RCTS Cambridge Branch

Welcome to the Cambridge Branch of the RCTS. We meet once a month from September to May (inclusive), usually on the second Tuesday, at The Swifts in Fulbourn.

Our meetings generally take the form of slide shows, movies or talks with lively discussions on all aspects of railway history and operational practice.

We have a wonderful selection of hundreds of railway books available at each meeting at bargain prices.

All are welcome to join us and to share their interest!

Cambridge Branch Travels

A selection of recent photographs and videos from Cambridge Branch members and friends:

The sight, the sound and the smell of a Deltic at work have meaning only through personal experience. Something of that experience can be gained from this marvellous view of Deltic D9000 'Royal Scots Grey' as it powers out of Huntingdon on November 23rd 2023 with Steam Dreams' 1Z46 08.44 Kings Cross to Edinburgh, which it handed over to 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' at York. Photo: Michael Smyth.
There is some uncertainty over how much longer the Class 91s will remain in service with LNER. Notwithstanding, 91114 'Durham Cathedral' makes a fine sight as it catches the light to the North of Huntingdon on November 23rd 2023 with the 09.03 Kings Cross to Leeds. Photo: Michael Smyth.
On Saturday 18th November 2023, two steam specials ran from Kings Cross to York, leaving Kings Cross at 07.42 and 08.00. The first of those is seen at Abbots Ripton behind Black 5 44871. This locomotive famously hauled part of the Fifteen Guinea Special on Sunday 11th August 1968, from Carlisle to Manchester Victoria via the Settle & Carlisle line. Photo: Michael Smyth.
The second of the two Kings Cross to York steam-hauled specials on Saturday 18th November 2023 is seen on the Down Slow line approaching Conington behind Black 5 45231 'Sherwood Forester', being overtaken on the Down Fast line by a 12 car Class 700 Siemens Desrio City unit on 9J16, the 07.25 Horsham to Peterborough Thameslink working. Photo: Michael Smyth.
Steam and the Settle and Carlisle Line are a magical combination! On Saturday 14th October 2023, 4472 'Flying Scotsman' heads North through Helwith Bridge with the Railway Touring Company's Derby-Carlisle 'Hadrian', which it took from Hellifieid to Carlisle. Photo: Michael Smyth.
Steam and the Settle and Carlisle Line are a magical combination! On Saturday 14th October 2023, 4472 'Flying Scotsman' heads North through Helwith Bridge with the Railway Touring Company's Derby-Carlisle 'Hadrian', which it took from Hellifieid to Carlisle. Photo: Michael Smyth.
On October 14th 2023, GB Railfreight Class 69s Nos. 69002 'Bob Tiller CM&EE' and 69003 'The Railway Observer' pause at Cambridge with a Rail Head Treatment Train (RHTT), returning to Broxbourne. GB Railfreight RHTTs are now a familiar sight in East Anglia, with the company having taken over these working from DRS. Photo: Tony Field.
GB Railfreight Class 69 No. 69003 was named 'The Railway Observer' at Barrow Hill's hugely successful '150+2' celebration event in the Summer of 2023. The locomotive is seen at Cambridge on October 14th 2023 with 69002 'Bob Tiller CM&EE' on a Broxbourne-based Rail Heat Treatment Train. Photo: Tony Field.
Ex Great Eastern Railway Y14 No. 564 is seen between Sheringham and Weybourne with the North Norfolk Railway's popular vintage train on Saturday 7th October 2023 during the Autumn Showcase event. Photo: Michael Smyth.
Running non-stop through Weybourne station, BR Standard Class 4 No. 76084 works a Sheringham to Holt train on Saturday 7th October 2023, during the 2023 'Autumn Showcase' weekend. The engine’s boiler certificate was due to expire shortly after this event, which was billed as its last public outing, but in fact it was failed on Sunday 8th October, leaving only GER Y14 No. 564 and S&D 7F No. 53809 to conclude the weekend. Photo: Michael Smyth.
Displaying 'Stopping Passenger Train' discs, Somerset and Dorset 7F No. 53809 (with 82F Bath shed plate) pulls away from Weybourne towards Holt during the North Norfolk Railway's excellent 'Autumn Showcase' event on Saturday 7th October 2023. Photo: Michael Smyth.
The 1904 Reedham Junction signal box, made redundant by re-signalling of the Norwich to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth lines, was dismantled and moved to the NNR at Holt on 22nd November 2022, in an operation lasting 36 hours. All its internal equipment was also preserved, with the intention to restore it to working condition with computer-simulated block signals. Moreover, it forms the first step in an ambitious project to recreate a station scene and houses, similar to Beamish Museum, including installation of the ex-Botanic Gardens turntable which has long remained stored at Holt. This large project will need grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other sources and so is likely to take many years. Photo: Michael Smyth.

