'National Railway Societies'
Meetings and Events for Q3 2026
July to September 2026
- Branch Line Society
- Historical Model Railway Society
- Inter City Railway Society
- Locomotive Club of Great Britain
- Railfuture
- Railway & Canal Historical Society
- Stephenson Locomotive Society
For Railway Correspondence and Travel Society go to www.rcts.org.uk/#news and scroll down
Note this calendar is based on information provided as at 18 June 2026. As full details of meetings are not always published a full quarter in advance, up-dates to this calendar will occur periodically. Note Societies often change their events, often on little notice.
BRANCH LINE SOCIETY has the following events:
Saturday 4 July 2026
‘Victoria - Victoria: Sheffield & Nottingham railway remnants tour’
This is a walking tour (linked by a service train plus a metro) to visit a few surviving remnants at the sites of Sheffield Victoria and Nottingham Victoria former stations (plus Nottingham London Road former station).
Saturday 18 July 2026
‘Cotswold and Exmoor Explorer’
Join the Hastings 6-coach unit on an exploration from the southern extremities of Hastings, all the way west to Minehead.
Saturday 25 July 2026
‘Oss Odyssey: Stour Valley Tour’
A service train, metro and bus tour based on the Stour Valley Line.
Monday 10 August 2026
Birmingham New Street station subways
Saturday 12 September 2026 to Monday 14 September 2026
‘The Vienna Explorer 2’
Progress on this Branch Line Society European Railtour has now reached the point where we feel we can provide dates and some provisional information.
Saturday 12 September 2026
‘Toots Express’
A special train, in support of Macmillan Cancer Support will take a pair of 50s to Edinburgh
Friday 25 September 2026
‘Newcastle Railway Architecture Roundabout tour’
This is a service train/metro tour to visit some historic examples of railway architecture in Newcastle.
Sunday 27 September 2026
‘Carlisle Station Tour’
An opportunity for BLS members to join one of the Citadel Railway Station Tours given by Carol Donnelly MBE
HISTORICAL MODEL RAILWAY SOCIETY has the following events:
July 2026
Bletchley Area Group: Social
Summer Day Out – to be confirmed.
Wednesday 26 August
Bletchley Area Group: Talk
Zoom Meeting: 'British Rail Blue & Grey'
Starts 7.30pm
Wednesday 30 September
Bletchley Area Group: Talk
Details to be confirmed
Other Area Groups yet to confirm
INTER CITY RAILWAY SOCIETY
Saturday 11 July
Event: Visit
‘FL Crewe Basford Hall Yard’
Cost £15 payable on the day. The 1 hour trip around Basford Hall Yard starts at 11.30
Saturday 25 July
Event: Tour
‘Tour of East Lancashire Railway’
Max 20 per visit. Cost: £15 payable on the day.
Start 10.30, duration 3 hours.
Saturday 1 August
Event: Visit
‘Dean Forest Railway’
Max 40 (38 still available) Cost £20 payable on the day. Arrive 10.00 for 10.30 start at Norchard Station off the B4234. The tour will include shed, yard & sidings at Norchard followed by return train ride at 14.30 enabling stock to be seen at other locations including Lydney Junction.
Sunday 9 August
Event: Tour
‘Scunthorpe Steelworks / Appleby Frodingham Railway’
Duration 4 hours in 3 brake vans hauled by diesel. Cost £25 payable on the day
Saturday 5 September
Event: Visit
Eastleigh Works
Cost £25 payable in advance
LOCOMOTIVE CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN has the following presentations:
Tuesday 7 July
LCGB (Bedford branch): Digital Presentation
‘The Role of the Permanent Way Institution’
Presented by Joss Apps, Technical Manager of the Permanent Way Institution.
Venue: St John's Church Hall, St John’s Street, Bedford, MK42 0DL.
Start time 7.30pm
Tuesday 14 July
LCGB (Dorking branch): Talk
‘21st Century Narrow Gauge Steam in Eastern Europe and the UK’
Presented by Michael Smyth
Venue: Dorking Friends Meeting House, Butter Hill, South Street, Dorking, RH4 2LE.
Start time 7.30pm.
Friday 17 July
LCGB (Central London branch)
‘LCGB Tour to Madagascar 2012‘
Presented by Colin Miell
Venue: Keen House (the Model Railway Club), 4, Calshot Street, London N1 9DA.
Start time 6.30pm.
Saturday 8 August
LCGB (Bedford branch): Tour
Bedford Branch Visit to St Albans Signal Box
Friday 21 August
LCGB (Central London branch)
Members' Images
Venue: Keen House (the Model Railway Club), 4, Calshot Street, London N1 9DA.
Start time 6.30pm.
Tuesday 1 September
LCGB (Bedford branch): Talk
‘The MR Heads for Swansea, Part 3: Colbren Junction to Swansea’
Presented by Chris Jones
Venue: St John's Church Hall, St John’s Street, Bedford, MK42 0DL.
