The Railway Correspondence & Travel Society

The Railways of Northern Portugal 1976 - The end of Steam
2023-03-15 19:30 - 22:00 (Europe/London) | SOE Eastleigh, Junction Church (formerly Eastleigh Railway Institute), 2 Romsey Road, Eastleigh, SO50 9FE, United Kingdom

An Evening with Jim Sedgwick
2023-03-16 19:00 - 21:30 | NEA Darlington, Darlington Cricket Club, South Terrace, Darlington, DL1 5JD, United Kingdom

Memories of the Last Steam around Gloucester
2023-03-16 19:00 - 22:00 | CHM Cheltenham, Victory Club, Burlington House, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2SY, United Kingdom
Branch member Chris Baldwin returns, this time with his memories of the last days of steam in and around the City of Gloucester.

The Future National Railway Museum - Now on Zoom ONLY
2023-03-16 19:30 - 21:30 | Online using Zoom, Zoom, United Kingdom
The Future National Railway Museum
Anthony Coulls, Senior Curator of Rail Transport & Technology of the NRM in York will be talking about the museum’s Vision 2025 and other updates to the museum’s activities.

"Colour Rail Journey" - Paul Chancellor
2023-03-16 19:30 - 21:30 | WRD Shipley, Saltaire Methodist Church, Saltaire Road, Shipley, BD18 3HJ, United Kingdom

Preserved British Steam - Allan Stewart
2023-03-20 14:00 - 16:00 | WMD Coventry, Cheylesmore Community Centre, Arundel/Poitiers Road, Coventry, CV3 5JX, United Kingdom
Having presented his excellent ‘BR Steam’ images last year, Allan Stewart returns with another top class presentation, this time depicting UK preserved steam – both main line and heritage railways. Not to be missed !!!

Walking the Woodhead Route part 2 by Stephen Gay
2023-03-20 14:00 - 16:30 | NHN Northampton – Weston Favell, Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South, Northampton, NN3 3EP, United Kingdom
Stephen entertained us with Part 1 in March 2022 and returns, by popular request, to complete the journey into Sheffield

Merseyrail Fleet Replacement - An Update
2023-03-20 19:30 - 21:45 | MCN Bromborough, The Bromborough Suite. The Merebrook, Greenfields Avenue, Bromborough, Wirral, Merseyside, CH62 6DD, United Kingdom

Railway Engineering; A Driver's Eye View
2023-03-20 19:30 - 22:30 | ESX Shenfield, Shenfield Parish Hall, 60 Hutton Road, Shenfield, CM15 8LB, United Kingdom
Andy Grimmett started on the railway at Stratford MPD in Sept 1974. By 1979 he had qualified as a driver and progressed through the links driving a large variety of traction. With the partial closure of Stratford Depot in Jan 1994, he decided to move with 13 other drivers to Ilford Car Sheds where he stayed until retirement in 2022. More often than not, Andy had his camera with him and was able to capture images that could only be attained by fellow railway employees. The engineering of the railway including many aspects of the infrastructure have been recorded by Andy, and a selection of these photos will be seen in this presentation, with some 1960’s views also included.

Archive and Library Open Day
2023-03-21 11:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-01 11:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-06 11:00 - 16:00, 2023-04-12 11:00 - 16:00 | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom

West from Paddington – A Broad Gauge Journey
2023-03-21 14:00 - 16:30 | CSL Redhill, Redhill Methodist Church, Gloucester Road, Redhill, RH1 1BP, United Kingdom
When Brunel’s Great Western Railway – built on the broad gauge – was opened from London to Bristol at the beginning of the Victorian era, it was one of the marvels of the age. The Rev. Canon Brian Arman, Society President and Great Western Expert, comes to lead us on a journey by Broad Gauge, showing what we have missed, starting from Paddington and heading West … we shall see how far we get.

Current GWR Scene
2023-03-21 19:00 - 21:30 | TVY Didcot, Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, OX11 7JN, United Kingdom
Mark Hopwood CBE (Managing Director GWR) will give us an update on current GWR operations and developments

A tenth Colour-Rail journey
2023-03-21 19:30 - 22:00
Paul Chancellor gives his unique update on his latest finds.

Great Train Robbery 1963
2023-03-22 19:15 - 21:30 | CHR Bassil Shippam Centre, Tozer Way, St Pancras, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 7LG, United Kingdom
Ian’s talk on the robbery is the result of years of research and fact finding together with his personal goal being, how on earth do you stop a express train doing 95 miles per hour in the middle of nowhere and drive it yourself ?? Ian brings a 1960’s colour light signal with him to demonstrate how it was rigged to stop the train.
The talk isn’t about glorifying the robbers, it’s about the British Rail staff and police too and stories behind their experience.
This year of course is the 60th anniversary of the robbery which makes it even more interesting !

