9th September 2019 · ‘That Was the Week, That Was – 1963’

Presenter: Geoff Plumb

On 9 September our guest was Geoff Plumb to present ‘That Was the Year That Was-1963′.

After seeing childhood family images, it was clear how his enthusiasm for railways and photography developed.1963 started with scenes at Princes Risborough in the snow and we moved to many familiar railway locations including the Bristol and Severn Tunnel Junction areas and also Eastleigh Works where the scrap line was seen.

The now preserved 4472 Flying Scotsman on its debut railtour from Paddington to the Cambrian Lines was shown and this area together with the extensive Welsh Narrow Gauge network featured prominently during the evening.

Many of the iconic steam classes seen included Kings, Halls, Manors, Coronations, Scots, Stanier and BR Standard classes together with East Coast Pacifics and Warships, Deltics and the Blue Pullman.

The last weeks of steam at the southern end of the ECML at Hadley Wood was shown and also the electrification work on the WCML in the Hatch End area.

The Midland Railway route through the scenic Millers Dale area featured a variety of both steam and diesel hauled workings.

Geoff had an RCTS family background and participated in many of the society railtours of that period, including a poorly steaming West Country from St Pancras to Derbyshire, a tour of the Bristol Docks and the ex-LMS routes in the area, excursions to the works at Derby, Crewe, Horwich and Swindon recording the sad sight of locomotives being scrapped although King 6000 was at Swindon for preservation, and also a brake van tour from Goole to the Isle of Axholme railway, with some of the images on these tours taken from the footplate. The industrial steam and diesel workings featuring many fireless locomotives were also shown.

An excellent presentation which is highly recommended to other branches.