What's On

View Calendar

Venue

CBR Fulbourn, Cambridge

The Swifts, Haggis Gap
Fulbourn, Cambridge, CB21 5HD
United Kingdom
https://www.fulbournpc.org/the-swifts-and-village-library/
View More

Contacts

Chairman                                                                                            Branch Secretary

Robert Bartlett OBE                                                                             Tony Field  cambridge@rcts.org.uk

 

Fixtures Secretary                                                                              Website                                                                

Michael Smyth                                                                                     cambridgeweb@rcts.org.uk

 

Sales Officer

Keith Crossley

Tel: 01223 515296, email: keith.crossley44@gmail.com

 

Hundreds of Books for Sale at Each Meeting and by Mail Order - Please Contact Keith for Details

RCTS Cambridge Branch Gallery

 

The RCTS Cambridge Branch Gallery aims to capture the diversity of railway operation over an area roughly corresponding to the coverage of the former 31A Cambridge Shed, which includes Cambridge,  St Ives, Huntingdon, Ely, March, Wisbech, Kings Lynn, South Lynn, Hunstanton, Bury St Edmunds and Saffron Walden

To reflect the interests and travels of our members, we also show images from further afield.

Our aim is to share the fascination of railway operation with as many people as possible. Images are drawn from a wide range of sources and where known each is acknowledged.

Any comments on the gallery, including offers of images, should be sent to cambridgeweb at rcts.org.uk

Please note that all images in the gallery are the copyright of the identified author and permission for re-use must be obtained via the RCTS Cambridge Branch at the above address.

We hope you enjoy the gallery!

Cambridge Area

Cambridge
Waterbeach
Ely
Bury Line
Norwich Line
Kings Lynn Line
Manea
March
Three Horse Shoes
East Coast Main Line
Kettering Line

Further Afield

Barrow Hill
East Midlands
Boston to Skegness
Settle & Carlisle
Peak District
Wherry Lines
Isle of Wight
Preserved Lines
Further Afield

Meeting reports

14th November 2023 “My Back Pages” by David Pearce

Taking his theme from the lyrics of Bob Dylan’s ‘My Back Pages’ track, on Tuesday 14th November David Pearce gave us a fascinating semi-autobiographical presentation of his early days of…

Read More

10th October 2023 “The Fylde Line” by Alan Jones

BRCW Class 104 vehicles M50443, M59149 and M50493, complete with Blackpool Line white stripe, are seen at the boarded crossing known locally as the ‘three steps’ between Adlington and Chorley…

Read More

12th September 2023 “Railways to the Coast” by Tony Kirby

The Great Northern Railway’s advertising of Cromer and Sheringham was very successful in stimulating holiday traffic from the East Midlands to these resorts over its Joint Line with the Midland…

Read More

9th May 2023 “Aspects of Southern Steam” by Brian Benford

1927-built S15 Class 4-6-0 No. 825 runs round its train at Grosmont on August 14th 2005. The S15 Class was introduced in 1920 as a heavy freight locomotive, designed by…

Read More

11th April 2023 “Colchester in the Age of Steam” by David Goodyear

BR Britannia 4-6-2 No. 70039 ‘Sir Christopher Wren’ pulls out of Colchester station on 13th July 1957. Photo: Dave Goodyear. As the junction on the Great Eastern Main Line for…

Read More

14th March 2023 “Cambridge Area Railways Yesterday and Today (Part 2)” by David Scudamore

Circa 1949, B17/5 4-6-0 No. 61659 “East Anglian” is seen on Cambridge shed – the only streamlined loco to be allocated to Cambridge. Photo: Copyright David Scudamore Collection. On Tuesday…

