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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260317T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260317T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20251012T113703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251112T211151Z
UID:10003250-1773774000-1773783000@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:TVY - Britain's Changing Railway from Outside and In
DESCRIPTION:Phil Deaves – a career railwayman\, takes us on a journey looking at Britain’s changing railway.\nStarting in the 1980’s\, his early interest in railways with his local church Crusader group holidays\,\nvisiting engine sheds and stations\, through the various jobs and roles he has had in his railway\ncareer. On the way we will look at some of the projects Phil has worked upon\, with an ‘inside’ view\nof some developments related to his employment.\nAlso\, within this talk\, Phil will give us an ‘inside view’ of his role as role as the infrastructure editor\nfor the RCTS Railway Observer magazine
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/britains-changing-railway-from-outside-and-in/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/1992-06-30-15mod-CFD-class-20-at-BREL-Crewe-box-DEL14-from-Phil-D-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260217T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260217T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20250809T155840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251112T211037Z
UID:10003144-1771336800-1771345800@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:TVY Branch - Didcot to Birmingham Snow Hill - featuring the historic slides of Tommy Tomalin
DESCRIPTION:Brian Sullivan returns to give us a further selection of historic scanned slides taken by Tommy\nTomalin\, this time covering the route from Didcot through to Snow Hill station in\nBirmingham. There are stops at various stations along the route to see the railway operations.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/didcot-to-birmingham-snow-hill-featuring-the-historic-slides-of-tommy-tomalin/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/260217-The-Warwick-banker-in-the-bay-at-Warwick-T994-1-from-Brian-S.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260120T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260120T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20250809T151320Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250913T141128Z
UID:10003143-1768917600-1768926600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:TVY Branch - Conditions of Carriage Part 1 - the History of Railway Carriages
DESCRIPTION:Railway carriages may be overshadowed by the glamour of the locomotive\, but they can be\nglamorous too – or very basic! This presentation traces the diverse and fascinating story of how\ncarriages evolved from the early stagecoach on rails; to modern day vehicles\, with more than a few\ntrials and errors along the way. Take your seats….
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/conditions-of-carriage-part-1-the-history-of-railway-carriages/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/260120-Carriages3-from-Colin-B-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251216T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251216T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20250809T145546Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250913T140948Z
UID:10003142-1765893600-1765902600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:TVY Branch - My time inside the Wall - Memories of Swindon Works
DESCRIPTION:Martin\, who is well known to many of our RCTS Branch members\, having been the host of our successful Swindon Works railway sites tour which we ran last year\, comes from a long family line of Swindon railway employees. In this talk Martin will give us some of his personnel experiences of life inside Swindon Works in the 1970s and 80s. Martin started his railway career in the early 1970s\, taking up an apprenticeship in the railway works\, before moving on to do a number of roles within the works. In this talk Martin will give us some stories and details of the various activities and projects he worked upon within the works\, during his nine years of Swindon works employment.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/my-time-inside-the-wall-memories-of-swindon-works/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/251216-MG_8659CrCom-from-John-Fletcher-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251118T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251118T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20250809T144215Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250913T135804Z
UID:10003141-1763474400-1763483400@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:TVY Branch - The History of the North London Line
DESCRIPTION:The presentation explores the fluctuating history of the North London line and includes a photographic journey from Richmond to the former Terminus of Broad Street.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/the-history-of-the-north-london-line/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Broad-Street-Station-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251021T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251021T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20250809T134302Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250913T133630Z
UID:10003140-1761073200-1761082200@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:TVY Branch - The Mangotsfield Triangle - Lost Midland Railway routes to Bristol and Bath
