The Railway Correspondence & Travel Society

Milton Keynes Branch Lineside Observation - Bletchley Station
2025-08-07 18:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | MKY Milton Keynes, Network Rail - The Quadrant: MK, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 1EN, United Kingdom
Join us for an evening of lineside observation at Bletchley station from 18:00hrs. Hopefully there will be plenty to see, from the recently introduced London Northwestern Railway Class 730/2 units, to the return run of a new intermodal freight flow from the newly opened Northampton Gateway.

That Was The Year That Was 1965
2025-07-31 19:30 - 22:00 | Virtual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, United Kingdom
Geoff Plumb returns with another presentation of his excellent photography, this time looking back at 1965. Steam was still in evidence on his local line, the Metropolitan and Great Central Joint, while he also made many visits to the South Western Mainline, the Isle of Wight, North Wales, and other steam strongholds round the country, including many shed and works visits. Steam specials also feature strongly, not only various Society (and other) railtours, but also Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral train. But in many areas, diesel traction was to the fore, and is included in Geoff’s show.
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.

UK Railways in the 21st Century
2025-07-29 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Welwyn, Digswell Village Church Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0DH, United Kingdom
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch presentation by John Day.
A presentation taken year on year for the first 25 years of the 21st Century looking at everyday service trains, passenger, freight, locomotive units, both diesel and electric multiple units that run regularly in public and freight timetabled service.
Livery and franchise changes will feature without delving into statistical analysis. Special liveries will feature where appropriate and space within each year allow. The images featured will be from personal travels around the UK, especially as the network moved from loco hauled passenger trains to set formations built around the InterCity 125 staple. It is hoped you will enjoy the variety presented and my apologies if I might have missed, or not photographed one of your favourites. So much has changed this century, with much more to come as the Department for Transport take the franchised railway back into public ownership.
John Day
Doors open 13:30 for a 14:00 start.

Archive And Library Open Day - CANCELLED
2025-07-29 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-23 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-17 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-12 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom
Archive And Library Open Day CANCELLED due to awaiting completion of interior works in The Stationmaster’s House.

The Settle and Carlisle Line - The 1960's to the present day
2025-07-21 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.
This presentation explains and records the changing fortunes of the Settle and Carlisle line from the last days of steam in the 1960s, through the years of decline towards expected closure, its reprieve in 1989 and subsequent resurgence.
100 pictures illustrate the variety of steam and diesel workings to be seen over the decades. All of these are set against the backdrop of the structures and scenery of this most scenic of routes, as well as the ever changing and sometimes extreme weather.

Outside Visit - TBA
2025-07-17 00:00

Observation Day - Cardiff and the Valleys
2025-07-16 06:30 - 22:00 | Cardiff Station, Central Square,, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 1EP, United Kingdom
Observation of railway activity at Cardiff & the Valleys
We shall be catching 1F06 Portsmouth to Cardiff and return on 1F31 Cardiff to Portsmouth.
We shall use an Explore Cardiff and the Valleys day rover.

Banbury Station Observation
2025-07-15 14:00 - 19:00 | Banbury Station

Observation Day Nuneaton Station
2025-07-15 10:30 - 17:00 | Nuneaton Station, Nuneaton Station
Join us for an observation day at Nuneaton Station viewing the passing freight and passenger traffic.

Branch Social Meeting
2025-07-09 19:00 - 22:00 | SWL Radyr, Cardiff, Old Church Rooms / Hen Ysgoldy'r Eglwys, Park Road, Radyr, Cardiff, CF15 8DF, United Kingdom

On Great Eastern Lines Since 1991
2025-07-08 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 Geoff Brockett.
In Geoff’s own words – “The show is based on a presentation I did for the Great Eastern Railway Society and depicts trains on lines originally wholly or jointly owned by the Great Eastern Railway. The photos were taken between 1990 and 2023 – and there is an emphasis on loco-hauled trains”.
Doors open 13:30 for a 14:00 start.

