Calendar of Events
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2 events,
The Severn Valley and The Gloucester & Warwickshire Railways
The Severn Valley and The Gloucester & Warwickshire Railways
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City presentation by Richard Morris. The Severn Valley Railway was one of the first heritage railways to rise from the ashes of the wholesale closure of branch line railways in the 1960s and has developed into one of the country's premier heritage railways. It was up and running 6 years…
1 event,
The Railway over the Stainmore Pass: Post War Boom & Bust on the North Trans-Pennine
The Railway over the Stainmore Pass: Post War Boom & Bust on the North Trans-Pennine
Chris Rowley (Network Rail Capacity Planning Director) has a particular affection for the Trans Pennine Stainmore route (Bishop Auckland – Kirby Stephen – Penrith) closed in 1962. He has written an authoritative history of the route, England’s highest main line, which is published in November. The talk will cover the history of the line and…
1 event,
That Was The Year That Was 1964
That Was The Year That Was 1964
Geoff Plumb makes a welcome return to the branch to share with us the scenes that he recorded in 1964.
2 events,
Railways and the Raj [Commonwealth Heritage Forum event]
Railways and the Raj [Commonwealth Heritage Forum event]
Wednesday 8 November, 6pm GMT: Christian Wolmar, ‘Railways and the Raj’, chaired by Pat Green India joined the railway age late: the first line was not completed until 1853 but, by 1929, 41,000 miles of track served the country. However, the creation of this vast network was not intended to modernise India for the sake of…
In Days of Plenty on the Zafra
In Days of Plenty on the Zafra
Regular visitor Tony Wardrobe makes a welcome return as a presenter with a series of images of railways in Cuba.
2 events,
Keeping the Corporate Memory Alive on GB Rail
Keeping the Corporate Memory Alive on GB Rail
The railway has been learning from accidents and incident since its inception, but in a fluid industry - where staff retire, move on or move in from elsewhere - there is a very real concern that lessons learnt in the more recent past will be forgotten. Author, RCTS member and Operational Feedback Lead at the…
5 events,
A Tenth Colour-Rail Journey
A Tenth Colour-Rail Journey
Ten photographers take us on a journey all around Great Britain, and down through the years from 1955 to the present day, covering all the regions and all forms of motive power, conducted by Paul Chancellor: Mr Colour-Rail (and Society Strategic Planning Officer). The ten photographers, some well known such Roger Siviter and John Spencer-Gilks,…
The Waverley Route – Dennis Lovett
The Waverley Route – Dennis Lovett
Starting at Edinburgh Waverley we follow the route all the way to Carlisle covering all the major stations, infrastructure and depots on both the original line and the reopened Borders Railway which currently terminates at Tweedbank.
Railways in a Cornish landscape part 1 by Steve Gay
Railways in a Cornish landscape part 1 by Steve Gay
In part 1 Steve will be covering the branches and main line heading west from the Gunnislake branch to the Newquay branch
2 events,
Railways at the dawn of the Commonwealth [Commonwealth Heritage Forum event]
Railways at the dawn of the Commonwealth [Commonwealth Heritage Forum event]
Wednesday 15 November, 6pm GMT, Dr Oliver Betts: ‘Railways at the dawn of the Commonwealth', chaired by Francis Maude Railways in Britain were reaching their zenith as the Commonwealth of Nations took shape. During the previous century Britain's railway industry had spread across its Empire and into the informal empire of British influence and capital too. For British…
4 events,
Three Years in the life of the Western Locomotive Association
Three Years in the life of the Western Locomotive Association
Unquestionably the very best diesel locomotives ever to grace the railways of Great Britain were the Western Class 52 diesel hydraulics. The Western Locomotive Association is responsible for two of the class which made it to preservation (seven of the original 74 are still alive around the country) and we are delighted to welcome Peter…
3 events,