The electric railways of Merseyside
2023-03-27 19:30 - 22:00 | MHD Cox Green, Cox Green Community Centre, Highfield Lane, Cox Green, Maidenhead, SL6 3AX, United Kingdom
Charles will be telling us all about an electric network that is the second largest in the country and somewhat overlooked by those in the South

Great Central Railway Signalling - Tom Ingall
2023-03-28 19:30 - 21:30 | EMD Nottingham, The New Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, NG1 4EZ, United Kingdom
Note the change of date from that published in the programme leaflet

Yes, it Was 40 Years Ago
2023-03-30 19:30 - 22:00 | Virtual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, United Kingdom
In a Sequel to “Was it Really 40 Years Ago?”, David Allen continues his Black & White photographic journey.
Besides following the calendar through 1982, the West Country and South Wales will be looked at specifically. Reflecting the fact that he has lived in Durham since 1970, there will be a number of shots showing the North East of England. This will include a specific look at the ‘Last Years of Consett’. His large collection of views from the North West reflects frequent visits to his parents who lived on Merseyside. And much, much more as they say!
For this virtual event there is a suggested donation of £2. If you wish to contribute just follow the National Meetings link below.
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.

East Anglia-a review of the last ten years by Doctor Iain Scotchman
2023-04-03 19:15 - 21:45 | IPS Ipswich, Greenfinch Church Hall, Greenfinch Avenue, Ipswich, IP2 0SQ, United Kingdom
Note that this event is on the FIRST Monday of the month.

Branch AGM, followed by 'The Indian Hill Railways', by David Brace
2023-04-04 19:00 - 21:30 | WFD Watford, Beechen Grove Baptist Church, Clarendon Road, Watford, WD17 1JJ, United Kingdom
The Branch AGM will commence at 19:00 and we will get through this as quickly as we can! All present committee members are willing to continue in their posts – many thanks to them for their service over the past year. This will be followed by David Brace with a presentation on ‘The Indian Hill Railways’.
David’s presentation will cover a trip with Ffestiniog Travel visiting the Shimla Railway, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Nilgiri Railway as well as the Delhi Transport Museum, the Taj Mahal, Delhi city and Chennai.
Please note the earlier start time of 19:00, doors will be open from 18:45.

Railways of Warwickshire
2023-04-05 19:30 - 21:30 | FLL Carnforth, Royal Station Hotel, Market Street, Carnforth, LA5 9BT, United Kingdom

Nothing stays the same
2023-04-06 19:30 - 22:00 | MKY Milton Keynes, Network Rail - The Quadrant: MK, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 1EN, United Kingdom
Mike Corbett, former Wolverton Works Manager with a fifty-year railway career history, reflects on his railway journey via Crewe Works, Finsbury Park, Stratford, Lincoln, Norwich, Chart Leacon, Wolverton, Freightliner, Atkins Rail and the ROSCOs, together with some unusual events along the way.

3 decades of change on the footplate - Lee Davies
2023-04-11 19:30 - 21:30 | EMD Nottingham, The New Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, NG1 4EZ, United Kingdom

Colchester in the Age of Steam
2023-04-11 19:30 - 22:00 | CBR Fulbourn, Cambridge, The Swifts, Haggis Gap, Fulbourn, Cambridge, CB21 5HD, United Kingdom
On April 11th we are delighted to welcome Dave Goodyear who will present his collection of photographs of the Colchester area through to the end of 1962, including the rebuilding of the station and the pilot electrification of the Clacton branch, plus the steam-to-diesel transition from the late 1950s. This is guaranteed to be a fascinating evening, rich in railway history and operational details – of which the first two carriages of the accompanying photograph are a foretaste!

Croydon & South London Branch AGM, and Members' Images
2023-04-11 19:30 - 22:00 | CSL Croydon, East Croydon United Reformed Church, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon, CR0 5LP, United Kingdom
Our Annual General Meeting, to give you an opportunity to discuss the present and future of the Branch.
It will be followed by a session of members’ images – your opportunity to show your work. Both conventional 35mm slide and digital projectors will be available.
Your opportunity to speak out and show off!

East Coast Main Line
2023-04-12 19:00 - 22:00 | SWL Radyr, Cardiff, Old Church Rooms / Hen Ysgoldy'r Eglwys, Park Road, Radyr, Cardiff, CF15 8DF, United Kingdom
East Coast Main Line, An Illustrated Slide Show Presentation Image Credit Stephen Gay

43 years on the railway - Robin Skinner
2023-04-12 19:30 - 21:30 | SFD Sheffield Farm Road Sports & Social Club, Farm Road, Sheffield, S2 2TP, United Kingdom
Robin retired from the railway in 2018 and tells us his story of how he started out at Doncaster in 1975 through to his retirement – when he was working as Duty Operations Manager at York – and how the railway has changed during that time.
Recommended Donations:- RCTS Members £3, Guests £4

East Coast Main Line - London King's Cross to York
2023-04-14 19:30 - 22:00 | BTL North Filton, St Teresa’s Church Hall, 71 Gloucester Road, North Filton, BS34 7PL, United Kingdom
10 years since his last visit to the Bristol Branch Stephen Gay returns with a slide presentation on the East Coast Main Line.
NOTE THIS IS THE SECOND FRIDAY OF THE MONTH
