Milton Keynes Branch Meeting - Branch AGM followed by member's presentations
2025-12-04 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | MKY Milton Keynes, Network Rail - The Quadrant: MK, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 1EN, United Kingdom
Branch AGM followed by member’s presentations.
The formalities of the AGM are normally concluded in a timely manner, so please also join us for some fun presentations afterwards and maybe a quiz or two!

Bristol Meeting - 'The Swansea Vale Railway' by John Miles.
2025-12-05 19:30 - 22:00 | BTL North Filton, St Teresa’s Church Hall, 71 Gloucester Road, North Filton, BS34 7PL, United Kingdom
The Swansea Vale Railway was a major factor in the life of the Swansea Valley for well over 100 years. Origionally an independent concern, it was taken over by the Midland Railway and hence linked through to the rest of the UK via Brecon. John Miles tells the story of the railway, its employees and passengers.

AGM and members' contributions, Northampton Branch Meeting
2025-12-08 14:00 - 16:30 | NHN Northampton – Weston Favell, Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South, Northampton, NN3 3EP, United Kingdom

Visit to Stafford
2025-12-09

Railways to the Sea
2025-12-09 13:30 - 16:00 | HSD Hull, The Highway, Willerby Road, Hull, HU5 5LH, United Kingdom

Sugar, Steam and Sunsets (Java)
2025-12-09 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Hitchin, St Mark's Church, St Mark's Close, Lancaster Avenue, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1UR, United Kingdom
A Hitchin and Welwyn Garden City Branch presentation by David Longman.
In the early years of this century, David Longman made a series of trips to photograph the remaining steam locomotives working on the narrow gauge sugar lines in Java. Unwilling to join an organised group he travelled the length of the island by bus, motorcycle and becak, locating the various ‘pabrik gula’ and bringing back a snapshot not only of the railways but also the lives of the people of this Indonesian island. Whilst there is now little or nothing left of these wonderful little railways, as road transport has rendered them largely redundant, David will be recalling the people he met, the ‘Beast Of Tasik Madu’ and places his visited during his photographic wanderings.
Doors open 13:30 for a 14:00 start.
There will be an extended interval break! (with Christmas “nibbles”)

Sheffield Branch – Meeting Cancelled
2025-12-09 19:00 - 21:00 | SFD Sheffield Farm Road Sports & Social Club, Farm Road, Sheffield, S2 2TP, United Kingdom
As this planned meeting date clashes with a home match for Sheffield United, the committee have decided that it would be prudent to cancel.

Branch Social event with member's contributions
2025-12-09 19:00 - 21:30 | EMD Nottingham, The New Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, NG1 4EZ, United Kingdom
A social evening with wine and mince pies and short contributions from the members – starts at 7pm

The Epping and Ongar Railway
2025-12-09 19:30 - 22:00 | CSL Croydon, East Croydon United Reformed Church, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon, CR0 5LP, United Kingdom
The Epping to Ongar Line was originally a Great Eastern Railway branch line, and later became part of the London Underground. Following closure, there were various proposals over its future, before it became a heritage railway – one of the nearest ones to us – as which it is now well established. Tonight Eddie Veckranges will be coming to tell its story, and what plans it has for the future.

AGM and Members' Photographs
2025-12-09 19:30 - 22:00 | CBR Fulbourn, Cambridge, The Swifts, Haggis Gap, Fulbourn, Cambridge, CB21 5HD, United Kingdom
Tuesday 9thDecember is our AGM, followed my Members’ Photographs.
The Agenda for the AGM can be found here and the Chairman’s Report is here.

Archive And Library Open Day - CANCELLED
2025-12-10 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-16 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom
Archive And Library Open Day- CANCELLED
Cancelled due to ongoing interior works by Govia Thameslink Railway.