DESCRIPTION:The talk describes the long and complex story of railways around Mangotsfield where the first railway transporting coal arrived in 1832. We then follow the history with various railway companies involving both standard and broad gauge\, to closure and the establishment of the Bristol and Bath Railway Path which was the first project by Sustrans.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/the-mangotsfield-triangle-lost-midland-railway-routes-to-bristol-and-bath/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/251021-Mangotsfield-Station-c1960-from-Mike-B.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250916T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250916T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20250809T115014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250913T135607Z
UID:10003139-1758049200-1758058200@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:TVY Branch - Recent and Future Projects at Didcot Railway Centre
DESCRIPTION:Richard Antliff (Didcot Railway Centre Civil Engineering Adviser) returns to give us a further insight\ninto some of the recent and future planned projects being undertaken at the Didcot Railway Centre\nsite. In addition\, as we celebrate Rail 200 this year\, Richard will also show us some of the activities\nhappening at other railway sites around the country.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/recent-and-future-projects-at-didcot-railway-centre/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/250916-Didcot-Railway-Centre-DSC017984-from-Richard-Antliff-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250520T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250520T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240828T094708Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T123051Z
UID:10002815-1747767600-1747776600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:With Lance King in Ireland 1958-1963
DESCRIPTION:Leslie McAllister offers a first selection of colour photographs taken by the late Lance King in the Republic of Ireland in the last years of steam. Lance was a skilled photographer and left a fine record of steam in the Dublin area and on the fondly remembered branches such as Kenmare\, Loughrea\, Ballaghadereen\, Edenderry\, Tullow\, Clara and Youghal. Steam and diesel in daily service on the Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway feature\, as does the memorable railtour with the last “Bandon tank”.  The early days of silver and “black and tan” liveried diesels can be glimpsed along the way. A time of great change.”\nThis talk was first given to the Irish Railway Record Society in 2019\, to whom Lance bequeathed his Irish photographic collection and is one of three talks covering the period from 1957 to 1970\, when steam ended in Northern Ireland.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/to-be-confirmed-8/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/250520-D14-Am-St-Enterprise-209-Copyright-the-Irish-Railway-Record-Society-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250415T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250415T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240828T091208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T122253Z
UID:10002813-1744743600-1744752600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Roaming around London with a Camera
DESCRIPTION:Geoff’s slide show covers specifically what can be seen on the railways of London. The slide show contains a brief selection of older shots but is largely up to date\, covering the last 2½ years. The emphasis being on the new and unusual workings.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/to-be-confirmed-7/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/250415-20107-20096-at-Headstone-Lane-with-the-09.29-Crewe-to-Southall-Locomotive-Services-stock-move-23-Feb-2023-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250318T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250318T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240828T090842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T121531Z
UID:10002812-1742324400-1742333400@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:The Western Locomotive Association
DESCRIPTION:Paul Finch the Vice Chairman & Publicity Officer of the Western Locomotive Association\, gives us his presentation covering the highs and lows of preserving and operating three Western Class 52 diesel hydraulic locomotives\, for more than four decades.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/to-be-confirmed-6/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/250318-D1062-photo-from-WLA.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250218T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250218T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240828T090241Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241125T205607Z
UID:10002811-1739887200-1739896200@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Remembering my lines
DESCRIPTION:Colin Brading gives us a very wide-ranging presentation: starting from his early railway interests and lineside haunts to the highlights of a diverse engineering career spanning fifty years\, ‘Remembering My Lines’ is an illustrated medley of memories and experiences seasoned with many of the presenter’s own favourites. On this journey ‘from anorak to hi-vis’ we will see infrastructure works\, trains and railway scenes of all descriptions\, travelling far and wide on gauges broad and narrow.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/remembering-my-lines/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/250218-Picture4-from-Colin-B.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250121T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250121T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240828T085834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241125T204819Z
UID:10002810-1737468000-1737477000@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:North Staffordshire Railway (Part 4)