Visit to Edinburgh area
2025-07-08

Milton Keynes Branch Meeting - 'North of the border from the Tweed to Thurso' - by Ray Schofield
2025-07-03 19:30 - 21:30 | MKY Milton Keynes, Network Rail - The Quadrant: MK, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 1EN, United Kingdom
A presentation by Ray Schofield.
A journey on some of the most scenic rails north of the Border commencing with the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick on Tweed via Edinburgh, the Forth Bridge, Glasgow, the West Highland Line to Mallaig, via Skye to Kyle of Lochalsh, Inverness and to finish in sight of Hoy at Thurso. All with steam and taken on Ray’s numerous visits over the border from 1963 to now. The first of a trilogy of Scottish talks.
Note: This is a change from our previously published talk, due to unavailability of the booked speaker.

WFD Branch - 'That Was the Year That Was - 1972', by Geoff Plumb, 1st July 2025
2025-07-01 19:00 - 21:30 | WFD Watford, Beechen Grove Baptist Church, Clarendon Road, Watford, WD17 1JJ, United Kingdom
GEOFF PLUMB – ‘That Was the Year That Was – 1972’. More of Geoff’s many days out around and about, including UK scenes and West Germany. The main event sees a visit to South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique for a feast of steam. Nostalgia rules, OK!
Please note this is a physical meeting, doors open from 18:30 for 19:00 commencement of proceedings.
Please note also that there is no meeting in August as we take a summer break.

Archive And Library Open Day - CANCELLED
2025-07-01 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom
Apologies for cancelling the planned openday. This is due to ongoing works in The Stationmaster’s House.

French Railways 1965-72 – a Video Miscellany
2025-06-26 19:30 - 22:00 | Virtual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, United Kingdom
Michael Grieves started taking cine film in the 1960s, and, as steam in Britain came to an end, made many European trips in search of it, taking many films of what he found – these have now been scanned into digital format. Tonight he will show a miscellany drawing from his trips to France between 1965 and 1972, accompanied by his own commentary.
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 - CANCELLED
2025-06-25 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-06-19 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom
Network Rail and Govia Thameslink (GTR) have now undertaken additional works which, we hope, will cure the damp problems at the Stationmaster’s House. GTR’s contractors have rectifed the damp areas internally but not completed timber repais as yet. Some shelving is till stored and dust covering on all other shelves while that work is undertaken. It is not therefore practical to open the Archive to visitors on this day.
Our apologies for any inconvenience, please attend at an open day later in the summer.

The West Somerset Railway - Plus More
2025-06-24 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Welwyn, Digswell Village Church Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0DH, United Kingdom
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City branch presentation by Richard Morris.
Following the opening of the Bristol and Exeter Railway in 1845 there were soon thoughts about connecting it to the West Somerset and North Devon coastal towns. These discussions didn’t get very far until Mr Brunel was engaged. In 1862 a railway was constructed and opened between Taunton and Watchet. This was extended to Minehead in 1874. “There were minerals in them therr Zummerzet hills” which were waiting to be mined. Thankfully the West Somerset Railway has survived and we know it now as one of the longest heritage railways in the country.
The second half will be a mix of all sorts of things, modern traction, steam from around the country, a little bit from a European holiday, and from being ‘out and about in 2024.
Richard Morris
Doors open 13:30 for a 14:00 start.

Eastleigh Arlington Works Visit
2025-06-21 09:45 - 12:30 | Arlington Works, Campbell Road, Eastleigh, SO50 5AD, United Kingdom
A visit has been booked for Arlington Works for between 15 and 30 people. Details below, to book and arrange payment, up to 04/06/2025 or until the visit is full, contact
John Godfrey
tel: 07850 220009
email: solent@rcts.org.uk
9 Duddon Close West End Southampton SO18 3QA