Start time 7.30pm
Tuesday 8 September
LCGB (North London branch)
‘That Was The Year That Was - 1966’
Presented by Geoff Plumb
Venue: The Parish Room, St Michaels Church, Bounds Green Road, Wood Green, London, N22 8HE
Start time 2pm.
Tuesday 8 September
LCGB (Dorking branch): Talk
‘Romania’
Presented by Donald Wilson
Venue: Dorking Friends Meeting House, Butter Hill, South Street, Dorking, RH4 2LE.
Start time 7.30pm.
Thursday 10 September
LCGB (St. Albans branch): Talk
'British Steam in the First Decade of the 21st Century: A Personal View'
Presented by Jeremy Harrison
Venue: St Bartholomew's Church, 47 Vesta Avenue, St Albans, AL1 2PE
Start time 7.30pm
Friday 18 September
LCGB (Central London branch)
‘From Carlisle to Kittybrewster’
Presented by Ray Schofield
Venue: Keen House (the Model Railway Club), 4, Calshot Street, London N1 9DA.
Start time 6.30pm.
RAILFUTURE has the following meetings:
Saturday 4 July: Annual General Meeting
‘National AGM’
Registration from 10:00. AGM starts at 11:00.
Venue: The Priory Rooms, Quaker Meeting House, 40 Bull Street, Birmingham B4 6AF.
Wednesday 8 July
Branch: West Midlands
Event: Open Meeting
Venue: Platform 3 meeting room, Birmingham Moor Street station
Starts 5.45pm
Thursday 23 July
Branch / Division: London & South East regional branch (London Metro Division)
Event: Division Meeting
Venue: Alan Baxter Gallery, Front Basement Meeting Room, 75 Cowcross Street, Farringdon, London EC1M 6EL
Starts 7pm.
Thursday 29 July
Branch / Division: London & South East regional branch (Herts & Beds Division)
Event: Division Meeting, online
Starts 7.30pm
Saturday 27 August
Branch / Division: London & South East regional branch (Herts & Beds Division)
Event: Division Meeting, online
Starts 12 noon
Wednesday 9 September
Branch: West Midlands
Event: Open Meeting
Venue: Platform 3 meeting room, Birmingham Moor Street station
Starts 5.45pm
Thursday 17 September
Branch: North West
Event: Open Meeting
Venue: Castlestead View, Castlestead Close, Oxenholme, Kendal LA9 7FY
Starts 1pm
Thursday 17 September
Branch: London & South East regional branch (London Metro Division)
Event: Division Meeting
Venue: Alan Baxter Gallery, Front Basement Meeting Room, 75 Cowcross Street, Farringdon, London EC1M 6EL
Starts 7pm
Saturday 26 September
Branch / Division: London & South East regional branch (Herts & Beds Division)
Event: Division Meeting
Venue: St Pauls Church St Albans, 11am followed by a 'social' lunch from 1pm at the Bricket Wood Tearoom.
RAILWAY & CANAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY has the following events:
Thursday 2 July
East Midlands Group: Walk
‘Midland Railway Ripley Branch’
Meet at Derby Bus Station (Bay 23) at 11:00 to catch the Comet service at 11:05 to Little Eaton. The walk distance is 7.5 miles and is considered easy but appropriate footwear is recommended. Regular bus services run along the length of the walk giving the opportunity for an early exit if required. Please bring a packed lunch. Return from Ripley to Derby by Comet or Nines bus services, or Ripley to Derby via Belper by Sixes bus service. Further details from Sally Bramson on 07856 579792 or email sallybee1@btinternet.com
Thursday 30 July
North West Group: Walk
‘The Lancaster Canal – Bilsborrow to Garstang’
A walk of approximately 5.5 miles, led by Roger Brice, following the Lancaster Canal from Bilsborrow to Garstang. There are three aqueducts (Brock, Calder & Wye) each with its own reason for viewing. All three were designed by John Rennie: two are examples of syphon aqueducts and the third, at Garstang is the second longest on the canal and a fine example of a Rennie aqueduct.
We plan to view the former LNWR station building and houses at the site of the former Garstang & Catterall Station, from where the Knott End Railway ran to Knott End. The LNWR and KER lines ran in parallel for a short section. The site of the KER Garstang Town Station and the former railway bridge over the River Wyre can be visited.
We will use the 40/41 bus service from Preston to Bilborrow and also for the return journey to Preston from Garstang. Meet at Preston Bus Station (stand 2) for the 10:45 bus departure (#41).
Saturday 1 August
The Scarborough & Whitby Railway around Ravenscar, by invitation of the Railway Ramblers’ Club. Joint walks with the North York Moors Association, of (5¼ miles and 3 miles). Meet at 10.30 on Raven Hall Road, Ravenscar where there is roadside car parking opposite the public toilets at grid reference NZ 9802 0151.
