Calendar of Events
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1 event,
South Western Railway update
South Western Railway update
We welcome Steve Tyler, Performance and Planning Director of South Western Railway to give an update on the latest developments with one of our busiest train operators
2 events,
East Anglia in the 2020s
East Anglia in the 2020s
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch presentation. Presenter: Iain Scotchman. Details to follow. Doors open 13:30.
1 event,
That was the year that was – 1962
That was the year that was – 1962
'Geoff was born in Sheffield in 1949, into a railway-mad family, starting his railway enthusiasm at the age of around 18 months. After some early attempts with the family Box Brownie camera in the 1950s, he was given his first ‘proper’ camera for his thirteenth birthday in March 1962, this eventually leading to his career…
2 events,
A Southern Miscellany, from the RCTS Photographic Archive
A Southern Miscellany, from the RCTS Photographic Archive
David Jackman will present "A Southern Miscellany", as seen through the lens of photographers who have passed their images to the Society's Photographic Archive, featuring a potpourri of photographs from the 1950s onwards (mainly from the 60s and 70s), including a wide selection of steam, diesel and electric motive power across the region, from the…
Croydon & South London Branch Lunch
Croydon & South London Branch Lunch
As a change from having a Branch Christmas Dinner at the Porter and Sorter in Croydon, this season we have decided to have a Branch Lunch, at the Redhill Toby Carvery, which is very close to Redhill Station. Table is booked for 13:15; meet in the bar area from 12:15 for a pre lunch drink.…
1 event,
‘My Early Years’ – B&W in the 1950s Presented by Arthur Turner
‘My Early Years’ – B&W in the 1950s Presented by Arthur Turner
After a short AGM, Branch President Arthur Turner will present 'My Early Years', with Black & White pictures from the 1950s.
2 events,
SCT Transforming the West Highland Line
SCT Transforming the West Highland Line
Mid-day 'Jacobite' to Mallaig heads west from Banavie Transforming the West Highland Line The upgrades and transformation of the West Highland Line from the 1980s, including RETB signalling, introduction of DMUs, plus the “Jacobite” steam trains, and the opening/reopening of Loch Awe, Loch Eil Outward Bound and Falls of Cruachan stations.
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1 event,
‘That Was the Year That Was – 1973’, by Geoff Plumb
‘That Was the Year That Was – 1973’, by Geoff Plumb
Starting with a visit to the border area of West and East Germany at Bebra in January 1973, followed by scenes on the ‘Erzbergbahn’ (Iron Mountain Railway) and the Steyrtalbahn in snowy Austria, then moving on to the Royal opening of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in May. The main event is a visit to…
1 event,
3 events,
Peterborough Trams – a distant memory
Peterborough Trams – a distant memory
Brendan Fox explores the Peterborough tram systems which ran from 1903 to 1930. The presentation includes other items of interest in Peterborough's history.
Britain’s Railways Through The Lens – an evening with Jack Boskett
Britain’s Railways Through The Lens – an evening with Jack Boskett
Back by popular demand, our first face to face meeting of the season welcomes multi award winning photographer Jack Boskett, who has an extensive catalogue of railway images in his portfolio and regularly travels across the UK to follow different excursions and special train movements.
0 events,
1 event,
A Medley Medley 4
A Medley Medley 4
Following on from the success of his last talk John returns with another selection of pictures from his extensive collection. It promises to be an evening of nostalgia from John as he cover some of the more unusual trains to pass through Devon in the recent past. Please note owing to a concert at the…
0 events,
2 events,
European Steam – a Video Miscellany
European Steam – a Video Miscellany
Michael Grieves started taking cine film in the 1960s, and from 1969 into the 1970s, took much on various trips to Europe in search of steam, which has now been scanned into digital format. Tonight he will show a miscellany, drawing from trips to Czechoslovakia, Austria - featuring the Vordernberg rack line in winter -…
6 events,
A Lifetime of Railway Photography
A Lifetime of Railway Photography
Not quite a lifetime, John took his first picture at the age of nine using his mother's rather ancient folding camera. He was already interested in railways as most boys of his generation were, where the passion came from for recording what he saw on film is lost in the mists of time but it's…
Branch AGM + The Son of a Rail Enthusiast
Branch AGM + The Son of a Rail Enthusiast
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City Event. The branch AGM - followed by a presentation given by Richard Cole, son of David Cole who was the founder of the branch and a Vice President of the RCTS. Richard will be looking through some of his dad’s slides and explaining how his passion for railways influenced…
2 events,
The Great Train Robbery 1963 : The Story
The Great Train Robbery 1963 : The Story
The in-depth story of the planning and execution of the Great Train Robbery bu Ian Boskett
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3 events,
The John Wells Collection – Part 2 – Presented by Bryan Acford
The John Wells Collection – Part 2 – Presented by Bryan Acford
On Monday 26th September 2022 our guest speakers, Chris Berridge and Bryan Acford presented Part 1 of the John Wells Collection. Since that date we have sadly lost our Branch Member, Chris Berridge. Part 2 of the excellent John Wells Collection will be presented by his colleague, Bryan Acford. This black and white collection was…
AGM and Members Slides
AGM and Members Slides
Physical/Hybrid meeting at Shenfield Parish Hall with the AGM portion and Digital Images available on Zoom
4 events,
A London Brighton and South Coast Railway Miscellany, 1862-1923
A London Brighton and South Coast Railway Miscellany, 1862-1923
A selection of images of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway from Victorian days to the grouping, now over a hundred years ago. Views of our local railway, but not as we know it today.
Over The Mendips
Over The Mendips
The Somerset & Dorset Railway originally ran from Burnham-on-Sea to Wimborne, linking the Bristol and English Channels. In 1874 an extension opened from Evercreech Junction over the Mendip Hills to link with the Midland Railway at Bath which immediately became the main line. Passenger trains included through expresses from the Midlands and North to the…
1 event,
3 events,
A Tribute to John Benson
A Tribute to John Benson
Branch members with longer memories will fondly remember Johns Benson and Champion trading stories and photographs, comparing notes of their service in the military, always with camera in hand to record railway scenes wherever they were. John Benson was able, during service with the RAF, and later in life to travel to some countries not…
0 events,
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2 events,
Building Britain’s Most Powerful Steam Locomotive
Building Britain’s Most Powerful Steam Locomotive
After the success of Tornado, the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust is now working on a new build P2 class locomotive. Chris comes to tell us about the project and its progress
2 events,
Tunnel Vision – The History of the Metropolitan Railway
Tunnel Vision – The History of the Metropolitan Railway
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch presentation. Presenter: Colin Brading. The story of the Metropolitan, the world’s first underground railway. Less than four miles long when it opened - to great acclaim - in January 1863, this ‘little acorn’ grew as a proud independent company to spread many branches and ‘the Met’ has shaped…
1 event,
Eastleigh from Railway Junction to Railway Centre
Eastleigh from Railway Junction to Railway Centre
The history of the town from the opening of the Railway Station, Carriage Works and Locomotive Works. Following this there will be a look at the combining of the Carriage works and the Loco works in the 1960’s followed by privatisation and closure to the current operations as Arlington Fleet Services.
1 event,
A 1968 Jet Search for Steam
A 1968 Jet Search for Steam
The introduction of “Pacesetter” fares for under-26-year-olds in 1968 made international air travel much more affordable, and Frank Stamford - our regular Australian attendee - took advantage of them to make a fifteen-week round the world trip in search of steam, visiting Indonesia, the British Isles, Western Europe (from Portugal to West Germany), and South…
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1 event,
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