DESCRIPTION:In the fourth and final part of the North Staffordshire Railway talks series using digitised images from the collection of over 15\,000 colour slides taken by the late Tommy Tomalin (who sadly passed away in 2021 at the grand old age of 96).  Brian Sullivan continues by showing us views (with historical details) of the Potteries Loop Line from Etruria Junction to Kidsgrove\, the North Staffs main line from Stoke to Macclesfield\, the Macclesfield Bollington and Marple line (Great Central and North Staffs Joint Line) also known as the Macclesfield Committee Line\, and finally the North Staffs line from Lawton Junction to Sandbach.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/north-staffordshire-railway-part-4/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/MACCLE_1-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241217T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241217T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240808T131853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240824T152211Z
UID:10002763-1734444000-1734453000@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Reading Station\, Vastern Road Bridge Reconstruction and short AGM
DESCRIPTION:Fifty years ago\, in 1973\, construction work started to widen the 12 metre span Vastern Road underbridge east of Reading station to accommodate a 30 metre wide dual carriageway for Stage 3 of Reading Borough Council’s new Inner Distribution Road. \nThis illustrated presentation explores the history of this site at Reading station and describes the development of the bridge design using novel methods to minimise disruption to rail and road traffic and to reduce costs\, including the use of parts of previous buried structures to support the new bridge. \nAlso described are how the bridge design facilitated lowering of the road to increase headroom\, and the construction of a tanking slab below it\, by Reading Borough Council\, and the later extension of the bridge for additional track and platform lengthening in connection with the 2011/13 Reading Station Redevelopment scheme.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/reading-station-vastern-road-bridge-reconstruction-and-short-agm/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/Reading-Vastern-Road-U-bridge-image001-from-Dick-Watts.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241119T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241119T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240808T130916Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240824T153848Z
UID:10002762-1732042800-1732051800@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:The Railways of Northern Ontario\, Canada in the 1980's
DESCRIPTION:We travel in Northern Ontario from Marstay and Sudbury to Chelmsford via Azilda\, looking at\nCanadian railways over the past 40 years.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/the-railways-of-northern-ontario-canada-in-the-1980s/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/241119-CP-Rail-Passenger-Loco-in-Sudbury-Ontario-1980-from-Andrew-Kaye.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241015T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241015T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240816T141202Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240816T141202Z
UID:10002765-1729018800-1729027800@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:East Anglian Railway Heritage
DESCRIPTION:The presentation includes visits to Heritage Railways in East Anglia from 2011 and more frequent trips to the area following the presenters daughter’s move to Norfolk in 2018\, looking at heritage infrastructure on the national railway network and the surprising amount of surviving evidence of the many and varied lines through mainly rural areas many of which closed over 60 years ago.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/east-anglian-railway-heritage/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/241015-IMG_2438-from-Mike-Beale-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240917T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240917T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20240808T114454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240828T092348Z
UID:10002761-1726599600-1726608600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:The Ivatt LMS 10000 Recreation Project
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Ivatt Diesel Re-creation Society plan to recreate\, and operate 10000. \nIn the first half of this presentation we look at the original twins LMS 10000 and 10001 (the first British mainline diesel electric locomotives)\, and their place in history.   10000 and 10001 were designed by H.G. Ivatt and built by the LMS at their Derby Loco Works in 1947 / 48.  These locos proved many parts and concepts that are still in use on the  railway network today.  However before the  preservation movement had started to take notice of historically important diesel  locomotives\, 10000 was scrapped in 1968. \nIn the second half of this presentation we look at the current project which is planning to recreate 10000.  In recent years this has progressed to the construction of a locomotive chassis in 2022.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/the-ivatt-lms-10000-recreation-project/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/240917-DL-10000-from-Tony-Ellershaw.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240521T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240521T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20231104T162542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240315T110608Z
UID:10002470-1716318000-1716327000@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:The North Staffordshire Railway Part 3.
