Sheffield Branch AGM followed by Mike Brownhill: ColourRail gems.
MEETING REPORT 9th MARCH 2022
The March meeting combined the annual general meeting with a slide presentation. Upon completion of the usual preliminaries and reports, the existing committee were re-elected to serve for the next twelve months. Since the last AGM in January 2021 (by Zoom) a total of twelve fixtures were successfully completed, seven by Zoom and five attended by members and guests. The support of the RCTS with the Zoom sessions was acknowledged with grateful thanks.
The second part of the evening was successfully taken up by committee member Mick Brownhill, with a slide presentation from his Colour Rail portfolio and slides from the photographic collection of Keith Pirt. And what a real treat was in store for enthusiasts of steam! Also, with the added appeal of some well loved local memories of long-gone stations. Some of the highlights (there were many, too numerous to relate) were pre-grouping slides of Stanier streamlined Princess Coronation pacifics, Gresley LNER Class A4 pacific 2509 ‘Silver Link’ in the original Silver Jubilee livery, Bulleid Southern classes WC & MN pacifics on ‘Golden Arrow’ duty resplendent in the locomotive trappings associated with the service. There followed a sequence of shots of Sheffield Victoria station, including a Gresley LNER Class B17 4-6-0 (on possibly a Harwich – Parkeston Quay boat train), various Robinson LNER Class D11 ‘Directors’ on local services (including ‘Butler Henderson’) a Robinson LNER Class C13 4-4-2T station pilot and a smattering of electric locomotives LNER classes EM1 & EM2 on both freight and passenger duties. A Sheffield tram in 1959, close to the Wicker Arch/Viaduct brought back happy memories. The lines around Sheffield Midland station were not forgotten with slides of numerous ‘Jubilees’ and ‘Royal Scots’. Local stations and well known photography places were included including long closed stations at Heeley and Beauchief, and the memory that Dore & Totley station once had four platforms (currently only one). A very pleasant detour then followed of the dramatic coastline from Whitby to Loftus & Saltburn, featuring the Sandsend viaducts, and shots of Kettleness, Hinderwell and Staithes (including the splendid viaduct), with locomotives in service including Thompson LNER Class L1 2-6-4T’s and a Raven (rebuilt by Gresley) LNER Class A8 4-6-2T. An even wider (but welcome) excursion followed to Scotland, with some delightful slides of the original station at Fort William and the scenically adjacent Loch Linnhe. Locomotives seen were Gresley LNER Class K2’s, Stanier black 5’s and the Thompson (rebuild of Gresley K4) LNER Class K1/1 2-6-0 61997 ‘MaCailin Mor’, BR standard Class 6P5F 4-6-2 72002 ‘Clan Campbell’, and (to the pleasure of diesel loco enthusiasts) a pair of Class 20’s EE/Vulcan Bo-Bo locomotives on a passenger duty.
Altogether a very pleasing presentation which was very much appreciated by all.
Derek Stuckey