The Railway Correspondence & Travel Society

On-Line Transport Association (OTA) Images by Charles Roberts
2025-03-17 13:30 - 15:45 (Europe/London) | MCN Bromborough, The Bromborough Suite. The Merebrook, Greenfields Avenue, Bromborough, Wirral, Merseyside, CH62 6DD, United Kingdom
Please note change of time from evening to afternoon

Railways in and around WW2 - The SCRS Moseley Collection - Robin Mathams
2025-03-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Cheylesmore Community Centre, Poitiers Road, Coventry 5JX, Poitiers Road, Cheylesmore,, Coventry, CV3 5JX

25 Years of Derek Cross Diesels 1959 to 1984
2025-03-17 19:30 - 22:30 | ESX Shenfield, Shenfield Parish Hall, 60 Hutton Road, Shenfield, CM15 8LB, United Kingdom
Physical meeting at Shenfield Parish Hall which will also be available on Zoom as a Hybrid Meeting.
David Cross will present some more of his father’s slides which this time will feature diesels photographed in England between the years 1959 and 1984.
Derek was a prolific photographer in the sixties and seventies but unlike many of his peers, he continued to take railway pictures after 1968 despite the demise of steam. The early 1960’s saw large numbers of very short life diesels and photos of many of these long forgotten classes are included in David’s presentation showing them at work and not just in a rusting line awaiting the cutter’s torch! Diesel locos really got into their groove in the late 1960s and were to be found on all freight workings and away from the electrified lines, pretty much all long distance passenger services. Whilst many of the small BR modernisation prototype fleets were withdrawn by the 1970s, a great number of classes survived into the 1980s amd 1990s with some classes, all be it with new engines, still to be found on the network today.

Archive And Library Open Day
2025-03-18 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-03-29 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-03 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom

The Western Locomotive Association
2025-03-18 19:00 - 21:30 | TVY Didcot, Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, OX11 7JN, United Kingdom
Paul Finch the Vice Chairman & Publicity Officer of the Western Locomotive Association, gives us his presentation covering the highs and lows of preserving and operating three Western Class 52 diesel hydraulic locomotives, for more than four decades.

HSD branch - Steve Jordan - A local photographer with a varied show
2025-03-18 19:30 - 22:00 | HSD Hull, The Highway, Willerby Road, Hull, HU5 5LH, United Kingdom
Steve Jordan – A local photographer with a varied show.

Tracks in the Mist (Wooton Tramway/ Brill Branch and the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway.)
2025-03-19 19:30 - 22:00 | SOE Eastleigh, Junction Church (formerly Eastleigh Railway Institute), 2 Romsey Road, Eastleigh, SO50 9FE, United Kingdom

North East Branch - The Waverley Route
2025-03-20 19:00 - 21:30 | NEA Darlington, Darlington Cricket Club, South Terrace, Darlington, DL1 5JD, United Kingdom
The iconic Waverley Route – from Edinburgh to Carlisle via Galashiels and Hawick is the subject for Dennis Lovett. The Northern section of the route from Edinburgh to Tweedbank is, happily, resurrected as The Borders Railway, opening as such in September 2015.

CHM Branch - South Western England
2025-03-20 19:00 - 22:00 | CHM Cheltenham, Victory Club, Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2SY, United Kingdom
Michael Clemens comes to us with some cine film and stills of the good old days of the Midland and South Western Junction Railway and the Somerset and Dorset, so something for everyone. The films and slides were taken by much respected railway film maker and photographer Jim Clemens and Michael has transferred them onto a digital format.
The meeting is a joint venture with our friends from Cheltenham Railway Action Photographers
Michael has very recently had a book published by the RCTS, A Journey Through the Cotswold and Malvern Hills. The book can be purchased through the Branch for £20.00 (Members) or £25.00 (Non members) and by purchasing through the Branch you can save on the postage and packing! Please contact the Branch Treasurer, Rich Morris (cheltenham@rcts.org.uk) if you would like a copy – and we will arrange to get copies delivered.

