Stuart Hammond : In Search of Steam 13/01/24

Our AGM was held on 13th January with twelve members present. The last year was considered to be reasonably successful with attendances at branch meetings varying in number from thirteen to twenty-four. A request was made to consider changing our meeting day, but after a discussion it was decided that we keep to the present arrangement. It was announced that after many years David Dornom had decided to resign from the branch committee and a vote of thanks was proposed in recognition of his valued contributions; the remaining committee members were re-elected en bloc.

Afterwards Stuart Hammond took us ‘In Search of Steam’, a digital presentation of his photographs taken in this century, mainly in the UK but with a visit to the Hartz Mountains also included. The preserved lines illustrated included local ones such as the Bodmin & Wenford, Plym Valley, Swanage  and South Devon Railways with the latter line featuring some rare scenes as heavy snow was falling. Further afield we visited the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, Severn Valley, Great Central and Keighly & Worth Valley railways. In addition to covering local main line steam activity, Stuart’s travels have taken him as far as the Settle & Carlisle and to Scotland. His show was a photographic feast featuring a wide variety of locos, often recorded in dramatic light, and was greatly appreciated by the audience.