Narrow Gauge around the World
2025-12-10 19:00 - 22:00 | SWL Radyr, Cardiff, Old Church Rooms / Hen Ysgoldy'r Eglwys, Park Road, Radyr, Cardiff, CF15 8DF, United Kingdom
Following on from his talks on the railways of South Africa and Cuba, renowned local Photographer Tony Wardrobe will be sharing what promises to be a fascinating selection of images focusing on those railways with a gauge of less than standard.
Doors open at 7pm for a 7:30 start, our preloved book stall will be available for you to make some Christmas gift purchases and there will be our regular complimentary tea and coffee available at half time, along with our competitively priced KitKats

2025 Scottish Branch AGM, followed by Members' Slide or Digital Presentations
2025-12-11 14:30 - 16:30 | SCT Edinburgh, Scots Guards Club, 2 Clifton Terrace,, Edinburgh, EH12 5DR, United Kingdom
Members able to contribute any presentation are asked to notify the Branch Secretary beforehand.
Coffee and festive mince pies will be served at the break.

That Was The Year That Was - 1963
2025-12-11 19:00 - 21:30 | PBR Peterborough, St Luke’s Church, Mayor's Walk, Peterborough, PE3 6EZ, United Kingdom
Geoff Plumb visits us to show images of railway operations in 1963.
A nostalgic record of a time of great change on our railways, this is sure to be an interesting evening.

All about the Letter 'A' - Mike Dodd
2025-12-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Cheylesmore Community Centre, Poitiers Road, Coventry 5JX, Poitiers Road, Cheylesmore,, Coventry, CV3 5JX
In this presentation our speaker, Mike Dodd, from the Restoration & Archiving Trust, takes us on a global tour to countries beginning with the Letter ‘A’ including Australia, Argentina and Austria. He will also take us to places in the UK which also begin with with the Letter ‘A’.

AGM followed by Member’s slides/presentations
2025-12-15 19:30 - 22:30 | ESX Shenfield, Shenfield Parish Hall, 60 Hutton Road, Shenfield, CM15 8LB, United Kingdom
Physical meeting at Shenfield Parish Hall some parts of which will also be available on Zoom as a Hybrid Meeting. The meeting will commence with the AGM itself followed by member’s digital images all of which will be available also via Zoom. We will show member’s 35mm slides in the hall at the end of the meeting and since it is not possible to show these via Zoom, the hybrid meeting will end after all digital presentations have been given.
The physical meeting at Shenfield Parish Hall will include festive fare and a festive raffle. Admission for this meeting will be free for members and just £1.00 for guests. There will be no Zoom fee either for this meeting but you will still need to register as normal.

TVY Branch - My time inside the Wall - Memories of Swindon Works
2025-12-16 14:00 - 16:30 | TVY Didcot, Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, OX11 7JN, United Kingdom
Martin, who is well known to many of our RCTS Branch members, having been the host of our successful Swindon Works railway sites tour which we ran last year, comes from a long family line of Swindon railway employees. In this talk Martin will give us some of his personnel experiences of life inside Swindon Works in the 1970s and 80s. Martin started his railway career in the early 1970s, taking up an apprenticeship in the railway works, before moving on to do a number of roles within the works. In this talk Martin will give us some stories and details of the various activities and projects he worked upon within the works, during his nine years of Swindon works employment.

Special Members Presentations (follows short AGM)
2025-12-17 19:15 - 21:30 | CHR Bassil Shippam Centre, Tozer Way, St Pancras, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 7LG, United Kingdom
Three local members present a fascinating mix of railway
related images. Ardrian Willats will cover Preserved Railways
from 1982-2018. Ian Mckey has many tales and pictures to show
from his UK rail journeys spread far and wide. Roger Sandford
will show images taken by the late Bruce Oliver, a real UK pot
pourri, but also including many local scenes from the past.

15 in 15
2025-12-17 19:30 - 22:00 | SOE Eastleigh, Junction Church (formerly Eastleigh Railway Institute), 2 Romsey Road, Eastleigh, SO50 9FE, United Kingdom
Members pictures and festive buffet

NEA Branch - On BR Tracks Part 1 - 1975-1979
2025-12-18 19:00 - 21:30 | NEA Darlington, Darlington Cricket Club, South Terrace, Darlington, DL1 5JD, United Kingdom
Presented by Barry Burns

CHM Branch - Swindon Works - the Final Years
2025-12-18 19:00 - 22:00 | CHM Cheltenham, Victory Club, Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2SY, United Kingdom
RCTS President Canon Brian Arman returns with more thoughts on the final years of Swindon Works