The Rail Industry and Political Intervention - 1923 to 1973
2025-03-20 19:15 - 21:30 | SRY Woking, Woking United Reform Church, White Rose Lane, Woking, GU22 7HA, United Kingdom
The Rail Industry and Political Intervention – 1923 to 1973
Note that the talk title has been changed from “The Post War years to Railway 200 with a glimpse to the future”.
Stuart Palmer
Lifelong railwayman and former Managing Director of South West Trains

"Railway Mixture" by David Alred
2025-03-20 19:30 - 21:30 | WRD Shipley, Saltaire Methodist Church, Saltaire Road, Shipley, BD18 3HJ, United Kingdom

Gems of the HC Casserley Archive
2025-03-24 19:30 - 22:00 | MHD Cox Green, Cox Green Community Centre, Highfield Lane, Cox Green, Maidenhead, SL6 3AX, United Kingdom
The famous railway photographer from years gone by. Robert Freeman will remind us of some of his superb pictures

A Visit to Pakistan, 1990
2025-03-25 14:00 - 16:30 | CSL Redhill, Redhill Methodist Church, Gloucester Road, Redhill, RH1 1BP, United Kingdom
Back in 1990, Jeremy Harrison undertook a visit to Pakistan, to see and photograph its railways. While the main emphasis of his trip was the then surviving steam – on broad, metre and narrow gauges – he also took the opportunity to photograph all aspects of the contemporary railway scene.

AGM and German Steam
2025-03-25 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Welwyn, Digswell Village Church Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0DH, United Kingdom
The Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch AGM followed by a presentation by George Howe.
Details to follow.
Doors open 13:30 for a 14:00 start.

Testing trains on BR since the 1950s - Dave Coxon
2025-03-25 19:00 - 21:30 | EMD Nottingham, The New Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, NG1 4EZ, United Kingdom
The talk encompasses the early days of Nationalisation and looks of the improvements to steam engines, the introduction of the ‘Modernisation Plan’ and new diesels and the pioneering work undertaken at the RTC Derby. The last part reviews numerous tests undertaken in Dave’s career at the RTC

The Last Years of British Steam & Early Ventures Seeking It Overseas
2025-03-26 19:15 - 21:30
Scanned slides from the late sixties through to the mid-seventies, in both the UK and beyond”.

India (Part 1)
2025-03-27 19:30 - 22:00 | Virtual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, United Kingdom
Peter Robins presents images from his trips to India (and on into Pakistan) in the 1980s. India was always a wonderful but slightly frustrating country that was full of surprises – some good, some not so. From visits made in 1981 and 1987, this presentation includes a variety of steam classes at work on both broad and metre gauges, and on a number of the charming narrow gauge lines, at various locations, including Punjab, Darjeeling and Ootacamund. Industrial lines also feature, as does steam over the border in Pakistan.
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.

"Rails around Preston the book" by Mike Rhodes.
2025-03-28 19:30 - 22:00 | Fulwood Lawn Tennis club Highgate Ave Preston PR2 8DY, Highgate Ave, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 8DY
A presentation that’s looks at the Preston areas railways based on Mike’s latest book.

WFD Branch - Branch AGM, followed by 'The Northern Line Extensions', by Brian Hardy, 1st April 2025
2025-04-01 18:45 - 21:30 | WFD Watford, Beechen Grove Baptist Church, Clarendon Road, Watford, WD17 1JJ, United Kingdom
AGM start 18:45. Then at 19:15 BRIAN HARDY – ‘The Northern Line Extensions’ (Bushey Heath, Alexandra Palace, etc.) – i.e. what was planned under the 1935-40 New Works Programme, what was done, what was abandoned and what remains now.
Further details may be available nearer the date.
Please note this is a physical meeting, doors open from 18:30 for 18:45 commencement of proceedings – please also note the earlier start time.

