Chairman: Bill Davies Click to E-mail
Secretary: Chris Jones Click to E-mail
In normal circumstances, 13 meetings are held each year at 19:30 - 22:00 in
St John's Church Hall, St John’s Street, Bedford, MK42 0DL (unless otherwise stated)
Admission £2.00 Members, £3.00 Non-members (includes free tea or coffee). Refreshments are served at half-time
You can buy new and second-hand books and other items at all indoor meetings.
Meetings Programme 2026
| 2026 | |
| 6th January | Ashford to Hastings Revisited. A digital presentation by Richard Crane Pictures past and present at the rail centres of Ashford and Hastings and the often-threatened branch linking the two towns |
| 3rd February | The Nidd Valley Railway. Presented by Tony Manktelow A tale of 3 railways in one! We start with the former NER branch to Pateley Bridge and then onto the only passenger railway run by a public corporation between Pateley Bridge and Lofthouse. We finish on the contractors’ railway beyond Lofthouse that was used to build and service the large reservoirs that delivered fresh water to Bradford. So, three railways in one - with plenty of other interesting bits along the way. Welcome to Yorkshire! |
| 3rd March | The Last Years of Steam around North Wales. Presented by Michael Clements A digital presentation of film & slides from the photographic archive of the late R. E. James-Robertson covering much of North Wales predominantly, steam during the mid-1950s & 60s. The presentation covers both Standard & Narrow-gauge lines including the Penrhyn & Padarn slate systems. |
| 7th April | Didcot to Snow Hill. From The Tommy Tomalin Collection, presented by Brian Sullivan We travel the old Great Western route from Didcot to Birmingham Snow Hill via Oxford, Banbury and Leamington Spa. The photographs cover the period from the early 1960’s through to the first decade of the twenty first century. Also includes pictures of the many steam specials that were routed via this line. |
| 5th May | 60 Years of the Settle & Carlisle. A digital presentation by Michael Smyth This presentation explains and records the changing fortunes of the Settle and Carlisle line from the last days of steam in the 1960s, through the years of decline towards expected closure, its reprieve in 1989 and subsequent resurgence.100 pictures illustrate the variety of steam and diesel workings to be seen over the decades. All of these are set against the backdrop of the structures and scenery of this most scenic of routes, as well as the ever changing and sometimes extreme weather. |
| 2nd June | Growing up on the Bedford – Bletchley Line. A digital presentation by Sean Devaney Sean shares his memories of growing up in the crossing keepers house at Kempston Hardwick. |
| 7th July | The Role of the Permanent Way Institution. A digital presentation by Joss Apps, Technical Manager of the Permanent Way Institution. |
| 11th or 18th August | Chairman's day out. Where (and when) will we go this year? |
| 1st September | The MR Heads for Swansea, Part 3: Colbren Jnc to Swansea. Presented by Chris Jones. The final part of the Midland Railways journey to Swansea by through carriage. Also includes a visit to the new Centre For Rail Excellence in a former open cast mine.. |
| 6th October | Stuart Underdown’s Southern Memories, Part 2. Presented by Jeremy Harrison The late Stuart Underdown was a member of both the LCGB and the RCTS and an accomplished photographer, who put together several presentations, including this one of his ‘Southern Memories’, of his own photographs covering the period from the 1960s through the 1970s, together with some much older images that he collected, ranging from Kent to the ‘withered arm’ lines in Devon and Cornwall. |
| 20th October | Annual General Meeting, to be followed by a Guest Speaker. |
| 3rd November |
The last four years of steam (1964 – 1968). A slide presentation by George Howe George started using slide films sixty-two years ago in 1964. George covers the final four years and his quest to record the final period of steam to its ending in 1968. George did not neglect their successors; diesels will feature. But not too many. |
| 1st December | Tunnel Vision: the story of The Metropolitan Railway. A digital presentation by Colin Brading A celebration of the worlds first underground railway which opened to great acclaim in Jan 1863. This ‘little acorn’ (it was not even 4 miles long) grew to spread many branches and the ‘Met’ has served London’s metropolis with great distinction and character ever since. |
| 15th December | Christmas Food & Films. Films with your pre-booked meal, a mince pie & festive drink. |