DESCRIPTION:Brian Sullivan returns to give us Part III of his North Staffs Railway talk\, using historic digitised photos taken by “Tommy” Tomalin.  This talk covers the lines that ran to Stone and then onwards to Stoke\, with a look at the Trentham Gardens branch.  We then turn left at Stoke and run to Market Drayton to meet the GWR.  Following this\, we then return to Leek Brook Junction and follow the line via Milton Junction into Stoke.  Finally\, we return to Milton Junction and follow the line to Congleton via the Biddulph Valley. \nThe attached image shows Black Bull station on the Biddulph Valley line. Tommy had managed to get a brake van ride on a Congleton – Stoke freight on 18th February 1967\, and this is the view of the remains of the station looking north. \n 
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/the-north-staffordshire-railway-part-3/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/240521-Black-Bull-station-from-Brian-Sullivan-1-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240416T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240416T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20231104T161159Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240315T110303Z
UID:10002469-1713294000-1713303000@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:LMS Patriot Project
DESCRIPTION:We are building a working steam locomotive as a National Memorial Engine\, recreating a Remembrance link \nestablished after the Great War and lost in the 1960s. \nNone of this type of express passenger locomotive – the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) ‘Patriot’ \nclass – survived when steam traction ended in the 60s on British Railways. When complete\, it will join a select \nfamily of other LMS express passenger locomotives that still operate on our UK railway. \nInspired by the Great War Centenaries of recent years – Armistice Day and the repatriation of the Unknown \nWarrior to Westminster Abbey – the locomotive will be named The Unknown Warrior. This recognizes its \nspecial Remembrance role as a National Memorial Engine\, in memory of servicemen and women lost in the \nFirst World War and all subsequent wars. This special role was performed by the first of the original ‘Patriot’ \nclass – named Patriot – in honour of railway employees who fell in the 1914-1918 War. \nWe believe that this commemorative role\, together with the importance of the locomotive type itself in the \ndevelopment of our railways\, brings a special historical dimension to our work. Our Patron is Simon Weston \nCBE the well-known Falklands War Veteran. \nOur present forecast sees the locomotive completed by 2026\, dependent on our donations trend. Thereafter \nwe intend that the locomotive will be visible as a working memorial on regular display and hauling heritage \ntrains on tours and at special events for many years to come. \nPractically all of the work is new construction\, using traditional engineering and manufacturing skills and based \non original drawings. All of the major manufacturing and assembly work is being done in the UK. Our main \nassembly base is the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust (PRCLT) works at West Shed\, Swanwick\, Derbyshire\,
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/lms-patriot-project-3/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/240416-5551-The-Warrior-imagined-from-Colin-Hall-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240319T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240319T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20231104T155039Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240315T105406Z
UID:10002468-1710874800-1710883800@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Over The Mendips
DESCRIPTION:The Somerset & Dorset Railway originally ran from Burnham-on-Sea to Wimborne\, \nlinking the Bristol and English Channels. In 1874 an extension opened from \nEvercreech Junction over the Mendip Hills to link with the Midland Railway at Bath \nwhich immediately became the main line. Passenger trains included through \nexpresses from the Midlands and North to the South Coast until 1962\, freight saw \ncoal and stone from the Mendip collieries and quarries\, before finally closing as a \nthrough route in 1966. This illustrated talk marks 150 years since the Bath \nextension’s opening and contains a selection of historic pictures showing the \nconstruction\, doubling and operation of the line from the archives of the Somerset & \nDorset Railway Trust as well as images of the infrastructure still remaining along the \nroute. \nThe presenter\, Mike Beale is descended from 3 generations of S&D railwaymen\, was \nborn in Bath and has worked for British Rail and an international railway consultant. \nHe has been a member of the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust since 1974\, was \nchairman from 1985 to 1991 and a Trustee from 1999 until 2016. \n 
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/over-the-mendips-2/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/0959-1-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240220T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240220T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20231104T151537Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231107T095424Z
UID:10002467-1708437600-1708446600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Western Enterprise
DESCRIPTION:Significant investment over recent years has radically changed the face of the Great Western\, a railway so rich in history that parts have been considered worthy of UNESCO World Heritage status. Setting the scene with a brief look at today’s railway\, this talk ranges widely across the route\, blending aspects of the speaker’s fifty-year western connections with musings on the railway’s legend through time. Idiosyncratic\, controversial\, pioneering\, often successful but sometimes also accused of building ‘castles in the air’\, the three letters GWR continue to evoke great passion
