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: Keith Newman
• 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

Friday 8th January 2027 – Ian Boskett “Ashchurch to Tewkesbury by Train”

Ian is Tewkesbury born and bred and has given this talk to us in the past, but it was many years ago, so this month we make a welcome return visit to one of Gloucestershire's Midland Railway branch lines. Please note, this is the SECOND Friday of the month.

Friday 5th February 2027 – John Rogers “Working at Old Oak Common”

Cirencester Railway Society member John Rogers spent his career in engineering, mainly in the Stroud area, but as a lifelong railway enthusiast, he was pleased to get a job at Old Oak Common depot, when the passenger service out of Paddington was dominated by HSTs. An insider's view of life in one of the country’s major diesel depots.

Friday 5th March 2027 – Dr Ray Wilson
“The Quarries and Tramroads of Leckhampton Hill”

Ray Wilson was Secretary of the Gloucestershire Society for Industrial Archaeology for many years and is now its president. He has been researching Leckhampton Hill’s quarries and the railways and tramways that served them for many years.

The Leckhampton Quarries Co Ltd was formed in 1899 to work the extensive quarries on Leckhampton Hill. Until 1923, these were served by tramroads and inclines that were connected to the Gloucester & Cheltenham Tramroad.

In 1922-23 a standard gauge railway about 1¼ miles long was built from Charlton Kings on the GWR’s Cheltenham — Banbury line to the quarry. The Lower section was loco worked, using Peckett works number 906 of 1902, named “LIGHTMOOR”. A final section up a rope worked incline served the quarries and kilns. A 2ft 0in gauge tramway (without locos) was in use around the kilns. The company ran into financial difficulties and a Receiver was appointed in October 1925 and the quarry was closed in November1926.

Ray regularly leads guided walks around Leckhampton Hill to see its quarries and inclines and we will learn about the fascinating history of a part of Gloucestershire’s industrial and railway history that really should be better known.

Friday, 2nd April, 2027
“The Great Western in The Stroud Valley” – Mike Fenton

The final volume, of Mike Fenton’s magnum opus on the history of the railway line from Standish Junction to Kemble was published in 2026. This really is the definitive history of the railway line through the Golden Valley up until nationalisation in 1948.

Mike can only scratch the surface of the phenomenal amount of research he has put into this project over many years during a 1½ hour talk, but this really is one not to be missed. All three volumes of the book will be available for sale during the meeting. He says he hopes to write another book to cover the years of nationalisation under British Railways from 1948 until the end of the Gloucester to Chalford railcar service in 1964. Let’s hope he does. He has promised to include something on the GWR’s Cirencester branch in tonight’s talk.

Sunday 9th May 2027 - Return visit to Fawley Hill Railway and Museum -

We have been invited to make a return visit to the Fawley Hill Museum near Henley-on-Thames on Sunday, 9th May, 2027. Attendance is by invitation only and we have been allocated 20 places. The price is £15 per person and transport to Fawley will be arranged later. Please let Mike Smith know if you are interested in joining the group.• Chairman: Mike Smith

2022-25 Meetings Archive

FORTHCOMING EVENTS,

and

USEFUL WEB-LINKS

• Gloucester Vintage & Country Extravaganza  (2026)
• Fairford Steam, Classic & Retro Show  (2026)

• 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)

• Vale of Berkeley Railway, maps: 1955 and 2018

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

• Stroud Society of Model Engineers
• Stratford Park Miniature Railway, Stroud

• UK Rail Maps
• HS2 Project
• Great Western Railways

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

• Onboard OO camera: 1 - 2