CIRENCESTER

RAILWAY SOCIETY

The Cirencester Railway Society was formed in 1978 by John Thomas and John Head. They continued as Chairman and Treasurer until 2022- a remarkable record for which they have been recognised as Honorary Members.

Meetings are held at 7:30pm in the Bingham Library in Cirencester (GL7 2PZ) on the first Friday evening each winter month, October to April. An average of 20 members attend these meetings and refreshments are served.

Occasional outings are organised, often in conjunction with Stroud Vintage Transport & Engine Club. Whilst our members are primarily interested in full size railways several are also model railway enthusiasts.

CONTACT

• Chairman: Mike Smith
• Secretary: Rick Martin
• Treasurer: JohnTiffney

MEMBERSHIP

The annual subscription is £20, and the fee for visitors is £4. To join just attend and pay the Treasurer.

FORTHCOMING MEETINGS

2023-24

• Friday 6th October - Paul Chancellor
“Gems from the Archives”

Paul from Colour Rail, will give us a 2 hour presentation from his extensive library of photographs. Colour-Rail is probably the largest supplier of archive railway photographs in the UK This is the tenth Colour-Rail Journey and looks at the photographic styles of ten competent railway photographers, but with different interpretations of the scene, with views from the 1950s to the present day.

• Friday 3rd November - Chris Smith
"Cheltenham to Swindon 2 Routes by Train"

Chris is and ex-BR fireman and driver on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway. Chris uses a mixture of his own photographs and those of other photographers to present a slide show of picture taken between the 1920s and the 1960s.

• Friday 1st December - Douglas Butler
"The Future of HS2"

Douglas will look at the origins of the decision to build HS2, then consider the amazing engineering challenges that are being met. The entire project is in the hands of the politicians, of course, and the hope is that after all the truncation there still is a useful railway being built.

• Friday 5th January 2024 – Mike Smith
"Steam in Zimbabwe, 1994"

Mike’s steam tour of Zimbabwe on the “Zambezi Limited” in July 1994. Plenty of Beyer-Garratts, but “straight” engines too, and a trip across the Victoria Falls Bridge in a coach built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company.

Friday 2nd February 2024 – To be confirmed

Friday 1st March 2024 – Ian Crowder
"76077 and the BR class 4MT 2-6-0s"

76077 is currently under restoration for use on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway. The aim is to return the loco to steam in time for its 70th Birthday in 2026. We will learn much about the restoration of and future plans for76077 as well as the history of the BR class 4MT 2-6-0s.

Friday 5th April 2024 – To be confirmed

2022-23 Meetings Archive

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

• Gloucester Vintage & Country Extravaganza (2024 dates tba)

• Fairford Steam, Classic & Retro Show (2024 dates tba)

USEFUL WEB-LINKS

• Railway Club directory
• Cirencester Community Railway Project
• Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway

• The Restoration & Archiving Trust - Cirencester Branch pdf
• 'The Slow Train' (Flanders & Swann, presented by Douglas)
• OS Maps from the 1950s - Sheet 157 (Swindon)

• Cirencester Town Stn: Google images - Disused Stations
• Cirencester Watermoor Stn: Google images - Disused Stations

• UK Rail Maps
• HS2 Project
• Great Western Railways

• Cotswold Canals Trust
• Pendon Museum (Abingdon)
• Rail Operators in Britain (pdf)

• Onboard OO camera: 1 - 2