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/western-enterprise/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/240220-Western-at-Paddington-1-from-Colin-Brading-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240116T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240116T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20231104T150015Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231104T150015Z
UID:10002466-1705431600-1705440600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Rail Reminiscences
DESCRIPTION:A personal retrospective looking back over the last 50 years to date at the ‘Big Railway’\, Main Line Steam\, the maturing Preservation scene and with a little infrastructure and Overseas thrown in.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/rail-reminiscences/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/70013-Selside-February-2012-084a-.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231121T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231121T163000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20230424T154618Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230426T135948Z
UID:10002275-1700575200-1700584200@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:All Aboard the Pines Express (Part 2)
DESCRIPTION:Please note that this is an afternoon Meeting \nBack in October 2019 Chris gave us Part 1 of this talk.  We are pleased that following an extended break due to Covid Chris is now coming back to give us Part 2 of this talk.  In Chris’ first talk he took us on the Somerset and Dorset Railway from Bath Green Park to Evercreech Junction.  In this second talk we travel from Burnham on Sea across the levels to Evercreech Junction\, before heading South towards Bournemouth West via Templecombe (change for Waterloo and the West Country).  In this talk Chris not only shows us the express trains on this route\, but also the various freight and local passenger traffic serving the numerous stations\, yards\, and depots along the route. \n 
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/over-the-mendips/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/Somerset-and-Dorset.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20231017T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20231017T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20230424T153335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230424T160111Z
UID:10002273-1697569200-1697578200@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:WW1 & WW2 Cross Channel Train Ferries and Associated Railways
DESCRIPTION:The presentation will initially look at how Cross Channel Train Ferries were first introduced during WW1 to move Railway Equipment to France. We will the look at the use in WW2 following commercial introduction of the Harwich Zeebrugge  and Dover Calais Train Ferries between the wars. There will also be coverage of British railway activity associated with movement of rolling stock and troops\, and in addition the significant involvement of the US army during WW2. \n 
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/ww1-ww2-cross-channel-train-ferries-and-associated-railways/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/TRAINFERRY-Dieppe-ww2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20230919T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20230919T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20230424T152605Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230424T160158Z
UID:10002272-1695150000-1695159000@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Swindon Works - The Final Years
DESCRIPTION:When Harry Roberts was appointed as Swindon Works Manager in the early 1970’s many feared that this may be the end of Swindon Works.  However Harry was impressed with the capacity and skills available in the works\, and set about finding new work for the works to undertake.  This included building small cabin cruiser boats\, overhauling Bristol Buses\, and manufacture of cooling groups for Class 56 locos.  Swindon Works was awarded the contract for the refurbishment and rebuilding of the Kent Coast EMUs\, as well as maintenance work on DMUs\, and Class 03 and 08 diesel locos. During this time Harry also managed to increase the workforce from 2\,000 to over 4\,000 staff.  Swindon Works even built (under licence from Hunslet) 0-8-0 diesel hydraulic shunters for Kenya Railways.  Swindon Works finally closed in 1987 when Tarmac took over the site for redevelopment.  However some of the works buildings still remain today as part of the “Designer Outlet Village” and the Swindon Steam GWR Museum.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/swindon-works-the-final-years-2/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/Swindon-A-Shop1974-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20230516T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20230516T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20221121T115555Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230413T105643Z
UID:10002120-1684263600-1684272600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:North Staffordshire Railways (Part 2)
DESCRIPTION:Part II of the North Staffs talk covers the line from Derby to Uttoxeter and then onwards to Stoke.  We then continue to Kidsgrove via the Harecastle diversions\, and then run via Alsager to Crewe. \n 
