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BATH RAILWAY SOCIETY
BATH RAILWAY SOCIETY
President: Pete Waterman OBE DL
Chairman: John Froud
Email: bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com
MARCH 2026 NEWSLETTER
MARCH 2026 NEWSLETTER
Dear Member,
With our newsletter editor Bob away this month we provide a slightly reduced format. Back to normal next month.
SOCIETY MATTERS
At our February meeting, Peter Brabham visited once again and presented slides from the late John Wiltshire and Derek Chaplin’s collections, this time featuring Industrial Steam in South Wales from the late 1950s to the 1970s. Not only was it a marvellous collection of photographs, but Peter with his background as an engineering geologist also provided a valuable explanation of the geology, resources and development of industries in the South Wales area and how they influenced the large number of lines illustrated.
We were able to hold a committee meeting on the same evening, and included discussion on both next season’s programme and the member’s evening after our 2026 AGM. Thank you to all those who have offered to contribute to this – we will finalise shortly and be in touch.
Answers to last month’s competition will be given in the April Newsletter.
Our next meeting on Thursday March 5 will be a presentation by Professor Colin Divall entitled “The Puffing Billy of the Hedgerows” which will examine the politics of the Somerset & Dorset closure ca. 1951-1967. As usual doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
NEWS ITEMS
The North Dorset Railway at Shillingstone will be marking 60 years since the closure of the S&D on 7th & 8th March with guided station and signal box tours and traction engines on site. Other attractions to be confirmed. 10.00-16.00, free entry.
The Avon Valley Railway is presenting ‘The People and their Protest’ on Sunday 8th March, remembering 60 years since the railway's closure, transporting passengers back to 1966. 'Dr Beeching' will be 'surveying' people about their use of the railway, protestors will make their feelings known and there will be a display of pre-1966 classic cars. The AVR will also be encouraging you to celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday 15 March by taking your mum for a nostalgic steam train journey. Mums travel for free. Booking essential.
The East Somerset Railway will be re-opening in March with their Spring Gala to be held on 14/15 March. Featured motive power includes GWR Railcar W22 & GWR Pannier Tank 7754 alongside GWR Prairies 4110 & 4555. A full timetable is available to view on their website.
The Swanage Railway is holding its Spring Steam Gala between Friday 27 and Sunday 29 March. Their website advises the full locomotive line-up is still under wraps, but visiting engines include: Austerity Tanks 68067 and WD152 "Rennes" and GWR Grange Class 6880 "Betton Grange". Home locomotives include: Battle of Britain Class 34072 "257 Squadron" and 34070 "Manston", U Class 31806 and T3 Class 563.
The Somerset and Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton will be re-opening at Easter on Sunday 5 and Monday 6 April to include a Easter Hunt for children.
For all events please check the railways’ websites for more details closer to the event.
From 21 March, STEAM Museum is marking the 40th anniversary of the closure of Swindon Works with a special exhibition, titled The Last Blast, The Closure of Swindon Works, which tells the story of the last years of the Works and the end of Swindon’s history as a railway town. It will feature photographs and original objects that illustrate the decline, the protest marches held throughout the town, and the eventual closure of the railway workshops. Later in the month on Friday 27 March the museum will be screening Martin Parry’s “Railway Town” (1986), a film which charts the remarkable story of Swindon, from its “Wild West” beginnings to the fastest growing town in Europe. Doors open at 6.30pm for 7pm.
LOOKING BACK
Our forthcoming meeting coincides with the 60th anniversary of closure of the Somerset & Dorset Line and in the last newsletter Bob provided details of the rail tours that ran on January 1 and 2 1966 – the original intended closure date. These were to be followed by the memorable tours of March 5 and 6 1966, which I am sure many of you remember. It is now 10 years ago that Bob had published his definitive work on this final chapter of the railway – Somerset and Dorset Swansong and we have no hesitation in recommending it, if you don’t already have a copy. Still shown as available through The Titfield Thunderbolt Bookshop.
MORE NEWS ITEMS
The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath is currently holding an exhibition entitled Poster Power! It showcases an exceptional range of British posters from the 19th and 20th centuries, drawn from the collections of the Victoria Art Gallery and Bath Record Office. It includes a number of vintage railway posters designed to entice tourists to Bath with images of Georgian architecture and The Roman Baths. Well worth a visit and runs to 10 May 2026, opening times 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.
Sticking with graphic design, ‘new’ signage has been erected at Bradford on Avon station by GWR and very pleasing it is too, taking a retro style, mimicking 1950s British Railways signage. It is understood to have also been provided at other ‘heritage’ stations such as Castle Cary and Dawlish. We wait in anticipation for the new Great British Railways corporate image to be applied at stations!
MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION
To be resumed next month.
This section relies on your contributions so if any of you have an interesting story or a favourite memory which would be of interest in the newsletter, please do send it in to either bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com or bob.bunyar@outlook.com
COMPETITION
To resume next month.
MORE NEWS ITEMS
Swindon Model Railway club are hosting their 65th show MODRAIL at STEAM, Swindon on Saturday 7 March. It will feature 16+ layouts and demonstrators in N, OO and O standard gauge representing British and Continental railways including narrow gauge. For a full list of layouts and traders please see their website at https://swindonmodelrailwayclub.com/index.php/modrail-2026.
The Sodbury Vale Model Railway Club is holding its 50th Anniversary Exhibition at Aerospace Bristol, Concorde Hanger, Hayes Way, Patchway (BS34 5BZ) on Saturday 14 March 2026, 10am to 4.30pm. Working layouts and demonstrations will take place right underneath the iconic Concorde and alongside vintage aircraft in the museum’s Conservation Workshop. See https://sodburyvalemrc.co.uk/exhibition-2026-flyer/
Later in the month the Nailsea Model Railway Exhibition takes place on 28th – 29th March from 10am both days at Nailsea School, Mizzymead Road, Nailsea, BS48 2LE. 24 layouts are listed along with demonstrators, Society and trade stands. https://www.nailsea-district-mrc.co.uk/events/nailsea-model-railway-exhibitions-2026/
LOOKING FORWARD
Your Chairman has recently become a convert to the Green Signals Podcast / Video Channel hosted by Nigel Harris (former Managing Editor and Events Director of the magazine RAIL) and Richard Bowker CBE (former Chair & CEO of the Strategic Rail Authority). It’s very much about looking forward; covering railway politics, economics, people and history, assessing the issues of the day and talking to the people making the decisions in the railway industry. It’s also entertaining, so recommended for a listen/watch. https://www.greensignals.org/about/
Just a reminder, our April meeting will be on Thursday April 9, 2026, the second Thursday of the month. This will be a presentation by Tim Maynard on “Signalling the Narrow Gauge” – a look at the signalling systems used on both the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways from the 1860s to the present day.
John Froud & Mike Beale
Please note: All events and special trains etc are mentioned in good faith and hopefully details are correct at the time of publication of the Newsletter. Please however, do check before travelling or attending events as things can change
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