who have signed up to headline the National Transport Trust Vintage Transport Festival in Buckinghamshire in May, in exchange for frontman Roger Daltrey getting the opportunity to drive a steam train.

An un-named source tells The Sun, "Roger is a massive model railways fan. When he heard they were looking for a headliner for their vintage transport rally, he offered up the band’s services - but with a special request. So he’ll be behind the wheel of the steam train at some point over the weekend which really will be a dream come true."

Currently, the only other confirmed musical act for the event, which takes place from May 27 to May 29, is an Elvis impersonator.

The legendary rockers will compete with other attractions at the festival, which promises attendees a ride on a 110 year old steam engine from a Victorian railway station with the steepest standard gauge railway track in the world, traction engines, fairground rides, vintage tractors, a military encampment, lace making, craft stands, autojumble, antiques and a fairground organ. Tickets can be purchased here.

The Who will also play nine shows in July, kicking off at Sewell Group Craven Park in Hull on July 6, and wrapping up on July 23 at the The 1st Central County Ground in Brighton. They'll be joined at each show by a full orchestra.

“Having not toured the UK for six years,"says Daltrey, "it's great that at this time of our careers we have the chance to go to places that are not on the usual touring map Edinburgh Castle and Derby, as well as the other cities across the country that we haven’t been to for decades, will make this very special for me. This opportunity will give our UK Who fans the chance to hear our current show, which, with the addition of an orchestra, takes our music to new heights.”

The dates are:

Jul 06: Hull Sewell Group Craven Park, UK
Jul 08: Edinburgh Castle, UK
Jul 09: Edinburgh Castle, UK
Jul 12: London The O2, UK
Jul 14: Derby The Incora County Ground, UK
Jul 16: Brisrol Badminton Estate, UK
Jul 19: Durham Seat Unique Riverside, UK
Jul 21: St Helens Totally Wicked Stadium, UK
Jul 23: Brighton The 1st Central County Ground, UK

The Who tour poster — (Image credit: RoboMagicLive)

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.