L & Y Engines at work - Part 3 by Paul Shackcloth
2025-04-02 13:30 - 15:45 | MCN Liverpool, Haig House Social Club, Woolton Road, Garston, Liverpool, L19 5NQ, United Kingdom

50 years of Merseyrail
2025-04-02 19:30 - 21:30 | FLL Carnforth, Royal Station Hotel, Market Street, Carnforth, LA5 9BT, United Kingdom
Martyn Hibbert has aspent much time exploring Merseyrail and will give a presentation which promises to be very interesting

Milton Keynes Branch Meeting - ‘Member's Presentations’
2025-04-03 19:30 - 21:30 | MKY Milton Keynes, Network Rail - The Quadrant: MK, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 1EN, United Kingdom
Unfortunately David Cross, who was to present a selection of his late father Derek’s excellent images, is unavailable at short notice for this meeting. Therefore the evening will consist of member’s presentations. Apologies for any disappointment this may cause and hopefully David will be able to join us later in the year.

Bristol - David Cross Presents 'My Father's Pictures in The West of England'
2025-04-04 19:30 - 22:00 | BTL North Filton, St Teresa’s Church Hall, 71 Gloucester Road, North Filton, BS34 7PL, United Kingdom
David Cross presents an evening of his father’s excellent pictures taken in the West of England. Locations include, Bristol, Bath, and the Somerset & Dorset Railway.

Members Day and AGM 2025
2025-04-05 10:00 - 17:00 | Grand Station, Wolverhampton, Sun Street, Wolverhampton, WV10 0BF, United Kingdom
The Annual Members Day and AGM will take place at The Grand Station, Sun Street, Wolverhampton, WV10 0BF on Saturday 5th April 2025. We have a wide ranging line up of guest speakers coming to give us presentations: –
Gus Dunster (CEO, Severn Valley Railway) who will present From Pendolino to Preservation
Steve Oates (Chairman, Heritage Railway Association) who will present Heritage Railways in the year of Rail 200
Mike Lamport (member of the Rail200 Steering Group) who will present Celebrating 200 years of Railways
Pete Waterman, OBE (Music impresario and renowned railway enthusiast and modeller) will lead a Q&A session at the location where he had his first railway job as a porter on GWR Wolverhampton Low Level Station, which has now been transformed into The Grand Station venue.
Lunch will be available and must be booked in advance using this link:-
https://rcts.org.uk/product/agm-2025-lunch/
The AGM itself will commence at 1300hrs – the agenda, and reports of activities in 2024, and accounts for the year ending 31st October 2024 will appear in the supplement to be issued with the April RO. The supplement will also be available on line.
PLEASE NOTE: – This event is strictly for RCTS and SLS members only. It is not open to the general public.

The Eric Oldham Legacy Collection by John Hillier (Note the change of speaker), Northampton Branch Meeting
2025-04-07 14:00 - 16:30 | NHN Northampton – Weston Favell, Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South, Northampton, NN3 3EP, United Kingdom

Visit to Tamworth, Nuneaton & Water Orton
2025-04-08

Geoff Plumb. That was the year that was: 1962.
2025-04-08 14:00 - 16:00 | SFD Sheffield Farm Road Sports & Social Club, Farm Road, Sheffield, S2 2TP, United Kingdom
Staveley Iron Works near Chesterfield had its own internal rail system, but hired in motive power from the Midland Railway. It apparently had a 100 year contract, which rather outlasted the provision of Midland power, but did ensure some ancient engines survived! Here, Johnson “Half-Cab” class 1F 0-6-0T is shunting internal user wagons within the works on Sunday 12th August 1962.
In Sheffield branch’s 75th anniversary year Geoff makes a welcome return – his father Derek Plumb was one of the branches founder members.
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 as a Television Cameraman. The first half of the presentation covers his early background before moving on to a variety of high quality (mainly Black & White) images taken around the country during 1962.

A Caledonian Collection
2025-04-08 14:00 - 16:30 | St Marks Church Hall, Hitchin SG5 1UR, St Mark's Close, Lancaster Avenue, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1UR
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch presentation by Roger Pidgeon.
In the photo –
Caledonian express locomotive No 78 at the West Walls engine shed, just north of Carlisle Citadel Station . Loco rebuilt 1868. Photo around early 1870s
Note the 8 ft driving wheel , the big Crewe end and the Giffard injector by the cab door.
Doors open at 13:30 for a 14:00 start.
