East Midlands [EMD]
Welcome to the East Midlands branch of the RCTS which was founded in 1951 in Leicester
It started in Leicester before moving to Nottingham in the early years. Meetings were held at a number of locations mainly close to Victoria station ending up at the Nottingham Mechanics at their former location nearer to the city centre then transferring to the current building when it opened in 2004.
We meet regularly on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from September to April and also organise occasional visits to places of interest in the summer
What's on
Venues
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Contacts
Meeting reports
GNR Colwick to Basford (backline) and the Derbyshire extension
On April 26th Hayden Reed presented a talk about the GNR in Nottingham in particular the route between Basford and Colwick. A very interesting and well researched comprehensive talk covered…
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Bradshaw’s Guide and an early railway tour
On 12th April Robert Mee gave an interesting review of George Bradshaw’s career and his development of the famous guide consisting of early railway timetables. This was followed by an illustrated…
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ECML Kings Cross to York
On 22nd March Stephen Gay presented an illustrated talk about the lower part of the ECML by way of a journey from Kings Cross to York. Numerous anecdotes and poetry readings…
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Network Rail’s On Track Machines
On 8th March Paul Long presented a very interesting and informative talk about the various vehicles which are used and operated by NR. From the New Measurement Train HST to…
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Mail by rail and tram
On 22nd February the Rev Peter Barham gave an excellent talk about the history of carrying the mails by train. But most interesting, and I imagine a subject unknown to most…
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Hydrogen Trains
On 8th February David Shirres gave an excellent talk about the practicalities of using hydrogen as a fuel for rail vehicles. The idea that hydrogen is the answer to everything was…
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The Royal Train
Geoff Griffiths was the Royal Train Manager for seven years. On 25th January he gave us an insight into the planning and running of the Royal Train and included many…
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High Marnham & Melton RIDC test tracks
On 11th January 2022 Peter Ellis gave a very comprehensive and detailed talk about NR’s two test tracks. Peter explained the background to the establishment of the two Railway Innovation…
Read MoreAnnual General Meeting 2021
The branch AGM was held on 21st December 2021 by Zoom. The chairman advised that face to face meetings, which recommenced in September, were restricted to one per month with a…
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The Railways of Paris
On 14th December Michael Bunn delivered a very well researched talk via Zoom, relating the construction of the various railways within Paris including with the peripheral railways (inner and outer). He…
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Prehistoric Railways
At the live meeting on 23rd November, Trevor Griffin described the many industrial plate ways and gang ways which were built in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire before 1825 and their visible…
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Narrow Gauge Steam in Nepal and Pakistan
On 9th November Geoff Warren gave an interesting talk via Zoom about the little known railways and locomotives in the far reaches of India in the 1980s Geoff’s photography was…
Read MoreBeeching – Hero or villain?
Dave Saunders presented an interesting and enlightening talk which revealed that Dr Beeching was not the villain that he is most remembered as rather he was an innovative and forward looking…
Read MoreAdvances in coaching stock design 1950-2020
Dave Tooley described the very interesting development of BR coaching stock from Mk1 through to Mk5 and also included the Voyager family and the class 180s. The meeting was well attended by 40 members…
Read MorePoetry & Times of Kirkby-in Ashfield Loco Sheds and Sidings
Dr David Amos gave a very entertaining account of the life and times of Kirkby in Ashfield shed accompanied by poems and music which originated from local celebrities. Unfortunately the attendance…
Read More28th January 2020 · Stratford on Avon & Midland Junction
Presenter: Barry Taylor On 28th January Barry Taylor presented “The Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway (SMJ)”. The idea of a railway across rural Northamptonshire and Warwickshire was conceived to carry…
Read More14th January 2020 · Oxford to Paddington
Presenter: Richard Binding Richard Binding was our first speaker of 2020 on 14th January to continue his journey along the Great Western mainline towards London. He started at Oxford with…
Read More17th December 2019 · Annual members Christmas evening
On 17th December the branch held its annual members Christmas evening with coffee and mince pies. A number of members showed short series of slides covering preserved steam at the…
Read More10th December 2019 · 125 Group – Preserving an HST
Presenter: John Zabernik of the 125 Group Recent events brought a significance to the topic on 10th December when John Zabernik of the 125 Group presented “Preserving a HST”. He…
Read More26th November 2019 · Restoration of a GNR station building
Presenter: Brian Howes of the Friends of Gedling Station On 26 November Brian Howes of the Friends of Gedling Station informed us of the plans for restoration of the GNR…
Read More12th November 2019 · B17 Spirit of Sandringham – the continuing story of achievement
Presenter: Brian Hall Brian Hall returned to the branch on 12 November to present “B17 Spirit of Sandringham – the continuing story of achievement”. Starting with a description of the…
Read More22nd October 2019 · Leicester & Swannington Railway
Presenter: Bill Pemberton of the Leicestershire Industrial History Society On 22 October Bill Pemberton of the Leicestershire Industrial History Society presented the “Leicester & Swannington Railway” tracing the history of…
Read More8th October 2019 · Branch AGM
The branch held its AGM on 8 October with a total of 22 members present, a slight increase on recent years. The Secretary announced updates to the annual report including…
Read More10th September 2019 · An Eighth Colour Rail Journey
Presenter: Paul Chancellor, Colour Rail Paul Chancellor opened the new meeting season on 10 September with “An Eighth Colour Rail Journey”. The theme for the evening was based on the…
Read More23rd April 2019 · ‘O.Winston Link and the North & Western Railway’
Presenter: Bob Gellatly Our speaker for last meeting of the season on 23rd April was Bob Gellatly with “O. Winston Link and the Norfolk and Western Railway”. Starting with the…
Read More9th April 2019 · ‘Diverted – Wakefield – Leeds via Huddersfield, Barnsley & Castleford’
Presenters: Phil Lockwood & Enid Vincent On 9th April Phil Lockwood and Enid Vincent presented a further instalment in their “Diverted” series. This time travelling from Wakefield to Leeds via…
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