Broad Gauge journey from Swindon to South Wales & Swindon to the West of England
Broad Gauge journey from Swindon to South Wales & Swindon to the West of England
Having previously presented a journey from Paddington to Swindon, Canon Brian Arman continues from Swindon to South Wales followed by a journey from Swindon to the West of England
Sheet Stores Junction by Ian Mitchell
Sheet Stores Junction by Ian Mitchell
A familiar name at Trent Junction, Ian will speak on the history of the Midland Railway’s store for the manufacture of tarpaulins for its open wagons at Long Eaton by this junction
That Was The Year That Was: 1966
That Was The Year That Was: 1966
1966 was a busy year for Geoff whilst still a schoolboy, covering a considerable amount of the country. This includes scenes on various North Wales Narrow Gauge Lines and the Cambrian Coast, holidays in the north west of England and several RCTS railtours. These include the ’Somerset & Dorset Farewell’, the ‘Longmoor Military Railtour’ (which…
2 events,
All Aboard the Pines Express (Part 2)
All Aboard the Pines Express (Part 2)
Please note that this is an afternoon Meeting Back in October 2019 Chris gave us Part 1 of this talk. We are pleased that following an extended break due to Covid Chris is now coming back to give us Part 2 of this talk. In Chris' first talk he took us on the Somerset and…
4 events,
The Barbados Trailway Project [Commonwealth Heritage Forum event]
The Barbados Trailway Project [Commonwealth Heritage Forum event]
Wednesday 22 November, 6pm GMT, Dr Tara Inniss: ‘The Barbados Trailway Project: 21st Century Transformation of a Colonial Era Railway in the Caribbean’, chaired by Rachel Tranter The Barbados Railway was operational from 1881-1937. Like many colonial era railways established throughout Britain's empire in the nineteenth century it was fraught with funding and infrastructural challenges from the…
The Coming of the Railway to Southampton
The Coming of the Railway to Southampton
The talk will cover the idea of building the London & Southampton Railway and its subsequent construction with a link to Portsmouth (Gosport), the proposal and subsequent extensions from Woking through Guilford to Havant and the rival fighting with the LB&SCR from the east. It also covers subsequent extensions westwards including Castleman’s Corkscrew.
1 event,
The Great Train Robbery
The Great Train Robbery
Ian Boskett visits to tell the story of the most famous crime to occur on the railways, in this sixtieth anniversary year. Please note that this presentation will be in person only at Cox Green Community Centre. The meeting will not be available to join online.
3 events,
An A-Z of Switzerland
An A-Z of Switzerland
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City Branch presentation Presenter: Steve Ollive In the second of three parts describing the Railways of Switzerland, Steve will cover the railways from D to M inclusive, starting with the Dolder Bahn in Zurich and ending with the Transport Montreux-Vevey-Riviera now part of the MOB organisation. As with part one,…
1 event,
Refurbishment of the old Railway Bridges at Rail Corridor Singapore [Commonwealth Heritage Forum event]
Refurbishment of the old Railway Bridges at Rail Corridor Singapore [Commonwealth Heritage Forum event]
Wednesday 29 November, 1pm GMT, Wong Kia Fu: ‘Refurbishment of the old Railway Bridges at Rail Corridor Singapore', chaired by Kelvin Ang In 2011, the former Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway line ceased operations at the Tanjong Pager and Bukit Timah stations and the land was returned to Singapore. This presented an extraordinary opportunity to reimagine how…
1 event,
Narrow Gauge in the British Isles
Narrow Gauge in the British Isles
James Waite is well known as an enthusiast for narrow gauge railways, and has explored them all around the world, but tonight he is staying close to home, and confining himself to the British Isles, but covering both well and lesser known lines. For this virtual event, you require a ticket, via the ‘Buy Zoom…
1 event,
Steam in Southern Africa Through 26 Years
Steam in Southern Africa Through 26 Years
Long time branch member Roger Griffiths presents images of Steam Trains taken on numerous visits to South Africa.