The Railway Correspondence & Travel Society

Railway Roundabout Miscellany
2024-11-27 19:15 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | United Kingdom
Following an address to our AGM, as RCTS President, Brian takes us on a slide show mystery tour, which will surely not disappoint.

East Coast main Line part 2 - North from York - Stephen Gay
2024-11-26 14:00 - 16:30 | EMD Nottingham, The New Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, NG1 4EZ, United Kingdom
We welcome back Stephen Gay who will present an illustrated talk about the northern part of the ECML by way of a journey from York to Edinburgh. Numerous anecdotes and poetry readings will enhance the trip which includes station shots as well as lineside, level crossings and some period shots too.

Colchester in the Age of Steam
2024-11-26 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Welwyn, Digswell Village Church Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0DH, United Kingdom
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch presentation by Dave Goodyear.
Colchester has much to interest the railway enthusiast and historian. Within its original borough boundaries it had a major junction, three stations and associated goods yards, a motive power depot and a quay tramway. Passenger traffic included large numbers of holiday trains to the Norfolk and Essex coasts, and boat trains to Parkeston Quay in addition to the regular services. Local industries and the quay at Hythe provided for significant goods traffic. In the period up to the end of steam in September 1962 the area underwent major changes, with the rapid introduction of diesel traction, the first application by BR of 25kV AC electrification and a major station rebuild with associated track layout changes.
Doors open 13:30 for a 14:00 start.

Archive & Library Open Day
2024-11-26 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-11-20 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-11-14 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-11-09 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom

Severn Valley Railway History and Current Operation
2024-11-25 19:30 - 22:00 | MHD Cox Green, Cox Green Community Centre, Highfield Lane, Cox Green, Maidenhead, SL6 3AX, United Kingdom
Our Society Secretary Rich visits us with a presentation looking at the history and its move from the national network to one of the country’s foremost heritage railways

The Tommy Tomalin Collection - Part 2, by Brian Sullivan
2024-11-25 14:00 - 16:30 | NHN Northampton – Weston Favell, Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South, Northampton, NN3 3EP, United Kingdom

"Saltburn to Scarborough" by Austin Hughes
2024-11-21 19:30 - 21:30 | WRD Shipley, Saltaire Methodist Church, Saltaire Road, Shipley, BD18 3HJ, United Kingdom

SRY Branch - Railway Bridge Disasters and Mishaps
2024-11-21 19:15 - 21:30 | SRY Woking, Woking United Reform Church, White Rose Lane, Woking, GU22 7HA, United Kingdom
Railway Bridge Disasters and Mishaps
By Alan Hayward.
The Dee Bridge collapse plus references to the Tay Bridge accident, plus the Lewisham train crash and the Clapham train crash.

CHM Branch - Preservation Western Style
2024-11-21 19:00 - 22:00 | CHM Cheltenham, Victory Club, Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2SY, United Kingdom
The story of the iconic Class 52 Western diesel hydraulic locomotives and the efforts of the Western Locomotive Association in keeping the legend alive. We look forward to welcoming Paul Finch and the team from the WLA for a return visit with more stories of the preservation of three of these iconic locomotives.

Railways in the UK
2024-11-20 19:30 - 22:00 | SOE Eastleigh, Junction Church (formerly Eastleigh Railway Institute), 2 Romsey Road, Eastleigh, SO50 9FE, United Kingdom
A Video Presentation

HSD branch - Railways East of Wakefield incl. our area
2024-11-19 19:30 - 22:00 | HSD Hull, The Highway, Willerby Road, Hull, HU5 5LH, United Kingdom
Roger Hepworth – “Railways East of Wakefield incl. our area”

The Railways of Northern Ontario, Canada in the 1980's
2024-11-19 19:00 - 21:30 | TVY Didcot, Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, OX11 7JN, United Kingdom
We travel in Northern Ontario from Marstay and Sudbury to Chelmsford via Azilda, looking at
Canadian railways over the past 40 years.

And Now for Something Completely Different - From Austria to Zimbabwe
2024-11-18 19:30 - 22:30 | ESX Shenfield, Shenfield Parish Hall, 60 Hutton Road, Shenfield, CM15 8LB, United Kingdom
Physical meeting at Shenfield Parish Hall with presentation also available on Zoom as a Hybrid Meeting
This presentation is a variety of images with a general transport but mainly railway theme. Steam, diesel and electric traction at work in Britain and abroad are included as well as some buses and trams. There are also some more unusual and interesting transport related images which could be considered “completely different”.

An Indian Adventure - Part I by Simon Starr
2024-11-18 19:30 - 21:45 | MCN Bromborough, The Bromborough Suite. The Merebrook, Greenfields Avenue, Bromborough, Wirral, Merseyside, CH62 6DD, United Kingdom
Please note the change of subject and speaker

Nostalgic 16MM Cine from 1920s to 2003 - Chris Pratt
2024-11-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Cheylesmore Community Centre, Poitiers Road, Coventry 5JX, Poitiers Road, Cheylesmore,, Coventry, CV3 5JX
In 1966, the last year of the GCR in Rugby Class 5 4-6-0 No.44872 is seen crossing the ‘Birdcage’ bridge over the WCML. On the right of the picture is the Rugby Testing Station.
Our good friend Chris Pratt is returning to visit us after a long break to present an excellent selection of 16mm films. These will include :-
Leamington Spa in the 1920s / 1930s.
Great Central from Rugby to Nottingham in the 1960s.
A selection of interesting railtours in the late 1990s.
A One hour LMS film from the 1930s.
Altogether a very interesting selection.

