Irish Railways – Part 1 – Derry – Chris Youett

RCTS – West Midlands Branch Meeting Report

20th May 2024 – Coventry

‘Irish Railways Part 1 - Derry - Chris Youett

On Monday 20th May 2024 our speaker, Chris Youett, presented ‘Irish Railway - Part 1 - Derry’. The Irish Railway scene may not have been too familiar to everyone but Chris quickly put us all at ease!

A fascinating story evolved, showing many different loco classes, infrastructure and locations. The overwhelming factor was the similarity to British types in both design and looks. Some preserved steam operations on the main lines were shown including rail tours. We look forward to seeing Parts 2 and 3.

It was poignant, today, that 2 or 3 of the images projected were taken by Branch member, Dave Walker, whose funeral coincided with this meeting. The date of his funeral was announced too late for us to postpone our meeting as a mark of respect. However, one of our long standing members, Pete Chaplin, represented the West Midlands Branch at the funeral as we offer our condolences to the family.