Read More

14th February 2023 “Back to Old Ireland” by Mike Page

The Great Southern and Western Railway Class D12, designed by Robert Coey and built at Inchicore between 1900 and 1907, was a class of 26 4-4-0 tender locomotives built for…

Read More

10th January 2023 “Western Canada Wanderings” by Tony Field

A Canadian Pacific intermodal train rolls into Field, BC for a crew change. Photo: Tony Field. Tony Field gave us our first presentation of the New Year with a show…

Read More

13th December 2022 Branch AGM and Members’ Contributions

On the coldest day nationally since 2010, GB Railfreight Class 66 No. 66793 runs to time through Waterbeach on December 12th 2022 with 6L37, the 09.57 Hoo Junction to Whitemoor…

Read More

8th November 2022 “Gone Forever – Images of BR Steam in the North of England (Part 2)” by Michael Smyth

On a freezing cold 20th December 1967, ex LMS Black 5 No. 45353 heads North from Carnforth with Presflo cement wagons. Photo: Michael Smyth. Following his highly successful Part 1…

Read More

11th October 2022 “The Settle & Carlisle in the 80s and 90s” by Stewart Jolly

On a beautifully sunny 27th August 1988, Class 47 No. 47517 ‘Andrew Carnegie’ has left Kirkby Stephen and is about to cross Smardale Viaduct as it heads North with the…

Read More

13th September 2022 “By Midland to Cambridge” by Robin Cullup

For a few Saturdays in Summer, the Kettering to Cambridge line enjoyed the passage of its closest ‘main line’ passenger working – the Leicester to Clacton holiday train. The working…

Read More

10th May 2022 “North London Lines in the 80s” by Alan Jones

Early-bodied Class 31 No. 31108 has propelled its short consist of scrap and a single SPA wagon from Ward’s Siding along the Silvertown Tramway, reversed in the headshunt and is…

Read More

19th April 2022 “Rail Travels in South-East Asia 2019” by Iain Scotchman

State Railway Of Thailand (SRT) GE Co-Co diesel No. 4044 is seen at Kanchanaburi on 26th December 2019 heading the Eastern and Oriental Express. Photo: Iain Scotchman. For our penultimate…

Read More

8th March 2022 “Cambridge Area Railways Yesterday and Today (Part 1)” by David Scudamore

On 19th October 1991, West Country Pacific No. 34027 ‘Taw Valley’ and BR Standard Class 7 No. 70000 ‘Britannia’ stand in Cambridge Coalfields Yard. Photo Copyright David Scudamore. A record…

Read More

8th February 2022 “Gone Forever – Images of BR Steam in the North of England (Part 1)” by Michael Smyth

On an overcast 2nd September 1967, Class B1 61306 departs from Bradford Exchange with the last steam-hauled 08.20 (SO) to Skegness. Photo: Michael Smyth. Branch member Michael Smyth was inspired…

Read More

11th January 2022 “East Anglian Railways Before Privatisation” by John Day

On 12th May 1984, the final day of locomotive-hauled services on the East Suffolk Line, 37049 departs from Saxmundham with the 07.19 Lowestoft to Liverpool Street. Photo: John Day 2022…

Read More

14th December 2021 Branch AGM and Members’ Contributions

  Chairman Robert Bartlett opened the AGM promptly at 7:30, drawing attention to the benefits of RCTS membership, the Branch’s extensive range of books for sale and the Society’s Library…

Read More

9th November 2021 “Roaming Around London with a Camera” by Geoff Brockett

On 2 Sep 2020, 66149 passes Charlton Lane gate box with the 11.07 Angerstein Wharf to Woking conveying sea-dredged sand. Photo: Geoff Brockett. The Capital’s railways were the subject of…

Read More

12th October 2021 “On Shed” by Robert Warburton

D6526 and E6005 on shed at Feltham on 11th July 1965. Photo: Robert Warburton On October 12th we were delighted to welcome Robert Warburton back to the Branch, to hear…

Read More

14th September 2021 “Southern California Rails” by Tony Field

    After an eighteen month break from face-to-face meetings, we made a thunderous start to our 2021-22 programme with a magnificent tour of rail operations in the Los Angeles…

Read More
Return to RCTS Front Page
Branch Administration