About
The Beginnings
Following several enjoyable outings to Swindon works by groups of railway enthusiasts living in Bath an informal meeting was held at the Midland Hotel on 24th April 1957 to discuss the formation of a Railway Society. Twelve gentlemen attended and apologies for absence were received from two others. An initial meeting to set up a temporary committee and consider the activities of the Society was subsequently held on 9th May. The first general meeting was held on 30th May 1957 at which the title “Bath Railway Society” was decided on and it was agreed that regular monthly meetings would be held at the Midland Hotel.
The first permanent committee elected by the Society included:
Chairman: Mr P J Williams
Secretary: Mr R Hurst
Treasurer: Mr R W Croft
Members: Messrs. T R Hopping and R G Thomas
O S Nock the well known railway writer accepted the honorary office of President of the Society, a position he held until his death in 1994.
The committee then met on 20th June and drew up a programme of events for the rest of the year. The first programme card indicates the close affinity the Society held with the Somerset & Dorset Railway and that railway luminaries such as Kenneth Leech were invited in its first year to speak to the Society.
Notable Members
In Fred Lawrance’s introduction to his book 'The Bath Railway Society' he notes the varied background and professions of the founders: a clergyman, a schoolmaster, a member of the Press, two civil servants, a businessman who was an eminent railway photographer, two professional engineers who were keen railway modellers, and a retired professional railwayman.
Putting names to some of these indicates the pedigree of membership the Society has held since its inception. They included a trio of notable photographers: Ivo Peters, Norman Lockett and Rev Alan Newman; Guy Williams of Pendon fame and Harold Morris who was shed master at Green Park locomotive depot. The Society can also claim to have subsequently elected a Vice Chairman who had travelled in a Great Western broad gauge train!
Following O S Nock’s death in 1994, David Shepherd CBE, FRSA, FRGS, OBE the celebrated railway artist and conservationist became President of the Society until September 2017. Having held the office of Vice President since 2006 we were delighted that Pete Waterman OBE DL accepted our invitation to become our 3rd President in early 2018.
Eminent Speakers
From the earliest beginnings of the Society it has welcomed eminent speakers on railway matters. In Fred Lawrance’s book he recalls presentations given by distinguished speakers such as Cecil J Allen, C Hamilton Ellis, T W E Roche, Bill Hoole, Teddy Boston, Terence Cuneo and also Richard ‘Dick‘ Hardy, who presented The Hardy Annual each year from his first visit in March 1961 to 1976. The Society has also been blessed with a wealth of home grown talent and in addition to the notable members referred above should be included the likes of Kenneth Leech, Hugh Ballantyne, Colin Maggs and Russell Leitch. This tradition continues to this day and our current programme can be found on the Programme page of this website.