Arlington Fleet Services are happy to welcome organised groups of railway enthusiasts and
other interested parties to our site at Eastleigh Works.
Guided tours of our site are available on two Saturdays each month from Spring to Autumn
each year. Parties of 15 to 30 can be accommodated. The cost is £15 per person, paid in cash
to our Guide on the day. All money goes to the Arlington nominated charity which changes
each year. There is a minimum charge of £225 per group (15 x £15).
Tours start at our entrance gate on Campbell Road promptly at 10:00 with a Safety Briefing
from our Lead Guide. Visitors should arrive from 09:30. Minimum age is 12 and anyone under
18 must be accompanied by an adult who agrees to take full responsibility for the young
person. Our yard has 750V electrified 3rd rail which will be on during the tour. Traffic on site
can be busy with many vans and HGVs present. Tours typically last between one and two
hours and can involve walking 3 to 4 miles in total.
All visitors should wear stout footwear and a hi viz jacket. The site will be working during the
tour and all instructions from our guides must be followed without question. Anyone without a
hi viz jacket will be restricted to just the roadways and walking routes. We are unable to supply
hi viz jackets.
Anyone with a health condition (Diabetes, heart problems, breathing problems etc.) should
notify our guides on the day so they can be aware in case of any problems during the tour.
We aim to show visitors as much of the site as possible but we cannot guarantee access to
any particular area or item of rolling stock during the tour. Some of our tenants do not allow
visitors to enter their areas so the guide will show the best viewing points to see as much as
possible in those areas.
Photography for personal use only is allowed for the most part and the Safety Briefing at the
start will identify any rolling stock or areas where photography is not allowed. All photographs
and video taken during the event must be for your own use ONLY and cannot be published in
any media, printed or online.
There is no car parking available on site, except for Disabled badge holders. There are plenty
of car parks in Eastleigh town centre. Just follow the signs. The nearest ones to the Works are
opposite the station and just further down the main road at the Swan Centre. There is also a
small pay and display car park just south of the Campbell Road junction, between the main
road and the railway line.

Wickham Trolley Evening, S&D Railway Midsomer Norton
2025-06-20 18:00 - 20:30 | Midsomer Norton Station, Silver Street, Midsomer Norton, BA2 2EY
Come and join our Wickham Trolley Evening at the Somerset & Dorset Railway Station, Midsomer Norton.
6.00pm Pimms Reception, donations to the Railway Children Charity
6.30pm Trolley Rides the length of the line @ £5 a head.
The shop, buffet, book emporium and museum will all be open.

"Neville Hill - Diary of an Escapee" by Peter Holden
2025-06-19 19:30 - 21:30 | WRD Shipley, Saltaire Methodist Church, Saltaire Road, Shipley, BD18 3HJ, United Kingdom

Reading Station Observation
2025-06-19 17:00 - 20:00 | Reading Station

Observation Evening - Eastleigh
2025-06-18 16:00 - 20:00 | Eastleigh Station, United Kingdom

British Rail 1986 to 1992 - The Evolution of Business Management
2025-06-16 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.
In 1982 BR created new business units. Passenger Services were split into InterCity, Network SouthEast and Provincial Services, freight was split into Trainload, Speedlink and Freightliner and a parcels sector was created. Mervyn Rogers will explore how this Sectorisation came about and how this affected the run-up to Privatisation.

Archive And Library Open Day - CANCELLED
2025-06-14 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom
Network Rail and Govia Thameslink (GTR) have now undertaken additional works which, we hope, will cure the damp problems at the Stationmaster’s House. GTR’s contractors are rectifying the damp areas internally so we are moving some shelving and dust covering all other shelves while that work is undertaken. It is not therefore practical ot open the Archive to visitors on this day.
Our apologies for any inconvenience, please attend at an open day later in the summer.

The Fourth Rowland Pittard Memorial Lecture: An evening of images from the collection of Bob Masterman
2025-06-11 19:00 - 22:00 | SWL Radyr, Cardiff, Old Church Rooms / Hen Ysgoldy'r Eglwys, Park Road, Radyr, Cardiff, CF15 8DF, United Kingdom
For the fourth annual Rowland Pittard Memorial Lecture, The RCTS South Wales branch is delighted to welcome Robert Masterman back to The Old Church Rooms in Radyr. Bob is widely regarded as one of the foremost railway photographers of his, or any, generation and is perhaps best known for his work documenting the ever evolving South Wales scene but his archive covers a far wider area, so expect a veritable cornucopia of images from South Wales and further beyond
