Railway & Transport Club

We meet at 7:30 pm (new time from January 2023) on the 3^rd Tuesday of each month, except July, August and December.  Contact: John Soer or Jim Dunning.

The Club has over 40 members and enables men and women of all ages to share their common interest.

We meet in the Bradbury Centre of the Methodist Church, in Rose Street (Peach Place), where members enjoy a wide range of good quality presentations on transport topics, including heritage and steam railways, with the opportunity for refreshments and time for a chat.

Note meetings are at 7.30pm in the Bradbury Centre (Hall or Luke).

The first part of our meeting on 19^th November was taken up by the AGM, with our President, Rev Catherine Bowstead chairing the meeting.  After the usual formalities, the Chairman gave his report in which he outlined the programme of the past year and thanked all those who had contributed to the running of the club.  The sale of books, maps etc. enabled us to send £100 to the Railway Children Charity.  Our Treasurer reported that, although the average number of members attending was down a little, there was still a small excess of income over expenditure.  The size of the donation to the church was agreed for which Catherine passed on the thanks of the stewards.  Jim Dunning then gave details of the programme for the first half of 2025.

John Soer began the second part of the meeting by taking us along the line from Birmingham to the outskirts of Derby.  The photograph shows Birmingham New Street Station after the war damaged roof had been removed, but before the present monstrosity was erected. The building is the back of the station hotel.  Ralph Philips then showed a number of slides taken at the Fawley Court Railway.  This is a private museum established by the late Sir William McAlpine and now run by a team of volunteers.  It has a standard gauge working railway.  We can always expect an eclectic mixture from David Goddard and he did not disappoint us this time.  His photographs included various trains, Reading buses including a gas-powered one operating on the route to Henley, Ely station, old traction engines, steam rollers and the steam ship Warrior.

In January we welcomed Peter Greatorex and Simon Colbeck who gave a presentation on “Carry on Steaming - East and West”.  In the first part Simon showed a wide range of photos firstly in the UK and then in China.  We heard how Simon’s interest had developed not only in Steam Railways but also in Traction Engines.  Simon has had many photos on both topics published.  He showed us how he prepares photos including ones from collections he has acquired. We saw photos of steam in the UK including night shots.  After an interlude in the East Midlands in the 70s and 80s when there was plenty of freight we turned to China. In the second part we had a video of China.  We saw steam haulage right into the 21st Century from major freight to local lines.  Simon also told us about the building of new railways, a task that is completed quickly, and the changes that have been brought about by rapid economic growth in recent years.

John Soer and Jim Dunning

During 2024 we enjoyed a wide-ranging programme of talks with an average attendance of a little over twenty.  Some that come are not Church members, but all enjoy the chance to chat to others before the meeting.  Of particular note during the year was the exhibition in the meeting place during September/ October to celebrate the 175^th Anniversary of the railway coming to Wokingham.  The sale of old magazines, maps etc raised £100 for the Railway Children Charity.

John Soer