Surrey Branch - Railway Preservation Society of Ireland Part 2
2025-12-18 19:15 - 21:30 | SRY Woking, Woking United Reform Church, White Rose Lane, Woking, GU22 7HA, United Kingdom
Surrey Branch – October 2025 Meeting
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland Part 2
Preceeded by the RCTS Surrey Branch AGM

WRD - Christmas Railway Quiz
2025-12-18 19:30 - 22:00 | WRD Shipley, Saltaire Methodist Church, Saltaire Road, Shipley, BD18 3HJ, United Kingdom
Thinking caps on folks – John Holroyd hosts our Branch Christmas Railway Quiz

Bristol Meeting - Christmas Buffet and Members Evening.
2025-12-19 19:30 - 22:00 | BTL North Filton, St Teresa’s Church Hall, 71 Gloucester Road, North Filton, BS34 7PL, United Kingdom
Christmas Buffet and members 15 minute presentations.

WEN - David Hunt : More 1970s and 80s Nostalgia
2025-12-20 19:00 - 21:30 | WEN Exeter [Mint Methodist Church], Fore Street, Exeter, EX4 3AT, United Kingdom
For our Christmas meeting, David Hunt will be entertaining us with a traditional slide show with more 1970s and 1980s nostalgia from his extensive archive. The evening promises to take us North East South and West as David entertains us with his travels on the national network with plenty of photos off the beaten track, or is that the cinder path from the old IA locoshed directories…

Windsor & Maidenhead Branch AGM 2025
2025-12-22 19:30 - 22:00 | MHD Cox Green, Cox Green Community Centre, Highfield Lane, Cox Green, Maidenhead, SL6 3AX, United Kingdom
Our annual review of the year that has passed, and a look at what is to come in the new year. Join us to have your say, or offer to help. There will be seasonal refreshments and time to chat.
Followed by a presentation by Richard Marks – Rail 200 – The British Railway Revolution – Was the Stockton and Darlington really the first UK railway in 1825?

Some More of My Images ... and Maybe Yours?
2025-12-29 19:30 - 22:00 | Virtual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, United Kingdom
Having been even more disorganised than usual, this month’s presentatation will just be a somewhat random selection of my (Jeremy Harrison’s) images, that I feel are worth seeing. And if anyone else would like to show some of theirs, please step forward, and send an e-mail to zoom-national@rcts.org.uk, to be included in this evening’s programme.
For this virtual event, you will require a ticket. Free for RCTS members, but a £2.00 donation will be requested at the checkout. Non-member tickets are £2.00. (Or you can join the Society in the same transaction to take advantage of members’ benefits). Note that with the the new season, the price for Zoom meetings has been reduced. Rather than than making individual donations for each meeting, members may prefer to make a bulk donation at https://rcts.org.uk/product/donation-society/.
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.

Six Decades of the Settle & Carlisle
2025-12-30 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Welwyn, Digswell Village Church Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0DH, United Kingdom
A Hitchin and Welwyn Garden City Branch presentation by Michael Smyth.
This presentation covers the changing scene on the Settle and Carlisle from the 1960s to the present day. It features the slow decline in traffic towards its planned closure, refusal of closure, and subsequent resurgence of traffic through to the present day.
Illustrated by my own and unpublished images taken throughout this period capturing not just the trains but the scenic setting of this line in its ever changing and at time extreme weathers.
Michael Smyth
Doors open 13:30 for a 14:00 start to the presentation. There will be an extended interval for Christmas/New Year “nibbles”.

My All-Line Rover Routes in Earlier Days
2026-01-01 08:00 - 17:00
For many rail enthusiasts, an All Lines Rover ticket is the holy grail of our hobby and for our March meeting, Noel Thompson will be presenting a selection of images taken whilst using one of these tickets. Please note that, owing to the unavailability of our usual room, the March meeting will be taking place on the first Wednesday rather than the second. Normal service will be resumed in April
As always, our preloved book stall will be open for you to make that vital purchase you never knew you needed and our competitively priced Kit Kats will be available at half time, along with the complimentary tea and coffee.