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/north-staffordshire-railways-part-2/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/Kidsgrove-station-44344-heads-a-southbound-freight-through-the-station.-May-27-1964.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20230418T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20230418T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20221121T114805Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230424T134640Z
UID:10002119-1681844400-1681853400@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:All aboard the Pines Express (Part 2) - Postponed as speaker unable to get home due to closure of Didcot to Oxford Line
DESCRIPTION:Back in October 2019 Chris gave us Part 1 of this talk.  We are pleased that following an extended break due to Covid Chris is now coming back to give us Part 2 of this talk.  In Chris’ first talk he took us on the Somerset and Dorset Railway from Bath Green Park to Evercreech Junction.  In this second talk we travel from Burnham on Sea across the levels to Evercreech Junction\, before heading South towards Bournemouth West via Templecombe (change for Waterloo and the West Country).  In this talk Chris not only shows us the express trains on this route\, but also the various freight and local passenger traffic serving the numerous stations\, yards\, and depots along the route.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/all-aboard-the-pines-express-part-2/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/Somerset-and-Dorset.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20230321T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20230321T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20221121T114146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221121T164515Z
UID:10002118-1679425200-1679434200@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Current GWR Scene
DESCRIPTION:Mark Hopwood CBE (Managing Director GWR) will give us an update on current GWR operations and developments
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/current-gwr-scene/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Mark-Hopwood-Paddington-2018-3-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20230221T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20230221T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20220904T165647Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221203T152306Z
UID:10001982-1677006000-1677015000@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:Confessions of a Narrow Minded Enthusiast
DESCRIPTION:The story of miniature railways from 7.25″ up to and including the well-known and ever popular 15″ gauge lines… fascinating tales\, and a little different – but there’s so much to see!  The motto of the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch railway (‘Multum in Parvo’ – ‘Much in Little’) says it all really.  These may be small railways but they have a big story!
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/confessions-of-a-narrow-minded-enthusiast/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/Fairbourne.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20230117T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20230117T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20221103T121533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221121T164149Z
UID:10002100-1673982000-1673991000@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:A look at the history of the Wallingford and Watlington Railway
DESCRIPTION:The presentation will look at the history of the Branch Line from the original opening in 1866 to the current day and an explanation of how the nickname of the “ The Bunk” came about. This includes takeover by the GWR in 1872\, building of the station at Cholsey and subsequent growth in traffic pre-WW2 followed by the closure in 1965 like many other branch lines. The talk will then bring the story up to the present following the formation of the preservation society in 1983. The talk will be illustrated with images recently donated by staff who worked the line and offices at Wallingford.
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/a-look-at-the-history-of-the-wallingford-and-watlington-railway/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/230117-Wallingford-station-DSC_9390-Tony-A.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20221122T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20221122T213000
DTSTAMP:20260418T164750
CREATED:20220904T163313Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221027T132930Z
UID:10001979-1669143600-1669152600@rcts.org.uk
SUMMARY:All Change\, Britain's Railways 1967 to 1979
DESCRIPTION:Following Mike’s personal farewell tour of steam around the UK in 1966\, railways took a back seat in his life. University\, jobs\, marriage\, and children took over and railway photographs generally resulted from being at a location for other reasons\, rather than special trips to photograph trains. However\, the photos he did take chart an era of significant change on the Britain’s railways; the end of steam on BR and the early diesels\, diminishing industrial steam\, and the emerging railway heritage scene. Locations covered in this presentation includes photos taken in the Birmingham area\, the British Leyland Longbridge railway facility\, Kent\, Somerset\, Berkshire\, and the London Area. \nMike is a 4th generation railwayman\, born in Bath\, moving to Bristol at the age of 10 and now living in Chippenham. \n 
URL:https://rcts.org.uk/event/all-change-britains-railways-1967-to-1979/
LOCATION:TVY Didcot\, Didcot Civic Hall\, Britwell Road\, Didcot\, OX11 7JN\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Branch Meetings,Indoor Event,TVY Thames Valley
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rcts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/thames-valley-branch/221122-Paddington-Bristol-HST-approaching-Chippenham-270180a-from-Mike-Beale-1-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR