The Railway Correspondence & Travel Society

"Along the ECML - Kings Cross to York" - Presenter Stephen Gay
2024-04-18 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | WRD Shipley, Saltaire Methodist Church, Saltaire Road, Shipley, BD18 3HJ, United Kingdom

Members' Day and AGM 2024
2024-04-20 10:30 - 17:00 | Grand Station, Wolverhampton, Sun Street, Wolverhampton, WV10 0BF, United Kingdom
The AGM part of the day will allow remote participation via Zoom. If attending remotely, you must pre-register with Zoom, using the link below.
Brunel Suite, Grand Station, Sun Street, Wolverhampton, WV10 0BF
Saturday 20th April 2024 (doors open at 10.30 for 11:00 start)
Programme for the day
11.00 Welcome and Refreshments
Professional photographer Jack Boskett presents some of his diverse work: “From Railways to Royalty”
12.30 Buffet Lunch – £10.00 which includes tea/coffee during the day.
This must be pre-booked using this link: – https://rcts.org.uk/product/agm-2024-lunch/
13.15 88th Society Annual General Meeting
15.30 Refreshments
(approx) Sholto Thomas presents “Railway Observer in the United States”
17.00 Members Day closes.
The Brunel Suite forms part of the Grand Station Conference Centre which is located in the former Great Western Railway Wolverhampton Low Level Station. It is very close to Wolverhampton’s current (LNWR) railway station. If arriving by train, or tram, you can walk to Grand Station a number of ways. Most straightforward is probably to turn left out of Wolverhampton LNWR Station, walk through the car park to Cornhill – turn left and cross under the railway to Bailey Street (take care – the paths under the bridge are a bit narrow!). Bear left onto Bailey Street to ‘The Great Western’ public house – and the entrance to Grand Station should be right in front of you. This route is not suitable for wheelchairs or mobility aids. Parking on site at Grand Station is limited to those who have applied to the Society Chairman for one of six permits. Alternatively, there are plenty of public car parks nearby.
A Premier Inn is adjacent.
We look forward to welcoming Members and their guests to Wolverhampton.

Nothing Stays the Same - A tour of Railway Works, by Mike Corbett
2024-04-22 14:00 - 16:30 | NHN Northampton – Weston Favell, Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South, Northampton, NN3 3EP, United Kingdom

Just Like the Old Days
2024-04-22 19:30 - 22:00 | MHD Cox Green, Cox Green Community Centre, Highfield Lane, Cox Green, Maidenhead, SL6 3AX, United Kingdom
Des will present an historical photographic journey with images taken in recent years but which scenically could have been taken many years ago and he did

20 years of high speed railways in UK - David Hanger
2024-04-23 19:30 - 21:30 | EMD Nottingham, The New Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, NG1 4EZ, United Kingdom

The 1968 Hixon Level Crossing Disaster
2024-04-24 19:15 - 21:30 | CHR Bassil Shippam Centre, Tozer Way, St Pancras, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 7LG, United Kingdom
In this dreadful accident a huge articulated transporter lorry, carrying a 120-ton transformer slowly over the automatic level crossing at Hixon, was hit by a 500-ton express train travelling at about 75mph. It was truly a dramatic case of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object.
The terrific impact not only destroyed the electric locomotive, killing the three-man crew instantly, but also wrecked the first five coaches of the train, causing the death of eight passengers, and tore up the track and infrastructure for nearly 200 yards.
This talk will examine the accident from all perspectives and the changes which followed, plus an update of recent commemorative events in the village of Hixon and in the railway industry.

The Narrow Gauge Railways of France
2024-04-25 19:30 - 22:00 | Virtual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, United Kingdom
Tony Bowles brings us another selection from The Restoration & Archiving Trust, this time comprising a mixture of colour and black & white photographs covering the narrow gauge lines in France that were still existed from the mid 1950s onwards, starting in Corsica & finishing on the Reseau Breton.
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.

Archive and Library Open Day
2024-04-27 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-05-02 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-05-08 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-05-14 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom

Swindon Works and Railway Sites Walkaround Tour
2024-04-30 14:00 - 16:00 | Swindon
We plan to have a walkaround tour of the various remaining railway sites in Swindon. The tour will last approximately two hours and will be led by a former Swindon works employee and lifelong Swindon resident Martin Telling. During the walkaround tour we plan to visit the various workshops that still remain in the former works complex (many now converted for other uses), as well as a number of other GWR buildings in the vicinity of the railway works site.
Our Guide Martin Telling started his railway career in September 1973 aged 16 as an Apprentice in the BREL Swindon Works Training School in Dean Street, Swindon. Martin is proud to say that he is a fifth generation Swindon Railwayman. He served his time inside ‘the wall’ that encompassed Swindon Works, completing his Apprenticeship in refurbishment of Locomotives and Rolling Stock in May 1977. Following this he then worked as a Technical Officer in the Works Drawing Office, working on projects including the re-organisation of the Works, Kent Coast Stock refurbishment, Gloucester Y25 Bogies, Plasser & Theurer Cranes, Gun Boats for Nigeria and a Traversing Turntable for Hong Kong Railways. In 1983 Martin was promoted to the British Rail Western Region CM&EE’s department (still located within the Railway Works) where he worked on a number projects throughout the Western Region, and following privatisation throughout the UK railway industry. Martin retired from the railway industry after over 45 years service in April 2019.
Limited spaces available. Email tv-fixtures@rcts.org.uk to book your place. A £5 per person
donation (in aid of a local charity) will be taken on the day

That Was The Year That Was - 1971
2024-04-30 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Welwyn, Digswell Village Church Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0DH, United Kingdom
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch presentation.
Presenter: Geoff Plumb
Geoff returns with another of his popular TWTYTW series.
‘That Was the Year That Was – 1971’. A very busy year covering railways in the UK, including British Railways, industrials, some North Wales narrow gauge, last of steam on London Transport, Humber paddle steamers, and the Bulmer’s Cider Train return to steam. Interspersed with several trips to West Germany and also East Germany.
Doors open: 13:30

35mm gricing home and abroad
2024-05-01 19:30 - 21:30 | FLL Carnforth, Royal Station Hotel, Market Street, Carnforth, LA5 9BT, United Kingdom
Railway Observer editor Mike robinson will show some of his excellent pictures

The Vintage Trains Story - the rise to a Train Operating Company
2024-05-02 19:30 - 22:00 | MKY Milton Keynes, Network Rail - The Quadrant: MK, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 1EN, United Kingdom
Joint meeting with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Mike Corbett gives a talk on the history and development of Birmingham based ‘Vintage Trains’ to Train Operating Company status, together with the Tyseley collection of steam and diesel locomotives, including the application of modern technology to heritage stock to enable main line operation.

Railway Holidays in the West Country - Devon & Somerset by Stuart Warr
2024-05-03 19:30 - 22:00 | BTL North Filton, St Teresa’s Church Hall, 71 Gloucester Road, North Filton, BS34 7PL, United Kingdom
Stuart Warr returns to continue his reminiscences of Railway Holidays in the West Country, this time visiting Devon & Somerset.

'Those Were the Years Those Were' Part 1, by Michael Reade (with apologies to Geoff Plumb!)
2024-05-07 19:00 - 21:30 | WFD Watford, Beechen Grove Baptist Church, Clarendon Road, Watford, WD17 1JJ, United Kingdom
Michael was able, during extensive business travel by rail and road in the U.K., to capture the rail scene in colour from 1960 to the end of mainline steam in 1968. Opportunities arose during lunchtimes and summer evenings in various industrial locations, and together with a London Midland Southern Area lineside permit used in various exotic locations such as Bushey, he photographed many freight workings as well as the dying embers of steam hauled passenger trips. He eschewed the madding crowds in the North West as he preferred to be the last shutter clicker standing.
Please note this is a physical meeting to be held at our usual venue at Beechen Grove Baptist Church, doors open from 18:45.

South Wales Railways in the 21st Century
2024-05-08 19:00 - 22:00
Stuart Warr

Stuart is a well known photographer with many images published in the Railway Observer and in his won publication, My Journey.

The Deltics-worthy successors to the A4s by Michael Smyth
2024-05-13 19:15 - 21:45 | IPS Ipswich, Greenfinch Church Hall, Greenfinch Avenue, Ipswich, IP2 0SQ, United Kingdom
s

Railways in the Cambridge Area - Part 3, by David Scudamore
2024-05-13 19:30 - 21:30 | NHN Northampton – Weston Favell, Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South, Northampton, NN3 3EP, United Kingdom

Visit to South Wales
2024-05-14

Andy Barclay: More slides from the Alan Lovecy collection.
2024-05-14 19:30 - 21:30 | SFD Sheffield Farm Road Sports & Social Club, Farm Road, Sheffield, S2 2TP, United Kingdom

"Midsomer Norton - Rising from the Ashes" by John Baxter
2024-05-14 19:30 - 22:00 | CBR Fulbourn, Cambridge, The Swifts, Haggis Gap, Fulbourn, Cambridge, CB21 5HD, United Kingdom
John Baxter is the Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust’s Secretary. He gives a ‘warts and all’ story of the trials and tribulations of starting a steam railway from scratch and how attempts to derail the project were dealt with to produce a small part of the former Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway for all to enjoy.

Croydon & SL Branch AGM and Members' Images
2024-05-14 19:30 - 22:00 | CSL Croydon, East Croydon United Reformed Church, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon, CR0 5LP, United Kingdom
Our Annual General Meeting, to be followed by Members’ Images (both digital and conventional slide projectors will be available). Your chance to speak up and show off!
As our long serving Chairman Chris Meredith and Secretary Peter Wilson have both decided to step down, it is essential that people come forward to join the committee and help run the branch, otherwise it will be unable to continue…

Memories of a Gorleston Spotter - Part 2
2024-05-14 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.
Presenter: Chris Wright
In part two of his talk, Chris will describe spotting in Hitchin 1962 to 1965, and the many trips he took from Hitchin, in the company of local spotter pals, in pursuit of steam elsewhere. He will also talk about his final forays chasing steam across the Midlands and further north 1965 to 1967.
Doors open 19:00

Southern England in the early 90’s
2024-05-15 19:30 - 22:00
Local member Mark Greening give an illustrated presentation of what was happening some 30 years ago!

Reminisces and Thoughts of a Retired Railwayman
2024-05-16 19:15 - 21:30 | SRY Woking, Woking United Reform Church, White Rose Lane, Woking, GU22 7HA, United Kingdom
Reminisces and thoughts of a retired Railwayman
(Change of speaker. Unfortunatly, Chris Loder has had to cancel his attendance at our meeting).

"60 Years on the Calder Valley"
2024-05-16 19:30 - 21:30 | WRD Shipley, Saltaire Methodist Church, Saltaire Road, Shipley, BD18 3HJ, United Kingdom
Please note this is a change of Presenter and presentation.

Pure Genius - Irish Railways Part 1 - Derry - Chris Youett
2024-05-20 14:00 - 16:00
Part 1 of this journey – ‘Pure Genius’ – Is a trip around the land of Scholars and Saints taking us initially through Derry.

Czech Railways Today
2024-05-20 19:30 - 22:00 | MHD Cox Green, Cox Green Community Centre, Highfield Lane, Cox Green, Maidenhead, SL6 3AX, United Kingdom
Robert has travelled extensively in Central Europe and will present the current scene in the Czech Republic