Thursday 27 August
North West Group: Walk
Walk: Leeds & Liverpool Canal west of Blackburn: Feniscowles to Blackburn
This walk of 5 miles, led by Mark Jones, is the latest in a series of walks along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, which finds us exploring the section between Feniscowles (Finnington Lane) to the west of Blackburn and the well preserved Eanam Wharf close to Blackburn town centre. It continues our walk of June 2024 exploring the L&L canal between Johnson’s Hillock and Finnington Lane; on this occasion following the canal eastward from Bridge 91B (Fennington Lane) to Blackburn.
Day will also include viewing the site of the former Star Paper Mill, with its short Tramway incline up to the canal, together with glimpses of the parallel former Blackburn – Chorley Railway, closed to passengers in 1960.
Meet at Blackburn Station on arrival of trains from Manchester Victoria 09.43 (Clitheroe train, dep Salford Crescent 09.51, Bolton 10.04, arrives Blackburn 10.33), Preston (dep 09.44) and Leeds (dep 08.58). We will then catch Bus 2A (service to Chorley) at 10.41 from Bus Stand 1 outside the station for the 20 minute journey to Finnington Lane bus stop. Another bus (#2A) is available 30 minutes later if any delays occur.
Saturday 5 September
‘Dewsbury’s Railways’
By invitation of the Railway Ramblers’ Club. Meet outside Dewsbury station at 10.30 – check train times as they can change with the Trans-Pennine Upgrade. Maps Landranger 104 & 110, Explorer 288.
Saturday 12 September
National: Annual General Meeting
The 72nd Annual General Meeting of the Railway & Canal Historical Society will be held at The Friends’ Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS at 12:00pm. The morning will commence at 11.30am with signing-in formalities and refreshments. In order that all members have the opportunity to attend, the meeting will also be accessible using the facilities of Zoom.
Wednesday 16 September
London Area Group: Walk
‘Blackfriars and all things London, Chatham and Dover Railway’
This is a further part of a multi-part series of London Railway Termini Walks. As with the other walks in the series, it is an ‘all-day’ walk.
We meet at the buffer stops of platforms 1 and 2 within Blackfriars Station at 11am. Our walk includes a number of aspects which although primarily involve the London, Chatham and Dover ‘City Line’ (especially that part from Blackfriars to Farringdon), also includes other aspects such as the lower reaches of the River Fleet, the remains of the Roman Wall, and the area of the former Blackfriars monastery lands.
We visit the former sites of Ludgate Hill and Holborn Viaduct stations, as well as the surviving stations of Blackfriars and Farringdon. We visit the south bank and location of Blackfriars Bridge station, before taking a train via Loughborough Junction to the important LCDR rail junction at Herne Hill. After a walk in Brockley Park, we return to Herne Hill and take a train on the former LCDR ‘West End Line’ to Victoria where the walk ends.
Please note this walk involves travel on Network Rail to and from Herne Hill (Zone 3) so you will need a pre-paid ticket/ card/ contactless of some form for that element. Time is 6 hours. Easy walk along pavements. No restaurant stops planned, so bring a packed lunch.
Thursday 24 September
North West Group: Walk
‘The Bury Branch of the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal’
A walk of 6 miles following the Bury Branch of the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal (MB&BC) led by Andrew Waldron. Meet at Bury Metro Interchange at 10:30am.
The walk starts at Bury Metro Interchange from where we follow a short stretch of road walking to reach the route of the canal. Along the way we will follow a section of the old Bolton-Bury railway line with a splendid viaduct and a surviving bridge and then to Elton Head Reservoir. From Elton Head it’s a short walk to where the canal is still in water. Once the breach at Little Lever is repaired (current date August 2026) most of the canal will be in water to Nob End and the meeting point of the Bury and Bolton Branches. We will walk a short distance along the Bolton Branch and to Moses Gate for bus or train return to Manchester.
Saturday 26 September
South West: Walk
‘A short walk and lunch at Salisbury’
Meeting at Salisbury Station 11am, view LSWR station buildings and forecourt recently renovated and upgraded, the original GWR station front and surrounding area. Then follow the remains of the Market House branch opened in 1859 and remaining independent until its closure in 1964, two arched brick bridges and a bridge over the river, to its terminus at the Market House. The Market Square frontage of the Library is the original frontage of the Market House railway building.
A social lunch at a location in the city centre followed by an opportunity to see some of the other attractions of Salisbury.
STEPHENSON LOCOMOTIVE SOCIETY has the following presentations:
Friday 11 September
SLS (Newcastle Centre)
Event: Talk
‘The Golden Years of BR – The North West’
Presented by Martin Green
Venue: Conference Room, 1st Floor, Newcastle Arts Centre, 67 Westgate Road, Newcastle.
Start time, 7pm.
Saturday 12 September
SLS (Midlands, Kidderminster Centre)
Members Presentations
Venue: Kidderminster Railway Museum, Kidderminster DY10 1QX
Start time, 2pm.
Tuesday 15 September
SLS (Teeside Centre - Coulby Newham)
Presentation:
‘J.W. Armstrong's Darlington’
Presented by: David Dunn
Venue: Langdon Square Community Centre, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough TS8 0TF
Start time is 2pm.