That was the year that was 1966
Presenter: Geoff Plumb
Hybrid Meeting at Shenfield Parish Hall and Via Zoom
1966 was a busy year for Geoff (a lifelong railway enthusiast) who, whilst still a schoolboy, was nevertheless, able to cover a considerable amount of the country thanks to accompanying his father on numerous business trips and family annual holidays which always had a railway focus. The evening’s presentation included scenes on various North Wales Narrow Gauge Lines and the Cambrian Coast, a couple of visits to Crewe Works, Southern Region steam, the final days of the Great Central out of Marylebone along with scenes around Chester and Birkenhead, the Settle and Carlisle line and the Cumbrian Coast. Also featured were several RCTS railtours including the ’Somerset & Dorset Farewell’, the ‘Longmoor Military Railtour’, the ‘Eight Counties Railtour’ and ‘East Midlander No. 7’.
1966 was a key year for railway changes in the UK, the last days of mainline Great Central operations, the closure of the Somerset &Dorset and the cessation of Midland line trains over the Peak District to Manchester. The start of electric services on the southern part of WCML contrasting with the twilight years of steam. A thoroughly entertaining and interesting talk and our first hybrid meeting to boot.