The Railway Correspondence & Travel Society

The Broad Gauge Way Gang - Didcot Railway Centre Saturday 23rd May 2026
2026-05-23 09:30 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Didcot Railway Centre, Station Road, Didcot, OX11 7NJ
Have you ever wondered what life was like in the mid-Victorian era working on the broad gauge
GWR? For a unique opportunity at Didcot Railway Centre (DRC). Would you like to experience the
reality of working for a day on some GWR broad gauge trackwork in a near authentic 1880’s railway
setting?
On Saturday 23 rd May 2026 a limited group of RCTS members (under the supervision of Didcot
Railway Centre staff) will be given the opportunity to carry out some basic light maintenance work
on and around the DRC broad gauge railway line. We will be based for this day in the DRC broad
gauge P.way cabin, complete with (weather permitting) coal fired heating and tea brewing facilities.
Starting at 9:30am, DRC will provide training for us to try our hand at carrying out a few (not to
strenuous) maintenance tasks on their authentic GWR broad gauge track layout. DRC will provide all
the tools necessary to undertake the work. As DRC will be open to the public on this date, it is
suggested that suitable 1880’s railway staff clothing should be worn (i.e. heavy work boots, large
black trousers with braces, white shirt (without collar), black jacket, waistcoat, and dark flat cap etc).
A donation of £5 per person will be taken on the to cover the DRC costs for basic materials used (i.e.
Coal).
As this date (23 rd May) is 134 th anniversary of the removal of the final section of GWR broad gauge
track in the South West of England. DRC may also provide some appropriate provisions (similar to
those provided to track workers back in 1892).
While on the site it should be possible to view other projects currently being undertaken, including
the reconstruction of the GWR Heyford station building (originally constructed is 1850).
For further details and to book your place for this day, please contact the Thames Valley Branch
Fixtures Secretary (Andrew Jenkins) by email at tv-fixtures@rcts.org.uk

Archive And Library Open Day
2026-05-23 11:00 - 16:00, 2026-05-28 11:00 - 16:00, 2026-06-03 11:00 - 16:00, 2026-06-09 11:00 - 16:00, 2026-06-20 11:00 - 16:00, 2026-06-25 11:00 - 16:00, 2026-07-01 11:00 - 16:00, 2026-07-07 11:00 - 16:00 and 3 more dates | RCTS Library, Leatherhead Station Approach, Leatherhead, KT22 7SQ, United Kingdom

The Railways of Austria
2026-05-26 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.
Details to follow.
Doors open 13:30 for 14:00 start.

Signalling Topics
2026-05-27 19:15 - 21:30 | CHR Bassil Shippam Centre, Tozer Way, St Pancras, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 7LG, United Kingdom
Details to Follow

Milton Keynes Branch Meeting - The Brian Morrison Collection
2026-06-04 19:30 - 22:00 | MKY Milton Keynes, Network Rail - The Quadrant: MK, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 1EN, United Kingdom
Richard Tuplin, editor of Railway Herald, presents a collection of images taken by the late photographer Brian Morrison.

Visit to South Wales
2026-06-09

London's Underground Trains of the Past
2026-06-09 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Hitchin, St Mark's Church, St Mark's Close, Lancaster Avenue, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1UR, United Kingdom
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City Branch presentation by Brian Hardy.
Details to follow.
Doors open 13:30 for 14:00 start.

Observation Night
2026-06-17 16:00 - 20:00 | Eastleigh Station, United Kingdom

WRD - Sir Thomas Bouch
2026-06-18 19:30 - 22:00 | WRD Shipley, Saltaire Methodist Church, Saltaire Road, Shipley, BD18 3HJ, United Kingdom
His background and history leading up to the Tay Bridge disaster and something of the present Tay Bridge.

Presented by Bill Jagger

An A-Z of Swiss Railways (Part 3)
2026-06-30 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Welwyn, Digswell Village Church Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0DH, United Kingdom
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City Branch presentation by Steve Ollive.
Details to follow.
Doors open 13:30 for 14:00 start.

Visit to Strathclyde
2026-07-14

A Plug for Brunel
2026-07-14 14:00 - 16:30 | 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 by Colin Brading.
Details to follow.
Doors open at 13:30 for 14:00 start.

Observation day
2026-07-15 08:00 - 17:00
Location to be confirmed.

Freight Trains around Britain in Recent Years
2026-07-20 19:30 - 22:30 | ESX Shenfield, Shenfield Parish Hall, 60 Hutton Road, Shenfield, CM15 8LB, United Kingdom
Our own Geoff Brockett looks out his images of Freight thorougout Britain.

Physical meeting at Shenfield Parish Hall.

Note that as Geoff’s presentation uses 35mm slides this meeting will not be available on Zoom.

A Tale of Three Countries
2026-07-28 14:00 - 16:30 | HTC Welwyn, Digswell Village Church Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0DH, United Kingdom
A Hitchin & Welwyn Garden City Branch presentation by Geoff May.
Details to follow.
Doors open 13:30 for 14:00 start.

Visit to a Preservation Line (tbc)
2026-08-11

Visit to Bristol Area
2026-09-08

A Wee Look Around Scotland
2026-09-08 14:00 - 16:30 | 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 by Robin Mathams.
Details to follow.
Doors open 13:30 for 14:00 start.

History of the Princess Royal Pacifics, 1933-1962 (joint meeting of the Northampton and Milton Keynes branches)
2026-09-22 14:00 - 16:30 | NHN Roade, Roade Village Hall, Bailey Brooks Lane, Roade, Northampton, NN7 2LS, United Kingdom
This is a joint meeting with the Milton Keynes branch; the venue is Roade Village Hall.

My railway journeys in 2025
2026-09-28 19:30 - 22:00 | MHD Cox Green, Cox Green Community Centre, Highfield Lane, Cox Green, Maidenhead, SL6 3AX, United Kingdom
Join Harry Nethercoat from our Watford branch as he looks back on his journeys in 2025, stretching from Cornwall, up to Scotland – with stops in-between including; London, Cardiff, and closer to home.
Expect all traction types on the mainline and in preservation