RCTS WEN Branch Meeting : Bob Bradley : A Ray Shinn Retrospective
2024-11-16 19:00 - 21:30 | WEN Exeter [Mint Methodist Church], Fore Street, Exeter, EX4 3AT, United Kingdom
***Please note the change of date to the third Saturday in November***
Many members of the branch will remember Ray Shinn, who sadly is no longer with us, and as custodian of his photo collection Bob has now digitised it and will present an evening of Rays photographic exploits. It promises to be a evening of nostalgia.

"Scotland and NW England" by Keith Jones
2024-11-14 14:30 - 16:30 | SCT Edinburgh, Scots Guards Club, 2 Clifton Terrace,, Edinburgh, EH12 5DR, United Kingdom
This afternoon we will be welcoming back Keith Jones who will be presenting a selection of B&W and Colour images from his extensive archive.

On and Off the Beaten Track!
2024-11-13 19:00 - 21:30 | SWL Radyr, Cardiff, Old Church Rooms / Hen Ysgoldy'r Eglwys, Park Road, Radyr, Cardiff, CF15 8DF, United Kingdom
Geoff Atkins

The 11th Colour Rail Journey
2024-11-12 19:30 - 22:00 | HTC Hitchin, St Mark's Church, St Mark's Close, Lancaster Avenue, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1UR, United Kingdom
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch presentation by Paul Chancellor.
The spotter of 1964 could record some 280 different classes of locomotives and units if they travelled throughout the country and we will see most of them during our ramble around the UK.
The photo is in the North East at Tyne Dock shed and features a 9Fs – one fitted with air pumps which could be found working the iron ore trains to Consett.
Doors open 19:00 for a 19:30 start.

The West Somerset Railway
2024-11-12 19:30 - 22:00 | CSL Croydon, East Croydon United Reformed Church, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon, CR0 5LP, United Kingdom
As well being an excellent photographer, Ian Wright was for many years a driver on the West Somerset Railway, and his frequent visits combined photography and footplate. Those who attended his presentation on the Bluebell Railway last year will know we have an excellent show to look forward, showing how the line has developed over the last four decades.

"Industrial Locomotives" by Dave Goodyear
2024-11-12 19:30 - 22:00 | CBR Fulbourn, Cambridge, The Swifts, Haggis Gap, Fulbourn, Cambridge, CB21 5HD, United Kingdom
Thousands of industrial locomotives once shunted numerous private sidings across the UK, with some steam locomotives remaining in use even after steam had finished on BR in August 1968. This talk illustrates the wide variety which could once be seen.

Colin Boocock - Railway photography through the decades 1947 to 1979
2024-11-12 14:00 - 16:00 | SFD Sheffield Farm Road Sports & Social Club, Farm Road, Sheffield, S2 2TP, United Kingdom

Members digital images (jpeg images no slides)
2024-11-12 13:00 - 16:30 | Fulwood Lawn Tennis club Highgate Ave Preston PR2 8DY, Highgate Ave, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 8DY
This is the first of two afternoon (start time 13.00) meetings planned for the Winter 2024/2025 season for the branch.

West Yorkshire Day Ranger
2024-11-12

Keeping a heritage railway going in the 2020s using 1950s equipment with all the attendant modern day requirements
2024-11-11 19:30 - 22:00 | Virtual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, United Kingdom
Some challenges never change, such as when winter strikes. Here Phil Pritchard is on snow portering duty, helping to keep the railway running safely on 3 December 2010. Image credit: David Layland/East Lancs Railway.
David Layland (East Lancashire Light Railway Co Director of Finance and RCTS member) will present an illustrated PowerPoint presentation. He will explain what heritage railways need to do, in order to operate safely and protect its fare-paying passengers, its own staff and volunteers and the general public from harm and danger. At the same time as complying with this aim, much of the technology and equipment being used dates from the 1950s (or earlier). David will explain how the ELR can operate in today’s safety culture and what the future holds for this 12-mile heritage line.
For this virtual event, you will require a ticket. Free for RCTS members, but a £2.50 donation will be requested at the checkout. Non-member tickets are £2.50. (Or you can join the Society in the same transaction to take advantage of members’ benefits)
To receive information on coming National (and other) Zoom meetings, please join the RCTS National Zoom E-mail List (RCTS-National@groups.io) by visiting https://groups.io/g/RCTS-National , or by e-mail to RCTS-National+subscribe@groups.io.

Railway Scenes in Germany-Berlin/Brandenburg by Steve Ollive.
2024-11-11 14:15 - 16:30 | Greenfinch Hall,Greenfinch Avenue Ipswich IP2 0SQ

Tolworth Showtrain
2024-11-10 10:00 - 16:00 | Tolworth Recreation Centre Fullers Way North, Tolworth, KT6 7LQ., Tolworth Recreation Centre, Fullers Way North, Tolworth, Surrey, KT6 7LQ., United Kingdom
Surrey Branch will be attending the Hampton Court Model Railway Society exhibition, Tolworth Showtrain. We will have Society publications and second hand books for sale.
